52 EXTAVATIONS AT BiRRENSWARK. 



applied to the former, and partially, to the extent presumably 

 found requisite, to the latter also. 



The entrances are skilfully designed, so that approach to the 

 interior can be had only through narrow openings on either side, 

 flanked right and left by the rampart and the traverse ; and the 

 traverses, while rising but little above the opposing ground, 

 together with the formidable ditches, seem effective barriers. 



In regard to the degree of permanency characterising the 

 camp, it has hitherto been classed as a temporary one. The 

 structural details of the fortifications, as before described, do not, 

 however, aff'ord any support for this, but for the contrary view, 

 and the large central buildings and extensive heavy pavements 

 of the interior evidence intended occupation more or less pro- 

 longed. 



Coming to the evidence of occupation, which is not plentiful, 

 regard must be had to the very small projiortion of the area 

 examined, and to the probable disappearance of much in former 

 times. At a point in the interior, opj osite the buildings and on 

 the other side of the rivulet, the earth showed abundant traces of 

 charcoal, and more limited traces of it were met Avith at several 

 other places. A millstone has already been mentioned as lying in 

 the redoubt, where several small fragments of grey pottery, the 

 bottom of a bronze vessel, a whetstone, a piece of slag, and a 

 considerable quantity of iron in shapeless pieces, one of them 

 attached to remains of an oak plant, were also recovered, 

 as were likewise two stone balls, one of them in the east 

 trench, and several leaden sling-bolts. Within the camp 

 were recovered a number of these sling-bolts, ten in one group, 

 others singly, one from the counterscarp of the north ditch, a 

 number of stone balls, singly, an iron spear-head and fragments 

 of another weapon, an iron axe-head and part of another, 

 quantities of shapeless iron, slag, a bronze ring, half of a small 

 stone disc, a bead, a worked flint flake, and a fragment of red 

 pottery, horseshoe of iron, several whetstones, leaden whorl, and 

 two fragments of glass or paste, probably bracelets. The relics 

 will be more particularly described by Dr Anderson. 



There has doubtless been occupation, but any idea of the 

 probable duration cannot be inferred. The impression formed on 

 the evidence revealed by the excavations is that a period which 

 might be described as temporary would hardly satisfy the con- 

 ditions ; and there does not, on the other hand, seem to be anj' 



