STONE AGES OF CEYLON. 97 
In order to indicate the several culture-stages represented 
by the lowland artefacts, it would be necessary to describe 
the various forms in detail and to draw comparisons between 
them and what may be called the standard types of Europe. 
This would be a lengthy procedure, and one which, tomy great 
regret, I have not the time to carry out. It will have to be 
done one day, and when it is accomplished, I believe we shall _ 
see some striking parallels. Most interesting work it will 
prove, and it is not without considerable reluctance, and 
perhaps just a soupcon of jealousy, that I leave it to another. 
It is my hope that some future explorer will sooner or later 
be able to spare time to investigate the collection which [have 
made, and to publish his conclusions with regard to it. Here 
I will confine myself to general remarks. I may say at once 
that from all the best lowland stone-age sites artefacts of 
very different types may be recovered from the surface ; the 
crudest tools may be seen rubbing shoulders, as it were, 
with Pigmies of the finest workmanship ; and much-abraded 
artefacts with implements as sharp almost as in the days 
when they were made. Not only so, but flakes of new 
appearance may be gathered with others showing evidence of 
advanced decay. From these facts there is but one conclusion 
to be drawn, namely, the very obvious one, that manufactories 
have always been established near the source of raw material, 
In many parts of the Island gravels have afforded the one and 
only source. 
Some day it will be shown, I think, that all of the several 
stone-age cultures of Ceylon were practised on the gravel sites. 
Meanwhile I will deal with a few outstanding features. One 
characteristic set of tools was made from pebbles (very 
generally quartz) of various sizes ; these comprise scrapers, 
blades, axes, &c., so closely resembling some pre-paleolithic 
tools of England,* that a similarity of culture of their respective 
makers can hardly be denied. These I call chipped pebbles. 
Another series, possibly representing an advance, comprises 
flakes, trimmed and otherwise, which were detached from 

* Reid Moir: ‘‘ A Series of Pre-Paleolithic Implements from Darms- 
den, Suffolk” (Proc. Prehist. Soc. E. Anglica, Vol. II., Part II., 1916, 
pp: 210-213). The tools figured on Plates XLI. and XLIV. can be 
matched exactly from the Ceylon gravel sites. 
