The Prehistoric World; Or, Vanished RacesAllen, Emory Adams
History
The Prehistoric World; Or, Vanished Races
Allen, Emory Adams
Archaeology; Indians; Prehistoric peoples
The Neolithic people had learned how to manufacture pottery,
though not of a very superior quality. It is all hand-made: so
the potter’s wheel had not yet been introduced. The material is
clay mixed with gravel or pounded shells. Very often they
ornamented their clay vessels with lines and dots. The bowls or
jars were evidently suspended by cords, for the bottom was made
too rounding for them to stand erect. Besides, we find the holes
for the cords, and in some places handles.
Hafted Hatchet in Sheath, and Axe in Sheath.
No notice of Neolithic tools would be complete without mentioning
the use made of horn and bone. One peculiar use for which they
employed horn was as a socket for holding other implements. Thus
this figure shows us an ax in a socket of horn. The middle of the
socket is generally perforated with a round or oval hole,
intended to receive a handle of oak, birch, or some other kind of
wood adapted for such a use. The cut below represents a hatchet
of this kind. A number of these sockets have been found, which
were provided at the end opposite to the stone hatchet with a
strong and pointed tooth. These are boars’ tusks, firmly buried
in the stag’s horn. These instruments, therefore, fulfilled
double purposes: they cut or crushed with one end and pierced
with the other. Sockets are also found which are not only
provided with the boars’ tusks, but are hollowed out at each end,
so as to hold two flint hatchets at once, as is seen in our next
figure. Chisels and gouges were also sometimes placed in bone
handles. Portions of horn probably at times did duty as hoes. We
give a representation of such an implement.20 We must now seek
some information as to how the men of the Neolithic Age supported
life.
Sheath, with two Hatchets, Chisel in Sheath, and Horn Hoe.
From the remains of fish at all the lake settlements it is
evident they formed no inconsiderable portion of their food.
Fishing nets and hooks have been discovered. They were successful
hunters as well. But the men of this age were no longer dependent
on the chase for a livelihood. We have mentioned several times
that they were acquainted with agriculture. This implies a great
advance over the primitive hunters of the early Stone Age.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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