By William Gowland, FS.A., FIC. 11 
down to the chalk rock. The solid chalk was reached at about 
3 feet below the datum line, except in the space left by the falling 
of the monolith from its upright position. 
At a depth of 3 feet 4 inches the north-west side of the monolith 
was seen to slope away sharply at an angle of about 43 degrees. 
(Fig. 4.) Beneath this sloping part two blocks of sarsen were 
exposed, a small one which was removed, and a large one which 
was subsequently found to extend right across the base, and to 
have been placed there as a support for the monolith when it was 
originally erected. 

: 
Tpatum LINE 
: 
Fig. 4. South-west side of the underground portion of the stone. 
The excavation was carried down to a depth of 7 feet, the lower 
half being for the most part in the chalk rock. 
The chief objects found were :— 
A Roman coin, a sestertius of Commodus, 8 inches below the turf. 
A penny of George III., at the same depth. 
In Layer 5, Division CR, a flint hammerstone with edge. 
In Layer 5, Division DR, a splinter of deer’s horn embedded in a lump of 
chalk. This is of considerable importance as evidence of the use of deer’s 
horn picks for excavating the chalk. 

