BY FillTZ NUETLING, M.A., PH.D. 43 



stones of that kind from which the tcro-watta were manu- 

 factured, VIZ., chert, hornstone, porcellanite, breccia, show- 

 ing marks of blows, cannot be considered as hammer-stones, 

 but must be considered as tested and rejected parent blocks 

 (pseudo^nuclei). 



This limits our field of reseai'ch to some extent, as we 

 have to consider the diabase boulders or pebbles only. Now, 

 among this class there are a certain number which form a 

 most conspicuous group- These are generally very regular, 

 oval, fiat pebbles, showing in the centre of either both or 

 one face only a rough indentation or mark. The edge 

 shows either marks of blows all round, or else at the two 

 polesi only, or at the two' poles and in the middle ol the two 

 longitudinal sides. Frequently the formerly rounded edge 

 is flattened by grinding. These stones have been consider- 

 ed as typical hammer-stones, a view with which I cannot 

 agree. It would lead too far to discuss here ray reasons, 

 and I must refer the reader to a preliminary paper on this 

 subject. (1). 



It is certainly very remarkable that onb; a few speci- 

 mens oif this type have been found which are not made of 

 diabase, but of a very hard splintery quartzite- It is fur- 

 ther noteworth}' that not one of these stones has been 

 found in a quarry, while ordinary hammer-stones are very 

 common. Now, if these stones were hammer-stones, why 

 were they not used in the quarries where they were certain- 

 ly urgently required? Whv are they only found on camp- 

 ing grounds? 



If we exclvide this group, there remains only a small 

 group of stones which must be considered as hammer- 

 stones. Yet even among these there are a number, particu 

 larlv when found on camping grounds, which appear very 

 doubtful as tot their true character. They may be hammer- 

 stones, yet there is a probability that they either represent 

 unfinished sacred stones or a special group of the latter. 

 A further discussion of this question must form the subject 

 of another paper- 

 Here I will deal onlv with those specimens of which 

 I am certain that they were used as hammer-stones. These 

 are the diabase pebbles found amone the rejects i" ^he na- 

 tive quarries (2). There cannot be the slightest doubt that 



(1^ Noetlin?.— Some imi)lements of the T.'i<=mnnian fiborlsines, the 

 magic stones. Tasman. Naturalist, vol. T., No. 3, DecernlDPr. 1907. page 1. 



^21 See also .T. B. Walker, the Tasmanlan Alinrigines, Hohart, 1900 

 Pfge 8. 



