EXCAVATIONS AT MELANDRA IN 1906. 



The work at Melandra . during the year 1906 was directed 

 definitely to obtaining answers to four questions : — 



I. — Did any remains exist of the spina 'of the eastern gate- 

 way? The answer was in the negative, but the excavations 

 produced the first specimens of the iron sockets of the gates 

 found at Melandra so far. 



2. — Were there any buildings on the terrace half-way down 

 the western slope ? Several deep trenches revealed nothing, 

 and the work was abandoned. 



3. — Did the ridges outside the north gate indicate a building ? 

 Excavation soon brought to light a small square building, 

 evidently of Roman construction. 



4. — Would the uncovering of the rest of the central building 

 afford further evidence of its plan ? The heavy work of re- 

 moving the surface soil, which in some cases was piled five 

 feet high, has not been unrewarded. The whole building is 

 now cleared, and the three rooms have been trenched in the 

 search for buried remains. Thanks mainly to Mr. Hamnetts 

 subsequent work, foundations, indicating a plan somewhat 

 similar to that of the Hard Knott headquarters, have been 

 met with, the foundations lost by Mr. Garstang have been 

 picked up, and a pit, containing part of an altar and other 

 remains, has been discovered. 



A detailed report of the work sketched above, illu.strated by 

 plans and photographs, wUl be issued early in the New Year 

 by the Committee of the Classical Association, entitled Toothill, 

 Mancunium, and Melandra. Canon Hicks has kindly consented 

 to write for this report an article on the Melandra Altar and 

 Mithras Worship among the Romans in Britain. 



F. A. Bruton, 

 Hon. Secretary, Excavation Committee. 



November, 1 906. 



