Jan. 13, 1887] 



NA TURE 



245 



those from the caves of the Dordogiie, including needles 

 and the peculiar barbed harpoons, have been found in 

 caverns in the north of Spain ; but at present no remains 

 of reindeer have been found associated with them. Not- 

 withstanding this fact, the caves would appear to be of 

 about the same age as those of La Madelaine. 



The remains of Neolithic age found within the Iberian 

 Peninsula form the subject of the next portion of M. 

 Cartailhac's book. Foremost among these he places the 

 shell-mounds, which in some parts of the valley of the 

 Tagus attain to considerable dimensions. Those at 

 Mugem were visited by many of the members of the 

 Prehistoric Congress, and it is somewhat remarkable that 

 the moUusks, of the shells of which the Kjokkcn iiioddins,s 

 principally consist, no longer are occupants of the Tagus 

 near the mounds, but are only to be found much lower 

 down the river, where the waters are more salt. 



The principal worked flints that occur in the mounds 

 have much the appearance of having been chisel-shaped 

 arrow-points. Curiously enough, the mound which was 

 thrown up as a refuse-heap by the living has been also 

 utilised as a cemetery for the dead — intramural interments 

 having probably not been forbidden. Some of the caves 

 have furnished remains of pottery covered with a raised 

 reticulated pattern, as well as objects in stone, bone, and 

 shell. Many of them have also been the site of Neolithic 

 interments, and the Casa da Moura has furnished one of 

 those remarkable skulls on which trepanation has been 

 begun but not finished. Large flat lance or javelin points 

 of flint were found in this cave, having both faces polished 

 after the manner of some Irish specimens. Indeed, there 

 is a considerable resemblance in \}a% fades of the flint anti- 

 quities of Portugal with what prevails in Ireland, and this 

 somewhat corroborates the view of there having been in 

 ancient times Iberian settlers on the shores of Hibernia. 

 The resemblance between some of the bronze implements 

 of the two countries is also worthy of notice. A number 

 of ornamented pendants of slate, some of peculiar plume- 

 like form, have also been found in the caves, the devices 

 upon them being formed of notched and plain triangles 

 and zigzags of almost identical character with the orna- 

 ments upon some of the Irish bronze celts. 



Some imitations of stone or possibly bronze celts 

 mounted on handles, as adzes, are very remarkable. 

 They are carved in marble or soft stone, so that they 

 could hardly have been used as cutting tools, but they 

 may have had some symbolical meaning. The most 

 interesting of the burial-places are the Antas or dolmens^ 

 of which a considerable number exists, some of large 

 dimensions. In their general character they much 

 resemble the megalithic monuments of France and 

 Britain. Chambered barrows and alUes couvcrtes are 

 also known. In them have been found arrow-heads not 

 unlike some of the Danish forms, with very long curved 

 barbs and no central stem, as well as others of more 

 simple triangular forms. In the dolmens also some of 

 the chisel-shaped tips like those from the shell-mounds 

 have occurred. 



Traces of the old copper-mining industry of Spain have 

 been found in the shape of large mauls of stone, with a 

 groove or channel around them destined to receive the 

 withe which formed the handle. The bronze swords and 

 daggers much resemble those of Southern France and 



Italy, while the flat celts of bronze and of copper are like 

 those of Ireland. The palstaves, however, or flanged 

 hatchets, have frequently a loop on either side, instead of 

 one only as is commonly the case in most European 

 countries. The socketed celts have also frequently two 

 loops, a peculiarity which is more common in parts of 

 Russia than in other countries of Europe. 



Coming down to what our author calls protohistoric 

 times, various weapons and ornaments of the Early Iron 

 period are figured, as well as some slabs of stone inscribed 

 with what are apparently Phoenician letters. Of these, 

 however, no interpretation is given. The concluding 

 chapter is devoted to anthropological remarks, and full 

 particulars are given of a series of skulls from some of 

 the caves, together with photographic illustrations. 



The preface to the work is from the pen of M. A. de 

 Ouatrefages, who, however, goes far in advance of M. 

 Cartailhac in his acceptance of the discoveries of Tertiary 

 man. 



Those who are interested in the early history of 

 mankind, and in comparative archeology in general, will 

 do well to consult M. Cartailhac's book, in which they 

 will find many other points of interest besides those 

 which have been summarised in this brief and imperfect 

 notice. J. E. 



OUR BOOK SHELF 



Educational Exhibits and Conventions at tite World's 

 Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition, New 

 Orleans, 1884-85. Special Report by the Bureau of 

 Education. Part I. Catalogue of Exhibits. (Wash- 

 ington: Government Printing Ofiice, 1886.) 

 The extensive collection of everything connected with 

 education which was to be made at the Exhibition held 

 at New Orleans, and also the remarkable success of the 

 Lbiited States Bureau in obtaining and dispersing educa- 

 tional information, have been referred to more than once 

 in this journal. The Hon. John Eaton, Commissioner of 

 Education, accepted the post of Superintendent, and the 

 Government encouraged him to do everything in his 

 power for the success of the undertaking ; and this not 

 unwisely, for the excellence or otherwise of the education 

 exhibits of any locality is regarded as an attraction or 

 warning by the most valued class of emigrants. Accord- 

 ingly he made use of a visit to France, Belgium, and 

 England to gain exhibitors, and in France he was very 

 successful. At the Exposition he addressed large assem- 

 blies of teachers, and to himself as well as to the Bureau 

 which he represented were awarded '' Grand Diplomas of 

 Honour ' for valuable contributions. An illustrated cata- 

 logue of apparatus lent by the Bureau for experiments in 

 the leading departments of physics is given in the Report. 

 Among these the electrical instruments, as also a solar 

 microscope, were particularly attractive at the Exhibition. 

 Each State was urged to send specimens of the work, as 

 also any objects which illustrated the growth and present 

 condition, of its University ; of its normal schools ; of its 

 schools of each grade ; the work, on uniform paper, of 

 children in every subject and standard ; photographs and 

 ground-plans of its best schools ; school literature pub- 

 lished in the State ; technical work also, and both the 

 methods and the performances of special schools, as for 

 the blind, &c. Though not many States responded fully 

 to this wide invitation, yet the fact that over nine thousand 

 specimens (many of them volumes of school-work) were 

 exhibited by Ohio alone, with regrets that a more com- 

 plete set from all cities could not be got together, shows 

 that a worthy response was made in some cases. 



