PREHISTORIC ART. 



367 



No attempt is irifide to define Paleolitliic civilization or culture, nor 

 to describe the man who made or employed these implements. These 

 implements are not declared to be either glacial or preglacial, yet they 

 have been found in glacial gravels, and they are decided to be different 

 from the impleinent common to the Neolithic civilization of America. 

 Thus they furnish a working hypothesis indicating a stage of Paleo- 

 lithic culture in America. This conclusion is expressed under all 

 reserve, and subject to future discoveries. As a working hypothesis, 

 it may stimulate investigators to search in such gravels, fluvial or 

 glacial, as may be sus- 

 pected of containing them. 

 This might induce inves- 

 tigators and collectors to 

 gather and save them as 

 valuable to science, to 

 note all objects, and to 

 correctly report all possi 

 ble information concern- 

 ing them. In Europe, Pa- 

 leolithic man belonged to 

 a past geologic age called 

 there the Quaternary ; the 

 objects of his industry 

 were found associated 

 with the remains of ex- 

 tinct animals usually fos- 

 silized, belonging to the 

 aforesaid geologic epoch, 

 and, therefore, if we are to 

 find Paleolithic man in 

 America in times of simi- 

 lar antiquity, we must call 

 to our aid the science of 

 geology. If Paleolithic 

 man occupied America, 

 whether lie be the Indian 

 or his ancestor, the implements will surely be found sometime and 

 somewhere; and then those who are now opposed will agree. If the 

 implements are not found, then those now favoring will be compelled to 

 give it up. In any event, the investigation should be made, and no 

 adverse decision is justifiable while the question is pending. 



It is not intended to make here any argument favoring a Paleolithic 

 epoch in America, but only to note the similarity in the early prehis- 

 toric times in the art of flint chipping in Europe and other localities 

 with the same art in America. A series of implements from our coun- 

 try is here presented. Figs. 11 and 12 represent specimens from Texas; 



Fig. 10 



PALEOLITHIC ArHEUL^.E>f IMPLEMENT OP CHIPPED FLINT. 



Gravels of llie Kiver Somme, at St. Acbeul, Trance. 



C.-it. No. 137535, U.S.N.M. i^ natural size. 



