362 Trechmanii : Neolithic Remains on the Durham Coast. 



Fig. 5 shows an implement of white, semi-transparent 

 quartz, one end of which is distinctly rounded from use, though 

 precisely what purpose this served it is difficult to say. 



The small specimen illustrated (Fig. 15) resembles one of the 

 ^ pigmy' implements aboutwhich so much has been written ; in 

 this case, however, the theory of ' Pigmy ' men is quite unten- 

 able, as it has clearly been fashioned by the same hands that 

 made the rest of the implements, and shows the same condition 

 of surface. 



It is interesting to note that the most prolific sites for imple- 

 ments in this district occur on those parts of the coast which 

 are best protected against the sea. The site to , the north of 

 Crimdon Dene is situated on a great mass of sand and boulder- 

 clay, which is again protected from the sea by a large barrier of 

 blown sand covered with coarse grass. 



That near the Black Halls is some little distance from the 

 cliffs, to the west of a small stream which runs nearly parallel 

 to the coast. The limestone here is of a particularly hard and 

 unyielding character, and weathers into stacks and caves before 

 it falls. 



The Horden settlement is protected on the coast-side by 

 a large bank of boulder-clay which quite covers up the lime- 

 stone beneath ; in very wet weather the clay slips down in large 

 masses. These offer a further resistance to the sea, which is 

 again held back from the land by a ' storm beach ' of large shingle. 



The coast line of the northern half of the county, however, 

 has no such efficient protections; the cliffs, though - generally 

 higher, are softer and more friable, and the boulder-clay is less 

 in evidence. The many small ravines and sheltered gorges 

 along the coast between Seaham and Sunder'land' should have 

 formed excellent retreats for prehistoric man ; yet repeated 

 searchings have failed to yield more than about twenty flakes. 

 The same applies to the whole of the coast betw^een Sunderland 

 and the mouth of the Tyne. It is quite possible that kitchen 

 middens, etc., existed along this portion of the coast, but have 

 been removed aa.a result of the persistent fall and tumble of the 

 cliffs. 



The following is a summary of the flints found up to the 

 present on the coast sites : — 



Mouth of Crimdon Dene : — Scraper, i ; flakes, 7. 



Edges of Crimdon Dene and near the Coast : — Flakes, 30 ; 

 cores, 3 (with a pebble of hard conglomerate, possibly used as 

 a striker). 



Naturalist, 



