By Maud E. Cunnington. 419 



in favour of the camp being of more recent date than the Bronze 

 Age, two sherds of pottery which have been pronounced to be of 

 Late Celtic type, were found beneath the rampart, one on the old 

 surface level, the other in the turf which had been thrown up with 

 the rampart. It is scarcely possible that a rampart can be older 

 than remains which are contained in it, in such positions as these, 

 and if this pottery is more recent than the Bronze Age, the 

 rampart must be also. 



As the evidence on the one hand seems to show that the camp 

 is pre-Eoman, and on the other hand that it is post-Bronze Age, 

 it would seem, therefore, that it is in all probability the work of 

 the Late Celtic people of the Early Iron Age. 



The exploration of earthworks has been neglected in the past 

 far more than their intrinsic interest has deserved. Some of the 

 reasons for this neglect are obvious enough. The chances are, that, 

 from the relic hunter's point of view, the results will be dis- 

 appointing ; ramparts are apt to be unproductive, and searching 

 for scanty fragments in the silt of ditches is often dull work, and 

 much time and labour may be expended without any very tangible 

 results. It is so much quicker and simpler to explore a barrow, 

 that it is little wonder that our knowledge of barrows is compara- 

 tively ample, while of earthworks it is still so meagre. 



As the contents of many barrows had to be recorded before 

 much light was thrown upon their history, so the examination of 

 many earthworks is needed to help interpret the history of one. 

 It is hoped, therefore, that though the work at Oliver's Camp may 

 not have resulted in any very tangible or considerable addition to 

 our knowledge of earthworks in general, the little that has been 

 gleaned may be of value in so far as it helps towards this common 

 end. 



The Entrance. 

 What we will call the main entrance in the centre of the eastern 

 rampart, proved to be the most interesting structural feature 

 brought to light at the camp. 



