The bronze age and the Celtic world - Universal History Library

26 THE BRONZE AGE AND THE CELTIC WORLD
succeeding Solutrean period. These Steppe conditions are more characteristic of the
latter period/' when France was invaded by a new people, not given, as far as we know,
to artistic efforts, but who were able to fashion very skilfully made weapons of flint to aid
them in chasing the beasts of the steppe."* The fact that skulls of our third group the
Combe CapeUe, are more common during this period and have only been found during the
later phases of the previous age, when, as we have seen, steppe conditions were already
approaching, leads us to suspect that it is to this type of man that we must attribute
the invasion of Celtic lands which took place at this time. The Cromagnon men seem to
have retreated to the south-west and to have taken refuge in the fastnesses of the
P5n:enees,*^ while the invading hunters dominated the southern part, at least, of the
Celtic lands.
But towards 9,500 B.C. the cUmate began again to deteriorate, and the steppe
conditions passed gradually to those of tundra. The steppe animals retreated to the
east, towards South Russia and Turkestan, and most of the men of Solutre, who hunted
them for food, seem to have followed in their wake. It seems doubtful whether the
Solutrean invasion reached Britain, though implements of this t37pe are said to have
been found here,"^ and Proto-Solutrean stations are reported as occurring in England."*'
It has been claimed recently that this type reached the south of Sweden,*® but this view
is not generally accepted in that country.*'
On the departure of the Solutrean invaders the remnant of the aborigines, who
had fled to the mountains in the south-west, and there developed their art to a much
greater pitch of perfection, now returned to France, and once again, as the men of La
Madeleine, became the dominant race in Celtic lands. It seems possible that some of their
comrades had fled north to Britain on the arrival of the men of Solutre, and had survived
there throughout this period, for, though no industry has been found in the British
I ThusBurkitt (1921) I.42, 127, butMacalister (1921) 1. 373, 376, 582, states that the steppe conditions had passed
before the beginning of the Solutrean period.
42 Burkitt (1921) 1. 130-133.
43 Burkitt {1921) 1. 132, 135.
44 Burkitt (1921) 1; 129; Macalister (1921) i. 434.
45 Burkitt (1921) 1. 129.
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