The bronze age and the Celtic world - Universal History Library

22 THE BRONZE AGE AND THE CELTIC WORLD
the contrary/' there is no clear evidence of the survival of any distinctive Neanderthal
traits in the men of later days.'"
The second maximum of the Wiirm glaciation seems to have culminated about
15,000 B.C.," and about that time, or conceivably earlier, modem man first arrived
in North Africa, if we may judge by the appearance of a fresh type of flint industry,
known usually as Capsian." Whence he came is uncertain. It has been suggested
that he may have reached the north from tropical Africa,*^ but no evidence has been
adduced in support of this hypothesis. It seems more likely that he came from Asia,
probably by means of the Sinaitic peninsula, or possibly across the Straits of Bab-el-
Mandeb. This much is certain ; about this time the Capsian culture is found extending
along the north of the continent, from Egypt as far west at any rate as Algeria, and
perhaps beyond, though at no point but one is it found far from the Mediterranean
coast.** The one exception is in Egypt, where implements of this type have been found
as far south as Luxor,"' so that we may be satisfied that modern man in his earliest
movements passed up the Nile valley at least as far as the First Cataract. It would
seem probable that in Egypt the invaders came into touch with their Neanderthal
predecessors, who retreated before them up the Nile valley towards Luxor, where Dr.
Seligman has found implements of Le Moustier type more developed than any discovered
elsewhere** ;
Rhodesia.
it is possible that some retreated further south and may even have reached
Other of these Neanderthal refugees seem to have gone westward, and perhaps
passed up the Italian land-bridge to western Europe ; if so it was probably these, who
had come into contact with the Capsian culture of North Africa, who were responsible
for the Audi industry. They were followed before long by the invaders, and in Celtic
'9 Macalister (1921) 1. 581, who cites Hrdlicka.
"> Macalister (1921) 1. 313 ; Keith (1915) 1. 135.
«' Vid. Appendix I.
22 From Capsa, the old name for Gafra in Tunisia ; Morgan, etc. (1910-1).
23 Macalister (1921) 1. 576-580.
s+ Burkitt (1921) 1. 95, 106.
25 Seligman {1921).
2^ Seligman (1921) 128.