The Later Cave-Men Part 31

_Lesson x.x.xIV._ This lesson serves to bring out the contrast between Fleetfoot, the brave, active young man, who is beginning to develop the arts which require great personal bravery and force, and Flaker, the crippled young man, whose ability is directed toward the development of tools and the arts which later make him a priest and medicine man. Originally, there was no sharp distinction between the priest and the medicine man. One person performed both functions, and in many cases this person was a woman. Later, those who made use of supplication and entreaty const.i.tuted the priesthood, while those who attempted to frighten the G.o.ds were known as medicine men.

_Lesson x.x.xV._ Overhanging rocks were made use of for natural shelters from the earliest times. The improvement of the natural shelter by the addition of front and side walls was a later step and was doubtless an invention of woman. The motives for such an invention may be found in the fact that in many places near good hunting grounds there were not enough caves to shelter the people. Under such circ.u.mstances, as well as in districts where no caves abound, women would not be slow to take advantage of the overhanging rocks and to use their ingenuity in converting them into comfortable habitations.

Let the children compare summer and winter skins, if possible; if not, let them notice the difference between the horse's coat in winter and summer.

_Lesson x.x.xVI._ To help the children to realize the importance of the discovery of the use of poison, let the children think of the many advantages which the Cave-men enjoyed because they could use it.

The dependence of man upon animals for his food supply is shown here.

The disappearance of the herds caused Fleetfoot and Willow-grouse to leave the rock-shelter. This is the beginning of a series of events which culminates in a famine. With this in mind, the teacher can emphasize the points which lead up to the famine.

_Lesson x.x.xVII._ Let the children bring together from various sources the materials and tools required to make needles by the processes of the Cave-men. Do not require the children to make needles, but permit them to experiment with the materials so as to understand the subject.

If the children label and arrange the collection they make in an orderly way, the work itself will be of great value to them, and the collection will const.i.tute an interesting feature in the children's industrial museum.

_Lesson x.x.xVIII._ Such a lesson as this ought to be helpful in freeing the child from superst.i.tions without putting him out of sympathy with people who entertain them. In their origin superst.i.tions are unsuccessful attempts to explain the phenomena of life. In spite of the fact that many of the beliefs of mankind have been false, they have served a useful purpose in the development of the individual and in uniting individuals into social groups.

The art of the Cave-men, as ill.u.s.trated in this and in other lessons, shows a belief in sympathetic magic, a belief that is universal among primitive peoples. The fear formerly entertained by the American Indians of having their photographs taken was due to a belief in sympathetic magic. The one who possessed the likeness was supposed to have some mysterious power over the person.

Help the children to distinguish between the things the Cave-men did which really helped and those which they thought helped. Notice that Flaker actually learned a great deal about the topography of the country, the location of the best hunting grounds, the movements and habits of the herds, and, because of this, was often able to give the Cave-men good advice. The magical ceremonies he practiced were of use to him in getting the people to believe in his wonderful power. (See, also, notes under _x.x.xIV_.)

_Lesson x.x.xIX._ Although there was a great variety and abundance of fish, not all the Cave-men used fish. From the remains which have been found, however, we know that different clans used nearly all the varieties of fish which still may be found in our rivers and lakes; and we may readily believe that a salmon stream would be held as property common to all the neighboring tribes, as it is to-day among hunting and fishing peoples.

Fishing tackle of the Cave-men was very crude. Fish were sufficiently abundant, however, to be caught with the hands or by means of stones and clubs. A fish hook made of a bear's tooth, by removing the enamel and crown and lessening the thickness by rubbing, has been found. The barbed harpoons, which were originally made for hunting, were later used in spearing fish. Harpoons with barbs on both sides were well adapted for throwing through the air, while those with barbs on one side were better adapted for use in the water. An experiment with a pencil in a gla.s.s of water will show the child that the part in the water is not where it appears to be, and from this he can readily reach the conclusion given above.

_Lesson XL._ If one will notice the clothing and the cradles of the North American Indians in a museum, he cannot fail to observe that care was taken in their preparation. They are comfortable and, in many cases, beautiful. We may well believe from what is known that among all primitive peoples the beauty, especially that of ornamentation, was for the sake of some supposed magical power. The representation of an animal was supposed to secure the especial protection of that animal, which was worshiped as a G.o.d. The bear's tooth, which was pierced and strung about the neck of an infant, served a useful purpose when the child was cutting teeth, and it was supposed to be a charm which served to protect the child.

_Lesson XLI._ The strongest motives for cooperation were doubtless the common need of protection from dangerous beasts of prey and the need of adopting methods of hunting wild animals which required the united efforts of many people. Notice that the different batons and fragments of batons represented in this book differ in the number of holes bored through them. It is thought that the number of holes indicated the rank of the owner. Although many theories are given regarding the use of batons, the one which seems most tenable to the author is that which views them as marks of distinction and instruments used in magical ceremonies and in hunting dances.

