The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-01-08
Habits or Prehistoric Man.

Mention has been heretofore made In
these notes of the extent 10 which the
habits. the usages. the superstitions, and
,e social condition i'm general of tie pre-
historic races OF men may be- read la the
numerous yestiges OF their existence which
the untiring activity of recent explorers
has brought Ia light. One OF the earliest
results OF the careful study Of these relics
was the startling inference that the man of
the age of stone Was a cannibal. The evil
dcnce Was too conclusive TO allow of the
least doubt upon this point. Mixed with
the hcaped up refuse of his daily repasts,
or buried in the rubbish OF the cavern
dwellings into which. when an occasional
Wand OF unusual delicacy fell to his lot. he
perhaps retired 10 enjoy il undisturbed
by his greedy aud less fortunate neigh
bor-. are found the bones OF the men as
well "a those of the animals upon which
he fed; and these in their present condi-
ton give evidence OF the vOracty with
which, like more recent savages. he sucked
out the marrow Of his victims being i'm
variably split and broken To enable him TO
come al the appetizing contents. Among
the implements, also, which serv. To illus.
trate his primitive domestic economy. is
found a sort of long-handled spoon, evil
IDENTITY designed for scOOping out the
dainty from the longer bones of the arms
and legs after they had been broken across.
One Of the most remarkable facts
brought TO the attention of the anthropol-
ogists assembled at Lille was the recent
discovery Of certain sculptures belonging
10 the neolithic age. which seem beyond
question 10 have been objects of worship,
designed 10 represent female divinity.
These sculptures have the character of
demi-relief>, executed in the interior walls
OF artificial grottos excavated during the
age Of polished stone. in the chalk forma-
ton, at Baye, i'm the Department Of the
Marne. Many such excavations occur I'm
that locality. They are in general divided
INTO two compartments, one Of which IL
called the celia. or grotto proper. the other
being AN ante-chamber or ante-grottO.
The sculptures in question have been
found I'm two of the ante-grottos and In
one celia. But two theories can be plau-
sibly suggested 10 account for their pres
ence IN these situations. One Of these i
that they We're intended as ornaments;
the other that they were object. of wor-
ship. Had ornament been the intention
some attempt at variety would have been
almost inevitable. The religious idea,
on the contrary. would render uni
formity almost certain. Ii is uniformity
which l. the actual claraCteristi OF the de-
Signs. Inc figures are rude. represented
in full face, with round countenances. sa-
lient noses. and prominent breasts, deter
mining the sex. One of them has sort
of couture enveloping the head. which j.
the only departure from uniformity of
type. These sculptures were first brought
to public notice az the ARCHAEOLOGICAL
Congress held in Brussels i'm 1872. Their
probable religious intent was there sug-
gested. and this hypothesis was generally
accepted. Since that time Mr.. Broca. the
well-known ethnologist. has visited this
place for the express purpose Of making
these objects a subject of careful study,
and he reports that there can no longer be
possibility of doubt as 10 the truth of
the supposition. When we remember that
a quarter Of a century ago the very exist
ence of the men of thu age of stone was
still stoutly questioned. that their early
haunts have a vet been visited but by u
comparatively small number of competent
explorers, and that nothing like system
attic exploration has been undertaken I'M
til within the last ten or. at furthest. fif-
teen years. the knowledge already acquir-
ed of their character, their sentiments.
their dispositions. and the degree Of their
social culture generally. is but little less
than wonderful.-Neio Fork Times.