EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 243 



III. CUTTING II. EXTENSION. 



This cutting was made as a southern continuation of 

 Cutting II., 1908,* in order to examine the arena just beyond 

 the N. entrance, and to follow the arena- wall and inner 

 trench toward the E.S.E. The area examined measured 

 40ft. E. and W. by 10ft. N. and S. (Plate I.). 



The arena-floor in the middle and western part of the cutting 

 was reached at an average depth of 5'5ft. ; it was well pre- 

 served and even, falling in an easterly direction to the extent 

 of 0'25ft. in the length of the cutting. In one place it was 

 found to be covered to a depth of 0'25ft., with a deposit of 

 sandy loam. 



On the arena-floor, or just above it, the following objects 

 were found : No. 178, fragment of red Samian pottery 

 (Fig. 4) ; No. 179, iron spear-head with split socket, having 

 a blade (bent) of narrow leaf-shaped outline (Fig. 3)f ; No. 

 182, temporal bone of a human skull ; No. 183, blade and part 

 of the tang of a single-edged iron knife, length 4'18in. (Fig. 

 3) ; No. 184, bronze pin with slender stem and large solid 

 spherical head, having in places an emerald-green coloured 

 patination (Fig. 5 )| ; No. 186, half an armlet of Kimmeridge 

 shale, lathe-turned (Fig. 4) ; No. 193, an open-work bronze 

 object, perhaps a belt or girdle ornament, or fastening, well 

 patinated, broken off at the smaller end, and bent (Fig. 5) ; 

 and a piece of Roman tegulum. 



The rock-chalk arena- wall met with at the E. end was per- 

 haps the best preserved and most imposing part exposed 

 (height 7 1 75ft. above the bottom of the trench at its foot). 



* Report, 1908, pp. 10-13. Proc. Dor. Field Club, XXIX., 204-7. 



t An iron javelin-head was found at Maumbury in 1908. Report, 1908, 

 p. 14. Proc. Dor. Field Club, XXIX., 268. 



% It is extremely top-heavy, and would therefore be unsuitable for decorating 

 the person. 



Such objects are found commonly among Roman remains in Dorset and 

 elsewhere, and also in the lake villages of Somerset, 



