Stone Age and beyond
Preserved but no longer current.
They are cunningly made, with a lower layer of straw or reeds, and an upper layer of clay, and are kept filled mostly by mist and dew. The presence of a dew pond is a sure sign that ancient man dwelt in the neighbourhood.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Stone Age and beyond” mean?
They are cunningly made, with a lower layer of straw or reeds, and an upper layer of clay, and are kept filled mostly by mist and dew. The presence of a dew pond is a sure sign that ancient man dwelt in the neighbourhood.
Is “Stone Age and beyond” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.