104 A SUPPOSED NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT.
The Stag or Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) is well represented
by its antlers and bones. It was never domesticated ; its
shed antlers were, no doubt, brought into the dwellings from the
forest to serve various purposes, such as the making of tools or
weapons. It is much more uncommon to find the skull
with the antlers attached, than to find the shed antlers, which
were probably picked up in the forest. The strength and
ferocity of the stag made it difficult and dangerous to capture
by men armed only with weapons of bone, wood, or stone.
There must have been great necessity for the unshed antlers in
making flint hafts, to induce men in those days to capture the
animal and take the great trouble to saw off the antlers from the
head. The unshed antler, from its denser condition, would be
more serviceable for the hunter's use in the making of handles
for tools and implements, than the lighter shed antlers.
[Amongst the remains of this animal is a cranium wanting
the whole of the facial portions. (See Plate II.) The frontal bones
have been crushed in, but probably since the animals death, as
it would be difficult to strike this spot when the creature was
alive and with the brow tynes perfect. The antlers and brow
tynes have been sawn off just above the "burrs'," which still
remain and are very rugose, indicating well developed antlers.
The marks left by the saw are rough and irregular, showing that
the saw was a coarse one and the operator not skilled in such
work ; but at the same time these marks could only, I think,
have been made by a metal saw.—E.T.N.]
The Roe Deer (Capreolus caprea).—Compared with the Red
Deer, the Roe is scarce at Braintree, but I have the right
under-jaw of a very aged animal, with perfect molars in place,
interesting in showing signs of long use, being much worn.
This jaw, I believe, was found in the relic-bearing bed No. 2,
g feet down, but it is quite possible that it may belong to the
underlying Pleistocene bed. Detached pieces of antler were
found, which had apparently been put to some manual use,
and were probably adapted from shed antlers. In one case
I have secured, from the relic-bed, a pair of antlers of this
graceful creature, which was abundant in the Essex Forests
in pre-Roman times, but probably was soon afterwards extirpated.
The horns in this case are as fresh as in the life-time of the
bearer of them, and as firmly attached to the skull ; the skull has
been apparently, trimmed off, as is the fashion of mounting
antlers in recent times. Why should not Stone-age man have