36 NATURAL SCIENCE. January. 1897. 



reform all the more easily, since they found in the Phoenician letters 

 forms with which they were familiar ; later, by a very natural reaction, 

 their tendency was to restore to the signs, which the Phoenicians had 

 modified, their ancient configuration, which they still remembered." 



The number of the signs which Mr. Piette believes to be 

 syllabic is small compared with those with bands and spots, and an 

 obvious objection to his view is that, with very few exceptions, each 

 syllable is on a different stone ; in M we reproduce the figure of one 

 pebble which has two syllabic signs printed on its side. Have we 

 here the traces of the oldest known seat of learning, which succeeded 

 a still earlier art school, and at which the early Neolithic inhabitants 

 of the Pyrenees learnt how to count and how to build up words from 

 syllabic signs ? It is tempting to follow up this line of speculation, 

 but we do not wish to diminish the seriousness of Mr. Piette's labours 

 by unintentional levity. 



Specialists alone can determine the real value of Mr. Piette's 

 discovery, but it is evident that he has opened a new chapter in the 

 early history of man, which promises to be of exceeding interest, and 

 we venture to offer him our sincere congratulations. 



The paper is illustrated by 107 figures in the text, and it is 

 accompanied by an atlas of 25 plates, containing some hundreds of 

 figures, which are very beautifully printed in colours. 



A. C. Haddon. 



