THE VALLEY OF THE THIELE, 391 



7400 to 11,000 years. M. Morlot thought that we should be 

 most nearly correct in deducting two hundred years only for 

 the action of the dykes, and in attributing to the Eoman layer 

 an antiquity of sixteen centuries, that is to say, in referring 

 it to the middle of the third century. This would give an 

 antiquity of 3800 years for the Bronze Age, and 6400 years 

 for that of Stone ; and, on the whole, he is inclined to suppose 

 for the former an antiquity of from 3000 to 4000 years, and 

 for the latter of from 5000 to 7000 years. 



Not less ingenious is the attempt which has been made by 

 M. Gillie'ron,* Professor at the College of Neuveville, to obtain 

 a date for the lake-habitation at the Pont de Thiele. This 

 stream connects the Lakes of NeufcMtel and Bienne. During 

 the first part of its course the valley is narrow, and the bridge, 

 close to which the lake-dwelling has been discovered, is situ- 

 ated at the narrowest spot. A little farther down the valley 

 suddenly expands, and from this point remains "of the same 

 width until it joins the Lake of Bienne. It is evident that 

 the valley, as far as the bridge over the Thiele, was once occu- 

 pied by the lake, which has gradually been silted up by the 

 action of forces still in operation ; and if we could ascertain 

 how long it would have taken to effect this change, we should 

 then know approximately the date of the remains found at 

 the Pont de Thiele, which are evidently those of a lake- 

 dwelling. The Abbey of St. Jean, which stands in this valley, 

 about 375 metres from the present shore of the lake, was 

 founded, according to ancient documents, between the years 

 1090 and 1106, and is therefore about 750 years old. It is 

 possible that the abbey may not have been built exactly on 

 the then edge of the lake ; but even if this were the case, the 

 gain of land will only have been 375 metres in 750 years. 

 Prof. Gillieron does not compare with this the whole space 



* Notice sur les Habitations Lacustres du Pont de Thiele. Porrentruy, 

 1862. 



