THE EARLIEST PICTURE IN THE WORLD 17 



very early times (4500 B.C.), since cylindrical seals 

 were used by the Babylonians. Elaborately grooved 

 blocks used for printing on cloth are known from Fiji 

 and Samoa, and the mere practice of printing on to a 

 flat surface is common enough among savage races in 

 regard to the human hand, impressions or prints of which 

 obtained by the use of a greasy pigment are found upon 

 rocks or stones. Sometimes prints of the hand or fingers 

 are taken in clay. 



We must not, however, forget that the primary purpose 

 of savage and primitive mankind in making images or 

 engravings of animals is that of influencing the animals 

 by witchcraft or magic, as has been urged by Reinach. 

 From such rnagic-working drawings the art of savages has 

 gradually developed just as religious figures and designs 

 have been the initial motive of historic European art. 



It seems in any case fairly certain that the artist who 

 engraved our picture of the three deer on to the stag's 

 antler must have worked from and copied a completed flat 

 drawing, and probably printed it in some way on to the 

 prepared antler before engraving its lines thereon and 

 also checked the work, as he proceeded, by successive, 

 trial printings or "proofs" on to a flat surface. It is 

 possible though it does not seem very probable, that the 

 drawing was thus committed to perpetual invisibility on 

 a cylindrical rod for the purpose of exercising " magic " 

 with that rod. It seems to me that the Cromagnard 

 owner of the rod would have wished to see "what the 

 picture really looked like," and so would have on some 

 occasion and more than once have " printed it off" or as 

 we say " unrolled it." 



Leaving that question aside I have a few words 

 to say as to the present attempted "completion" of 

 the picture. My difficulty has been in realizing the 

 suggestion of a free, graceful " bounding " action given by 



