02 



materially to the antiquarian interest which attends the Dekhan Cairns ; 

 and, with -the bells, cups, and other articles in the Bombay Museum, 

 affords evidence of a period at which remarkable skill existed in the 

 casting of this metal. Whether in India it was used previously to iron, 

 may perhaps be discussed; but that iron and bronze periods existed 

 there, as well as in Europe, there can be no reasonable doubt ; and I 

 esteem myself peculiarly fortunate in being able to submit for ex- 

 amination by the Academy the first specimen of Cairn bronze which 

 has, to the best of my knowledge, been transmitted to England. 



Having thus evidence of iron and bronze periods in India, the 

 Academy is already in possession of proof of a flint period in the remark- 

 able specimens of chipped flints, agates, chalcedonies, and jaspers pre- 

 sented to it on the 10th April, 1865, by Mr. John Evans, at the instance 

 of Sir Charles Lyell, E. It. S., which were found near Jubbulpoor, in 

 Central India, by the late Lieut. Swiney. I have recently also seen 

 a letter from Mr. Blandford, a deputy-superintendent of the Geolo- 

 gical Survey, in which he states that in certain localities of the 

 province of jSTagpoor chipped flint articles have been found by him. 

 I can state also, under my own knowledge, that at Lingsoogoor — a 

 military station of the Hyderabad Contingent, thirty miles south of Shora- 

 poor — numbers of flint (chert), agate, and chalcedony knives, resem- 

 bling those of Mexico, arrow heads, &c, were found by the late Sur- 

 geon Primrose, near a large artificial tumulus upon which the mess 

 house of the station was built in 1841. Dr. Primrose had previously 

 resided in Mexico, and was struck with the identity of what he found 

 at Lingsoogoor with the flint and obsidian knives he had seen in 

 Mexico. His collection was a considerable one, and I believe was pre- 

 sented by him to the Museum of the Asiatic Society in Calcutta. I 

 am at present endeavouring to obtain further specimens from Ling- 

 soogoor for the Museum of the Academy. 



SHELLS AND NECKLACE. 



In the Hyat Kugger cairn, five shells of the species Turbinella 

 pyrum were found. They are perforated at the top, so as to be 

 suspended, and the apices of the shells have been removed. Whether 

 these were intended to be used as conchs, or worn as ornaments, it 

 is impossible to decide. Erom the largest of them all the whorls 

 have been removed, as well as the central axis or column; and the 

 necklace, fig. 13, proves the use that such columns were put to. It 

 consists of six portions, which have been perforated longitudinally, in 

 order to be strung — a small portion of shell, pierced with two holes, 

 being evidently intended as a fastening for the ends of the cord on 

 which the pieces of shell were strung. With the necklace was found 

 what appears to be the upper tusk of a wild boar : it is not perforated. 

 The use of shell necklaces by ancient races in Europe is evident from 

 that in the Academy's Museum ; but I am not aware that any of the 

 kind now exhibited have been found before, nor did the Shorapoor 

 or other cairns afford any. 



