306 STUDY OF HIGH ANTIQUITY. 



Hciico tlio false conclu.'iion tliut befon; the Roman invasion the north of En- 

 rop(; was only inhabited by hordes of barbarians. Geology passed through a 

 similar stage when all fossils Aver(^ considered as vestiges of the deluge. Tho 

 customary niisconce])tions prevailed also in the south of Sweden and in Den- 

 mark, countries which abound in antiquities, such as flint axes. ^J'hese wcro 

 thought by some to be implements used for sacrificial purposes during tho 

 time of heathenism ; others even btdicv^'d them to be thunderbolts, an origin 

 wliich has also been attributed to the fossils called belemnijes. 



The prevalence of such fancies may give an idea of the state of the question 

 when Mr. Thomsen, director of the archaeological museum, at Copenhagen, 

 and Mr. Nilsson. professor of zoology at the University of Lmid, in Sweden, 

 began their labors. These illustrious northern antiquaries, too practical to 

 enter into the controversies then in vogue, began to compare the antiquities 

 of tlieir own country with the industrial productions of the more or less savage 

 trib(;s of Australasia and other i-egions of the globe. 'J'his comparison at once 

 brought to light a remarkable analogy between the flint instruments of tho 

 north of Europe and tlu; implements of existing races not yet acquainted with 

 the use of metals. MM. Thomsen and Nilsson observed at the same time that 

 a whoh; series of characteristic tombs contained, besides the skeletons and some 

 rude pottery, implements of stone only, without any trace of metal. All this 

 suggested, very naturally, that the lirst inhabitants of the north of Europe had 

 not been acquainted with the use of metals, and bore no little resemblance to 

 the savages of the j)resent day, at least in what concerns the habits of every-day 

 life. Another class ot tombs contained cutting implements and arms of metal, 

 axes, knives, swords, spear-heads ; not, however, of iron or steel, but of bronze, 

 a mixture; of copper and tin. Had iron been known, it would certainly havo 

 been used in preference. It follows that bronze was known and employed be- 

 fore iron. Nor can there be a doubt that what iron is now, and has long been, 

 for purposes of industry and the requirements of civilization in general, bionzo 

 onc(; was, and stone, chiefly flint, previous to bronze. 



Thus was established the plain and practical distinction of the successive 

 ages : First, that of Ulunt, next that of Bronze, and lastly thiit of lion. This 

 classilication, wiiich recalls Werner's division of tlie, geological formations into 

 primitive, secondary, and tertiary, was introduced about thirty years ago.* 

 At 111 St applied only in Scandina.via, it spread by degrees to Germany, England, 

 and Switzerland, and is beginning to penetrate, by Piedmont, into Italy,! 

 rendering everywhere essential service. 



Attempts are now made to subdivide these three great phases in the devel- 

 opment of civilization. Some antiquaries, such as Mr. Worsaae, think they 

 can, fiom the quality oi the objects and the mode of the sepulchral constructions, 

 distinguish a first and a second sub-period in the stone age. The learni'd 

 exphner of Mecklenburg, Dr. Lisch, at Schwerin, thinks that during the first 

 centuries of the bronze age the casting in metal of pieces hollow inside was 

 unknown, and that such pieces indicate a considerable progress, characterizing 

 the latter times of the bronze age.f Jn Denmark and in Switzerland an 



* Tho northern sivvants did not publish Ihcir results till several years after having 

 obtained them. Mr. Thomsen printed a paper in A'o»y/(s.A: Tidsskrifi for Old Kyndifrhea, 

 18;5'J, and a very pood general treatise, Lcdctraad til Nordisk Old Kijndi<rli(d, Kjoehenhavn, 

 18;5(), ut which there appealed a Geruiaii edition at Ilauilmrpf in 18;>7, and an English edilion. 

 " A Guide to Northern Antiquities, London, 18:>7." Prolessor Nilsson ])ublished a work 

 on the priinitivi- inhabitants of Scandinavia : Scnndinariska iwrdcns urinvonarc, Lund, 1838, 

 184:5. This latter work is a real masterpiece, worthy of ranking with G. Cuvicr's immortal 

 publications, and a second edition in Swedish and in German is aboirt to appear. 



t See U. Gastaldi's valuable paper, Nuoci ccnnisuiili ogi^ctti di alta antichitd, trovati 

 ncllc lorhicrc c neUv, marturra drIV Italia: Torino. I8G"i. These researches have been taken 

 up and arc continued with great talent by Professor 15. Strobel, assisted by L. Pigorini, 

 both at Parma. 



X The author, who has carctiilly studied the museum at Schweriu, the capital of Meck- 

 lenburg, does not think this subdivision suflBciently well established. 



