OUR ANCIENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3609, 4 November 1879, Page 3

OUR ANCIENTS.

Respecting the discoveries which have just been made in certain caves in Moravia some interesting details are published in the Augsburg Allegemeine Zeiiuhg. For some months past excavations have been going on upon the Kotontsoh nil], near Stramberg, which have already brought to light a large number of remains of tho highest scientific interest. The work hag been carried on under the direction ofHerr J. Maschka, a master of the Realschulo of Neutitsehein, who has conducted the operations in the most systematic and careful manner. The spots where the most important discoveries have been made are the two caves of Schipka and TchertovaDira(or the Dwarf's Oave). The objects which have been found and the position in which they were discovered prove in the clearest possible manner that both the caves mentioned were inhabited by men in prehistoric ages. The cave of Schipka, the roof of which has partly fallen in, was, it is shown, occupied by human beings in the oldest stono age, or palcoolitliio period, while the occupants of the Dwarf's Cave lived at a later era, when man was already, to some extent, acquainted with the use of metals. It is f urthej evident that the caves were occupied by man at a period contemporary with the existence of the mammoth and cave bear, as,, at a depth of one metre, among the remains of these animals there were found bones which had been burnt, and others which bad been artificially fashioned. The objecti obtained in the Schipka cave comprises thousands of bones of antediluvian animals, as the mammoth rhinoceros, cave bear, horse, cave ox, stag, reindeer, &c. Further, therqare thousands of separate teeth and horrt^o} these animals, besides numorous well-ppo-served stone and bone tools, which were, dug up as far down as three metres below, the floor of the cave. In tho uppermost laye-r of the cave floor the excavators also found Beven objects of bronze, consisting of a. celt, five concentric rings, and one ring with, a. rectangular cross or wheel with fouj-, spokes. In tho Tohertova Dira the dipcovejies include bones of the cave bear,, reindeer, edelhirsch, primeval ox, &c , bosidjes numerous pieces of horn showing artificial work and many well preserved bone objects and tools, such as awls or bodkins, and pins or needles, pierced with holes ; three, wd four-edged arrow heads, rough and unpolished stone tools of flint, jasper, cb.alced.ony ; fragments of very different kinds of f^rthonwaro vessels, with and without grapUito coating, which had been made hy hand, without tho use of the potter's wheel, and which are covered with characteristic ornaments. Further, there are some three-edged arrow-points of bronze, with a hole for poison ; there are toeth pierced with a hole, ajussel shells, whetstones, and bobbins for spinning. On the crown of the hill above thia oavo extensive patches of ground on which there had been fires have beon found, and immediately undor the turf, along with numberless fragments of pottery, there were dug up fragments of graphite vessels, stone tools, and, among other things, a knife, 117 milemetres in length, and polished.