118 SPOLIA ZEYLAlSriCA. 



A few references to the Stone Age are to be found in 

 Mr. Parker's " Ancient Ceylon " and in Dr. Seligmann's " The 

 Veddas " ; while Mr. Pole has a volume in the press which is 

 shortly to appear. But the book by the Doctors Saiasin is 

 so far the most complete, and in fact the only serious attempt 

 to deal with the subject. 



After a careful study of the work, although I may differ on 

 individual points from tlie authors, I am filled witli admii'ation 

 for the thoroughness of their methods, the breadth of their 

 views, and the ingenuity with which they apply their knowledge 

 of modern savage races to the conditions of prehistoric life. 

 As regards one very important particular I will refer to their 

 book later. 



To come now to my subject. Everyone is aware that the 

 Stone Age has been roughly but conveniently separated into 

 two main divisions, the Palseolithic or Old Stone Age and the 

 Neolithic or New Stone Age. There are others, with which we 

 are not at present concerned in Ceylon. A few years ago it 

 was universally believed that the Neolithic Age extended at 

 most some 20,000 years and the Palseolithic Age perhaps 

 80,000 years into the past. It is now thought by some 

 eminent authorities that we should multiply the former by 

 five and the latter by ten, and even so leave room for an 

 Eolithic and a Sub-Crag Age reaching back possibly to the 

 million. Implements of the Palseolithic Age are generally to 

 be distinguished from those of the Neolithic Age not only in 

 design, but also by their massiveness, their rudeness, and by 

 the complete absence of grinding and polishing. In the case 

 of flint, which unfortunately is not found in Ceylon, but which 

 constitutes by far the greatest bulk of stone implements in 

 the world, they are also distinguished by the greater wear of 

 their surfaces, due to age and exposure, and by " patination," 

 or the discoloration of their exterior, due to the action of acids, 

 or of violent alternations of heat and cold, bj- processes which 

 have not yet been explained. 



