THE CONE OF THE TINIERE. 389 



surfaces was traced on the south side of the cone, over a 

 surface of 15,000 square feet: it had a thickness of four to 

 six inches, and occurred at a depth of about four feet (1*14 

 metre measured to the base of the layer) below the present 

 surface of the cone. This layer, which belonged to the Roman 

 period, contained tiles and a Eoman coin. 



The second layer was traced over a surface of 25,000 square 

 feet ; it was six inches in thickness, and lay at a depth of 

 about ten feet (2'97 metres) including the thickness of the 

 layer. In it have been found several fragments of unglazed 

 pottery, and a pair of tweezers in bronze. The third layer 

 has been followed for 3500 square feet; it was six or seven 

 inches in thickness, and lay at a depth of nineteen feet 

 (5 '69 metres) below the present surface : in it were found 

 some fragments of very rude pottery, some pieces of charcoal, 

 some broken bones, and a human skeleton with a small, round, 

 and very thick skull. Fragments of charcoal were even found 

 a foot deeper, and it is also worthy of notice that no trace of 

 tiles was found below the upper layer of earth. 



Towards the centre of the cone the three layers disappear, 

 since at this part the torrent has most force, and has deposited 

 the coarsest materials, even some blocks as much as three 

 feet in diameter. The farther we go from this central region, 

 the smaller are the materials deposited, and the more easily 

 might a layer of earth, formed since the last great inundations, 

 be covered over by fresh deposits. Thus, at a depth of ten 

 feet, in the gravel on the south of the cone, at a part where 

 the layer of earth belonging to the Bronze Age had already 

 disappeared, two unrolled bronze implements were discovered. 

 They had probably been retained by their weight, when the 

 earth which once covered them was washed away by the 

 torrent. After disappearing towards the centre of the cone, 

 the three layers reappear on the north side, at a slightly 

 greater depth, but with the same regularity, and the same 



