290 



GENERAL VIEWS ON ARCHEOLOGY. 



and investigated in Upper Carniola, Austria 1 . The Catalonian forge 

 is still used in the Pyrenees, where it yields tolerable results ; hut it 

 consumes a large quantity of charcoal, requires much wind, and is only 

 to be applied to pure ore containing but a very small proportion of 

 earthy matter, producing scoria?. The process, in fact, consists in a 

 mere reduction, with a soldering and welding together of the reduced 

 particles, without the metal properly melting. According .to the 

 manner in which the operation is conducted, bar-iron or steel are ob- 

 tained at will. This direct method dispenses with the intermediate 

 production of cast-iron, which was unknown to the ancients, and 

 which is now the means of producing iron on a great scale. 



Silver accompanied the introduction of iron into Europe — at least, 

 in the northern parts; whilst gold was already known during the 

 bronze-age. This is natural, for gold is generally found as a pure 

 metal, while silver has usually to be extracted from different kinds of 

 ore, by more or less complicated metallurgical operations — for ex- 

 ample, cupellation. 



With iron appeared also, for the first time in Europe, glass, coined 

 money — that powerful agent of commerce — and finally the alphabet, 

 which, as the money of intelligence, vastly increases the activity and 

 circulation of thought, 2 and is sufficient of itself to characterize a new 

 and wonderful era of progress. From thence we can date the dawn of 

 history and of science, in particular of astronomy. 



The fine arts presented, with the introduction of iron in Europe, a 

 new and important element indicating a striking advance. During 

 the stone-age, but more so in the bronze-age, the natural taste for art 

 reveals itself in the ornaments bestowed upon pottery and metallic 

 objects. These' ornaments consist of chevrons, circles, and zig-zag, 

 spiral, and S-shaped lines, the style bearing a geometrical character, 

 but showing pure taste and real beauty of its kind, although devoid of 



1 Jahrbuch der K. K. geologischen Reichsanstalt. Vienna, 1850, vol. ii, p. 199. Carin- 

 thia and Upper Carniolia formed part of the Roman province Noricum, celebrated for its 

 iron. 



2 "The circulation of ideas is for the mind what the circulation of specie is for com- 

 merce — a true source of wealth." C. V. de Bonstetten. " L'homme du midi et l'hommc dw 

 Nord." Geneva, 1826, p. 175. 



