Ross knew from his briefing that the whole of Britain was as
yet only sparsely settled. The first wave of hunter-fishers to establish
villages had been joined by other invaders who built massive tombs and
had an elaborate religion. Small village-forts had been linked from hill
to hill by trackways. There were "factories," which turned out in bulk
such fine flint weapons and tools that a thriving industry was in full
operation, not yet having been superseded by the metal imported by the
Beaker merchants. Bronze was still so rare and costly that only the head
man of a village could hope to own one of the long daggers. Even the
arrowheads in Ross's quiver were chipped of flint.
They drew the dugout well up onto the shore and ran it into a shallow
depression in the bank, heaping stones and brush about for its
concealment. Then Ashe intently surveyed the surrounding country,
seeking a landmark.
"Inland from here...." Ashe used the language of the Beakermen, and Ross
knew that from now on he must not only live as a trader, but also think
as one.
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