DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PLATES BONE IMPLEMENTS, ETC. [B. XVIII.] 



point, and flattened on either face (see fig. 3 b) for the rest of its length, but 

 cut away more on one side than the other, so that it thins away at its broad, 

 thin, and rounded butt. It is thus suited for being spliced, with its broadest 

 and oblique surface, on the bevelled shaft of such a weapon as a javelin, forming 

 its straight point. Or it may have constituted a portion of a fishing instrument ; 

 in which case the point would be turned inwards on a curved stem (see p. 5 1 , 

 fig. 14), and would have the effect of the barb in such a fish-hook, made of two 

 pieces, as those still used by some savages. See pages 55 and 58. 

 From La Madelaine. 



Fig. 4. The specimen of which two faces are here illustrated is also made of 

 Reindeer antler. For this implement various uses have been suggested, none 

 of which as yet have appeared quite trustworthy. In its middle portion this 

 specimen is highly ornamented with carvings in relief and with engraved lines, 

 which are carefully shown in the figures*. One of the surfaces, represented by 

 fig. 4 a, shows distinctly a median longitudinal keel, or salient line, whilst the 

 opposite side (not figured) is, on the contrary, engraved with a corresponding 

 hollow line. Though the different ornaments are not identical on all the 

 surfaces, yet they are approximately symmetrical. 



One extremity of the specimen ends in a blunt point, one of the sides of 

 which has decayed away (see the lower part of fig. 4 a). The other end, as shown 

 in fig. 4 b, is carved into a kind of beak, grooved with a hollow deep enough to 

 hold a certain quantity of more or less solid substance, such as fat or marrow. 

 Hence some have thought that this specimen might have been a marrow-spoon, 

 more or less analogous to such an implement as, according to travellers, the 

 Esquimaux make use of to extract the marrow from the large cavities of long 

 bones. We notice this interpretation of the possible use of this specimen 

 (which, however, we regard as very hazardous) because it has been the im- 

 pression of many who have examined it. [Viewed as being figured upside 

 down in the illustrations here given, this specimen is analogous to a very 

 common type of spear-head, in which the butt-end is hollowed for the reception 

 of the pointed shaft, such as are and have been used by various savages all 

 over the world. T. R. J.] 



From Laugerie Basse. 



Fig. 5. A weapon-head made of Reindeer antler, tapering at the ends and thicker 

 along the middle, which, however, is not quite cylindrical, as seen in the section 



* Figured also in the ' Revue Archeologique,' 1864. 



