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Abstract

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?

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Noetling, Fritz
Keywords:	Royal Society of Tasmania, Van Diemens Land, VDL, Hobart Town, natural sciences, proceedings, records
Journal or Publication Title:	Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
ISSN:	0080-4703
Collections:	Royal Society Collection Royal Society Collection > Papers & Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
Additional Information:	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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