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Excavations at Avebury. 211 
in for the purpose of propping the massive stone in its upright 
position. On digging on the other (the west) side of the same 
stone, we found a*continuation of the same layer of sarsen blocks. 
The next hole was dug close to the tall upright stone (“‘b” in the 
map); this disclosed the same sarsen fouudations as in the other 
instance. The fact that these stones were thus supported, has not, 
as far as I am aware, been hitherto observed. 
In digging near the large stone, we noticed at a spot about a 
foot below the surface, a quantity of black charred matter. This 
discovery induced us to extend our operations by digging a large 
trench from this spot in an east north east direction, ten feet from 
the great western stone: and throughout this distance we found 
numerous large flakes and chips of sarsen, covered with black 
charred matter and burnt straw, or other material ; but beyond this 
it ceased, and the ground appeared undisturbed as in other parts. 
But again we came upon more burnt matter and more charred stones 
in a hole we dug farther on in the same direction, viz., E.N.E., from 
the great western stone. Here there apparently stood the third stone 
of the Cove, exactly equidistant from the inside centre of the 
remaining two; and the fire of destruction having been lit (as was 
customary) beneath it, it fell towards the western stone, where 
again other fires were lit for breaking up the upper portion, and 
hence the chippings cr flakes and burnt matter in that immediate 
spot. At first I was inclined to attribute these flakes to the remains 
of an “ Altar stone,’ which might have once stood in the centre of 
the three stones of ‘the Cove,” and since have been destroyed, but 
this theory is not supported by any tangible facts. We now sunk 
another hole due east of the large western stone of the Cove, on the 
supposition that the tall stone standing due south, might have been 
‘4 flanked by large stones east and west, but we came upon no trace of 
any stone having ever stood in that position. A good deal of British 
pottery, and many anima] bones; sheep, horse, ox, and dog, were 
fonnd in all of these holes, more especially in the latter, but no 
human bones whatever. I should add, that above the natural soil 
within the Cove, now a rick-yard, an accumulation of chalk rubble 
covers the surface of the ground to the depth of above a foot: 
a 
