The Stone Ages of South Africa. 11 



A third arrangement, and one which would seem more suited to 

 the South African finds, rejects the Strepyan and unites the Chellean, 

 Acheulean, and Mousterian in a sub-division called the Chelleo- 

 Mousterian. 



The reasons for these divisions are as follows : — 



Chellean. — During this period Europe was a warm country with 

 a mild and damp climate. The fauna is characterised by the pre- 

 sence of the Hippopotaimis and Eleplias antiquus. On the archaeo- 

 logical side were prevalent stone implements trimmed on both faces, 

 and of an amygdaloidal (almond) shape. 



Acheulean. — With the Chellean is closely connected the 

 Acheulean, which may be termed a phase of transition. The fauna 

 consists of the animals of the Chellean period, among which, 

 however, and in certain places, are found others belonging to the 

 period following, i.e., the Mousterian. 



MousTEEiAN. — During the Mousterian, termed also Middle 

 Palgeolithic, the temperature is lower and the fauna is that of a 

 cold, moist climate. The Mammoth, an animal of some 16 to 

 18 feet in height, takes the place of its still larger predecessor, 

 Elephas antiquus; it is associated with the woolly rhinoceros, 

 having two horns over the nose, the larger of the two sometimes 

 3 feet in length. The Acheulean implement is still occasionally, 

 but seldom, met with. The Mousterian implement is usually 

 chipped on one face only ; it is probably detached from the 

 matrix, or nucleus, whether flint or quartzite, at one blow after 

 or before the outer face has been shaped into the requisite 

 manner; the reverse side shows well-nigh invariably the convex 

 node called "bulb of percussion." The maximum size is about 

 6 inches long, the average 2|- ; the edges are often very carefully 

 retouched (secondary chipping). 



Soluteian-Magdalenian. — The characteristic of this period is a 

 dry cold succeeding to a moist, damp cold. During this period the 

 severity of the climate, especially in- winter, induces man to seek 

 shelter to avoid partly its rigour. That shelter he finds in the 

 caves or grottoes formed naturally in calcareous formations, or 

 under hanging rocks. 



The fera natura multiply. Man's mental powers are taxed 

 to their utmost to resist his natural enemies, maybe by brute 

 force, but much more likely by craft, in order to obtain his 

 food, and to secure garments as protection from the severity of 

 the climate. This period, divided in two successive ones, is the 

 age pre-eminently of the reindeer, and it leads progressively 



