ARCHEOLOGY. * 369 



I. SWISS ANTIQUITIES. 



A. The Stone Age. — The name of the stone age is given to the 

 ante-historical period during which the primitive inhabitants of the 

 country were ignorant of the use of the metals, and employed instead 

 of them stone, bone, and even wood. Switzerland was already in- 

 habited during this early period. The museum possesses seven instru- 

 ments of these rude times which were found in the canton of Vaud, 

 and some facsimiles of similar articles from the country are in vari- 

 ous hands. The specimens preserved are exceedingly interesting. 

 If their number is very limited, we must bear in mind how far from 

 extensive ^have been discoveries of the kind in this canton. 



B. Age of Beonze. — This age takes its name from the metal used, 

 in the absence of iron, for cutting instruments, and also for various orna- 

 naments. The bronze of that period is an alloy of from 10 to 15 

 parts of tin to from 85 to 90 parts of copper. The tin being brought 

 from England, indicates a certain progress in commerce. The greater, 

 part of the copper also must have been imported into our country; 

 which, however, as is proven by some discoveries, possessed found- 

 eries, and the art of alloying the metals. 



The collection of antiquities includes fifty-eight articles in the 

 bronze of that period, among which are two swords and two daggers 

 complete, three javelin or lance heads, and several celts, (a sort of 

 hatchets and chisels,) two sickles, bracelets, brassards, or arm-jjieces 

 of armor, and a great number of hair-pins. Most of these articles 

 were found in tombs, others in open ground, and some, of which M. 

 F. Forel is the donor, amidst the wreck of the lacustrian habitations 

 of Merges. 



C. First Age of Iron — Helvetian period. — The study of the pro- 

 gress of industry in the country and of the various modes of sepul- 

 ture has enabled me to distinguish a certain number of tombs and 

 of antiquities which characterize the Helvetian period prior to the. 

 Roman domination. It appears, from various observations, that the 

 Helvetians were not the earliest inhabitants of our country. They 

 subjugated a more ancient population, and brought Avith them 

 the knowledge of iron, which is found in most of their tombs. We 

 also find in their burial places G-allic coins, of from four to two 

 centuries earlier than our era. The Helvetian antiquities are not 

 distinguished solely by the introduction of a new metal; the ma- 

 terials which had previously been used are emplo^'ed with a new art; 

 new forms and new ornamentation appear. Colored or enamelled 

 glass is used for bracelets, formed of a single ring, and for neck- 

 lace beads. It will not be deemed irrelevant to add, upon this point, 

 that Pliny the elder, as earl}' as his day, attributed to the Gauls great 

 skill in glass-work. 



The museum possesses only seven articles belonging to this third 

 age, namely, two bronze rings, one necklace of beads of glass and 

 amber, two glass bracelets, one liunite bracelet, and a disc, in bronze, 

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