Over the whole inclosure of these ancient camps worked flints and
remains of pottery have been found--objects which are sufficient to
testify to the former presence of primitive man. The enormous ramparts
of these camps also tend to show that pre-historic man must have
existed in comparatively numerous associations at the various spots
where these works are found.
If we were to enter into a detailed study of the vestiges of the
polished-stone epoch existing in the other countries of Europe, we
should be led into a repetition of much that we have already stated with
regard to the districts now forming France and Belgium. Over a great
portion of Europe we should find the same mode of life, the same manners
and customs, and the same degree of nascent civilisation. From the
scope, therefore, of our present work, we shall not make it our task to
take each country into special consideration.
We will content ourselves with stating that the caves of Old Castille in
Spain, which were explored by M. Ed. Lartet, have furnished various
relics of the reindeer and polished-stone epochs. Also in the provinces
of Seville and Badajos, polished hatchets have been found, made for the
most part of dioritic rocks.
Numerous vestiges of the same epoch have, too, been discovered in
various provinces of Italy.
We give in fig. 128 the sketch of a very remarkable arrow-head found in
the province of Civita-Nova (the former kingdom of Naples). It is
provided with a short stem with lateral grooves, so as to facilitate the
point being fitted into a wooden shaft.
[Illustration: Fig. 128.--Flint Arrow-head, from Civita-Nova (Italy).]
Elba, too, was surveyed by M. Raffaello Foresi, who found in this
Mediterranean isle a large quantity of arrows, knives, saws, scrapers,
&c., formed of flint, jasper, obsidian, and even rock crystal. There
were also found in the Isle of Elba workshops for shaping flints. Great
Britain, Wurtemburg, Hungary, Poland, and Russia all furnish us with
specimens of polished stone instruments; but, for the reason which we
stated above, it would be superfluous to dwell upon them.
We shall now pass on to an examination of the type of the human race
which existed among the northern nations of Europe during the
polished-stone age.
There is a cavern of Ariége which belongs to the polished-stone epoch,
and has been explored by MM. Garrigou and Filhol--this is the cavern of
_Lombrive_, or _des Echelles_; the latter name being given it because it
is divided into two portions placed at such very different levels that
the help of five long ladders is required in order to pass from one to
the other. This cave has become interesting from the fact that it has
furnished a large quantity of human bones, belonging to individuals of
both sexes and every age; also two entire skulls, which M. Garrigou has
presented to the Anthropological Society of Paris.
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