Translator’sNoteThepresentvolumehasbeentranslated，withtheauthor’sconsent，fromtheFrenchoftheMarquisdeNadaillac。Theauthorandtranslatorhavecarefullybroughtdowntodatetheoriginaledition，embodyingthediscoveriesmadeduringtheprogressofthework。Thebookwillbefoundtobeanepitomeofallthatisknownonthesubjectofwhichittreats，andcoversgroundnotatpresentoccupiedbyanyotherworkintheEnglishlanguage。
NancyBellN。D’Anvers……TheStoneAge，itsDuration，anditsPlaceinTime1
II。Food，Cannibalism，Mammals，Fish，HuntingandFishing，Navigation
III。Weapons，Tools，Pottery；OriginoftheUseofFire，Clothing，Ornaments；EarlyArtisticEfforts
IV。Caves，Kitchen-Middings，LakeStations，“Terremares，“
Crannoges，Burghs，“Nurhags，““Talayoti，“and“Truddhi“
V。MegalithicMonuments
VI。Industry，Commerce，SocialOrganization；Fights，WoundsandTrepanation231
VII。Camps，Fortifications，VitrifiedForts；Santorin；theTownsupontheHillofHissarlik
TheStoneAge：itsDurationanditsPlaceinTime。
Thenineteenthcentury，nownearingitsclose，hasmadeanindelibleimpressionuponthehistoryoftheworld，andneverweregreaterthingsaccomplishedwithmoremarvellousrapidity。Everybranchofscience，withoutexception，hassharedinthisprogress，andtoitthedailyaccumulatinginformationrespectingdifferentpartsoftheglobebasgreatlycontributed。Regions，previouslycompletelyclosed，havebeen，sotospeak，simultaneouslyopenedbytheenergyofexplorers，who，likeLivingstone，Stanley，andNordenskiold，havewonimmortalrenown。InAfrica，theSoudan，andtheequatorialregions，wherethesourcesoftheNileliehidden；inAsia，theinteriorofArabia，andtheHindooKooshorPamirmountains，havebeenvisitedandexplored。InAmericawholedistrictsbutyesterdayinaccessiblearenowintersectedbyrailways，whilstintheotherhemisphereAustraliaandtheislandsofPolynesiahavebeencolonized；newsocietieshaverapidlysprungintobeing，andeventheunmeltingiceofthepolarregionsnolongercheckstheadvanceoftheintrepidexplorer。Andallthisisbutasmallportionoftheworkonwhichthepresentgenerationmayjustlyprideitself。
Distantwarstoohavecontributedinnosmallmeasuretotheprogressofscience。TothevictoriousmarchoftheFrencharmyweowethediscoveryofnewfactsrelativetotheancienthistoryofAlgeria；
itwastheadvanceoftheEnglishandRussianforcesthatrevealedthesecretofthemysteriouslandsintheheartofAsia，whencemanyscholarsbelievetheEuropeanracestohavefirstissued，andofthiseveropenbooktheFrenchexpeditiontoTonquinmaybeconsideredatpresentoneofthelastpages。
Geographicalknowledgedoesmuchtopromotetheprogressofthekindredsciences。TheworkofChampollion，sobrilliantlysupplementedbytheVicomtedeRougeandMarietteBey，hasledtotheaccurateclassificationofthemonumentsofEgypt。ThedecipheringofthecuneiforminscriptionshasgivenusthedatesofthepalacesofNinevehandBabylon；theinterpretationbysavantsofotherinscriptionshasmadeknowntousthoseHittiteswhoseformidablepoweratonetimeextendedasfarastheMediterranean，butwhosenamehaduntilquiterecentlyfallenintocompleteoblivion。Therock-hewntemplesandtheyetmorestrangedagobasofIndianowbelongtoscience。LikethesacredmonumentsofBurmahandCambodiatheyhavebeenbroughtdowntocomparativelyrecentdates；andthoughthepalacesofYucatanandPerustillmaintaintheirreserve，weareabletofixtheirdatesapproximately，andtoshowthatlongbeforetheirconstructionNorthAmericawasinhabitedbyraces，oneofwhich，knownastheMoundBuilders，leftbehindthemgiganticearthworksofmanykinds，whilstanother，knownastheCliffDwellers，builtforthemselveshousesonthefaceofallbutinaccessiblerocks。
