THE EXCAVATIONS 37 



ground floor of these is paved with large slabs, which are 

 roughly indicated to scale in the plan; at the other gates 

 no such paving is seen, the interior appearing to be a 

 mere core. No bold projecting pilasters are seen here ; 

 there is merely a slight projection of two stones at the 

 outer side, as if to receive a light arch. Fewer voussoirs 

 were found, but this is the side from which it would be 

 most easy to carry away stone. The indications are not 

 strongly in favour of the existence of a stone arch at all. 

 The form of the gate can only be a matter of conjecture. 

 While the road that passes through the gate (the road is 

 in excellent condition) was being uncovered, an iron bar 

 five feet long was found lying across it between the guard 

 chambers. Unfortunately it was not possible to preserve 

 it intact. The only other finds were a few voussoirs, and 

 a chamfered impost measuring 8| by 6^ by 2| inches. 



One of the most interesting facts brought out by the 

 excavation of this gate was first pointed out by Mr. 

 J. H. Hopkinson. In the vertical section of the bank 

 that rested against the inner face of the eastern guard 

 chamber (the clay rampart clearly came right up to the 

 tower walls at this gate) a line of fragments of red tile 

 was distinctly shown sloping gradually downwards towards 

 the road. Assuming (as is most probable) that this line 

 represents the original slope of the bank, upon which the 

 tiles fell as the building was demolished, it shows clearly 

 that right and left of the gateway inside the fort, the bank 

 sloped gently upwards, and so served as an approach to 

 the rampart walk. This was also the method of approach 

 to the rampart walk at the Saalburg.^^ At Gellygaer, 

 where the earth would be too loose to form a bank, the 

 rampart walk was approached precisely at this point by 



31. Das Romerkastell Saalbtirg, von A. von Cohausen und L. Jacobi, 

 p. 24 : "ein Wehrgang, zu welchem eine sanfte Boschung hinauffiihrte." 



