82 MATERIALS PREFERRED FOR STONE IMPLEMENTS. 



In addition, moreover, to the a priori probability, there is 

 plenty of direct evidence that bronze and stone were in use 

 at the same time. Thus Mr. Bateman records thirty-seven 

 instances of tumuli which contained objects of bronze, and 

 in no less than twenty-nine of these stone implements also 

 were found. At the time of the discovery of America, the 

 Mexicans, though well acquainted with the use of bronze, 

 still used flakes of obsidian for knives and razors, and even 

 after the introduction of iron, stone was still used for various 

 purposes. 



Still, however, there appears to be enough evidence to justify 

 us in believing, not only that there was a period " when society 

 was in so barbarous a state that sticks or stones" (to which we 

 must add horns and bones) " were the only implements with 

 which men knew how to furnish themselves," but also that 

 the antiquary has found clear " evidence of such a period." 



Our knowledge of this ancient period is derived principally 

 from four sources, to the consideration of which I propose to 

 devote four separate chapters : namely, the Tumuli, or ancient 

 burial-mounds ; the Lake habitations of Switzerland ; the 

 Kjokkenmoddings, or shell-mounds, of Denmark ; and the 

 Bone-caves. There are, indeed, many other remains of great 

 interest, such, for example, as the ancient fortifications, the 

 " castles" and " camps" which crown so many of our hill- tops ; 

 and the great lines of embankment, such as Offa's-dyke and 

 the Wans-dyke, which cross so many of our uplands ; there 

 are the so-called Druidical circles and the vestiges of ancient 

 habitations; the "Hut-circles," "Cloghauns," "Weems," "Pen- 

 pits," " Picts' houses," etc. The majority of these belong, how- 

 ever, in all probability to a later period ; and at any rate, in 

 the present state of our knowledge, we cannot say which, or 

 how many, are referable to the Stone Age. 



As regards material, every kind of stone, hard and tough 

 enough for the purpose, was used during the Stone Age in 



