Page:VCH Bedfordshire 1.djvu/207

EARLY MAN Examples of an elongate form of hammer-stone made of flint are much more easily found, and these are of fairly frequent occurrence. A specimen from Caddington, abraded at both ends, is shown in fig. 46. This is illustrated in a mounted state fixed in a stem of bent sallow and tied with leather thongs. Such an instrument could be used not only as a hammer but also as a weapon. Spherical hammer-stones, mullers, or pounders are frequent. These are usually abraded all over. They were probably used for bruising corn, breaking bones, and pounding pieces of flint into small fragments for use in clay for pottery. The example illustrated in fig. 47 is from the foot Fig. 47. Fie. 48 Fie. 49. of Dunstable Downs. Such implements are common in camps in com- pany with flakes. They have been found close to Maiden Bower. One specimen in the writer's collection was found close to the right hand of a contracted skeleton in a ruined tumulus on Dunstable Downs (see fig. 59). A class of tool most difficult to find is the polishing stone. These are pebbles of flint or quartzite, with one end rubbed flat by the final polishing of flint celts. A beautiful example from Maiden Bower, Dun- stable, is illustrated in fig. 48. It came from a hole into which broken pots, broken bones and flint flakes had been thrown in prehistoric times ; the upper abraded part is black, lustrous and finely striated. Another of somewhat larger size was also found at Maiden Bower. A larger example of quartzite from Waulud's Bank, Luton, is illustrated in fig. 49. Sling-stones or throw-stones are frequent in Bedfordshire, especially in or near camps. They are remarkably uniform in size and make. They are about the size of a large walnut and usually chipped all over to a circular or ovoid form. They were probably used with a wooden or leathern sling, and perhaps often thrown with the hand. An example, 163