Note 190 — VI HUMAN HISTORY

Azilian remains are confined to the south of Europe; Tardenoisian remains are widely distributed in Europe. To this period also belongs the Maglemose culture from Zeeland. Some grain found in the cave of Mas d’Azil has been interpreted as showing that agriculture was practised; in all probability, however, the grain has been introduced recently—perhaps by rats. Certain curiously marked pebbles are known from Azilian times and have been taken by some authors to be evidence of the use of an alphabet. This interpretation cannot be accepted, though possibly these markings may have been signs intended to assist the memory—such as were in use in Peru, for example.