Page 219 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

6 SAMAGRA TILAK- 2 • THE ARCflC HOME

have been, hitherto either ignored or explained away somehow, or
mi interpreted one way or another by Native and European scholars
alike. But I hope to how that these interpretation , though they
have been provi ionally accepted, are not satisfactory and that
new discoveries in archreology, and geology provide u with a
better key for the interpretation of these passages. Thus if some
of the conclusions of the mythologist and the philologist are over-
thrown by these discoveries, they have rendered a still greater
service by furnishing us with a better key for the interpretation
of the most ancient Aryan legends and the results obtained by
using the new key cannot, in their turn, fail to throw further light
on the primitive history of the Aryan race and thus supplement, or
modify the conclusion now arrived at by the archreologist and
the geologist.
But before proceeding to discuss the Vedic texts which point
out to a Polar home, it is necessary to briefly state the results of
recent discoveries, in archreology, geology and palreontology.
My summary must necessarily be very short, for I propose to note
down only such facts as will establish the probability of my theory
from the geological and palreontological point of view and for
this purpose I have freely drawn upon the works of such well-
known writers as Lyell, Geikie, Evans, Lubbock, Croll, Taylor
and others. I have also utilised the excellent popular summary of
the latest results of these researches in Samuel Laing's Human
Origins and other works. The belief, that man is post-Glacial
and that the Polar regions were never suited for human habitation,
still lingers in some quarters and to those who still hold this view
any theory regarding the Polar home of the Aryan race may,
naturally seem to be a a priori impossible. It is better, therefore,
to begin with a short statement of the latest scientific conclusions
on these points.
Human races of earlier times have left ample evidence of
their existence on the surface of this globe; but like the records
of the historic period this evidence does not consist of stately
tombs and pyramids, or inscriptions and documents. It is of a
humbler kind and consists of hundreds and thousands of rude or
polished instruments of stone and metal recently dug out from old
camps, fortifications, burial grounds ( tumuli ), temples, lake
dwellings, etc. of early times spread over the whole of Europe;
and in the hands of the archrelogist these have been found to give