552 Proceedings. 
The axe must have been one of the most valuable and valued imple- 
ments. It was useful in war, useful in peace. They were not very large, 
varying in length from one to six inches, and with a cutting edge varying 
from one to three inches. Serpentine and diorite are the principal materials 
of which they were made, though flint and jade were sometimes used. Jade 
is not found in the west of Europe, and hence it is supposed that axes made 
of it must have come from the East, being passed on from tribe to tribe by 
way of barter. The flint found in Switzerland was not suitable for axes, 
but France had abundance for all, and it is generally supposed that the flint 
used in Switzerland was obtained from Pressigny. Considerable doubt 
exists as to the way in which these axes were made. The generally accepted 
theory is, that they were made by blows of a hammer on the stone that had 
been carefully selected, and that when by skilfully repeated blows the 
“required size had been attained the ridges between the grooves formed by 
the fracture were ground down by means of sandstone. The small ones, 
such as we have on the table, were inserted along with bitumen in a socket 
of stag-horn, which in turn fitted a hole in a handle of hard wood. The 
larger ones were fastened in various ways to handles. Adzes were formed 
in a similar manner, and attached to an angular piece of wood, as the 
Maoris used to do a few years ago. Obviously there would be a considerable 
number of chips, the best of which were selected for arrow-heads and knives, 
while those that could not be so used, and which we call flakes, were useful 
for a variety of purposes. They used them as scrapers—as spokeshaves 
amongst other things. I think the Lake Dwellers must have found them as 
useful as the Maoris do their pipi and other shells. 
Bone.—In the present collection there are several implements made of 
_ bone. It will be seen that the particular bone selected is that of the stag, 
an animal which must have been found in considerable numbers, if we = 
judge from the great variety of articles made therefrom. The chisels which 
lie on the table are sharp at both ends. I very much fear they could not 
be of great service, for it is evident that the sharper the cutting edge is, just 
so much the less strong will it be. Authorities do not make their use quite 
clear. The needles would be extremely valuable for making holes in the 
skins with which they clothed themselves in the early part of the period. 
In the absence of thread at the same time, they appear to have found @ 
_ fitting substitute in narrow strips of skin. 
Weight for Weaving.—The stone weight, which was found at Nidau, is 
said to have been used for weaving. It is, I think more likely to have 
oon ee be soking the nite. S 
_ ‘The round piece of burned clay with the hole in it is generally under 
Sictek Geen bes Saad xs. cosa Chae This implement brings 05 “ 
ot ee ee te ee 