Comparativephilologyhasenabledustotracebackthegenealogiesofraces，todeterminetheirorigin，andtofollowtheirmigrations。BurnoufhasbroughttolighttheancientZendlanguage，SirHenryRawlinsonandOpperthavebytheirmagnificentworksopenedupnewmethodsofresearch，MaxMullerandPictetintheirturnbyavailingthemselvesofthemostdiversematerialshavedonemuchtomakeknowntoustheAryanrace，thegreateducator，ifImaysospeak，ofmodernnations。
Toonegreatfactdoallthemostancientepochsofhistorybearwitness：oneandall，theyprovetheexistenceinayetmoreremotepastofanalreadyadvancedcivilizationsuchascouldonlyhavebeengraduallyattainedtoafterlongandarduousgroping。Whoweretheinauguratorsofthiscivilization？Whowaretheearliestinhabitantsoftheearth？Towhatbiologicalconditionsweretheysubject？Whatwerethephysicalandclimaticconditionsoftheglobewhentheylived？Bywhatfloraandfaunaweretheysurrounded？Butsciencepushesherinquiryyetfurther。Shedesirestoknowtheoriginoftirehumanrace，when，how，andwhymenfirstappearedupontheearth；forfromwhateverpointofviewheisconsidered，manmustofnecessityhavehadabeginning。
Weareinfactfacetofacewithmostformidableproblems，involvingalikeourpastandfuture；problemsitishopelesstoattempttosolvebyhumanmeansorbythehelpofhumanintelligencealone，yetwithwhichsciencecanandoughttograpple，fortheyelevatethesoulandstrengthenthereasoningfaculties。Whatevermaybetheirfinalresult，suchstudiesareofenthrallinginterest。“Man，“saidalearnedmemberoftheFrenchInstitute，“willeverbeformanthegrandestofallmysteries，themostabsorbingofallobjectsofcontemplation。“[1]
Letusworkourwaybackthroughpastcenturiesandstudyourremoteancestorsontheirfirstarrivaluponearth；letuswatchtheirearlystrugglesforexistence!Wewilldealwithfactsalone；wewillacceptnotheories，andwemust，alas，oftenfailtocometoanyconclusion，forthepresentstateofprehistoricknowledgerarelyadmitsofcertainty。Wemusteverbereadytomodifytheoriesbythestudyoffacts，andneverforgetthat，inasciencesolittleadvanced，theoriesmustofnecessitybeprovisionalandvariable。
Trulystrangeisthestarting-pointofprehistoricscience。Itiswiththeaid。ofafewscarcelyevenrough-hewnflints，afewbonesthatitisdifficulttoclassify，andafewrudestonemonumentsthatwehavetobuildup，itmustbeforourreaderstosaywithwhatsuccess，apastlongpriortoanywrittenhistory，whichhasleftnotraceinthememoryofman，andduringwhichourglobewouldappealtohavebeensubjecttoconditionswhollyunlikethoseofthepresentday。
Thestoneswhichwillfirstclaimourattention，someofthemveryskilfullycutandcarefullypolished，havebeenknownforcenturies。AccordingtoSuetonius，theEmperorAugustuspossessedinhispalaceonthePalatineHillaconsiderablecollectionofhatchetsofdifferentkindsofrock，nearlyallofthemfoundintheislandofCapri，andwhichweretotheirroyalownertheweaponsoftheheroesofmythology。Plinytellsofathunder-bolthavingfallenintoalake，inwhicheighty-nineofthesewonderfulstonesweresoonafterwardsfound。[2]PrudentiusrepresentsancientGermanwarriorsaswearinggleamingCERAUNIAontheirhelmets；inothercountriessimilarstonesornamentedthestatuesofthegods，andformedraysabouttheirheads。[3]
