ijO EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 



have been found in Dorset at Hod Hill, * Shapwick, * Long- 

 bredy, f Charlton Marshall, f Somerleigh Court (Dorchester), f 

 Woodcuts, j Wor Barrow (Handley), J &c. 



It is evident, then, that the dark seam represented a turf-clad 

 surface in the earlier part of the XVII. Century, and perhaps for 

 some time previously. At the period of the Civil Wars this old 

 turf line, having only a slight inclination (as above described), 

 appears to have been covered up, the embankment here being 

 raised to a steeper incline of 11, which towards the crest 

 increased to an angle of 19. This thrown-up material of recent 

 date consisted of chalk with occasional irregular seams of finer 

 mixed mould and chalk. Very little pottery was found in it 

 indeed only the few shards that happened to be mixed up with 

 the rubble. Some of the material may have been carted, but the 

 probability is that the original vallum on either side was 

 mutilated for the purpose of its construction. 



Minor structural details in connection with this part of Cutting 

 XV. cannot be dealt with here. 



VI. SQUARE ENCLOSURE AT THE N. END OF CUTTING XV. 



(Plate II.} 



As previously mentioned, the level of the arena floor was 

 reached in excavating the y-ft. cutting at the N. end, and the S. 

 end of this floor terminated in a nearly vertical transverse wall of 

 chalk. The floor was found to be bounded also on the E. by a 

 side wall of solid chalk. It being necessary to follow these 

 walls, the main cutting was widened, chiefly on the W. side, to 

 the extent of 21 ft. before the structure of this area was fully 

 understood. 



* Burden Collection, Brit. Mus. There are about two dozen penaimular 

 brooches from Hod Hill. 



t In the Dorset County Museum. 

 % In the Pitt-Rivers Museum, Farnham, Doreet. 



