EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 2tg 



amphitheatre from the Duchy of Cornwall for the use of the 

 general public. 



The season's work has been most satisfactory ; but at the same 

 time it should be borne in mind that, although the ladder of 

 knowledge in respect to the former condition of Maumbury is 

 gradually being ascended, there is yet much to be done before 

 the problems which present themselves as the work progresses 

 can be solved, before the many theories advanced by those 

 competent to raise them can be accepted or refuted, and before 

 the actual purpose of several of the structural details can be 

 elucidated beyond doubt or cavil. 



II. CUTTING XII., N.N.E. ENTRANCE (PLATE I.). 



"We marked out for excavation on the western side of the 

 northern entrance a plot of ground which at the close of the 

 excavations had been extended to an irregular area, measuring 

 aoft. on the E., ayft. on the N., 34-|ft. on the W., and 4o|ft. on 

 the S., which exposed a large part of the entrance on the 

 western side and the commencement of the actual arena. 



In many respects the structural details revealed were a 

 counterpart of those found on the E. side of the entrance-way 

 in 1908, but the W. side was in better preservation. The two 

 seasons' work showed that the entrance had been hollowed out 

 of the solid chalk to a width of about 2i^ft. and levelled, the 

 floor being at an average depth of 6' 5ft. below the present 

 surface. The original level of the solid chalk in this part was 

 probably at a slightly higher level than the present turf-clad 

 surface. 



This year the side wall of solid chalk was found to correspond 

 to that uncovered in the eastern entrance cutting in 1908. As 

 anticipated, it was found to round off to form the wall and 

 podium* of the western half of the arena. The height of this 

 wall above the chalk floor averaged 6ft., and on its top a 



* The name podium was sometimes also applied to the wall itself. 



