Craniumofawoman,fromCro-Magnon,seenfullface。
IntheBaumes-Chaudescaves,situatedinthatpartofthevalleyoftheTarnwhichbelongstothedepartmentofLozere,Dr。Prunierespickedupnumerousbonesbearingscars,characteristicofwoundsproducedbystoneweapons。[183]Somefifteenofthesebones,suchastherightandlefthipbones,tibiae,andvertebrae,stillcontainflintpointsflungwithsufficientforcetopenetratedeeplythebonytissue。Alwaysindefatigableinhisresearches,Dr。PrunieresalsomentionshavingfoundinthecaveknownasthatofL’HOMMEMORT
bonesbearingtracesofcicatrizedwounds,andhepresentedtotheScientificCongressatClermontahumanvertebrafoundbeneaththeAumededolmenpiercedwithanarrow-head,whichis,sotospeak,encasedinthewoundbytheformationofbonytissue。
SkullofawomanfoundatSordes,showingaseverewoundfromwhichsherecovered。
OfthenineteencraniafoundintheNeolithicsepulchreofVaurealtwoshowtracesofoldwounds。Oneofthem,thatofawoman,hasthreedifferentscars,twoofwhichwereofwoundsthathadhealed,whilstthethirdintheocciputwasagapinghole,whichhadevidentlycauseddeath。
AsepulchralcaveatNogent-les-ViergesOisecontainstheskeletonofamanwithawoundontheforehead,nolessthanfourandahalfincheslongbythreebroad。Thisman,whowasduneyoung,thesuturesbeingstillveryapparent,survivedthisseriouswoundforsometime。
TheGourdanCavehasyieldedcraniaandjawsbrokenbybluntweapons,whilstonothercraniahavebeenmadeoutscratchesandstripeswhichcouldonlyhavebeenproducedafterthehairandskinhadbeenremoved。InthecavesofthePetit-Morinvalley,M。deBayepickedupsomehumanvertebrapiercedwithflints,thepointsofwhichwerestillimbeddedinthebones。IntheVillevenardCaveoneskullwasfoundcontainingthreearrow-beadswithtransversepointsimbeddedintheskull,theboneofwhichhadcloseduponthem。Anotherarrowwaslodgedbetweenthedorsalvertebrae。Itisprobablethatthesearrowshadremainedinthewounds;certainlythatisthesimplestwaytoaccountfortheirposition。Abouttwomilesfromthecavesofwhichwehavebeenspeaking,M。deBayediscoveredasepulchrecontainingthirtyskeletons,allofadultandstronglybuiltindividuals。Thebodieswerelaidoneabovetheother,andseparatedbylargeflatstonesandathinlayerofearth。Thissepulchralcavecontainedseventy-threeflintpoints。AsinthecaseofVillevenard,theirpositionleadsustosupposethatthesepointshadbeenstickinginthefleshofthebodieswhentheywereinterred,andhadfallenoutwhendecompositionsetin。Probablythebodieswerethoseofmenwhohadfallenvictimsinabloodyconflictthathadtakenplaceinthevalley。InacaveatthestationofOyes,wasfoundstretcheduponabedofstonesaskeletonwithapieceofflint,whichhadbeenflungwithgreatforce,imbeddedintheupperpartofthehumerus。Roundaboutthewoundarethemarksofmanyattemptsathealingit。
ManyofthehumanbonesfoundintheVivaraisCavebeartracesofhavingbeenviolentlyfracturedbystoneweaponswithtaperingpoints。IntheChallesCaveSavoyliestheskeletonofawomanwhoseskullwasfracturedbyaflintweapon,butinthiscasedeathwasevidentlyimmediate,atleastifwemayjudgefromthefactthattherearenosignsofthewoundhavingreceivedanytreatment。IntheCastelletCave,ahumanvertebracontainedtheweaponwhichhadpiercedit,butwhenthebonewastouchedthearrow-headbrokeoff。Ithad,however,beenflungwithsuchasurehandthatithadbeendriventeninchesdeepintothebonytissue。Here,too,theabsenceofanyexostosisprovesthatdeathquicklyfollowedthewound。
Fragmentofhumantibiawithexostosisenclosingtheendofaflintarrow。
Inothercasesthevictimsseemtohavelivedforsometime。Wehavealreadyspokenofwoundsincraniathathadhealed,andwemayaddthatafewyearsagoa,humanbonewaspresentedtotheArchaeologicalSocietyofBordeauxwhichstillretainedaflintarrow-headinthewoundithadmade。Tracescouldclearlybemadeoutoftheinflammationcausedbythepresenceoftheforeignbody,andthebonytissuesecretedbytheperiosteumhad,sotospeak,takenthemouldofthearrowFig。78。
