By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 



121 



indeed, they knew nothing of metals, and all their arms as well as 

 implements, were made of flints, bones, and similar substances ; 

 and we need look no farther than our own museum to see great 

 numbers of sharp instruments, such as knives, the heads of axes, 

 spears and arrows, all of flint, 1 which have been turned up by the 

 plough on our downs. Subsequently however, they found out the 

 use, and the art of working several metals, as tin, lead, brass and 

 iron. 2 This enormously increased their strength, and by means of 

 the "Celt" 3 or axe-head, first fixed in a hilt of split wood, after- 

 wards formed with cheeks, or a socket, to receive the handle ; they 

 were in a condition to inflict more formidable wounds in battle, as 

 well as cultivate the land more efficiently. Once possessed of metals, 

 their progress was rapid, and soon they became renowned for their 

 war chariots, 4 which armed with scythes and hooks arranged to 

 cut and tear everything which came within reach, were driven with 

 great rapidity through the ranks of their foes. But this was in all 

 probability due, not to native invention, but to tradition of what 

 was in use among other nations, the recollection of which they 

 must have brought with them ; for war chariots were in very early 

 use amongst many nations of the East and South. 5 



1 Flints were often employed in Egypt for tipping arrows, in lieu of metal 

 heads. Some knives also have been found in Egypt such, as the Britons and 

 Romans had (Liv. i., 24). The Ethiopians too had reed arrows tipped with 

 pebbles (Herodotus, ii., 86. vii., 69). [Rawlinson, ii., 141, iii., 3, iv., 68.] 

 " The spear and the bow were the national weapons of th^ European Scyths, the 

 bow on the whole being regarded as the most essential." 

 2 Caesar's Comment: de Bell: Gall: lib. v., 12. 

 Pliny Natural History, lib. xxxiv., c. 17 (49). 

 Henry's History of Great Britain, ii., p. 136, chap. 5. 

 3 Sir R. Hoare's Ancient Wilts, vol. i., p. 203. 

 Archaeological Journal, vol. i., p. 226, iv., 1—6, 327— 337, vi., p. 363—392, 

 4 C£esar de Bell: Gall: lib. iv.. 33, lib. v., 19. 

 Keithley's History of Rome, p. 158, 263. 

 Ossian, v., 1, p. 11 — 12. 

 Camden's Britannia, p. 12. 

 Rapin's History of England, vol. i., p. 5. 

 Carte's History of England, p. 74. 

 Milton's History of England, vol. i., p. 13. 

 Henry's History of Great Britain, vol. ii., chap. 5. 



5 As the use of the war chariot in ancient Britain has been disputed by some, 



