THE EARLIEST PICTURE IN THE WORLD 15 



ception and the power of artistic execution in successive 

 generations. 



It seems in the highest degree improbable, if not 

 impossible, that so excellent a drawing as this should 

 have been cut on the cylindrical piece of antler by an 

 engraver who never saw the flat or rolled-off impress of 

 his design. One is driven to the conclusion that he must, 

 as he worked on the bone, have taken an impress of 

 the growing picture from time to time, using probably 

 animal fat and charcoal as an " ink " and printing on to a 

 piece of prepared skin or on to a birch-bark cloth. How 

 otherwise could he have made his engraving so truly that 

 when, ages afterwards, we print it off the cylinder, we are 

 astonished and delighted by its perfection of design and 

 execution? If this be once admitted — namely, that the 

 artist tested and checked his work by printing it off as he 

 proceeded with it — we gain what appears to me to be the 

 probable solution of the question which has been largely 

 debated, " For what where these carved cylinders or rods 

 used ? " Those which are simple cylindrical rods, such as 

 the present one, must be distinguished from others which 

 have one or more circular holes bored in them and others 

 which are curiously bent at an angle. Such specimens 

 are often carved with small unimportant ornament, not 

 requiring development or printing. They as well as the 

 present class have been spoken of as " wands of authority " 

 and " sceptres " ; some are considered to be arrow 

 straighteners ; others have been supposed to be " divining 

 rods " or " rods of witchcraft " ; whilst one of those dis- 

 covered by M. Piette (others similar to it are known) 

 has been regarded as a " lance thrower " or " propulsor " 

 (such as modern primitive races use), having a notch at 

 one end upon which the lance to be thrown is made to 

 rest. The latest suggestion as to these notch -and - 

 hook-bearing rods, is that they are large crochet hooks. 



