TRACES OF A RELIGIOUS BELIEF OF PRIMEVAL MAN. 



133 



the skeleton is not of Palaeolithic antiquity.* On the other hand 

 Professor Martin Duncan has declared that the skeleton of 

 Paviland is certainly of Palaeolithic Age,f and Professor Sollas 

 has recently expressed the same opinion. J It is difficult there- 

 fore to come to a definite conclusion, but the painting of the 

 corpse is in thorough harmony with the Palaeolithic custom. 

 Before an opinion is pronounced I would strongly advise that 

 all should do as I have done and read Dr. Buckland's own 

 account of the discovery, and not trust to modern brief 

 summaries. 



4. Mciitoiie. The caves in the Baousses-Piousses near Mentone 

 have yielded many skeletons, and they probably contain inter- 

 ments of different ages. I shall only notice one. This was 

 found by M. Riviere in 1872, and has been described by him at 

 length. The skeleton is now in the Museum of the Jardin des 

 Plantes in Paris. It lay on its side with the knees bent, and 

 was buried at a depth of twenty feet. Like all the others it 

 was stained red with oxide of iron, flint implements were close 

 by its hand, and a number of shells formed a necklace round 

 its head. Shells also lay round the arms and legs which 

 evidently had formed bracelets : the corpse therefore had been 

 carefully dressed and painted before burial. From the quantity 

 of hair found beneath the skeleton it appears that the body had 

 been laid on or wrapped in a burial robe, which was probably 

 the skin of a bear. Of this warrior of primeval days it may 

 well be said — 



No useless coffin enclosed his breast, 

 Nor in sheet nor in shroud they wound him. 

 But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, 

 With his martial cloak around him. 



The usual controversy has been carried on as to the antiquity 

 of this skeleton. Its Palaeolithic age has been strongly main- 

 tained by Mr. Pengelly, § Sir William Dawson, || Sir Charles 

 Lyell, and the majority of French archaeologists. On the other 

 hand M. de Mortillet and Professor Boyd Dawkins,1F consider 

 that the skeleton is of Neolithic Age. The view of the former 

 authorities seems more likely to be correct. 



* Cave- Hunting, p. 234. 



t The Student, Vol. IV, p. 252. 



t Ancient Hunters and their Modem Representatives, p. 215. 

 § Trans. Devon Assoc., 1873. 

 || Fossil Men, p. 299. 

 if Cave Hunting, p. 258. 



