﻿PLEISTOCENE PERIOD 199 



These races flourished in Europe for a time ; but long 

 before the mammoth and woolly rhinoceroses had quitted 

 the scenes, and whilst herds of reindeer still roamed over 

 the central lands, they were superseded by another race of 

 men. If we may take human remains discovered at Mentone, 

 at Engis on the Meuse, and at Cromagnon in the Dordogne 

 as typical of the new men, there was no close relation- 

 ship between them and the earlier races — certainly 

 not with the big-jawed hunters. Their skulls were well- 

 pitched — not depressed — at the top. The brow-ridges, it 

 is true, were strongly developed, but not to an ape-like 

 extent. Moreover, the forehead was not receding ; the 

 nose, though flattened at the root, projected well from the 

 face ; and the chin was considerably developed. 



These new-comers to Europe are generally known as the cave 

 " Cave Men," as our knowledge of them is derived chiefly men 

 from deposits in ancient caves. The implements which 

 they had in use were still of the type known as palaeo- 

 lithic or " old stone " — rudely fashioned, and showing no 

 signs of having been ground or polished. There is, how- 

 ever, evidence that the implements were better adapted for 

 use. 



How far it had occurred to the earlier races of men that 

 their implements might be made more effective by being 

 fixed to shafts and handles is not certain ; but these men 

 undoubtedly had the knowledge, and made no little use of it. 

 Handled hatchets were taking the place of hand-hatchets. 

 Lances and javelins were in use, and greater success in 

 the chase must have been obtained. Moreover, there was 

 thus better provision against ferocious animals. Lions, 

 wolves, and bears were abroad ; and " sabre-toothed ' cats 

 were certainly again in Europe at this time. 



These men were mighty hunters, and they seem to have 

 coveted the reindeer beyond all other beasts. Indeed, the 

 reindeer was a good " all-round " animal for the men of those 

 days — the flesh and marrow-bones for food, the horns for 

 tools and weapons, the skin for clothing and cave-curtains, 

 and (when cut into strips) for binding on lance-heads and 

 hatchet-handles. They were able, if necessary, to saw the 



