Mem. Nat. Mus. Vict., tiii, 1934. 
AN UNCOMMON TYPE OF STONE IMPLEMENT FROM 
AUSTRALIA AND NEW GUINEA. 
By D. A. Casey, Hon. Ethnologist. 
Plates IX-XI. 
The stone implements, described in detail below, are of an 
uncommon type. Only ten examples are known to the writer ; 
seven of these come from widely separated localities in 
Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, 
and three, which are smaller but similar in form, from New 
Guinea. Several of these implements have already been 
described or illustrated by various authors, but being isolated 
examples they have not been recognised as belonging to a 
definite and widespread type. 
The Australian Implements. 
Figs. 1-7, Plates IX, X, XI. 
The implements vary in size and in details of shape but all 
have the same general characteristic form. They somewhat 
resemble bicycle saddles in plan, and several also in size. At 
the larger end the upper and lower surfaces converge to form 
a wide curved edge, and at the other there is a narrow pro- 
jection, roughly circular in section and usually tapered. Where 
the original surface has been preserved all except one, No. 5, 
show signs of having been dressed to shape by hammering ; 
some also appear to have been ground. The materials used 
(basalt, schist, indurated sandstone and limestone) vary greatly 
in composition and hardness, and some are quite unsuited to 
retain a cutting edge. 
The purpose for which these implements were made is 
unknown. At first sight the curved edge suggests that they 
are axe-heads, but they are much too large and unwieldy to 
have been used for this purpose. Moreover, in most cases the 
edge is very thick and quite blunt and would have been useless 
for cutting. Possibly they were ceremonial objects. 
Considering their wide distribution and the fact that they 
are clearly a specialised and not an elementary form, it is 
somewhat remarkable that only seven examples have been noted 
amongst the many thousands of Australian stone implements in 
[ 94 ] 
