The Stone Ages of South Africa. 25 



It is true that in Fig. 70, PI. X., the preparatory stage hears no 

 trace of the blows that detached it from the matrix. The fracture 

 is almost vertical, and the strongly convex outer side is artificially 

 pared ; but this is probably due to the difficulty experienced in 

 detaching the same from the nucleus. 



Owing to its shape, it would prove almost an impossibility to turn 

 this first stage (Fig. 70) into either a tongue-shaped or amygdaloidal 

 boucher. With it I found, however, several examples having the 

 shape of Fig. 71^a fact which shows that only in this form the 

 artefact shown in Fig. 70 could have ultimately resulted, unless 

 extreme skill had been applied to turn it into an amygdaloid 

 boucher of very much smaller size ; but as Fig. 71 has been used in 

 its present shape, our conclusion is justified. 



In Fig. 63 we have a split boulder, which leads to the evolution 

 of either the axe or cleaving tool (Fig. 66) or the spade-like pick 

 •(Fig. 67). Fig. 64 is that of a water- worn boulder, bearing on the 

 left and right sides traces of " knapping," the beginning of its trans- 

 formation into either the broad-end boucher (Fig. 65) or the pointed 

 one (Fig. 62) ; Fig. 63 is a good illustration of the preliminary 

 trimming that will result in the ultimate production of Fig. 62. 



The examples I give here are all taken from one locality, i.e., 

 Simondium, but I could have quoted as effectually from several 

 other places. 



In the chapter dealing with the purpose for which bouchers were 

 made I allude to the great size and correspondingly heavy weight 

 of some of the South African implements. Fig. 20a. is that of the 

 largest and heaviest I have as yet met with, and the point plainly 

 bears marks of usage. Many were the speculations which its shape 

 and its partly unfinished appearance and heaviness suggested ; but if 

 the w^orkmanship of the fine implement shown in Fig, 20, PI. III., is 

 ■carefully compared with that of Fig. 20ft, it becomes clear that 

 the latter would have ultimately been turned into Fig. 20. All 

 the facets, although reduced in size in proportion to that of the 

 finished implement, are traceable : the concave depression on the 

 left side of Fig. 20 is the reduced one of Fig. 20a ; the median ridge 

 of the apex is discernible in both ; the flat part on the right side of 

 Fig. 20rt is still indicated in Fig. 20, &c. ; and the same thing happens 

 on the reverse of both. 



The trimming of Fig. 20a into the shape of Fig. 20 would, however, 

 cause a considerable diminution in size and weight before the esthetic 

 sense of the maker would be satisfied with the ultimate finish of the 

 implement into the characteristic shape of Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 



