af 



near 



, 1903. 



By H. St. GEORGE GRAY and CHAS. S. PRIDEAUX. 



(Read Feb. 1st, 1904.) 



rOANY indeed by far the greater number of our 

 British Barrows have already, been opened, but a 

 very small proportion of these have been syste- 

 matically excavated. The eminent men that we 

 are accustomed to associate with barrow-digging 

 are Greenwell, Rolleston, Pitt-Rivers, Thurnam, 

 Hoare, and Bateman. Of these Canon Greenwell 

 may be considered the father of barrow-digging. 

 The work of Sir R. C. Hoare and Mr. Bateman 

 was unsystematic, whilst that of General Pitt-Rivers was as 

 methodical and thorough as possible. 



It was on the lines of Pitt-Rivers that we turned our attention 

 to these Martinstown Barrows, which, fortunately, proved not to 

 have been previously excavated, although several barrows in 

 sight of those under consideration both on the Ridgeway and 

 elsewhere bear external appearances of having been opened. 



Every facility was offered by the owner of the land, Mr. W. E. 

 Hawkins, who readily acquiesced in the carrying out of the 

 work and evinced considerable interest in the progress of the 

 operations. 



