260 EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 



the W.S.W., resting on loose material just over the inner step 

 of the trench (Plate IV.). Round the largest stone were 

 found numbers of small shells (see chap, vii.) and tiny frag- 

 ments of red pottery ; also a few larger pieces of Romano- 

 British pottery, and a large piece of bronze bordering (No. 

 222). As the largest stone hardly touched the arena-floor 

 and the others were at least 7in. above it, it seems probable 

 that they came into that position soon after the abandon- 

 ment of Maumbury as an amphitheatre. 



VI. CUTTING XX. 

 PREHISTORIC SHAFTS. 



Having fully exposed all the Roman features presented 

 by this great cutting, we turned our attention to an examina- 

 tion of the mouths of the three prehistoric shafts (Nos. V., 

 VI., and VII.), situated between the walling on the W. and 

 the arena on the E. (Plate IV.). 



We decided not to go to a great depth with Shaft V., as only 

 a part of its mouth came within the bounds of the cutting at 

 the S.W. end ; chalk rubble to a depth of 8'5ft. below the 

 old turf line under the terrace was removed, and large 

 numbers of white flint flakes of Neolithic type were found. 

 At from 6ft. to 6 - 5ft. deep, a red-deer tine (No. 227), a much 

 weathered antler pick (No. 229), and remains of pig and ox 

 were uncovered ; and on the W., within an area measuring 

 2ft. by TTSft., no less than five implements of red-deer antler 

 were discovered. Nos. 232 to 235 are all picks, but No. 236 

 is a tool too fragmentary to determine its precise use, but it 

 was charred. No. 235 is a very massive pick formed from 

 a shed antler, its present length being 23in. ; another had 

 a circumference of 224mm. just above the burr. 



We then proceeded to clear the mouths of Shafts VI. and 

 VII., but the latter produced no relics, and was not re- 

 excavated beyond a depth of 4'5ft. below the platform and 

 3'5ft. below the arena-floor. 



