IZO 



■T& Mr. Lovett on the Oun-flint Manufactory at Brandon. 



In conclusion, there are one or two points of great interest 

 which I wish to point out in reference to this guu-flint manu- 

 factory. We have seen how that in all probability Brandon has 

 been a continuous source for flint implements from the very 

 earliest times. We have also seen that in the methods of 

 obtaining the flint the same primitive means, with a total 

 absence of mechanical appliances, is now adopted, which we 

 have every reason to believe men of the stone age employed. 

 We also find the methods of working up the flint to be probably 

 identical with that of primeval times. But there are two other 

 points to which I would refer. First, I observed that the Brandon 

 flints under certain conditions of exposure became much altered 

 as to their freshly-broken surfaces, and were therefore protected 

 by branches of trees, as I have already stated. Now, it is 

 generally held that the glazed, stained, or polished surface of 

 worked flints is a sure and certain proof of the great age and 

 antiquity of the specimens ; but I am certain, from what I saw at 

 Brandon, that such surfaces, at least there, do most decidedly 

 undergo such alteration and decomposition in a remarkably short 

 space of time, so that I am inclined to attach but little importance 

 to such an indication, ?;e;- se, as a proof of genuineness. Secondly, 

 I made a careful note of the fracture produced in flakiag the 

 flint, which, being naturally couchoidal, results in what is termed 

 a bulb of percussion. Now, this bulb has been held most properly 

 to be another sure indication of genuineness and human origin, 

 although I believe some have argued to the contrary ; but I do 

 not see how it is possible for such a fracture to be produced by 

 natural causes. To produce it, or indeed to produce a flake at 

 all, the flint must be struck sharply by a hard body (iron, stone, 

 or otherwise), having a point or striking-surface of a smaller area 

 than the flint itself; the flint to be flaked must be held or fixed so as 

 to ensure an elastic blow, for if a dead or solid blow be struck the 

 flint is either crushed or, what is more hkely, does not break at all. 



It is obvious, therefore, that such a combination as the above 

 does not occur in Nature, and the bulb of percussion must on 

 that account be taken as a certain proof of the human origin 

 of the implement or flake in question. One feature of im- 

 plements of the stone age may be considered also as a con- 

 clusive in-oof of their genuine origin, and that is the face-flaking 

 or chippings of the flat surface. This is, I believe, considered to 

 be a lost art ; and I think it must be so, for I was quite unable 

 to get the flint-workers to do anything of the kind, although they 

 did their best to produce some spear-heads. We see, therefore, 

 that as most modern ideas help us to understand better the 

 remains of ancient phenomena, so also, by a careful examination 

 of the manufacture of gun-flints, considerable light may be 

 thrown on the methods adopted by palasolithic man, whose sole 



