FLINT-GLASS

a species of gla , so called because pulverized flints were originally employed in its manufacture. It is extensively used for domestic purposes. Its dispersive power in regard to light renders it invaluable in the manufacture of the object-gla es of telescopes and microscopes, as by combining a concave lens of flint gla with one or two convex lenses of crown-gla , which po e es a much lower dispersive power, a compound lens is formed in which the prismatic colours arising from simple refraction are destroyed, and the lens rendered achromatic. Quartz and fine sand are now substituted for flint in the manufacture of this gla . See GLASS. FLINT IMPLEMENTS AND WEAPONS. According to those who believe that Holiths were shaped by man, flint working dates back to the Second Interglacial epoch, or an even earlier period. The Lower Pals col it hic Age flints have been cla ified as Chellean, Achetlian, and. Mousterian, and were worked by Neanderthal man. A new technique was introduced into Hurope from North Africa by CroMagnon man (about 20,000 B.0.) ab the beginning of the Upper Palaolithic period, which has been divided into the three cultural stages, Aurignacian, Solutrean, and Magdalen i an. The Solutrean technique was extremely fine, distinctive forms being the leaf-shaped flint lances and delicately worked flint gimlets. In ancient Heypt the Solutrean technique reached a high pitch of development. No finer flint artifacts than Solutrean were 477 FLINT IMPLEMENTS ever produced in ancient times. The Magdalen i an flints are of poorer quality and workmanship than even the Earlier Aurignacian. During this cultural stage in Europe bone and horn implements and weapons were more in use than those of flint. The transition period between the Pal eolithic and Neolithic Ages is divided into Azilian, Tardenoisian, and Maglemosian—contemporary cultures. Tardenoisian flints were chiefly microliths, or ‘pigmy fiints’ of geometric forms. They are widely distributed, being found on the North African coast, in Central and Western Europe and the British Isles, and as far eastward in Asia as India. Azilian is Iberian, and Maglemosian is Nordic. Ly 3 Neolithic Flint Implements and Weapons 1, Knife. 2, Knife or dagger. 3, Chisel. 4,5, and y 6, Arrow-heads From specimens in the British Museum and the Museum of Practical Geolog The Neolithic technique was begun by giving an edge to flaked flint axes by polishing on a grinding-stone. Sir John Lubbock (afterwards Lord Avebury) was the first to apply to the eultural Ages the terms Palwolithic (Old Stone), during which flint was flaked, and Neolithic (New Stone), during which it was polished. Flint chipping, however, continued through out the Neolithic Age. Some backward peoples are still producing flint artifacts. Flint knives are used for ceremonial purposes by other peoples, including the Jews, who civeumcise with a Solutrean blade. The earliest use of fiint for religious purposes has been traced back to Solutrean times, when leaf-shaped lances, too delicate for use, were stained red and deposited, po ibly as votive offerings, in quantities. One of the earliest representations of Has or, the Egyptian cow-godde , is in flint—a flint cow. The original thunder-bolts or hammers of gods like Zeus (Jupiter), Thor, and Indra were of fiint. In the Far East, as in Europe, flint artifacts are supposed to be thunderbolts, rings, axes, or arrows flung by gods or fairies and elves. Flint arrowheads, ., were worn as charms after the introduction of metal working, Weapons were supposed to be inhabited by spirits and were worshipped. ancient Egypt the axe (neter) was a symbol of divinity. The sacred axe of Crete was an important religious symbol. It was no doubt because weapons were anciently sacred that so much lore gathered round flint arrowheads, stone axes, ., after these went out of use.—BIBLIOGRAPHY: Lord Avebury, Prehistoric Times; Osborn, Men of the Old Stone Age: W. J. Sollas, Anetent Hunters; J Reid Moir, Pre-Pale@olithic Man.