Steenstrup's study, a work of genius, is entirely compatible with and probably implies a considerably later date than we used to accept. The following table shows the dates assigned by different students to Maglemose and the shell-heaps: +---------------+-------------------+------------------------+ | | B. C. | B. C. | | Obermaier | Maglemose, 10,000 | Shell-heaps, 8000 | | Forrer | | Shell-heaps, 8000-6000 | | Sollas | Maglemose, 7,500 | | | Osborn | Maglemose, 7,000 | | | Menzel (Chart)| | Shell-heaps, 6000 | | Keilhack | | Shell-heaps, 5000 | +---------------+-------------------+------------------------+ The shell-heaps and Maglemose hardly seem to differ in age as much as Obermaier thinks; De Geer's study was very careful and certainly demands respectful attention. The tendency toward later dates for these cultures seems to be strong and increasing. If we place Maglemose at 7000 to 7500 B. C., and the shell-heaps 6500 to 6000 we have probably made them as ancient as the facts can well allow. It is better to hold judgment still somewhat in suspense. Even if Obermaier should yet prove to be correct in his apparently extreme dates, it is still evident that the Neolithic period began late and was of short duration compared with the millennia in which Paleolithic time was reckoned. Our records are scanty for the earlier portions of the more or less than 5,000 years which we have allowed for the Neolithic period.[130] We find the shell-heap culture spreading from Denmark into Sweden and Norway. Following closely, or overlapping it, crossing Norway from the region of Christiania, we find the Nostvet and Arctic cultures, perhaps nearly related, perhaps distinct, but leading over to the genuine Neolithic Scandinavian culture. Here we find forms intermediate between the axe and "pick" of the shell-heap and the axes of later epochs. We have already described the rude, somewhat triangular axe of the shell-heaps. The axe of Paleolithic time had had nearly the shape of an almond. We will compare the pointed end to the back, and the cutting edge to the edge of our axe or carpenter's hatchet. The earliest polished axes of Denmark still retained nearly the shape of a somewhat long and thin almond.[131] Their cross-section might be compared to an ellipse with pointed instead of rounded ends. This is the "_spitznackiges Beil_" of Müller and Montelius. It occurs all over Europe and still farther, while the two following forms have a continually more restricted distribution. It is not found in the village settlements or stone graves, and evidently characterizes a period between these and the shell-heaps.