

EARLY MAN 



prehistoric antiquities found in Warwickshire can hardly 

 be said to equal in number or importance those which have 

 been discovered in many of the other English counties. But 

 this perhaps may be attributed partly to the fact that they have 

 not been so carefully and persistently searched for here as elsewhere. It 

 is to be regretted moreover that of those antiquities which have been 

 found few with anything like a clear or intelligible pedigree are now 

 accessible. 



Dugdale notices a few discoveries of neolithic and bronze age 

 objects, 1 and several collectors in more recent times have brought to- 

 gether a number of antiquities which, if accompanied by precise records 

 of the locality and circumstances of each discovery, would be of great 

 value in determining the story of early man in the county. Unfortu- 

 nately these precise details are wanting. The collections of the late 

 Mr. M. H. Bloxam, F.S.A., are well-known as having contained objects 

 illustrative of prehistoric times in Warwickshire. These collections are 

 now in the Art Museum of Rugby School, but they must be pro- 

 nounced somewhat disappointing for the purposes of this article. It is to 

 be regretted also that some of the prehistoric antiquities in the museum 

 at Warwick, particularly those of the bronze age, are unlabelled, and 

 it is doubtful whether the place of their discovery will ever be ascertained. 

 The period covered by this section extends from the earliest trace 

 of man or man's handiwork until the appearance of the Romans in 

 Britain, and may conveniently be divided into (i.) palaeolithic age, (ii.) 

 neolithic age, (iii.) bronze age, and (iv.) prehistoric iron age. 



THE PALEOLITHIC AGE 



The palaeolithic age. unlike the succeeding prehistoric ages, is sepa- 

 rated from our own times by something more than a very long interval 

 of time. There have been considerable physical changes in the country 

 itself, for Great Britain and Ireland were then parts of the continent of 

 Europe. 



As far as Warwickshire itself is concerned, there is not a great deal 

 of material bearing upon this remote age. As has been stated, some of 

 the collections which might have furnished illustrations of this period 

 are not in a condition to supply positive evidence. But the numerous 

 finds in adjoining counties suggest that Warwickshire, if more fully 



1 The Antiquities of Warwickshire (1656). 

 213 



