Page:Excavations at the Kesslerloch.djvu/43

Rh decidedly blunt, instead of being chisel-shaped and sharp (Plate I. fig. 4). At all events, I have been able with the greatest ease to bore nearly circular holes in stag's-horn with similar pointed flints. I then made the attempt to bore a circular hole in the corner tooth of a small carnivorous animal, like the perforations in teeth and needles found in the Kesslerloch, and in this experiment I was also successful. In less than a quarter of an hour I had bored a very neat round hole. There can be no doubt that in this operation some of the boring implements were spoiled. The third form of these flints is that drawn, Plate II. fig. 6. It has been decidedly blunted at both ends, probably with the view of not hurting the finger when used. Nearly the whole length of the flint is of equal breadth. Here, again, the number of edges or angles shown on the back varies from one to three. Both of the longer sides are sharpened like a knife, and these cutting edges, like those of the classes before mentioned, have a number of large or small teeth, which evidently have been caused by use. Doubtless these implements were employed exclusively for manufacturing tools of horn or bone. They served as scrapers, knives, and saws, and were absolutely essential to our Troglodytes. The length varies from 3$1⁄2$ inches to 2$1⁄4$ inches, and the breadth from 1$1⁄4$ inch to rather more than $3⁄4$ inch. The largest specimen is 5$1⁄3$ inches long and 1$1⁄3$ inch broad. Together with these general forms there are, as may be imagined, a great many others, which may be considered more or less as waste implements.

If we compare these flint tools with those from other countries—Belgium, France, Sweden, Denmark, and Australia, we shall find a striking agreement in their forms, which, according to my idea, arises more from the peculiar qualities of the flint than from any common derivation of race. Amongst the mass of flint-flakes there were found a very small number of unworked lumps of flint, and no inconsiderable number of flint 'cores' (Plate II., fig. 7), from which the augers, knives, and saws had been struck off; they show very distinctly the parts from which the flakes had been taken. This, however, was effected by a well-directed blow, and not by pressure on the flint-core. In