134 Annals of the South African Museum. 



constant is the survival of form that a change in style implies a long 

 succession of years. 



Many of the neolithic pitchers or cooking-vessels of Europe can 

 match in shape those of modern production. It is generally ad- 

 mitted that in Europe this ceramic art was introduced from the 

 East, and superseded a more primitive, native one. 



In South Africa it would seem as if the opposite obtained. If 

 the cylindrical, convex- or flat-bottomed pots mentioned or figured 

 are ascribable to pure Bush or Hottentot races, then they show 

 regression because of the much simpler technique when compared 

 with that of the ovoid-conical eared pots which we can safely connect 

 with the Strand Loopers. The homogeneity of the race or branch 

 of the " Khoi-Khoin " (Hottentots) is pretty conclusively established. 

 The pi-imitiveness of their culture, as shown by their relics, is indeed 

 great, but not so their pottery, which has not only a facies of its own, 

 but the execution of which has demanded great skill. 



We shall probably never know which of the two, if not three, 

 branches of the race preceded the other, and occupied the land, but 

 that the Strand Looper was not always relegated to a narrow border 

 on the sea-coast is proved by the finds made, deep inland, of his 

 ovoid-conical eared pottery. 



