Apbil 23, 1909] 



SCIENCE 



665 



vteel and with incised instead of painted 

 ornaments. The motives, however, recall 

 those of the Dipylon epoch in Greece — ^zig- 

 zags, meanders, etc. All sorts of small objects 

 were placed with the dead — among others the 

 bronze razor with a single edge in place of the 

 earlier two-edged razor; also, a new type of 

 fibula with highly arched body instead of the 

 Mycenaean type. There appeared at this time 

 a sword with a hilt terminated by two 

 branches — a type destined to play an im- 

 portant role north of the Alps as far as 

 Scandinavia. 



The first iron age in Italy is generally 

 called the first Villanova epoch (1000 B.C.). 

 It is also called the epoch of well-shaped 

 tombs, iomha a pozzo. The second epoch of 

 Villanova reveals an increasing Greek influ- 

 ence accompanying a local original develop- 

 ment. Incineration gave place by degrees to 

 interment; and ancient linear ornament was 

 succeeded by life forms repeated in series to 

 form zones, recalling the Dipylon style. 

 Much progress was shown in the construction 

 of tombs, as witness the celebrated tomb of 

 Regulini-Galassi discovered in 1836 at Cer- 

 vetri. After the faU of Carthage, Greek in- 

 fluence practically superseded the oriental in 

 Etruria. After having given to Tuscany its 

 money, alphabet, architecture, industry and 

 divinities, Hellenic civilization crossed the 

 Apennines and invaded the Po Valley. The 

 best evidence of this is afforded by the 

 Certosa cemetery at Bologna. 



The first iron age of central Europe had its 

 sources in the recent Villanovan civilization 

 of northern Italy. It is commonly called the 

 Hallstatt epoch, from the village of Hallstatt 

 in Austria near which was discovered a pre- 

 historic cemetery representing the entire 

 period. But the Hallstatt civilization was as 

 restricted in area as it was distinctive in char- 

 acter. This limited zone became a center of 

 civilization for the contiguous countries, 

 which for the most part were still in the 

 bronze age. This was particularly true of 

 Hungary, Scandinavia and Switzerland. 



The second iron age, or epoch of la Tene, 

 dating from about 500 B.C., is better known 

 than the Hallstatt epoch. We know that 



toward the close of the latter period there 

 arose in what now corresponds to France and 

 Germany a special civilization which reached 

 its zenith during the fourth century B.C. 

 There was created at the commencement of 

 the period a decorative Celtic style of such 

 value and refinement as to be considered not 

 only original, but also national. Yet in the 

 last analysis these motives are derived from 

 the palmette and classic volute. The Celtic 

 period may be divided into two epochs : an 

 older corresponding to the Gallic domination 

 and a younger represented by the discoveries 

 at la Tene on Lake Neuchatel. The two 

 halves of the Celtic period were of unequal 

 merit, the latter representing an epoch of 

 decadence. The period left its traces in 

 Scandinavia, some of the specimens being of 

 excellent workmanship. In both Scandinavia 

 and Great Britain the bronze age was pro- 

 longed into the epoch of la Tene. 



The movement of civilization in western 

 Europe during the epoch of la Tene had its 

 counterpart in the region to the north of the 

 Black Sea, where the cemeteries of the time 

 have furnished such a surprising quantity of 

 beautiful objects of art, particularly gold 

 ornaments. This rich period may be placed 

 between the fifth and the second centuries B.C. 

 As one penetrates farther into the interior of 

 Russia the indigenous Scythian art makes 

 itself felt more and more. It is characterized 

 by animal figurines or simply the heads of 

 animals used ornamentally. A good part of 

 Scythian art and industry came direct from 

 Asia and eventually spread its influence over 

 northern Russia and into Hungary. 



Rarely has a victory had for the history of 

 civilization such vast consequences as the 

 victory of Alesia, 52 B.C., by which Csesar van- 

 quished the last armies of Gaul. After this 

 the frontier of the prehistoric domain re- 

 treated rapidly toward the north. The Ger- 

 manic world came into direct contact for the 

 first time with the classic civilization of the 

 south. 



During the epoch of invasions there was a 

 marked development of provincial industry. 

 The Roman bronze vases, for example, were 

 no longer made in the south for exportation. 



