The Stone Ages of Soutli Africa. 123 



European is that, in Europe, no remains have as yet been found 

 that plainly indicate a truly livimitive type of neolithic pottery. 

 The examples found there are always connected with the bronze 

 or polished stone period, a period connected with a greatly advanced 

 culture. 



This connection does not exist here, for the very good reason 

 that there never was a bronze age, but doubtless the ceramic 

 industry has lasted long into the iron period. The pottery found in 

 the middens of the littoral, or even in up-country shelters, is of a 

 style that, to me, seems to point to the survival of a most primitive 

 kind, if it is not the precursor, of earthenware manufacture. 



It is true that among a fairly large number of pots from the 

 prehistoric tombs of Egypt, in the Museum Collection, are one 

 or two, the elongate-ovoid shape of which somewhat resembles the 

 South African, but although made by hand they are far more 

 symmetrical and of much superior texture and workmanship. 

 (Fig. 183 of PI. XXIY. represents one of these Egyptian pots.) 



The characteristic of the Strand Looper pottery is the presence 

 on each side of the vessel of a mammiform projection, or of a 

 perforated ear, which are seldom wanting in these ovoid-conical 

 vessels. These prominences are not as clear in the illustrations as 

 they are in reality. That the perforation of these ears was intended 

 for suspension seems a natural enough conclusion ; but what of 

 those that have no perforated ears, but have instead a boss or 

 manielon ? (See Figs. 174, 176, PI. XXIV.) 



These projections, perforated or not, are nearly always much 

 thicker than any other part of the vase, and they are better pre- 

 served on that account. They are far from being uncommon, and 

 it is therefore easy to verify the explanation which I give here. 

 The presence of these lateral protuberances may be explained if we 

 assume, as I believe to be the case, that the ear is the first lump 

 of clay held either in the hollow of the hand (mamelon) or between 

 the thumb and forefinger (ear). That the modelling begins in this 

 manner seems proved by the thickness of that part which projects 

 inside the pot (Figs. 181, 182) as much as, or even more than, on the 

 outside. In order to add to the cohesion, this part must of necessity 

 be thicker than the other added parts that will form the vessel 

 eventually. 



Moreover, whenever there is a perforation of the mamelon, which 

 thus becomes an ear, the hole is not straight ; it curves inwards ; 

 and the bend corresponds with the position the two fingers of one 

 hand would assume, if the first lump of clay was held in the manner 



