I78 WITH REMARKS UPON THE OBJECTS FOUND. 



known mounds in the Wigborough and Mersea districts, prepared 

 by Mr. W. H. Dalton, F.G.S. The sites are plotted on the 

 1 -inch map, and are consequently only approximations to the 

 true positions. 



In the remarks that follow, I make no pretension to putting 

 forth a complete and permanent theory of the origin and use of 

 the Red-hills. I simply wish to make a few suggestions, which 

 may be taken as " working hypotheses " in guiding the investi- 

 gations of future explorers. 



In any discussion of the subject the following data should be 

 kept in mind : — 



I. The distribution of the Red-hills on the saltings and marshes, above 

 high-water mark, and generally fairly close to existing salt creeks and estuaries. 

 None are found inland. 



II. The great number of " hills " at present known. It is probable that 

 Mr. Dalton. Dr. Laver, and myself could plot down 200 on the Essex map. 



III. The large size of many of them. They vary in extent from half-an-acre 

 to about 25 acres, and as the burnt earth is often several feet thick, the total 

 quantity must be prodigious. One near Peldon, covering 10 acres, Mr. Stopes 

 estimated to contain some ico.000 tons of red-earth. 



IV. The apparent homogeneity of the burnt earth, and the close corres- 

 pondence of structure and contents of one " hill " with another. 



V. The numerical proportions of the fragments of pottery. The vast 

 number of shards were of the coarse, thick pottery, often so plentiful as to form, 

 quite one-fourth of the whole mass of burnt stuff. The paucity of the wedges 

 and T-shaped pieces, and the comparatively small number of fragments of the 

 finer ware. 



Whilst wotking at the hills, the conclusion irresistibly forced 

 itself upon us that we had there the debris of some primitive kind 

 of pottery-making industry, and I put forward that hypothesis 

 when relating the results of the Burnham exploration at the 

 meeting of the Club at Colchester in March, 1S89 (Essex Nat., 

 hi., 163-4), an d again at the meeting at Virley on April 13th, 

 1903 (Essex Nat., Vol. xiii., pp. 244-5). On consultation with an. 

 old potter employed at the Potteries in Honey Lane, Waltham 

 Abbey, he pointed out the similarity of the fragments of coarse 

 pottery to the ware of the great seggars used to protect pots 

 during firing. He also recognised the T-pieces as suggesting, 

 the rudely moulded rods or '' spacers '' of clay used to keep the 

 pots expanded whilst being baked. The little " bricks " are 

 like the wedges still used in potteries to keep the vessels upright 



