STONE AXES. 



a stone hatchet, found, some years ago, in the county of 

 Monaghan ; the handle was of pine, and was 13 Jin. long. A 

 somewhat similar specimen, found in Solway Moor, is pre- 

 served in the British Museum. 



Fig. 100 represents another stone axe 

 in its handle ; this specimen was found 

 at Concise, on the Lake of Neufchatel, 

 and closely resembles the modern 

 African axe (fig. 20). In the latter 

 case, however, the blade is of iron. 

 It will be observed that the Swiss 

 specimen differs from the other two in 



FIG. 99. 

 FIG. 98. 



" 



fl 



Stone Axes.- Ireland. 



Stone Celt in handle. 



having an intermediate piece of horn. These horn sockets 

 are very numerous in some of the Swiss lake villages. 



To us, accustomed as we are to the use of metals, it seems 

 difficult to believe that such things were ever made use of; 

 we know, however, that many savages of the present day 

 have no better tools. Yet, with axes such as these, and 

 generally with the assistance of fire, they will cut down large 

 trees, and hollow them out into canoes. The piles used in 



