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Further notes on the habits of the Tasmanian Aborigines

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posted on 2023-11-22, 10:05 authored by Fritz Noetling
The question whether the aborigines used bones of animals, either entirely or in fragments, for implements is of great importance. It has hitherto been assumed that bone as a material for implements did not come in to use earlier than the Magdalenian stage.
It would constitute one of the greatest anomalies in the evolution of mankind, if it were a fact that the aborigines did include bone among the materials from which they manufactured their implements.
I can safely say that there are few persons living who have so carefully studied and examined the camping grounds as I have, but never did I find a single piece of bone that could even, with the greatest stretch of imagination, be considered as an implement.
What conclusion can we draw from the above observations? The fact that the left edge is much less carefully chipped than the rest of the circumference might suggest the view that it represents a reject which was dropped before it was finished. I fully admit the weight of this argument, but we may well ask is it possible to imagine that after such an amount of work had been spent in shaping it, it was dropped when two more blows had been sufficient for completion?

History

Publication title

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania

Pagination

102-119

ISSN

0080-4703

Rights statement

In 1843 the Horticultural and Botanical Society of Van Diemen's Land was founded and became the Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science in 1844. In 1855 its name changed to Royal Society of Tasmania for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science. In 1911 the name was shortened to Royal Society of Tasmania..

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