PREHISTORIC REMAINS, WJTH DRAWINGS, NKAR TENDA, ITALY. 297 



Prehistoric Remains, with Drawings, near Tenda, Italy. 



The following letter, containing information of much interest, has 

 been received from our valued Associate, Cavaliere W. P. Jervis, 

 F.G.S., dated Turin, 30th June, 1903, is here inserted, and was to 

 have been read at the meeting of the Institute on Monday, May 9th, 

 1904, but time did not permit of this, which the Editor regrets. 



Dear Sir, 



"Let me allude to the well known discovery of human skeletons 

 of prehistoric date found in a cave in Eocene (nummulitic) limestone 

 on the coast between Menton and Ventimiglia. 



" They have found about 800 drawings cut on the polished 

 glaciated chlorite schist near Tenda, in four adjacent little valleys, 

 close to the summit of the Maritime Alps. They are marvellously 

 well preserved, and rubbings of a great many of them have been taken. 

 I conversed on the subject with Sir Thomas Hanbury, and went to 

 Genoa, where I had a lengthy conversation on the same matter at 

 his house, which was very instructive and interesting. 



" Although several competent men have occupied themselves on 

 this question, these drawings present too ample a field for the hate- 

 ful word hypothesis, which is the upas tree of science, for, being so 

 unique as yet, it is still impossible to conjecture as to the race of 

 our fellow-men to whom we may attribute them. 



" The greater proportion of the figures represent rural, peaceful, 

 agricultural life — men ploughing with yokes of two or more oxen, 

 and accompanied by a boy, who leads the oxen. The ploughs are 

 such as are still used in primitive parts of Italy, as are the yokes 

 on their necks. There seems to be a genealogical connection. 

 Then the other animals represented are domestic fai'ms. Curiously 

 enough most of the work is represented from above, but the men 

 are seen at full length. 



" The late Prof. Issel said that these figures are rather meant as 

 symbols of thought than as drawings. I suggested to him that if the 

 rubbings (taken by an intelligent, but unscientific person), instead of 

 being classified according to forms, had been represented in the position 

 in which they are engraved on the rock, we might be led to discover 



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