280 DRIFT IMPLEMENTS NEVER POLISHED. 



smaller end is, in all cases, the one adapted for cutting, 

 while the reverse is almost invariably the case in the oval 

 celts of the Neolithic Stone age (figs. 71 and 72). 



Again, the flint implements of the drift are never polished 

 or ground, but are always left rough. We may safely esti- 

 mate that three thousand at least have been already found 

 in the drift gravels of England and France, and of this large 

 number there is not one which shows a trace of polishing or 

 grinding ; while we know that the reverse was almost always 

 the case with the celts of the later Stone period. It is true 

 that the latter is not an invariable rule ; thus, in Denmark 

 there are two forms of so-called "axes" which are left rough 

 namely, the small triangular axes of the Kjokkenmoddings 

 (figs. 81-83) which are invariably so, and the large square- 

 sided axes with which this is often the case. But these two 

 forms of implements resemble in no other way those which 

 are found in the drift, and could not for a moment be mis- 

 taken for them. It is not going too far to say, that there is 

 not a single well-authenticated instance of a "celt" being 

 found in the drift, or of an implement of the drift type being 

 discovered either in a tumulus, or associated with remains of 

 the later Stone age. 



It is useless to speculate upon the use made of these rude 

 yet venerable weapons. Almost as well might we ask, to what 

 use could they not be applied ? Numerous and specialised 

 as are our modern instruments, who would care to describe 

 the exact use of a knife ? But the primitive savage had no 

 such choice of weapons ; we see before us perhaps the whole 

 contents of his workshop ; and with these implements, rude as 

 they seem to us, he may have cut down trees, scooped them 

 out into canoes, grubbed up roots, attacked his enemies, killed 

 and cut up his food, made holes through the ice in winter, 

 prepared firewood, etc. When, however, we shall have con- 

 sidered the physical evidence as to the then condition of the 



