v.] PREHISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGY. 143 



among antiquaries, archaeology is in this respect only in 

 the same condition as all other branches of knowledge. 



Conceding then, frankly, that from several of the 

 following conclusions some good archaeologists would 

 entirely dissent, I will now endeavour to state briefly 

 the principal results of modern research, and especially 

 to give, as far as can be done within the limits of a few 

 pages, an idea of the kind of evidence on which these 

 conclusions are based. 



I must also add, that my remarks are confined, ex- 

 cepting when it is otherwise specified, to that part of 

 Europe which lies to the north of the Alps ; and that by 

 the Primaeval period, I understand that which extended 

 from the first appearance of man down to the commence- 

 ment of the Christian era. 



This period may be divided into four epochs : Firstly, 

 the Palaeolithic, or First Stone Age ; secondly, the Neo- 

 lithic, or Second Stone Age ; thirdly, the Bronze Age ; 

 and lastly, the Iron Age. Attempts have been made, 

 with more or less success, to establish subdivisions of 

 these periods, but into these I do not now propose to 

 enter : even if we can do no more as yet than establish 

 this succession, that will itself be sufficient to show that 

 we are not entirely dependent upon history. 



We will commence, then, with the Palaeolithic Age. 

 This is the most ancient period in which we have as yet 

 any decisive proofs of the existence of man. M. Des- 

 noyers some years ago called attention to some bones 

 from the Pliocene beds of St. Prest, which appear to 

 show the marks of knives, and M. 1'Abbd Bourgeois has 

 since found in the same locality some flints, which he 

 believes to have been worked by man ; Mr. Whincopp 



