SCANDINAVIAN ARCHAEOLOGY. 589 



Scandinavian conutries, which has become essentially a history of its 

 developments in the North, with a single remark. It is possible that 

 some persons may be surprised that under the title of i)re-historic 

 archaeology I include works treating of Roman antiquities or dating even 

 from a later period. It is because the Scandinavian countries were 

 l)lunged in pre-historic darkness until nearly the year 1000 of our era. 

 The knowledge of northern doings and developments before that epoch 

 should be sought there principally in an empirical manner, by the in- 

 ductive study of all the archaeological materials, whatever they may be. 

 The word pre-historic has a signification altogether relative. The con- 

 ditions of France, for instance, about the year 2000 before our era, are 

 absolutely prehistoric, while the civilization of the valley of the Nile, 

 having followed its course for many centuries, was already in the full 

 light of history. 



