356 The Flvnt Tools of North Devon. 



" tool" is the only one of its kind found in that locality, it may 

 possibly be only a stone selected from the. neighbouring beach, 

 with the view to turning its peculiar shape to account, for the 

 purpose of a weapon, and therefore, with such uncertain data, 

 I am unwilling to speak too definitely on the subject. Thus 

 much for the evidence of art ; but proofs of antiquity are not 

 wanting, for, apart from the fact that the flints are covered 

 with nearly four feet of undisturbed soil, in a desolate and 

 almost uninhabited part of North Devon, there is another and 

 surer proof in the patina, or varnish-like film which covers 

 most of the flakes. It is produced by a very slow and long- 

 continued chemical action, and may be regarded as a good, 

 though not universal sign of great antiquity. Indeed, the 

 only occasion on which it appears to fail, is when the flint 

 partakes largely of the nature of agate or chalcedony. 



Thus it will be seen, on carefully comparing the flint tools 

 of North Devon with those of the first or Drift period, that 

 they differ materially in two points only. They are found 

 immediately on top of the drift, instead of in it, and they 

 occur in juxtaposition with certain proofs of their human 

 origin, whilst, at the same time (although on the average much 

 smaller), they are as rude in design and manufacture as any of 

 those from Amiens or Abbeville. 



They differ, on the other hand, from those of the second, 

 or Celtic period, by being split and chipped into form, instead 

 of having their points and edges shaped by the more civilized 

 process of grinding. 



To which class, then, must the tools of North Devon be 

 referred ? Are they to be put amongst the implements of the 

 first period, because they are chipped, and not ground ; or are 

 they to be ascribed to some early tribe of Celts, on account of 

 the associated pottery ? Or may they not, rather, form a con- 

 necting link in the scale of progression between the two ? 

 That there must have been such connecting links is obvious, 

 otherwise how could the Celts have followed so closely in the 

 steps of the men of the "Drift," making the same shaped 

 tools, but making them look better, by a long and tedious 

 process of grinding. With the ground and polished tools of 

 the second period are found pottery and various articles, indi- 

 cating a considerable advance in knowledge and intellect. 

 Did man, then, make this progress at a sudden bound ? Did 

 he suddenly discard all weapons made in the old style by 

 chipping and splitting, and use none but those which involved 

 the expenditure of much labour on the part of the maker, and, 

 after all, made but a poor substitute for the knife-like edge of 

 a split flint ? Or is it not more probable that this progress 

 was the result of a gradual development of intellect ; and that, 



