124 Primaeval Man in the Valley of the Lea.
that the men probably knew nothing of dressing skins, and
were unclothed.
The oldest implements, owing to their great amount of
abrasion, are often difficult to recognise when they lie in the
roads or on heaps of gravel; in fact some are so water-worn
and smooth that they look, at first sight, but little different
from the unworked natural flints.
Fig. 10.—Pointed weapon, one half actual size.
In and near London lustrous and subabraded tools of
medium age are commonly found at a depth of 12 feet; these
tools show a distinct improvement in workmanship over the
older ones. Most of the examples are Ungulate and sharply
acuminate; and the butt, and sometimes the umbo, show
signs of hammering; the ovate form is not uncommon,
but implements of this age with a cutting edge all round