Tlic Stone Ages of South Africa. 161 



This type of palette is not, however, restricted to the caves of the 

 httoral. The specimen that has still retained, the pigment on one 

 side was discovered in the Oliphants Kiver valley. Cape Colony, in a 

 rock- shelter with rude paintings. The example on the right of 

 Fig. 196 is from the Beaufort West District of Cape Colony. So 

 far I know of these six implements only, but others may have been 

 overlooked. 



An interesting point is that these besmearing palettes are 

 identical, some in shape, but all in thickness, to those discovered 

 in the dolmens (Menhirs, Cromlechs) of Aveyron, in Southern 

 France, and also in prehistoric Egyptian tombs." 



Had not the preservation of this red pigment indicated plainly the 

 use of these implements there would have been justification in con- 

 sidering them as braying tools, for they tit the hand wonderfully 

 well for this purpose, and there is also no reason for their not 

 having served as such. 



Our troglodytes brayed skins ; of this there is little doubt, and, 

 if there was any as to their wearing them as clothes or protection 

 against the rigour of the cold season, this doubt will be easily set 

 aside by a glance at the bone bodkins occurring in these caves. 

 Cut 5 of Fig. 172, Pi. XXIIl., was found in the rock-shelter where 

 the doubly perforated ornaments (Fig. Id7 of PI. XXV.), made of 

 nacreous shells, were discovered ; Cut 1 of the same Fig. (the 

 lower one) from one of the Knysna caves, has counterparts in 

 Cut 4 of Fig. 172, PI. XXIIL Fig. 194, PI. XXVI. represents 

 wing-bones of sea-birds turned into awls or needles. The great 

 interest attaching to two of the examples here figured is their 

 ornamentation, which in Cut 2 of the Fig. consists of fine 

 vertical, parallel lines, and of others crossing each other at such an 

 angle as to produce lozenge-shaped intervals. In the middle of 

 Cut 1 of the same Fig. we have a chevron pattern, somewhat 

 rough, but it is the first and probably the sole example of its 

 kind known.! 



But there are in the Tzitzikama-Outeniqua caves bone implements 

 other than awds or bodkins. Cut 2 of Fig 193 appears to be the 

 bone tip of an arrow ; the bone-point (Cut 6 of Fig. 193), might 

 certainly have served as an arrow-head. Then, in addition to 

 these, we have bone knives. Fig. 1 of PL XXIII. is a very 



* Cartailhac, " Les palettes cles dolmens Aveyronnais et des tombes Egyptiennes " 

 (Bull. Soc. Arch. Midi., 1906). 



t Among the Bantu races, especially the Bechuanas, this chevron pattern is in 

 general use. 



11 