_Lesson XLII._ The method of hunting herds by surrounding them is a cooperative method suitable to such regions as gra.s.sy plains, and comparatively level tracts which are spa.r.s.ely wooded. The drive, on the contrary, is adapted to regions where steep cliffs are to be found. It is a natural development of the earlier method of hunting by taking advantage of the proximity of animals to steep cliffs. In that case man's part was to lie in wait until a favorable opportunity presented itself for frightening the animals over. The lesson in _The Tree-dwellers_ on "How the Hyenas Hunted the Big-nosed Rhinoceros,"

and the one in _The Early Cave-men_ on "Hunting the Mammoth,"

ill.u.s.trate early stages of this method.

Notice that there is a new principle employed in this lesson--that of the decoy--and that the method of hunting by means of the drive makes use of various ideas worked out before.

_Lesson XLIII._ The experience of children in games is sufficient to enable them to realize the necessity of making laws and rules for regulating the conduct of the members of the group. This lesson should serve to connect this narrow experience with that of the race.

Many of the representations of the Cave-man's art, as shown in the ill.u.s.trations of this book, might well have been made the subjects of special lessons. The limits of this book, however, forbid further expansion.

Industrial and Social History Series

_By KATHARINE ELIZABETH DOPP, Ph. D._

_Lecturer in Education in the Extension Division of the University of Chicago. Author of "The Place of Industries in Elementary Education."_

WHAT THE BOOKS ARE

_Book I._ #THE TREE-DWELLERS.# THE AGE OF FEAR.

_Ill.u.s.trated with a map, 14 full-page and 46 text drawings in half-tone by Howard V. Brown. Cloth, square 12mo, 158 pages. For the primary grades._

This volume makes clear to the child how people lived before they had fire, how and why they conquered it, and the changes wrought in society by its use. The simple activities of gathering food, of weaving, building, taming fire, making use of stones for tools and weapons, wearing trophies, and securing cooperative action by means of rhythmic dances, are here shown to be the simple forms of processes which still minister to our daily needs.

_Book II._ #THE EARLY CAVE-MEN.# THE AGE OF COMBAT.

_Ill.u.s.trated with a map, 16 full-page and 71 text drawings in half-tone by Howard V. Brown. Cloth, square 12mo, 183 Pages. For the primary grades._

In this volume the child is helped to realize that it is necessary not only to know how to use fire, but to know how to make it. Protection from the cold winters, which characterize the age described, is sought first in caves; but fire is a necessity in defending the caves. The serious condition to which the cave-men are reduced by the loss of fire during a flood is shown to be the motive which prompts them to hold a council; to send men to the fire country; to make improvements in clothing, in devices for carrying, and in tools and weapons; and, finally, to the discovery of how to make fire.

_Book III._ #THE LATER CAVE-MEN.# THE AGE OF THE CHASE.

_Ill.u.s.trated with 27 full-page and 87 text drawings in half-tone by Howard V. Brown. Cloth, square 12mo, 197 Pages. For the primary grades._

Here is portrayed the influence of man's presence upon wild animals.

Man's fear, which with the conquest of fire gave way to courage, has resulted in his mastery of many mechanical appliances and in the development of social cooperation, which so increases his power as to make him an object of fear to the wild animals. Since the wild animals now try to escape from man's presence, there is a greater demand made upon man's ingenuity than ever before in supplying his daily food. The way in which man's cunning finds expression in traps, pitfalls, and in throwing devices, and finally in a remarkable manifestation of art, is made evident in these pages.

_Book IV._ #THE EARLY SEA PEOPLE.# FIRST STEPS IN THE CONQUEST OF THE WATERS.

_Ill.u.s.trated with 21 full-page and 117 text drawings in half-tone by Howard V. Brown and Kyohei Inukai. Cloth, square 12mo, 224 pages. For the intermediate grades._

The life of fishing people upon the seash.o.r.e presents a pleasing contrast to the life of the hunters on the wooded hills depicted in the previous volumes. The resources of the natural environment; the early steps in the evolution of the various modes of catching fish, of manufacturing fishing tackle, boats, and other necessary appliances; the invention of devices for capturing birds; the domestication of the dog and the consequent changes in methods of hunting; and the social cooperation involved in manufacturing and in expeditions on the deep seas, are subjects included in this volume.

_Other volumes, dealing with the early development of pastoral and agricultural life, the age of metals, travel, trade, and transportation, will follow._

_Write us for detailed information regarding these books and a complete list of our up-to-date publications._

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