not Dr. Munro's.

{ Fig. 19: p120a.jpg}

We know not their original meaning, but they occur "all over the place";
in amber on the Baltic coast, with grotesque faces carved in amber. In
Russia and Finland, and in sites of prehistoric Egypt, on slate, and in
other materials such grotesques are common. {120b} Egypt is a great
centre of the Early Slate School of Art, the things ranging from slate
plaques covered with disorderly scratchings "without a conscience or an
aim," to highly decorated _palettes_. There is even a perforated object
like the slate crooks of M. Cartailhac, from Portugal, but rather more
like the silhouette of a bird, {121a} and there are decorative mace-heads
in soft stone. {121b} Some of the prehistoric figurines of human beings
from Egypt are studded with "cups," _cupules_, _ecuelles_, or whatever we
may be permitted to name them. In short, early and rude races turn out
much the same set of crude works of art almost everywhere, and the
extraordinary thing is, not that a few are found in a corner of Britain,
but that scarce any have been found.

{ Figs. 20, 21: p120b.jpg}

As to the Russo-Finnish flint figurines, Mr. Abercromby thinks that these
objects may "have served as household gods or personal amulets," and Dr.
Munro regards Mr. Abercromby's as "the most rational explanation of their
meaning and purpose." He speaks of figurines of clay (the most usual
material) in Carniola, Bosnia, and Transylvania. "Idols and amulets were
indeed universally used in prehistoric times." {121c} "Objects which
come under the same category" occur "in various parts of America." Mr.
Bruce {121d} refers to M. Reinach's vast collection of designs of such
figurines in _L'Anthropologie_, vol. v., 1894. Thus rude figurines in
sites of many stages are very familiar objects. The forger knew it, and
dumped down a few at Dumbuck. His female figurine (photographed in fig.
19), seems to me a very "plausible" figurine in itself. It does not
appear to me "unlike anything in any collection in the British Isles, or
elsewhere"--I mean _elsewhere_. Dr. Munro admits that it discloses "the
hand of one not altogether ignorant of art." {122} I add that it
discloses the hand of one not at all ignorant of genuine prehistoric
figurines representing women.

But I know nothing analogous from _British_ sites. Either such things do
not exist (of which we cannot be certain), or they have escaped discovery
and record. Elsewher