196 ANTIQUITY OF THE 



tumuli, but the more recent researches of Mr. Bateman have 

 shown that this is very far from being the case, and have 

 made it evident that the ruder implements of stone must 

 have been overlooked by the earlier archaeologists. In the 

 tumuli examined by Mr. Bateman, he obtained many flint 

 flakes, etc., quite as rude as those which are found in the 

 shell-mounds. I am not aware, however, that any of the 

 small triangular axes, which are so characteristic of the 

 shell-mounds, have yet been met with in the tumuli. BTor,. 

 on the other hand, have any forms resembling those which 

 are characteristic of the Palaeolithic age, yet been found in 

 the shell-mounds. 



Finally, as regards the supposed remains of domestic 

 animals (other than the dog) in Stone age tumuli, the 

 evidence brought forward by Professor Worsaae seems to 

 me altogether inconclusive, which, however, is of the less 

 consequence, as the point will certainly be determined 

 ere long, now that attention has specially been directed 

 to it. 



On the whole, the evidence appears to show that the 

 Danish shell-mounds represent a definite period in the his- 

 tory of that country, and are probably referrible to the early 

 part of the Neolithic Stone age, when the art of polishing 

 flint implements was known, but before it had reached its 

 greatest development. 



It is, as yet, impossible to affix a date in years to the 

 formation of the Kjokkenmoddings, which nevertheless are, 

 as evidently, of immense antiquity. We know that the 

 country has long been covered by beech forests, and yet it 

 appears that during the Bronze age beeches were absent, 

 or only represented by stragglers, while the whole country 

 was covered with oaks. This change implies a great lapse 

 of time, even if we suppose that but a few generations of 

 oaks succeeded one another. We know also that the oaks 



