THE 
AMERICAN GEOLOGIST. 
Vol. XXI. JUNE, 1898. No. 6 
PALEOLITH AND NEOLITH. 
By Dr. E. W. Claypole, Akron, Ohio. 
The above terms were introduced into archaeology by Sir 
John Lubbock in order to accentuate a distinction previously 
felt rather than expressed among the stone implements found 
at different prehistoric dwelling-sites in England. The dis- 
tinction rests mainly on the single fact that the relics of cer- 
tain groups — the palaeolithic — have been shaped entirely by 
chipping and never show a trace of rubbing or grinding while 
in other group.s — the neolithic — both methods of fashioning 
the tools or weapons have been employed. The presence of a 
ground edge or a rubbed face is accordingly a crucial test for 
distinguishing the two types. 
The value of the terms was at once recognized and the 
progress of time and investigation has only rendered them 
more useful and important. To some extent also the distinc- 
tion has gained a geographical significance and a large area 
in northern and northwestern Europe has been delimited over 
which it prevails with as great clearness as in England. Out- 
side of this region however, for reasons which will appear 
later, it cannot always be traced with equal certaintx'. In fact 
it becomes less and less sharp with increasing distance from 
the typical center. It is, however, frec|uently ])racticable even 
in distant places to determine from internal evidence the 
palaeolithic nature of certain "finds" and the neolithic charac- 
ter of others. 
