the back of this piece of horn, when closely examined, may be seen a number of lines, which probably were intended for a drawing, but which have entirely lost their character by decay.
On the 'beam' of a reindeer horn (Plate XIII. fig. 72) about seven inches long, from which the brow-antler has been taken in the usual manner, there is the drawing of a head, the outlines of which are partly in good preservation. The upper part of the head is no longer to be seen, as the horn has decayed near the frontlet. In the place of the eye there is a small circular hollow; below the neck there are a number of striæ, which doubtless are meant to represent hairs. The drawing in itself is extremely coarse and hastily executed, but at the same time an unskilled artist would hardly be in a condition to engrave such a figure on horn. The mane under the neck indicates that it was a reindeer. The whole horn is finely scraped, and in front has been broken off and rounded. Probably this instrument may have been used as a dagger.
We find some drawings even upon coal. A piece of this substance, about 112 inch long and 214 inches wide, has on either side of it a head engraved, one of which is less definite and less neat than the other. In both the figures (Plate XV. figs. 96 and 97[1]) we again find a long mane under the neck, and also
- ↑ In Professor Rütimeyer's late work, to which we have so often referred, he considers (in the Appendix) that the figures off these horses' heads, given by Mr. Merk, are not quite accurate, and he therefore gives in his little volume woodcuts, which he says are much more correct; these woodcuts we have ventured on copying by the new 'Banks' proccess.
