206 



On the occurrence of Aboriginal Stone I implements 

 of Unusual Types in the Tableland Regions of 

 Central Australia. 



By Professor Walter Howchin, F.G.S. 



[Read September 8, 1921.] 



Plates XI. to XXI. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



I. Introduction ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 206 



II. Authenticity of the iStone Implements ... ... 208 



III. Description of the Tableland Implements — 



(a) General Features ... ... ... 209 



(b) Descriptions of Individual Examples ... ... 211 



IV. Origin of the Implements — 



(a) Possible Theories 216 



(b) An Hypothesis concerning the Tasmaniang ... 217 



(c) Tasmanian Stone Implements ... ... ... 218 



(d) The Tasmanian Stage of Culture ... ... 221 



V. Points of Resemblance between the Tableland Imple- 

 ments AND THOSE MADE BY THE TaSMANIANS ... ... 225 



VI. Summary and Conclusions ... ... ... ... 226 



VII. References to Authors Quoted ... ... ... ... 227 



VIII. Description of Plates ... ... ... ... ... 228 



I. Introduction. 



In May, 1904, the writer spent a fortnight on the Stuart 

 Creek Cattle Station, in the Lake Eyre district. Attention 

 was given to the occurrence of worked stones, which are 

 usually to be found in any part of South Australia on virgin 

 soils and in sand-drifts. In the sandhill country of Central 

 Australia, which is mostly lowland, these Aboriginal remains 

 are of relatively small size and carry the appearance of 

 freshness, as though only recently made. On higher ground,, 

 in the tableland country, and amongst the "gibbers," a 

 different type of implements is met with. These latter are 

 commonly of larger size than those found in the sandy country, 

 are roughly chipped, and carry the same characteristic colour- 

 ing which is common to the loose stones of the uplands. A 

 fair number of this class of implements was obtained on the 

 Stuart Creek ''run," some of which were given to a scientific 

 friend who was on his way to England, and the remainder 

 was presented to the Adelaide Museum, where they are 

 on view. 



