Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1888-10-05
AN INTERESTING EXHIBIT.
DISPLAY OF PREHISTORIC ANTHRc-
PolOGY BY THs SMITHSONIAN
INSTITUTION.
het-rcstina Explanation OF tho Rare and
Valuable Specimens Presented - The
lAeIIa.n E...N. L.. - 49,

Valuable Specimens Presented - The
theiisen Epoch In tho Stone Age.
The exhibit OF prehistoric anthropol-
osy sent by the Smithsonian Irstftu-
ZION to the Cincinnati Centennial, AMI
ret up and arranged by Thomas Will
son, Esq, Curator in that institution OF
tie Department of Prehistoric Anthro-
pology, is Of great Interest to the arch
aeoloSist and anthropologist IL is not
TO be remarked so much for the number
OF its specimens, nor yet for their beauty
and rarity, though there are some of
both, as IL is for the information II gives
and the basis 1t forms for our knowledge
of the existence aud geographic distribu-
ton OF the prehistoric man, and of his
manners and customs.
There are six long cases, placed crsd to
end, intended TO represent the stream of
time during the prehistoric ages of man.
These cases are divided longitudinalIy To
represent the different countries of the
world with greater or less particularly.
Great Britain is at the top, then France
and Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, the
Scandinavian countries, Asia, Africa,
Oceanica, and Mt the bottom the United
States of America.
The cases are divided perpcnlicularly
that is, across the stream of time into
the various epochs of human civilization
during the prehistoric ages. In the d.
vision of this civilization in the countries
of Western Europe, Mr.. Wilson has fol-
lowed the nomenclature of VI. de Nor
tillet, but in the whole display has pur-
sued the recognized division OF the ages
Of stone, bronze and iron. The stone age
Is divided into the two periods-paleo-
hthic, the more ancient, and neolithio.
the more modern period. The first or
earliest epoch OF this period is named
Chellecn, after the Station Of Chellcs. on
the River Seine, few miles cast of
Paris.
The man Of this epoch mado and used
but one Implement.
This was generally male OF flint, but
he also employed any other local stone
which would chip to suit his purpose.
The man of this age never knew that by
rubbing one stone against another they
could be sharpened and brought to an
edge. His sole mode of procedure was
by chipping-that is, striking it of in
flakes by blows until the implement as
sumed the proper form and condition.
The implements belonging TO the paleo-
lithi; period from Great Britain are
found only in the eastern and southern
portion, from Norfolk around TO DcvoY-
shire and Lands End. They have been
found in (and are exhibited from) every
quarter OF France and Southern Bel
GUM; from Italy in all its parts, and
from Spain and Portugal They have
not been found in Northern England, in
Scotland, Wales nor Northern Ireland.
They have not been found in Northern
Belgium nor HOLLAND, nor in the Scandi-
Ravian countries, not in that portion of
Germany bordering on the Baltic, nor in
Northern Russia. These countries wer,
possibly covered ut that epoch with gla-
ciers, or possibly by the great North Sea.
These implements have been found in
Asia, in Palestine, in India from Bonn
bay to Calcutta. in Cambodia, and in
Japan: In Africa all along the shores OF
the Mediterranean AMI up the valley of
the Nile. Prof H. w. Haynes, OF Bos-
ton, searched for and found them, nj
most by the hundred, Mt the city of
Luxor, the site OF the ancient CITY of
Thebes, and they have been found from
thence south wherever sought, to the
Cape OF Good Hope. The man of this
epoch also Inhabited the United States
The most celebrated and satisfactory
finds have been those of DR.. Abbott. of
Trenton, n. j.; OF Miss Babbitt, at Lit
tie Falls, Mimi, and of DR. Charles +.
Metz, OF MadiSonville, at Lovoiand, Ham
flton county. Those finds have been of
III In In rgv -.
at depth from the surface down TO
forty-one feet The investigations dur
ing the past summer of Mr.. Wilson have
shown that these implements are to be
found in almost every State and Terri
tory OF the United States, and, couse-
quenly, that the man OF that eiviliza-
ton extended over and occupied the tor
ritory of the United States in much the
same manner MS he did that OF Europe.
His occupation of America may not
have been actually contemporaneous, for
we have no method of calculating time
in that period. But this civilization i'm
America was the same ms that during the
same epoch in Europe. The man OF this
epoch was savage. II IS believed by
those who have studied this uues
uon the best that he had no habitation.
no liked dwelling place, no society. no
tribunal organization, AMI recognized no
parental or filial obligation; that he had
no property Of his own. and recognized
no such rights in others. lie was con
temporary in EUROPE, and possibly in
America, with the cave bear, the mngn-
moth, the hippotamus and other nov cx-
tinci animals, and the apparent only sg-
periority or advantage which he had over
these and the other animals consisted in
this one implement, which we have de-
scribed, and in the power Of thought how
10 use IL, which belonged ~ him ~ a hu-
man being.
a complete skeleton OF n cave bear OF
the Cheileen epoch Is set up over the frat
case. IL Is fOssilized and comes from the
cavern OF L'Herm in the department of
Ariege, France, near the foot OF the pvr-
rnfcg. II shows u massive brute OF great
strength and solidity, and Is interesting
% study
No time or period can be assigned 10
man occupation of these countr "a. Int
u void appear from the position i'm
wi D. his implements have been found
TINT u dates back to, and was coutprn-
pOraneous with, the earlier formation Of
our prescnt river valleys
The climate u this epoch was wnr1n
ana moist, aud the man rOamcd the for
est and plain without either clothing or
the neel Of IT,
The next epoch seems 10 have brought
y change u climate II become cold