ANNALS 



OF THE 



SOUTH AFlilCAN MUSEUM 



(Vol. VIII.) 



1. — The Stone Ages of South Africa as represented in the Collec- 

 tion of the South African Museum. — By L. Perixguey, D.Sc.> 

 Director. 



INTRODUCTION. 



I MUST explain, a priori, that although for the purpose of illustra- 

 tion I divide, or make an attempt at dividing, the South African 

 Stone implements into several series or types, no definite proof has 

 as yet been forthcoming, as will be seen hereafter, that the small, rude 

 implements used here until a few years ago w'ere not utilised con- 

 temporaneously with the large, roughly or finely trimmed, tongue- or 

 almond-shaped implements, or the smaller and perhaps still more 

 perfectly worked tools which are met with so profusely in South 

 Africa. 



As will be explained as this paper proceeds, the industrial traces 

 left by the people that inhabited South Africa in times which may 

 or may not synchronise with the stages recognised in Europe, con- 

 sist of three distinct types, and also of a fourth, which is, however, 

 difficult to define. 



The First Type. — This type is one considered to be comparable 

 with the oldest division in Europe, which is based there on very 

 good palcEontological evidence, but not always indisputably backed, 

 however, by geological proofs. Tools of this type are known to 

 occur all over the v/orld except in Austi*alia, So much alike are 



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