GENERAL VIEWS ON ARCHAEOLOGY. 321 



Euiilien Dumas finds only peridotous basalt proceeding from the an- 

 cient veins, and no felspathic basalt, peculiar to volcanoes with craters 

 and tap-holes. 



As a proof of the prodigious antiquity of man, the following fact, 

 observed by Mr. Nilsson, is also sometimes stated. This savant has 

 deposited in the museum of Jund a lance-head of silex of the age of 

 stone, which had been re-touched since it was first cut in ancient times ; 

 this, however, is not an uncommon case. But, what had never been 

 previously remarked, was, that before having been re-cut, and after 

 having been first made, it had grown white on the surface, as has 

 happened frequently to ancient specimens. Now, it was believed that 

 silex required a very long time to thus whiten, and it was concluded 

 that this lance-head must already have been very ancient when it was 

 found and re-cut in the age of stone. But Mr. Steenstrup has observed 

 numerous cases of silex very much whitened in a few years, as it were, 

 under his own eyes, and by natural means. This depends merely on 

 local and peculiar circumstances of position. The lance-head in ques- 

 tion therefore proves nothing. 



V. COMPARISON OF THE NORTH WITH SWITZERLAND. 1 



We do not here entertain any idea of writing a treatise on the 

 Archeology of Switzerland ; our intention is merely to bring out the 

 rather remarkable features of resemblance and correspondence that 

 Switzerland presents with the North. 



In Switzerland, the three ages of stone, of bronze, and of iron, are 

 quite as well represented as in Scandinavia, but the most important 

 discoveries in this order of things are of tolerably recent date. 



Lacustrine Habitations. — It is some years since there were found in 

 the lakes of Switzerland, 2 at certain points where the water is only from 

 five to fifteen feet deep, piles corroded and worn, sometimes not above 

 the level of the bottom, and therefore very ancient. In these localities 

 the bottom of the water is strewn and sown with various antiquities, 

 sometimes almost like the glass cases of a museum, in disorder. When 

 the whole matter is examined with some degree of attention, we easily 

 recognize that we are in the presence of the remains of ancient lacustrine 

 dwellings, of constructions, of townsor villages, built upon piles, and then 

 destroyed and forgotten for ages. There are lacustrine habitations of the 

 pure age of stone, wherein, among hundreds of articles of stone, of horn, 



1 At the museum of Copenhagen there are in the corresponding divisions special series of 

 Swiss antiquities of the age of stone, of the age of bronze, and of the first age of iron, well 

 fitted for a comparative study. In Switzerland, the collections of Mr. Troyon and of the 

 author present material for establishing the same comparisons. One may also obtain an idea 

 of the subject by studying the two following works: G. de Bonstellen, Collection of Swiss 

 Antiquities, Berne, 1855, folio; and Worsaae, Jifbildningtr fra (let Kongelige Museum for Nor 

 diske Oldsager; Kjoebehhavn, 1854. 



2 The discovery by Dr. P. Keller of the lacustrine habitations in Switzerland (at Meilen) 

 dates from January, 1854. 



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