412 Records of Finds not mentioned elsewhere, 
Graves at Crofton, Burbage. 
In the chalk-pit, north of the pumping station, at Crofton, human skeletons 
are frequently found. On many visits, I have noticed dark patches in the clean 
face of the chalk, and on May 16th, 1892, I succeeded in obtaining the greater — 
portion of a skeleton. I cannot assign any period to these interments, but the 
field over them is paved with flint weapons. On one visit I observed children 
building miniature castles with human femur and tibiz. 
Find of Bones and two Coins of Carausius. 
On June 6th, 1892, a labourer brought me two coins of Carausius (“ Pax’ 
types) which he had found with a number of bones whilst stone digging, at the 
Park, Ogbourne St. Andrew. On the following day I visited his diggings, and 
collected bones of a small dog, goat, sheep, and a few horse’s teeth besides the 
usual oyster shells. I observed that the stones were stained by fire, and I 
obtained three flint strike-a-lights, with some pieces of pottery. 
I imagine this to be the remains of a Romano-British feast, about the time of 
Carausius’ assuming the purple (A.D. 287—293). 
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Discovery of a Roman Skeleton on Manton Downs. 
On March 6th, 1891, while Mr. A. Taylor’s men were levelling some ground 
about a quarter of a mile west of the fallen kistveen on Manton Downs, they dug 
into a cist cut in the solid chalk containing a skeleton. They only made the 
discovery when their picks suddenly worked easily, while penetrating the non- 
resisting skull. Through the kindness of Mr. A. Taylor, Jun., I was apprised of 
the find, and I visited the spot and gathered what information I could relating to it. 
The skeleton was interred at full length north and south, about 3ft. Gin. 
beneath the surface, with the skull between the feet, and an ampulla taking 
the proper position of the skull. The ampulla had been gnawed by rodents, 
and being of an undoubted Roman pattern I anxiously turned over the excavated 
soil to find a personal ornament, a single coin, a few nails, or any object to 
help in determining the period, but my search was fruitless. The skeleton 
was in a good state of preservation, owing to the chalk which arrests, rather 
than assists, the process of decay. It has proved to be that of a female about 
25 years of age, about 5ft. 6in. in height, well proportioned, though somewhat 
slight. The head appears to have been severed from the body at the sixth 
cervical vertebra, by a sharp instrument. The first cut was delivered slantingly 
and splintered the process, but did not sever the column. The vertebral 
column shows a slight abnormality, there being six lumbar vertebre instead 
of the usual five, and to compensate for this there are only eleven dorsal. 
The skull has a high cephalic index and no supercilliary ridges. 
The decapitation I cannot account for, but it is interesting to reflect that 
the severity of the Roman laws extended to Britain. I imagine the sepulture 
to belong to the period of Constantine, A.D. 312—337. The evidence of coins 
proves that the Roman station ‘‘ Cunetio” was occupied principally at this time.* 
* In the Marlborough College N. H. Report, No. 39, pp. 112, 113, I 
have proved that “Cunetio” was situated at Kennet until the time of Gallienus, 
A.D. 268, after which it was moved to Mildenhall. 