InthecaveknownastheTroud’ArgentBasses-Alpesamongstthebonesofruminantsandcarnivora,fragmentsofpotteryandrubbishofallkinds,wasfoundapieceofhumerusFig。79piercedattheelbowjointandveryneatlycutatthelowerend,nodoubtwiththehelpofsomeoftheimplementsofhardrockscatteredaboutthecave。Thepositionofthishumanboneamongsttheremainsofanimalsandfragmentsofameal,pointstoitsbeingarelicofasceneofcannibalism;addingyetanotherprooftowhatIsaidatthebeginningofthiswork。
Fragmentofhumanhumeruspiercedattheelbowjoint,foundintheTroud’Argent。
SimilarfactsarereportedfrontEnglandandGermany。Dr。WankelmentionsaninterestingprehistoricdepositatPrerau,nearOlmutz,amongstthebonesofanimalsbelongingtothemostancientQuaternaryfauna,suchasthemammoth,thecave-bear,thecave-lion,theglutton,andthearcticfox;andamongstclumsyboneandivoryweaponsandornamentshefoundahumanjawandafemurcoveredwithstripproducedbyflinthatchets。In1801Mr。CunningtontookseveralskeletonsfromabarrownearHeytesbury,theskullofoneofwhichhadbeenbrokenwithabluntimplement;andSirR。HoarespeaksofaskullfromtheneighborhoodofStonehengesplitopenbyablowfromoneoftheseformidableweapons。SeveralcraniatakenfromalongbarrowatWestKennethavesimilarwounds。
SimilarfactswerenoticedatLittleton-Drew,atUley,atCotswold,andatRodmarten,andfromthisDr。Thurmamconcludedthatnearlyallthosewhowereburiedinlongbarrowshadmetwithaviolentdeath。[184]Hespeaks,however,ofoneskullpiercedwithalargehole,theedgesofwhichhadbecomeroundedsmooth,showingtheactionofarecuperativeprocess,andprovingthattheinjuredmanhadlongsurvivedhisseriouswound。In1809,afarmerofKirkcudbrightshiresettoworktodemolishalargecairnthatinterferedwithhistillingofthesoil,andwhich,accordingtopopulartradition,wasthetombofaScotchking。Intakingawaytheearththeworkmenfoundalargestonecoffin,inwhichlaytheskeletonofamanofgreatstature。Thearmhadbeenalmostseparatedfromthetrunkbytheblowofadioritehatchet,abrokenbitofwhichremainedimbeddedinthebone。[185]
OneofthefewcraniathatcanwithcertaintybesaidtohavebelongedtoLakeDwellersofSwitzerlandwasfoundatSutz,nearZurich;
thisskullwasfracturedattheback。Theroundnessofthewound,whichhadbeenseriousenoughtocausedeath,hasledauthoritiestoconcludethatitwasmadewithoneoftheformidablepick-hammers,somanyofwhichwerefoundinthelakeofBienne。[186]Nilssonspeaksofahumancraniumpiercedwithaflintarrow,andofanother,bothfoundatTygelsoScandinavia,containingadartmadeoutoftheantlerofaneland。[187]AtChauvaux,atCesareda,andGibraltarothercraniahavebeenfoundbearingthemarksofmortalwounds,andifwecrosstheAtlanticwemeetwithsimilarinstances。LundtellsusthatatLagoadoSumidourocraniawerefoundpiercedwithcirculartools,whilstnearthemlaytheimplementsthathadcauseddeath。[188]AtComox,inVancouverIsland,askeletonwasfoundwithaflintknifeimbeddedinoneofthebones,andatMadisonvilleOhioanother,oneofthebonesofwhichwaspiercedbyatriangularstonearrow;
whilstbeneathamoundinIndianawaspickedupaskullpiercedbyaflintarrowmorethansixincheslong。ExcavationsatCopiapoChili
broughttolighttheskeletonofamanwhohadsustainednolessthaneightwoundsfromarrows。Theforcewithwhichtheymusthavebeenshotisreallyastonishing;onehadbrokentheupperjawandknockedoutseveralteeth,penetratingtothebrain;andotherswerestillstickinginthevertebraeandribs。[189]
IntheNewasintheOldWorldmansurvivedmanyofthesehorriblewounds,andaskullfoundunderamoundnearDevil’sRivershowsaseriouswoundinflictedmanyyearsbeforedeath,andoneofthePeruviancraniainthePeabodyMuseumbearsalongfrontalfracture,doubtlessproducedbytheviolentblowofaclub;thefiveorsixfragmentsstilltobemadeoutare,sotospeak,solidified,andthewoundedmanhadevidentlylivedonformanyyears,thanksapparentlytohisgoodconstitutionalone,fortherearenosignsoftheperformingofanysurgicaloperation,suchastheremovalofthesplintersofbone,forinstance。[190]
In1884ahumanvertebra,withanarrow-headimbeddedinit,waspickedupontheislandofSantaCruz。Theapophysiswasbroken,andtheextentofthefractureshowsthegreatforceoftheblow。Thevictimevidentlydiedofthewound,forthereisnosignofitshavingbeenhealed。
