304 STUDY OF HIGH ANTIQUITY. 



tion. But, before the invention of writing, ■vvlicre was history ? and before the 

 development of language, where was tradition ? 



The origin of writing is not obscure, showing that the beginning of history 

 does not date very far back. The origin of spoken language is far more an- 

 cient, and its study teaches us that it was developed slowly and gradually, 

 starting from a rudimentary beginning, which necessarily corresponded to an 

 equally rudimentary state of the human intelligence. This is sufficient to 

 prove that oral tradition cannot go back to the origin of our species any more 

 than the memory of an individual can revert to the moment of his birth. 



Evidently, humanity has passed through an early phase which has left no 

 remembrance of itself. How long did these forgotten times last? when did 

 tradition begin 1 at what epoch did history, properly so called, take its rise 1 

 This is difficult to determine. 



For southern Europe, history, ascertained chronologically, goes back sev- 

 eral centuries before the Christian era. For that part of Europe situated to 

 the north of the Alps, history begins with the Roman invasion, which is nearly 

 coeval with the Christian era. We have a few historical facts and traditions 

 of a somewhat older date, but they are not of great importance in the researches 

 we are about to imdertake, and we may pass them over in silence. 



It is these prc-historical and pre-traditional times which we call High An- 

 TiciUiTY, and which are to form here the object of our study. And we shall 

 only consider Europe north of the Alps, closing our researches about the time 

 of the Christian era. Our task is thus precisely limited, and this circumstance 

 should not be lost sight of in the sequel. 



Since the memory of the long period in question is all but lost, we must 

 seek for other materials whercAvith to supply its place. We stand here pre- 

 cisely in the same position as the geologist who reconstructs the history of our 

 planet. We shall, therefore, borrow his method, since our mode of proceeding 

 must necessarily present a strong analogy with his. The materials of the geol- 

 ogists are chiefly the remains of animal and vegetable creations, the fossils 

 buried in the strata which form a great part of our continents. Instead of 

 fossils, we have the remains of human labor and industry. They are to us as a 

 mirror in which is reflected the image of their authors, of their life, and of their 

 entire civilization. For the laborer is known by his work. If the geologist 

 can restore an animal from a single bone, why should we not, with a fragment 

 of a broken pot reconstruct the entire vase, and from the vase rise to its makci 1 

 The interval is not so very wide from a mere potsherd to man ; for every- 

 thing is closely linked together in the economy of human life as it is in nature. 

 The primitive inhabitant of our country has long ago disappeared ; his 

 mortal remains have returned to dust ; his tales of war are forgotten, as well 

 as his lays of love ; the very name of his tribe, of his race, is lost ; but the 

 Avork of his hands yet subsists and enables us to revivify our ancestors ; to see 

 how they lived and fared ; to observe their domestic economy ; to follow their 

 commercial traces ; to join them in their hunting parties and in their martial 

 forays ; to surprise them at some of their religious ceremonies, and to contem- 

 plate their funeral rites. Thus we transport ourselves into by-gone ages, just 

 as the geologist has rendered himself the witness of the development of our 

 planet. This is what we mean by the study of high antiquity or of primitive 

 archeology. 



It is evident that these researches deal only with material objects, but it is 

 to vivify and compel them to speak, as the fossils of the geologist have been 

 made to give forth a voice. Nature yields her answers when she is properly 

 questioned. But we must not ask of the times when written language wae 

 yet unborn to furnish us with proper names ; these are completely lost, -while 

 they play an important part in ordinary history. Our studies can only em- 

 brace the development of civilization, without considering speech. We can, in 