Asubjectsocalculatedtofiretheimaginationhasofcoursenotbeenneglectedbythepoets。Claudian’sversesarewellknown：
PyrenaeisquesubantrisIgneaflumineaelegereceraunianymphae。
Marbodius，BishopofRennes，intheeleventhcentury，sangofthethunder-stonesinsomeLatinverseswhichhavecomedowntous，andanoldpoetofthesixteenthcenturyinhisturnexclaimed，onseeingthestrangebonesaroundhimLerocdeTarasconhebergeaquelquefoisLesgeantsquicouroyentlesmontagnesdeFoix，Donttantd’ossuccessifsrendentletemoignage。
Withthesestones，infact，werefoundnumerousbonesofgreatsize，whichhadbelongedtounknowncreatures。LatinauthorsspeakofsimilarbonesfoundinAsiaMinor，whichtheytooktobethoseofgiantsofanextinctrace。Thisbeliefwaslongmaintained；in1547andagainin1667fossilremainswerefoundinthecaveofSanCironearPalermo；
andItaliansavantsdecidedthattheyhadbelongedtomeneighteenfeethigh。GuicciadunusspeaksofthebonesofhugeelephantscarefullypreservedintheHoteldeVilleatAntwerpasthebonesofagiantnamedDonon，wholived1300yearsbeforetheChristianera。
Indaysnearerourowntheroostcultivatedpeopleacceptedtheremainsofagiganticbatrachian[4]asthoseofamanwhohadwitnessedtheflood，anditwasthesamewithatortoisefoundinItalyscarcelythirtyyearsago。Dr。Carl，inaworkpublishedatFrankfort[5]in1709，tookupanothertheory，and，suchwasthegeneralignoranceatthetime，heusedlongargumentstoprovethatthefossilbonesweretheresultneitherofafreakofnature，noroftheactionofaplasticforce，anditwasnotuntilneartheendofhislifethattheillustriousCampercouldbringhimselftoadmittheextinctionofcertainspecies，sototallyagainstDivinerevelationdidsuchaphenomenonappeartohimtobe。
Prejudiceswerenot，however，alwayssoobstinate。FormorethanthreecenturiesstonesworkedbythehandofmanhavebeenpreservedintheMuseumoftheVatican，andaslongagoasthetimeofClementVIII。hisdoctor，Mercati，declaredthesestonestohavebeentheweaponsofantediluvianswhohadbeenstillignorantoftheuseofmetals。
Duringtheearlyportionoftheeighteenthcenturyapointedblackflint，evidentlytheheadofaspear，wasfoundinLondonwiththetoothofanelephant。Itwasdescribedinthenewspapersoftheday，andplacedintheBritishMuseum。
In1723AntoinedeJussieusaid，atameetingoftheACADEMIEDES
SCIENCES，thattheseworkedstoneshadbeenmadewheretheywerefound，orbroughtfromdistantcountries。Hesupportedhisargumentsbyanexcellentexampleofthewayinwhichsavageracesstillpolishstones，byrubbingthemcontinuouslytogether。
AfewyearslaterthemembersoftheACADEMIEDESINSCRIPTIONSintheirturn，tookupthequestion，andMahudel，oneofitsmembers，inpresentingseveralstones，showedthattheybadevidentlybeencutbythehandofman。“Anexaminationofthem，“hesaid，“affordsaproofoftheeffortsofourearliestancestorstoprovidefortheirwants，andtoobtainthenecessariesoflife。“Headdedthatafterthere-peoplingoftheearthafterthedeluge，menwereignorantoftheuseofmetals。Mahudel’sessayisillustratedbydrawings，someofwhichwereproduceFig。1，showingwedges，hammers，hatchets，andflintarrow-beadstaken，hetellsus，fromvariousprivatecollections。[6]
BishopLyttelton，writingin1736，speaksofsuchweaponsashavingbeenmadeataremotedatebysavagesignorantoftheuseofmetals，[7]