Ihavedweltuponthesedeathsandwoundsinspiteoftheinevitablemonotonyofsuchalist,notbecauseIwishtobringintoprominencethefactthatfromtheearliesttimesthestruggleforexistencewasfierceandbloody,butbecauseIamanxioustoprovethatintheseremotedaysanorganizedandintelligentsocietyhadgrownup。Noonecouldhavesurvivedsuchwoundsaswehavedescribed,butforthecareandnursingofthosearoundhim,suchastheothermembersofhisfamilyorofhistribe。Thewoundedonemusthavebeenfedbyothersformonths;naymore,hemusthavebeencarriedinmigrations,andhisfoodandresting-placemusthavebeenpreparedforhim。Moreover,andthisisofevenyetmoreimportancetoourargument,theymusthavebeenmenabletotreatwoundsandtosetbones。
Thislastfacthasbeenprovedbeyondadoubtbythediscoveryofnumerousboneswiththeoldwoundscompletelycicatrized。“Inseveralexamples,“saysDr。Prunieres,speakinginthisconnection,“wecanmakeoutthefracturessetwithaneatnesswhichgivesusaveryhighopinionoftheskilloftheNeolithicbonesetters。Thesettingofonefractureatthelowerendofthetibiaandofanotherattheneckofthefemur,arenotinferiortowhatweshouldexpectfromthemostskilfulsurgeonsoftheglobe。“[191]Aremarkablefacttruly,butoneoftenmetwithinthemostwidelyseparatedregionsoftheearth,theimportanceofwhichcannotbeoverrated,andjustifiesthegivingofafewmoredetails。
In1873Dr。Prunieres,towhomsciencehasreasontobeverygratefulforhissingulardiscovery,presentedtothemembersoftheFrenchAssociation,insessionatLyons,ahumanparietalwitharoundedpieceofboneletintoit。Thispieceofbonewasratherlargerthanafive-francpiece,andtheskullintowhichithadbeenfixedwasfoundbeneaththeLozeredolmen。Alargeopening,somethreeinchesindiameter,theedgesofwhichwerewornsmooth,hadbeenmadeinthisskull,andthepieceofboneletintoitwasthickerthantheskullitself,aswellasdifferentincolor,thecraniumbeingdarkandtheforeignpieceofbonepaleyellow。Itwasevidentthereforethatthetwopiecesdidnotbelonginlifetooneperson,andthattheroundedpiecehadbeencutoutofsomeotherskull。ThefollowingyearDr。Prunieresaddedfreshdetailsaboutotherroundedpiecesofskullthatbehaddiscoveredletintocrania,someofwhichpieceshadevidentlybeenintroducedduringthelifeofthepatient,whohaddiedundertheoperationoftrepanation,whilstothershadbeenputinafterdeath。Dr。PrunieresineverycasespeaksofRONDELLESorroundedpiecesofskulls,andweprefertoquotehimexactly,butasamatteroffactthetrepanationwassometimesdonewithelliptical,triangular,orevenpyramidalpiecesofbone。
Laternolessthansixtyfreshexamples,corroboratingDr。Prunieres’
discoveries,werefoundintheBaumes-Chaudescaves,andBrocainhisturnreportedthefindingofthreecraniainthecaveofL’HOMMEMORT,fromwhichgreatpieceshadbeentakenwhichhadevidentlynotbeenlostbyaccident。
FromthistimeexcavationsanddiscoveriesmadeunderDr。Prunieressucceededeachotherrapidly。In1887hiscollectioncontained167
craniaorfragmentsofcrania,allperforated,115ofwhichwerepickedupinthecavesofLozere,whichareprobablyofmorerecentdate,beneaththedolmensoftheDEVEZES,asthosevastplainsgivenliptopasturagearecalled。Thesedolmens,whichweredoubtlessreservedfortheburialofchiefs,oftencontainmanyvaluableobjects。Beneathone,forinstance,werefoundfifteenbeautifuldartsofvariegatedflint,fourpolishedboars’tusks,someschistpendants,someshellscutintotheshapeofteeth,someboneandstonenecklacebeads,and,lastly,twosmallbronzebeads。Theselast-namedobjectsjustifyusindatingthedolmenfromtheBronzeepoch,whentheuseofbronzebegantospreadoverthedistrict,thoughitwasstillnotgenerallyemployed。
Attentiononceawakened,similarfactsbegantobeannouncedfrommanydifferentquarters。IntheNeolithiccavesofMarnewerefoundskullswithroundedholesinthem,piecesofskullsuchasareshowninFig。28,whichwereprobablywornasamulets。M。deBayehasinhisfinecollectionmorethantwentyexamplesoftrepanation,oneof。whichisshowninFig。80。Innearlyeverycasetheoperationhadbeenperformedafterdeath;threeexamplesaloneshowittohavebeendoneduringlife,andthatthepatientcertainlysurvived,forthewoundshowsveryevidentsignsofhavinghealed,andtheedgesoftheopeningsnolongerbearthemarksofthetooloftheoperator。Ononeofthethreecraniathereweretwowoundsneareachother,buttheywerequiteseparate,andwereevidentlynottreatedatthesametime。