THE HILL-FORTRESS CALLED EGGARDUN. 35 



of the structure remained almost empty ; no subsequent in-wash 

 had filled them up. 



The thickness of this open-work was 2 feet 2 inches, and its 

 purpose was obvious. Had the pit been excavated in a bed of 

 chalk, any rain that got in through the roof of rushes or boughs, 

 would have sunk away. But, dug ,as it was in the stiff clay that 

 capped the hill, water would quickly have "ponded." The loose 

 aggregate of coarse flint was a perfect provision for drainage, 

 by which the carpet of heather or bracken was kept dry. 



The dimensions of the pit were as follows : 



ft. in. 



Depth of the turf-floor beneath the general turf- 

 surface of the camp . . . . . . ..20 



Thickness of silt 2 6 



Depth of dwelling . . . . ..46 



Thickness of drainage rubble . . . . ..22 



Total depth of pit 68 



ft. in. 

 The rim of the pit had been probably raised at 



least two feet by the excavated earth . . ..20 



Poles or branches, placed on this, tentwise, so 

 as to meet in the centre, would give an eleva- 

 tion of, say, four feet . . . . . . ..40 



Depth of dwelling as above . . . . ..46 



Total height of dwelling .. . . 10 6 



