Decembek 14, 1883.] 



SCIENCE. 



765 



the inegalitliic mominients near Bellas ; both 

 of which places lie a short distance west of 

 Lisbon. The latter also contains an account 

 of the prehistoric remains at the Serra de 

 Ciutra, several miles farther west. 



Licea is a little hamlet built upon the pro- 

 jection of an elevated plateau, of which two of 

 the sides are naturally defended bv deep ravines. 

 In tills respect it resembles other sites of hu- 

 man habitation in the age of polished stone, 

 which were usually placed upon commanding 

 positions, easily defensible, and having plenty 

 of water. This naturally strong position was 

 rendered more secure by having its sides 

 sharply scar|)ed in some parts ; while in otii- 

 ers, not so protected, there can still be seen 

 remains of a wall built of huge unhewn stones. 

 The whole area was thus converted into an 

 intrenched camp of an oval shape, nearlv half 

 a mile long by half as broad. Within this 

 space, excavations have brought to light vari- 

 ous objects of the usual types belonging to the 

 industry of the age of polished stone. There 

 were numerous celts made of diorite or of 

 basalt, some linoly polished, well shaped, and 

 with sharp cutting-edges, while others were of a 

 ruder fabric ; and also several hammer-stones. 

 Knives, flakes, scrapers, arrow-heads, and 

 lance-points abounded, made of different varie- 

 ties of flint, many of which must have been 

 brought from long distances. Kude clay 

 vases, hand-made, and some of a large size, 

 all baked in an open tire, together witli a few 

 bone implements, complete the catalogue of 

 objects found. Associated with these relics 

 were the remains of shell-fish, and the bones 

 of several species of animals common in neo- 

 lithic stations, such as the horse, ox, stag, goat, 

 jMg, wolf, and hare. There was also discovered 

 a sepulchral grotto containing bones belonging 

 to nine individuals of both sexes, half at least 

 of which were those of very young children. 

 We have good reason to believe that other 

 similar caverns have lieen either destroyed, or 

 filled up with the rubbish of the chalk-quarries 

 that have been extensivelv worked in this lo- 

 cality. In the absence of a perfect cranium, 

 nothing more could be determined than that 

 the type was brachycephalic. From tiie gen- 

 eral result of all the discoveries, the conclusion 

 seems warranted that Licea was the habitation 

 of a large population during the neolithic pe- 

 riod. Signor IJibeiro, however, brings forward 

 certain arguments to i)rove the existence of a 

 second preiiistoric civilization ui)on this same 

 spot, belonging to the period of transition be- 

 tween the age of polished stone and tliat of 

 bronze. But we must confess ourselves unable 



to perceive their pertinency ; neither can we 

 agree with hiui in thinking that any of the im- 

 plements discovered here have ' a striking paleo- 

 lithic appearance.' 



In the vicinity of Bellas there still exist 

 megalithic monuments, consisting of a half- 

 dozen ruined dolmens, in which but little of 

 importance was discovered, owing to their hav- 

 ing been visited by previous explorers : never- 

 theless, two or three singular objects were 

 found in them, which will be described later. 

 Hard b}', however, at INIonte Abrahao, there 

 is a covered alley in an excellent slate of pres- 

 ervation, which has yielded important results. 

 It is composed of a polygonal chamber some 

 ten feet in diameter, and a gallery twenty- 

 four feet long bj' six wide, extending in an 

 easterly direction. The walls of the chamber 

 are constructed of eight large slabs of hard 

 gray limestone, rough, and entirely unhewn, 

 planted more or less upright, and projecting 

 some nine feet above the surfiice of the soil. 

 It is evident, however, from the inclination at 

 which the largest stone is placed, that it w:as 

 not intended to be roofed over by a similar 

 slab after the usual method of constructing 

 such monuments. There had first been made 

 witli infinite toil, by the help of fire, an excava- 

 tion in the solid limestone strata of the whole 

 size of the chamber ; and in this the large slabs 

 were set. Of those with which the gallery was 

 originally constructed, only three now remain 

 in place ; but the rows of smaller stones, by 

 which they had been supported, were discov- 

 ered when the surface-soil was removed, so 

 that there can be no mistake as to the exist- 

 ence and extent of the gallei-y. It is admitted 

 that dolmens and covered alloys were erected 

 to serve as burial-places of the men of the 

 neolithic age : consequently we are not sur- 

 prised that Signor IJibeiro found this monu- 

 ment to contain human remains ; but the number 

 of them was quite unusual, amounting to as 

 manj- as eight}- individuals. This can be 

 accounted for bv the fact that certain circum- 

 stances seem to indicate tliat some of the re- 

 mains had been interred elsewhere before they 

 were removed to this resting-place. They were 

 found in the gallery, as well as in the chamber ; 

 and it seems reasonable to suppose that there 

 had been successive Inirials at intervals of 

 time, and consequent disturbances of the soil, 

 which would account for the situation in which 

 many of the bones were found. Their condi- 

 tion was such as to allow but few inferences 

 to be drawn as to their ethnic relations, no 

 whole cranium having been found : suflicient, 

 however, remained of one, to show it to be 



