of the long bones of the horse, bison, and a large species of deer, showing marks of human workmanship, so that already the advantage of using this material (and probably horn as well) for the manufacture of implements had been recognised by the troglodytes (Bull. Soc. Préhist. de France, 1906, p. 155; ibid., 1907, p. 47).
Since Dr Martin drew attention to the presence of bone implements at La Quina, M. E. Pittard (R.E.A., 1907, p. 429) and M. A. Favraud (ibid., 1908, p. 46) have described the occurrence of bone objects at the stations of Rebières (Dordogne) and Petit Puymoyen (Charente), both assigned to the Moustérien epoch.
The Neanderthal-Spy race inhabited a large portion of Central Europe extending westwards to Britain and the Iberian peninsula, as well as some adjacent lands, now submerged in the North Sea and English Channel, but which in those days were splendid feeding-grounds for a number of edible animals, for Britain then formed part of the Continent. These primitive inhabitants lived as isolated family groups, no doubt thinly spread over this wide area ; but after the severity of the climate forced them to seek covered protection, the localities in which caves and rock-shelters were most abundant would become permanent places of abode. From this point of view the Dordogne was one of the most favoured districts, and it would appear that it had been continuously inhabited by the Palæolithic people till the reindeer disappeared from Central Europe.
On the Aurignacien epoch I have little to add to the remarks made in Chapter II., except to note the masterly activity and wealth of detail with which the Abbé Breuil has differentiated its characteristic remains. The controversy on this epoch, waged between himself and M. Ad. de Mortillet both combatants so competent with pen and pencil repays perusal for the insight one gets into the points of resemblance and difference of the disputed objects. [1] The sum and substance of the whole matter is that, in the course of industrial progress, some of the new tools and new materials for their manufacture,
- ↑
See Ad. de Mortillet, "La Grotte du Placard et le niveau d'Aurignac," Congrès de Lyon, 1906, and Congrès Préhist. de France, 1907 ; 1'Abbé Breuil, "La Question Aurignacien," Revue Préhistorique, 1907 and 1909.
