Cylchgronau Cymru

question when with historical precision. Professor Atkinson is right to make these distinctions, though no doubt some historians will say how nice to be halted at the "molecular" level to which they themselves toil from their personalised sources, atom by atom Causation limited to impersonal or non-personal factors may lead to "losing sight of the human context of prehistory", but again this is a danger from which the historian, intoxicat- ed by the hope of effective generalisation, is far from immune. Most historians, impressed as they will undoubtedly be by the accuracy of Professor Atkinson's distinctions, will have some reservations when they read that "the archaeologist has but little claim to be a kind of historian" (p. 21). In their arrogance, certainly as far as the constructive writing up of his work is concerned, historians tend to claim the archaeologist as their own. On the relationship with science the professor shows that new spectacu- lar techniques are no more than external aids to the archaeologist, and he warns of three failings that are "unscientific" in the worst sense of the word a reluctance to experiment, a reluctance to use statistical methods, and an over-emphasis on personal and intuitive observation. Experimental earthworks, concentration on an understanding of craftsmen's techniques, close metallurgical analysis of the inwardness of things, are matters to be encouraged. Archaeology should be recognised as a middle way between the two Faculties of Arts and Science, both of which in their way are in danger of fossilising. The archaeologist is to be free "to train upon the problems of man's history the full armament of his science". All readers will be grateful to Professor Atkinson for his thoughtful and exciting reflections on the purpose and potentialities of his discipline. H. R. LoYN Copies of Morgannwg^ Vols. I (1957), II (1958), III (1959), and IV (1960), price 10s. each (postage 8d.), are available on application to the treasurer: C. F. SHEPHERD, ESQ., CHANNEL View, THE DOWNS, St. NICHOLAS GLAMORGAN.