278 THE EEV. J. MAGENS MELLO, M.A.^ F.G.S.^ ETC., ON 



more or less doubtful iustances of the occurreuce of pottery 

 amongst Palaeolithic remains have been brought forward, 

 but until further evidence has been found we may venture 

 to credit Neolithic man with the honour of introducing 

 pottery into Europe. The vases and urns which have been 

 found are often very rude in character, and the clay of 

 which they wcjre made contains crushed stone, spar, or 

 broken shells, the potter's wheel was not in use, and the 

 baking was of a somewhat superficial kind. Some of the 

 pottery Avas ornamented with lines and indentations, finger- 

 nail marks and cross hatchings. 



Articles of personal adornment occur in large numbers 

 amongst the piles, such as perforated shells and teeth ; neck- 

 laces, bracelets, and head dresses were formed out of them, 

 and have been found in connection with skeletons in some 

 Neolithic interments. Bone, and also stone rings and 

 bracelets have been discovered, both in the lakes and also 

 amongst objects of this age in other localities. Beads of 

 bone, shell, amber, jade, spar, jet, rock crystal, and even 

 turquoise have been found, and also buttons. 



Agriculture. 



I have referred to the fact that the Neolithic men were to 

 some extent agriculturists ; this is proved by the remains of 

 various plants, which, thanks to their carbonisation by fire, 

 have been preserved in the mud of some of the lacustrine 

 stations. JNot only did these people eat such fruits as they 

 could procure in a wild stale, but they apparently culti- 

 vated the apple, and made efforts to impi-ove it, they also 

 used to cut the fruit in halves or quarters and dried it as a 

 provision for v/inter. From the presence of great quantities 

 of the seeds of the raspberry and blackberry which have 

 been found, M. de Mortillet thinks that the Neolithic lake 

 dwellers were actually in the habit of preparing from these 

 fruits a fermented drink, if so, we find here the trace of the 

 most ancient alcoholic liquor known. This need not surprise 

 us as we find many of the existing uncivilized races in all 

 parts of the world in possession of some form of intoxicating 

 drink. 



The cereals were known and cultivated. Three varieties 

 of wheat were grown, one of these being the Egyptian 

 (Triticum turgidum). Oats and rye were apparently un- 

 known during the Stone ages, but millet and also two kinds 

 of barley have been foimd, cakes or biscuits made of coarsely 



