(S *^1^* g) 
the journal of the 
Tasmanian Field Naturalists’ 
% 
Vol. i. 
DECEMBER, 1907. 
No. 3. 
Some Implements of tf)e Tasmanian 
Jfborigines\ 
BY FRITZ XOETLIXG, M.A., Pii.D. 
' THE Ml AGIO STONES. 
Whenever an old camp is carefully ex¬ 
amined. a nuiliiber of more or less round¬ 
ed stones, most of which are, however, 
in a broken and fragmentary condition, 
van be picket) up. Complete specimens 
are very rare, anil when in a preserved 
condition they exhibit quite peculiar fea¬ 
tures. Always one, but mostly the two. 
opposite flat sides show in tile centre a 
rough slightly concave depression, pro¬ 
duced by repeated blows. On closer ex¬ 
amination. it will 'be seen that frequently 
the edge also shows strong traces of use. 
Lift Id attention lies so far been paid to 
these remarkable specimens, but numer¬ 
ous theories have been advance i as to 
their use, The most common view is 
that they served as hammer stones, and 
that the rough central depressions 
served ns resting places for thumb and 
first linger when the stone was used. A 
simple experiment will prove that stteii si 
view is untenable, because it is impossible 
not only to get a sufficiently strong grip 
on the stone, but, also, most of them are 
too large and heavy to lie properly mani¬ 
pulated if held in such a position. Apart 
from other reasons, it is evident that this 
theory must be dismissed as infeasible, 
but. tiien, the question arises for what 
purpose can they have been used ? 'mere 
is 110 doubt that o good deal of work lias 
been -pent in shaping these Stones, and 
there is also no doubt that most ol these 
laboriously-finished specimens wore de¬ 
stroyed again, one should almost feel in¬ 
clined to say in a vicious wav. Though 
tlie breaking was probably frequently 
done by blows, numerous instances sug¬ 
gest quite another way, namely, by heat¬ 
ing in the fire and afterwards pouring 
water over them, which naturally result¬ 
ed in the destruction of the speci¬ 
men so treated. Before advanc¬ 
ing the new theory suggested by 
these undeniable observations, it will be 
advisable to describe a few characteristic 
specimens. Fig. 1 and Fig. 1A is a fin* 
specimen which 'was collected by Airs. 
Oldmcai) iws late of Woodlands, and 
kindly given to me. It is the largest speci¬ 
men that has so far come to my notice, 
measuring SJin. in length, Gin. in width, 
•Bn. in thickness, and weighing 71b. ooz. 
avdp. I! - shape is irregularly oval or 
elliptical, inasmuch as one side bulges out 
a little, thereby spoiling the regular ova! 
form. The whole shape is unquestionably 
that of a boulder or pebble such ns is 
produced by running water, nm) picked! 
up lit numbers in any creek or in the 
alluvial boulder beds. It is impossible to 
ascertain the nature of the rock without 
seriously damaging this 'beautiful speci¬ 
men. As far as I can judge, it appears 
to be a quartzite or quartzitic sandstone 
of considerable hardness; a little cavern¬ 
ous, but of line texture. The superficial 
colour is a light brown, but it is probable 
that this colour is due to weathering, and 
that the original colour was light yellow 
—at least, one side shows lighter spots 
of this colour. The whole surface, -as fai¬ 
ns it lias not been affected by subsequent 
working, -is remarkably smooth and pol¬ 
ished. The above measurements prove 
that the original pebble was laterally 
compressed and the two flat sides show 
that they have been subjected to a con¬ 
siderable amount of work. One side. 
