Fig. 42.—Laibach. Nos. 19 to 24 = 1⁄4, and the rest = 1⁄2 real size.
Besides the ordinary dishes, there fall to be enumerated under this heading some two or three hundred spindle-whorls, one or two cylindrical weights, perforated cones ([Fig. 43], No. 5), a few crucibles of superior workmanship ([Fig. 45], No. 14), a mould for an axe-head ([Fig. 42], No. 22), and some other small objects, apparently toys ([Fig. 42], No. 21). Among the most remarkable and mysterious objects are some ornamented images, more or less fragmentary, of animals and human beings with fantastically-formed heads ([Fig. 42], Nos. 11, 23, and 24; and Fig. 195, Nos. 5 to 8).
Stone.—The stone implements, with the exception of rubbers, hammers, and sharpening-stones, are comparatively rare. The sharpening-stones are well represented by a variety of implements—from the small portable hone with a string perforation, to a large hollow block weighing 220 pounds. Of simple stone axes and chisels there are only about a dozen good examples, but amongst them are two little gems—one a hatchet of nephrite ([Fig. 42], No. 12), and the other a miniature chisel of greenstone (No. 9). Perforated axe-hammers number about two dozen ([Fig. 43], No. 10); they are mostly of serpentine and well shaped, and the boring is neatly executed. The flint objects, which amount to about four dozen, consist chiefly of neatly-formed lance-heads; but amongst them are a few scrapers and flakes, but hardly one that could be called an arrow-point ([Fig. 42], Nos. 1 to 5). Almost unique are two conical anvils, one of which (No. 18) has metallic particles of copper or bronze on its flat surface. There is also a polished stone disc showing the commencement of a perforation near its centre with the core still remaining.
Bone and Horn.—A characteristic feature of the Laibach settlements is the abundance of implements of bone and horn which they have yielded, and which may be thus classified:—
1. Perforated hammer-axes of staghorn, numbering between 300 and 400, in all stages of manufacture. The most typical forms of these implements are sketched on [Fig. 44].
2. Polished daggers, pointers, chisels, etc., varying in length from 4 to 10 inches, amount to many hundreds. The smaller pointers, awls, and pins, were made of bone splinters and ground to fine points. The finer daggers were invariably made of the leg-bones of a deer or other animal. It appears that they were manufactured by sawing or cutting the bone lengthways and slightly diagonally, so as to have two weapons out of the one bone, leaving each with a joint for its hilt. One or two bones were found showing this operation in an uncompleted stage. Some of these daggers had perforations near the extremity of the handle-end for suspension.
Fig. 43.—Laibach. All 1⁄3 real size.