EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 217 



SHORT REPORT ON 

 THE EXCAVATIONS OF 19O9. 



By H. ST. GEORGE GRAY. 



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES ACCOMPANYING THIS 

 REPORT : 



PLATE I. Photograph, taken from the east, of the western half of the northern 

 entrance -way into the amphitheatre. The hewn chalk wall is seen to turn 

 towards the west to form the wall of the arena, running parallel to which are two 

 trenches excavated to show the position of the post-holes. In the foreground, 

 the western group of stones. 



PLATE II. Photograph, taken from the X.N.E., showing the excavation made 

 down to the solid chalk through the embankment on the S.S.W. of "the Eings." 

 The rectangular area in the foreground appears to be the den for impounding 

 beasts. The pathway approaching it is 14ift. wide at its junction with the 

 enclosure. The dark seam of mould indicates an old turf level of comparatively 

 recent times. The rod is 10ft. high. 



I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



Until last year the field-archaeologist had paid little attention 

 to the examination of the Roman amphitheatres of Britain a 

 fact bewailed, among others, by the late Mr. Thos. Morgan, 

 F.S.A., in his work on "Romano-British Mosaic Pavements." 

 General Pitt-Rivers several years ago partly excavated a small 

 earthwork of this class just outside the Romano-British village of 

 Woodcuts.* The amphitheatre at Silchester, of which Hoare 

 gives an effective drawing,! was untouched by the Society of 

 Antiquaries of London in their thorough excavation of that 



* " Excavations in Cranborue Chase," I., 21. 

 t " History of Ancient Wiltshire," II., Roman ^Era, PI. I., facing p. 57. 



