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THE NEOLITHIC. 

 CHAPTEE VIII. 



AURIGNACIAN, SOLUTRIAN, MaGDALENIAN, &C., TyPES. 



Points, Scrapers or Flake-knives. 



Before proceeding to deal with the question, Have there been 

 in South Africa periods or sub-divisions of the post-Mousterian 

 corresponding to, or coinciding w^ith the Aurignacian, Solutrian, 

 Magdalenian, or post-Magdalenian ? it is as well that a definition 

 of the Mousterian type be given. 



Dechelete's is one of the most concise.''' 



" The implement is a flake usually triangular, the two lateral sides 

 of which are trimmed again with care upon one of the faces. The 

 part opposite to the sharp end, a part usually called base or butt, is 

 oftener than not without secondary trimming. Noticeable is the 

 place where the blow of the striking tool has fallen, which blow, as 

 a direct result, produces on the reverse the bulb of percussion, a 

 swelling which is very seldom subsequently thinned or reduced. 

 The reverse of the Mousterian i)oint f is smooth, and it differs on 

 that account from the Chellean implement ; it is always lighter, 

 being seldom more than 10 cm. in length, and is longer than broad." 



Gradually, however, and sometimes too suddenly, the Mousterian 

 outillage disappears in Europe. It is replaced by implements of 

 very superior technique. No longer prevails the spall with bulging 

 bulb of percussion, very little trimmed on one face, and the other 

 left as formed under the detaching blow ; even the scrapers them- 

 selves show traces of secondary trimming on the sides ; pieces 



• " Manuel d'Archeol. prehist.," i., 1908. 



t But the word "point" must not be taken necessarily to mean a lance-head, 

 arrow-head or other penetrating implement, it corresponds even to the " boucher" 

 of the period. 