andSirW。Dugdale，aneminentantiquaryoftheseventeenthcentury，attributedtotheancientBritonssomeflinthatchetsfoundinWarwickshire，andthinkstheyweremadewhentheseweaponsalonewereused。[8]
FIGURE1
StoneweaponsdescribedbyMahudelin1734。
AcommunicationmadebyFreretotheRoyalSocietyofLondondeservesmentionherewithafewsupplementaryremarks。[9]
ThisdistinguishedmanofsciencefoundatHoxne，inSuffolk，abouttwelvefeetbelowthesurfaceofthesoil，workedflints，whichhadevidentlybeenthenaturalweaponsofapeoplewhohadnoknowledgeofmetals。Withtheseflintswerefoundsomestrangeboneswiththegiganticjawofananimalthenunknown。Frereaddsthatthenumberofchipsofflintwassogreatthattheworkmen，ignorantoftheirscientificvalue，usedtheminroad-making。EverythingpointedtotheconclusionthatHoxnewastheplacewherethisprimitivepeoplemanufacturedtheweaponsandimplementstheyused，sothatasearlyastheendoflastcenturyamemberoftheRoyalSocietyformulatedthepropositions，[10]nowfullyaccepted，thatataveryremoteepochmenusednothingbutstoneweaponsandimplements，andthatsidebysidewiththesemenlivedhugeanimalsunknowninhistorictimes。Thesefacts，strangeastheyappeartous，attractednoattentionatthetime。Itwouldseemthatspecialacumenisneededforeveryfreshdiscovery，andthatuntilthetimeforthatdiscoverycomes，evidenceremainsunheededandscienceisaltogetherblindtoitssignificance。
Buttoresumeournarrative。Itisinterestingtonotethevariousphasesthroughwhichthematterpassedbeforetheproblemwassolved。In1819，M。JouannetannouncedthathehadfoundstoneweaponsnearPerigord。In1823，theRev。Dr。Bucklandpublishedthe“ReliquiaeDiluvianae，“thevalueofwhich，thoughitisaworkofundoubtedmerit，wasgreatlylessenedbythepreconceivedideasofitsauthor。A
fewyearslater，TournalannouncedhisdiscoveriesinthecaveofBize，nearNarbonne，inwhich，mixedwithhumanbones，hefoundtheremainsofvariousanimals，someextinct，somestillnativetothedistrict，togetherwithworkedflintsandfragmentsofpottery。Afterthis，Tournalmaintainedthatmanhadbeenthecontemporaryoftheanimalsthebonesofwhichweremixedwiththeproductsofhumanindustry。[11]
TheresultsofthecelebratedresearchesofDr。SchmerlinginthecavesnearLiegewerepublishedin1833。Hestateshisconclusionsfrankly：“Theshapeoftheflints，“hesays，“issoregular，thatitisimpossibletoconfoundthemwiththosefoundintheChalkorinTertiarystrata。Reflectioncompelsustoadmitthattheseflintswereworkedbythehandofman，andthattheymayhavebeenusedasarrowsorasknives。“[12]Schmerlingdoesnotrefer，thoughLyelldoes，andthatintermsofhighadmiration，tothecouragerequiredforthearduousworkinvolvedintheexplorationofthecavesreferredto，ortotheyetmoreseriousobstaclestheprofessorhadtoovercomeinpublishingconclusionsopposedtotheofficialscienceoftheday。
In1835，M。Joly，byhisexcavationsintheNabrigascave，establishedthecontemporaneityofmanwiththecavebear，andalittlelaterM。PomelannouncedhisbeliefthatplanhadwitnessedthelasteruptionsofthevolcanoesofAuvergne。
Inspiteofthesediscoveries，andtheeagerdiscussionstowhichtheyled，thequestionoftheantiquityofmanandofhispresenceamongstthegreatQuaternaryanimalsmadebutlittleprogress，anditwasreservedtoaFrenchman，M。BoucherdePerthes，tocompelthescientificworldtoacceptthetruth。