27 
The fire-place had occupied the centre of the circle, as in No. 1, and 
around it were found bones similar to those found in Pit 1, with the 
addition of several teeth of a small species of horse and bones of the 
hare and rabbit. The bones were in most cases broken; and some 
were wrought for use as implements. Two flint arrow-heads were 
found in the alley, and the centre of the circle further contained flint- 
flakes, scrapers, cores, and various other instruments, a fragment of a 
rude grain-rubber, and a flint muller, showing use on one side. Here, 
also, occurred a whetstone, made from a piece of boulder sandstone, 
such as he had observed occurring in the drift of the Reading beds ; 
and, evidently from the same drift, a lump of native ironstone, contain- 
ing a large percentage of the metal, which had been picked up by some 
occupant of the pit, and used asa hammer. As throwing some light 
on their domestic economy, a chalk spindle-whorl was found, and with 
it a small disk of pottery, bored at the centre, the direction of the 
hole showing that it had been suspended with a string, perhaps around 
its owner’s neck, The whole of the fictile ware found here was of a 
- very rude, hand-made type ; and some of the crocks were scored with 
irregular zigzag lines, made seemingly with a pointed stick. 
At 9ft. south of Pit 7 was found a circular hole in the chalk, 
which, when cleared out, was found to be 5ft. in diameter and 3ft, in 
depth. It contained a quantity of bones of animals, similar to those 
already enumerated, and snail shells that had been exposed to fire ; 
and beneath the bones a quantity of charred flints, mingled with char- 
coal and ashes. It was evident strong fire had been used here, as a 
good deal of the chalk surrounding the hole was burnt through to the 
depth of several inches, which led to the inference, coupled with its 
contiguity to Pit 7, that the place was a cooking-hole. 
It was not unusual for uncivilized people to have their cooking 
places outside their dwellings; but, as far as he was aware, this was 
the first instance of a cooking hole of this kind having been found 
in this country; and the usage would rather seem suited to the 
inhabitants of a climate milder than that of Britain, Thus, the 
Negro conducted his culinary operations in the open air 
outside his hut ; and the Navajoe Indian, who frequented caves and 
rock shelters, in like manner made his cooking fire at a short distance 
- from his dwelling. (Catlin’s North American Indians), The inhabi- 
tants of the Highfield Pits, near Salisbury, explored not long since, 
were thought to have conducted their cooking outside their habitations. 
(See Flint Chips, p, 59.) 
