stone implements resemble those of Moosseedorf, and are principally formed of indigenous rocks, which to judge from the fragments scattered about, were evidently worked up at these two places. One or two bits, however, consisted of Oriental Nephrite, which is green, transparent, and of remarkable hardness, and if these really belonged to the Stone age, the fact is very remarkable, as this substance, according to Swiss mineralogists, does not naturally occur in Switzerland, and must haye been brought from Egypt or Asia. On this point, however, it would be desirable to have more information; since, if we are to suppose that any such extended commerce existed, it is difficult to understand why bronze and iron were not also introduced. Weapons of Nephrite have also been found at one or two other places, belonging to the Bronze age, and where therefore its presence is less inexplicable. The stone implements found in the settlements belonging to this earliest period consist of hammers, axes, knives, saws, lance-heads, arrow-heads, corn-crushers, and polishing blocks. Some of the hammers were made of serpentine with a hole pierced through one end, and are, like all pierced stones, of very great rarity, belonging perhaps only to the end of the Stone period. Some of them are cylindrical, others more cubical in shape.
The axe was preeminently the implement of antiquity. It was used in war and in the chase, as well as for domestic purposes, and great numbers have been found, especially at Wangen, (Lake of Constance) and Concise (Lake of Neufchatel). With a few exceptions they were surprisingly small, especially when compared with the magnificent specimens from Denmark; in length they varied from six inches down even as low as one, while the cutting edge had generally a width of from 15 to 20 lines. Flint was sometimes used, and nephrite, or jade, in a few cases, but serpentine was the principal material. Most of the larger settlements were evidently manufacturing places, and many spoilt pieces and half finished specimens have been found. The process of manufacture is thus described by M. Troyon. After having chosen a stone, the first step was to reduce it by blows with a hammer to a suitable size. Then grooves were made artificially, which must have been a very tedious and difficult operation, when flint knives, sand, a little water, and an unlimited amount of patience, were the only available instruments. Having carried the grooves to the required depths, the projecting portions were removed by a skilful blow with a hammer, and the implement was then sharpened and polished on blocks of sandstone.
Sometimes the hatchet thus obtained was simply fixed in a handle of horn or wood. Generally, however, the whole instrument consisted of three parts. A piece of horn, two or three inches in length, received the stone at one end and was squared at the other, so as to fit into a longer handle either of wood or horn. These intermediate pieces present several variations, some are simply squared, others have a projecting wing which rested against the handle, some few are forked as if to receive a wedge, and one had a small transverse hole apparently for the insertion of a peg.
