Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-09-11
AN INTERESTING EXHIBIT.
DISPLAY OF PREHISTORIC ANTHRo-
PoLOGY BY THE SMITHSONIAN
INSTITUTION.
Interesting Explanation of the Rare and
Valuable Specimens Presented - The
Chelleen Epoch in the Stone Age.

Interesting Explanation of the Rare and
Valuable Specimens Presented - The
Chelleen Epoch in the Stone Age.
The exhibit of prehistoric anthropol-
ogy sent by the Smithsonian Institu.
ton TO the Cincinnati Centennial, and
set up and arranged by Thomas VIII
son, Esq, Curator in that institution of
the Department of Prehistoric Anthro-
pology, is of great interest to the arch
aeologist and anthropologist. 1t 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 it is for the information it gives
and the basis it forms for our knowledge
of the existence and geographic distribu-
ton Of the prehistoric man, and of his
manners and customs.
There are six long cases, placed end to
end, intended to represent the stream Of
time during the prehistoric ages Of man.
These cases are divided longitudinally 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 at the bottom the United
States of America.
The cases are divided peTpendicularly
that is, across the stream of time into
the various epochs of human civilization
during the prehistoric ages. In the di-
vision of this civilization in the countries
of Western Europe, Mr.. Wilson has fol-
| lowed the nomenclature Of NJ. 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-
lithic, the more ancient, and neollthic,
the more modern period. The first or
earliest epoch of this period is named
Chelleen, after the Station of Chelles, on
the River Seine, a few miles east of
Paris.
The man of this epoch made and used
but one implement.
/, This was generally made 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 al
edge. His sole mode of procedure wa!
by chipping-that is, striking it off il
flakes by blows until the implement as
sumed the proper form and condition.
The implements belonging to the paleo
lithic period from Great Britain arr
found only in the eastern and southern
portion, from Norfolk around to Devon
shire and Lands End. They have beer
found in land are exhibited from ever!
quarter of France and Southern Bel
GUM; from Italy in all its parts, ant
from Spain and Portugal. They hav
not been found in Northern England, il
Scotland, Wales nor Northern Ireland
They have not been found in Norther
Belgium nor Holland, nor in the Scandi
navian countries, not in that portion o
Germany bordering on the Baltic, nor II
Northern Russia. These countries Were
possibly covered at that epoch with gla
ciers, or possibly by the great North Sea
These implements have been found il
| ASIA, III IdltStluej III luulu rum DUN
bay to Calcutta, in Cambodia, and Il
Japan; in Africa all along the shores O
+ the Mediterranean and up the valley o
the Nile Prof. II, w. Haynes, of Bos
ton, searched for and found them, al
most by the hundred, at the city O
Luxor, the site of the ancient city q
Thebes, and they have been found iron
thence south wherever sought, to tn
; Cape Of Good Hope. The man of thi
epoch also inhabited the United States
, The most celebrated and satisfactor.
finds have been those Of DIR. Abbott, o
Trenton, N. j.; of Miss Babbitt, at Lit
tie Falls, Mimi, and Of DIR. Charles +
; Metz, of jacksonville, at Loveland Ham
, iltOn county. These finds have been o
! implements in the river gravels varying
at depth from the surface down /,
forty-one feet. The investigations dur