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PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS—LARGE AND
HEAVY EXAMPLES.
By WORTHINGTON G. SMITH, F.L.S., M.A.I., etc.
All who have handled many Palaeolithic implements must have
observed the great size and weight of some of the specimens.
Many large examples of Neolithic celts are known, but as far as my
experience goes, they do not equal the more ponderous specimens of
the Palaeolithic class. No doubt the old River-drift men (as dis-
tinguished from the light-handed Cave-dwellers) were used to much
rougher and heavier work than the men of Neolithic times: hence
the occasional finding of huge and heavy Palaeolithic tools.
In the following list I have given the size and weight of a few
unusually large and heavy Palaeolithic implements. These speci-
mens have either fallen under my own personal observation, or have
been heard of by me as belonging to other collections. I need
hardly say that in this list I have referred to genuine and finished
instruments only; all rough abortions, make-shifts, and rudely-
trimmed ponderous stones are omitted.
The most massive Palaeolithic implement of which I have any
note is in the Government Central Museum at Madras. It is made
of quartzite, measures 93/4 inches X 53/4 inches, and weighs 6 lbs. 4ozs.
In fig. 1 I have engraved this implement, one-half actual size, from
a drawing kindly forwarded to me by Dr. George Bidie. The
cord-like band towards the top of the tool is a vein of white quartz.
The next heaviest implement is the example found by the late Mr.
J. W. Flower, at Shrub Hill (and which is now in the British Museum,
Bloomsbury). This is made of flint, and its size is 111/2 inches 51/4 x
inches, and its weight (obligingly furnished to me by Mr. A. W.
Franks) is 5 lbs. 7 ozs. The third heaviest implement of which I
have a record (formerly 893 in my own collection) is a quartzite
from Madras, procured through the kind aid of Dr. Geo. Bidie. It
measures 93/4 inches X 55/8 and weighs 4 lbs. 73/4ozs. It is illustrated
(one-half actual size) in fig. 2, and is now in the British Museum,
Bloomsbury. Mr. Henry Prigg, of Bury St. Edmunds, has a speci-
men from Warren Hill, which weighs 4 lbs. 2 ozs.; and an example
has been found in the Broom Pit, Chard, which is the same in weight.
It is extremely rare to meet with implements which weigh 4 lbs. or
over, and very seldom are examples found over 3 lbs. in weight. In the
Exeter Museum there are, however, two examples from the Broom