6 NOTES ON A CHIPPED BOULDER. 



Other hand, if we assume that core and flakes had been 

 lying for any length of time at the place where they 

 were found it would be surprising that they were not 

 disturbed by later generations visiting this place. The 

 only way to account for it is t'hat soon after core and 

 flakes had been produced the drifting sand covered it 

 entirely, thus preserving it almost completely as it 

 had been left. Only of late, when the sand had shifted, 

 it was exposed again. Lucky it was that the plough 

 had not gone over this spot, otherwise it would have 

 been impossible to collect such a large number of frag- 

 ments belonging to one and the same core. 



A number of interesting facts and questions arise 

 from the study of this specimen. Though not com- 

 pletely restored to its entire shape, we can state with 

 absolute certainty tJhat the original was a pebble or 

 boulder, well worn and smooth all over its surface, of 

 deep black colour, weig^hing not less than lolb. As 

 there are no gravel deposits or conglomerate anywhere 

 near the place where it was found, it must have been 

 picked up at a considerable distance, and been carried 

 to the camping ground to be used for the manufacture 

 of implements. 



The Tasmanian Aborigines have been described as 

 a laz_v lot, and it is therefore hardly probable that the 

 Aborigine who found this pretty heavy boulder carried 

 is for a long distance to his camping ground unless he 

 valued the material. If he valued the material it is sur- 

 prising that he used so very little of it; the size of the 

 core proves that it contains the greater portion of the 

 bulk of the original pebble. The fragments prove that 

 one, perhaps two, flakes have been turned into imple- 

 ments. That fragment whidh probably has been turned 

 into an implement seems to differ very little from those 

 that have been rejected. In fact, considering the very 

 crude flakes that have often been used as implements, 

 it is astonishing to find that the two specimens wdiich 

 have been here described, and which are distinguished 

 by a fine smooth pollical face were not used as tools. 



It is very difficult to find a suitable explanation. If 

 the rock was of the valued kind, why is it that so much 

 waste was left behind? If not, why should the lazy 

 Aboriginal trouble to carry the heavy pebble for a long 



