A GALLOWAY STONE-AGE VILLAGE. 8t 
the axe had a finely polished surface and a clean unbrokem 
cutting edge. The impression on each facet of the cut areas. 
being always similar in character, testifies that only one type of 
cutting tool has been used. The tool was probably fixed in a 
handle, as otherwise it could not have been wielded with 
sufficient force and swing to penetrate, as it has done, into the 
body of the wood. The facets are each of small area, and are 
all shallow concavities resembling the inner side of a flattish 
spoon. They are more numerous than would occur on surfaces. 
of timber operated upon in modern times. 
Three styles of cutting occur. There is the long acutely- 
pointed pile-end, cut away on all sides; and the obtusely ridged, 
the tool having been worked from two opposite sides until the 
portion of the log to be severed could be broken off at the ridge. 
The pile-end in this style has the outline of the roof of a house. 
The third kind of labouring was a cutting nearly straight across 
the log. The cut surfaces in all three styles show a large number 
of small ridges and facets, but this feature is specially prominent 
in the third class. 
It is apparent that this ancient carpentry work has been 
carried out by means of a tool which had not been able to travel 
far at one stroke. When the tool was plied inwards and across 
the log, the length traversed at each blow was extremely small. 
Where knots have been encountered, there has been no slicing 
through the hard core, the tool having had to be worked round 
the knot. After this process the harder timber was wedged off, 
with the result that a good extent of the lower wood was splin- 
tered. There is occasionally a blunt “ break off ’’ at the place 
where the stroke has terminated, the tool when it ceased to pene- 
trate having been used as a wedge, and pulled outwards or so 
manipulated that it left a splintered surface adjoining the cleanly 
cut area. 
It would thus appear that there has been used an implement 
comparatively blunt, which possessed not one but two outwardly 
curving faces, the line of intersection of which formed a 
slightly curved edge. Now it is precisely this class of tool 
which is met with in the common polished stone axe. 
It must not be overlooked, however, that the thick, socketed 
axe-head of bronze might leave somewhat similar markings. 
The bronze tool of this type would undoubtedly travel farther 
