The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-08
III.

In the development OF the theory OF
primitive man arming himself with rock
the earliest stage cr hppotheS will be
tho employment IN temporary need "
the rock M II IL found on the soil, or
as David found recourse to the smooth
stones out OF the brook. Whether as
missile or to add 10 tho brulsing and
rending force OF the human hand such
stones retain no evidence OF their hui
man employment. we cannot distinguish
Thorn from other stones. therefore we
shall lack evid' nee of this first stage
of man mechanically arming himself
for the extension OF his life.
The first great problem Of mans
antiquity IL presented by the eollths
which are more and more widely re-
ported. These are rudely fractured
nodules Of flint. The issue is Joined on
the question Of the fracture Of 'he
mass OF rock. IS IL accident Of nature
or does II show the evidence Of design
which would make II possible To argue
mans handiwOrk aCtuated by n human
intelligence. The argument for design
has not been satisfactorily established.
il has not been satisfactorily dsproved:
IN" question remains open and In the
very nature Of things will long remain
an open one. one adverse view pointed
out by DIR. Gcikie ~ that tho eoliths
are not confined 10 Pleistocene forrna-
tons, IN which alone can We n, certain
that we are dealing with human prod
uCts hut that they occur quite as fire.
quoutly I'm tho pliocenc. even in the
OiigoCcne and the Eoceuc IN the several
millions NJ years which part us from
the Eocene Il Is impossible to consider
that man has survived alone Of the
mammalian fauna which has undergone
manifold and extreme variations. even
to extinction.
Passing TO the artifacts OF indis-
putable human provenienCe the rudeSt
and earliest stage Is the Chellcan, char
actsrized by large stones artifcially
pointed and intended TO be held In the
hand An earlier stage, tho Mesvinian,
shows mere fakes OF hint and lacks
the hand axe, and tho Strepyan exhibits
the rudest form OF this implement.
Geikie very wisely assigns these two
stages 10 the beginning OF the Chellean.
The second stage. tho Acheulian. car
ries on the type artifact OF the Chellean,
but - treated as to mark an upward
step such as man Ia always taking
The characteristic hand axe ts lighter.
| thinner and better finished at its
Clipped point
/ The Mousterian ago, the last Of tho
old PalRolithic, shows Richer variety
OF stone !mplements. and all moro finely
Clipped, The pointed hand axe dis
appears early in this period Most i'm
pOrtant evidence OF all .s that now for
the first time these remains begin 10
appear in caves: the Chellcan and
Ar.
beast Of the open air, tho Mousterian
rocl, cavern and invented the home
and real estate.
| There is an immediate leap in anchor
| alton. The Aurignacian man not only
used etone implements Clipped finely In
n variety of forms. but has left us arti-
/ facts in bone, horn and ivory. Tho art
! sense begins TO impress Itself upon tho
record The Aurignacian has preserved
for us hgurines OF women carved In
/ ivory, etchings picture for us the now
extinct animals with whom he shared
! the wild land, the walls of his caves are
! frequently decorated with painted de-
signs Of remarkable skill.
In the next succeeding Solutrean age
the art of chipping stone reaches its
hcght, tho implements are finely I'm
| ishcd and show an appreciation Of
beauty of form, since it is To this age
that We owe the laurel leaf and willow
leaf lance heads. There is now an adj
vance in the use OF bone and horn and
art has begun TO busy itself with sculp-
| turs IN stone.
Next comes the Magdnlenian age the
last OF the newer PalTolithic, In this
| later age there II recession In tho
treatment Of the stone implements; al
most It seems that they were by now
regarded as old fashioned and some