Kitcheir-mideicnrs.—Many of the neolithic tribes lived along the coast of the sea, supporting themselves upon its finny inhabitants and various shellfish. The refuse of such communities by gradual accumulation rose to the size of a small mound, enclosing within it numerous objects illus trating the stage of culture of the tribe. Such are the (Dan. Ajockkoz, kitchen, and moot ding, heap of refuse), or "kitchen middens," found in considerable numbers along the shores of Denmark, where they have been carefully investigated by Professor Worsaae and others. In the midst of these mounds, which are composed principally of shells of the oyster and the mussel, there occur fragments of charcoal, broken bones of animals, bits of rude pottery, and implements of bone and stone. The absence of metals from the older examples, the presence of pottery, and the character of the stone tools, justify us in referring these mounds to the early portion of the Neolithic Period.
They belonged, however, to a people rude even for that time. Pol ished stone is rare; there is no trace of agriculture, and there are bones of no domestic animal except the dog. Some of the shellfish represented are no longer living in that region, and others have lost important charac teristics present in their congeners in the middens.
Industrial Art of this have said (p. 41) that the first speci mens of pottery date from the inception of the Neolithic Period. The primitive method of manufacture was to plaster clay over baskets or gourds, and expose these to the sun or fire. Later, the vessels were moulded by the free hand, and artistic designs were impressed on the moist clay. By comparing the earlier with the later forms of the ceramic pro ductions of this epoch considerable improvement becomes apparent, which is illustrated in the specimens on Plate 2. The clay is generally mixed with coarse quartz sand. In Figures 58-60, which, like Figure 6r, represent objects found in the Lake of Neufchatel in Switzerland, we recognize the rude beginnings of the earthenware industry, and we see its fullest develop ment in Figures 62-69, the last two of which were taken from excavations at IIinkelstein in Rhenish Hesse. The large vessel (fig. 6o) shows at its lower edge impressions of delicate fingers, from which we may infer that the fabrication of pottery devolved on the women. The vessel shown in Figure 61 has a lid and a rudimentary ornamentation of incised parallel lines, which in the following figures develop into noteworthy decorations. On the fragment of an urn (fig. 70) a kind of foliated decoration is shown.
Utensils in bone and stone indicated not merely a marked improve ment over those of the preceding epoch, but the introduction of new technical procedures. The broad end of the wedges was sharpened by
grinding (figs. 19-24 The whetstones (fig. 3S) used for the purpose are still found in abundance. Hammers and axes to which a suitable shape was given (fig. 32) were developed from the wedges, and, to facilitate their use, they were tightly bound into the cleft end of a wooden handle. As they were liable to become loose under the strain of heavy blows, the stone head was grooved (fig. 24) where it was fastened into the handle.
It may be assumed that the invention of boring (Jigs. 22, 23) intro duced a new epoch. Interesting finds in which the hole is only partly made indicate that the work was effected by means of grinding with a hollow staff, sand being strewn in. Thus, with infinite pains, circular holes were bored through the stone, out of which a solid cylindrical piece dropped at the conclusion of the work. Men gradually progressed in practical skill, as is shown by Figures 33-37, which doubtless belong to the end of this period. The improvement of the tools multiplied their uses; Figures 25-27 show grooved stone chisels, which imply a use beyond the needs of a wild hunting life. Special skill was acquired in chipping from the flint rocks splinters which were made into saws, scraping-knives Uigs. 30, 31), sickles (fig. 29), and arrow- and spear-points (figs. 39-46), some of which present a quite graceful appearance. The curved knife (fig. 47) shows the continued development of this art. There are other remains whose purpose cannot be determined with Many of them exhibit indications of use as sling-stones, as weights for fishing-nets, and perhaps as spinning-bobbins, articles of decoration, etc.
The degree to which ornamentation of articles in common use was carried is indicated by Figures 48 and 54, which represent a piece of deer's horn and a cylinder of bone decorated with small concentric circles and rings. At Schussenried there were found small bits of red paste, which was composed of oxide of iron, and was probably used to paint the body. Necklaces of clay beads are not uncommon. Figure 71, dug up at Hinkelstein, illustrates a necklace made of teeth and a claw.
Side by side with the employment of stone, the use of horn and bone (figs. 48-57) maintained its place. Figure 51 shows a prong of deer's horn shaped into a hollow chisel; Figures 52 and 53 are bone arrow points; Figure 57 is a whalebone axe; and in Figures 55 and 56 we find a pair of combs. Without doubt, wooden tools were also used, but their perishable material has not survived the lapse of time.