Page:History of Art in Primitive Greece - Mycenian Art Vol 1.djvu/136

 The Stone Age in Greece. 115 Moreover obsidian, in its native state, is only found in the islands of the Archipelago/ the wrought pieces of which we come across on continental Greece were no doubt brought there by mariners accustomed to ply their boats in the iEgean ; now, is it likely that this maritime trade can mount back to a time when the sole implements of man were blades and arrow-heads of such diminutive size as these ? Axes of a certain power, i. e. of the kind that would have been required to cut and square timber, have nowhere appeared along with these small fragments. Hence we cannot consider these implements, notwithstanding their rude make, as belonging to a remote age. There are abundant evidences in proof that even when the use of metals was known, stone continued to be employed both for the needs of the chase and war, or out of regard for ancient customs in certain religious ceremonies.^ We are of opinion, therefore, that despite what has been said to the contrary, paleothic industry, so far as we know, is not represented on Grecian soil ; and that assertions tending to suggest a different conclusion repose on misunderstandings or errors, mayhap even frauds.^ The leading features which best define the neolithic epoch in the West are the following : The stone implements of this period exhibit greater skill and finish ; as a rule the hand which fashioned them has aimed at a higher standard, and succeeded in giving them a fine polish ; this is particularly noticeable in regard to hard and finely-grained materials which approach precious stones, such as jade, jadeite, and serpentine — often, it would appear, im- ported from great distances. But now, side by side with stone implements, appear those which man early learnt to draw from clay. With them the potter's art may be said to have com- menced. The use of the wheel and kiln are as yet unknown factors ; but hand-made earthenware acquires sufficient consistency in the sun to last and serve its purpose. The shapes of the ^ This is affiraied by Virchow, in a note communicated to the Anthropological Society of Berlin {Sitzungsberichte), In so far as the reports of these meetings deal with the monuments of the stone age of Greece, they will often be cited by us. They appear with special paging at the end of Bastian and Hartmann's Ethnological Journal {Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie^ Organ dcr Berliner Gesellschaft fur Anthropologies Ethnologie^ d^c), 2 History of Art in SardiniOy Judcea^ ^c, De Longperier, (Euvres. l^normant*s views in the Revue archkologique.
 * MoRTiLLET, Le prehistorique^ in reference to, or rather refutation of, Fr.