HARPOON-HEADS. 



23 



salmon and sturgeon, used, and still use, a long spear with a detachable sharp 

 bone point, connected by a string with the shaft. The point, however, is not 

 inserted into the shaft, but the shaft is made to fit into a cavity at the upper 

 extremity of the point. 



Fig. 23. 



Figs. 22 and 23. — Harpoon or arrow-heads of reindeer horn. La Madelaine. 



Figs. 22 and 23 represent small harpoon-like objects of reindeer-horn, 

 figured in " Reliqui?e Aquitanicse,"''' and both found at La Madelaine. The first 

 of them is thus described : — "A small specimen cut in the shape of a barbed 

 harpoon, with a long point, which has been broken. There are four barbs on 

 one side only, distinctly separate, sharp, and very oblique, but without the usual 

 grooves. The lower part tapers to a point without any indication of knobs. 

 This diminutive wea]:)on-head may have served as an arrow-head." The 

 desci'iption of the second, represented in Fig. 23, is as follows : — -'Another 

 minute harpoon-like head, of similar dimensions to the last, but showing only 

 two barbs cut distinctly, whilst above them two others are indicated by shallow, 

 oblique, unfinished notches. This specimen has preserved its sharp point. Near 

 the pointed butt there is a kind of notch, which may have been of use in 

 fastening this little weapon on a shaft." f 



If not arrow-points, these little darts may have served as armatures of 

 diminutive fishing-spears in the hands of juvenile cave-dwellers. They hardly 

 resemble the barbed prongs, two or three or more of which form the heads of 

 what are now called fish-gigs ; and, indeed, in looking carefully over the plates 

 of " Reliquiae Aquitanica^," I have not noticed the figure of a single specimen of 

 a form to be thus employed. 



* Fitrs. 8 and 9 on B Plate VI. 



f Reliquiae Aquitanicaj; II, p. 57, etc. 



