96 PREHISTORIC FISHING. 



then, as may be assumed, accessible only to the wealthy, while the poor had to 

 content themselves with non-metallic tools and implements as before. In fact, 

 a period in which bronze was exclusively used never existed, as the examination 

 of bronze-age tumuli has revealed ; for in many of them objects of bronze and 

 stone were found in close juxtaposition. Even in times when iron was employed, 

 stone implements had not yet entirely fallen into disuse. 



Some believe in immigrations of bronze-producing Asiatics — for Asia is 

 generally considered as that part of the world where bronze had its origin — 

 among them the distinguished Danish archaeologist, J. J. A. Worsaae, who 

 draws attention to the circumstance that after the appearance of bronze a change 

 in the mode of burial took place ; for, while the men of neolithic times buried 

 their dead uuburned, those of the bronze period mostly disposed of them by 

 cremation.* 



The inhabitants of the Mediterranean countries probably were, in conse- 

 quence of their commercial relations, earlier in possession of bronze than the 

 populations of more northern countries, who, it may be conjectured, received 

 their first supplies from the South.f Yet there can be no doubt that the people 

 who obtained objects of bronze first by importation, manufactured them after- 

 ward; for in different districts different types of the same class of articles are 

 observable, insomuch "that a- practised archseologist can in almost all cases, on 

 inspection of a group of bronze antiquities, fix with some degree of confidence 

 the country in which they were found. "J The bronze objects themselves present 

 a great variety of tools, weapons, and ornaments, which 1 will specify, following 

 Mr. John Evans's classification. He enumerates : — celts (flat, flanged, winged, 

 socketed), chisels, gouges, hammers, sickles, knives, razors, daggers, rapiers, 

 halberds, maces, leaf-shaped swords, arrow and spear-heads, shields, bucklers, 

 helmets, trumpets, bells, pins, torques, bracelets, rings, ear-rings, and many other 

 personal ornaments ; finally, vessels, caldrons, etc. It should be understood that 

 this list of the classes of antique bronze articles found in Great Britain and 

 Ireland includes some which probably pertain to a period more recent than the 

 bronze age. Mr. Evans is careful to make his comments in every doubtful case. 

 As the most useful among the bronze articles may be considered the edged 

 tools, such as hatchets, chisels, knives, etc., by means of which work of various 

 kinds, especially wood-work, could be done in far shorter time than before their 

 introduction. The bronze relics in general present remarkably elegant forms, 

 even the celts, spear-heads and other smaller articles, and many are ornamented 



* Worsaae : Die Vorgeschichte des Nordens nach gleichzeitigen Denkmiilorn ; p. 50. 



f This theory, however, may not hold good for Hungarian bronze antiquities, which exhibit marljcd peculi- 

 arities of form. They probablj- came directly from the East. 



X Evans: The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons, and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland; New 

 York, 1881 ; p. 24. 



