Woven baskets characterized by a particular distinctive pattern have previously been

found only in the immediate vicinity of the prehistoric village of Palea and

therefore were believed to have been made only by the Palean people. Recently,

however, archaeologists discovered such a "Palean" basket in Lithos, an ancient

village across the Brim River from Palea. The Brim River is very deep and broad, and

so the ancient Paleans could have crossed it only by boat, and no Palean boats have

been found. Thus it follows that the so-called Palean baskets were not uniquely

Palean.

The argument above is talking about palean baskets and their being unique or not. The author is
assuming some facts to reach his conclusion. But those assumptions that he relied are greatly
flawed.

The first assumption author is making is that the Palean people only lived in Palea and never
moved from there. Since he is constantly referring that palean baskets to be palean in origin must
have to be found in Palea. But there is no evidence he is giving to prove that Palean people were
not living in Lithos before or after living in Palea. He is merely assuming it.

He also based his assumption on another few assumptions. One is, the Brim river was always
that much deep and broad that anyone would have needed boat to cross it. He again didn't give
any proof or evidence for that assumption. It's very normal and common that a river might have
been very narrow and shallow when it was first created and gradually got bigger, dipper and
broader with time. So, it's very much possible that the river was than crossable by foot and
Palean people had crossed it easily.

Another assumption he is making that the only proof of Palean people being able to use boats is
to find its existence now. Though it is a prehistoric event he is referring to, he still wants those
boats. But its also very much likable that the boats that Palean people had made are no longer
preserved. They might have been ruined completely or gone under thousands of feet beneath the
earth surface or even became coal.

Another assumption ha is making is that the baskets could have been moved only by Palean
people and only when they themselves moved from one place to another. But, it is possible that
the baskets were originally made by Palean peolpe but were transferred from their Palea village
to Lithos or any other place by peolpe of that place, i.e. people living in Lithos. And even if the
Palean people might not have been able to cross the river or build boat, it doesn't mean that other
people of that time also were unable to make boat or cross the river. It is very much possible that
other people might come in contact with palean people and their baskets and those other people
had moved those baskets from Palea village to Lithos.

According to all those faulty assumptions, the author's conclusion is very much weak and
flawed. If he had given evidence against these flaws, the argument would have been cogent,
persuasive and strong.