110 EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 



From this cutting, in conjunction with others, it appeared 

 probable that long before the existence of the enclosure and 

 the inner and outer barriers, there was a prehistoric trench 

 of large proportions between the arena-wall and the solid 

 arena-floor on the line of the shafts discovered. This cutting 

 added five more pits to those previously known, viz., Shafts 

 XII., XIII., XIV., XV., and XVI. (Plate III., B.). Only part of 

 the N. margin of Shaft XII. was traced at the S. end of the 

 cutting ; of Shaft XIII. * the N. and S. margins were cleared 

 (giving a width of only 3'75ft.) ; of Shaft XVI. at the N. end 

 only the S. margin could be determined. But the outlines 

 of Shafts XIV. and XV. in the central part of the cutting 

 were entirely re-excavated. 



Shaft XIV. (Plate I.). This was of an irregular oval form, 

 the long diameter, 12ft. at the mouth, being E. and W., the 

 short diameter 6' 75ft. (The mouth of this shaft is seen 

 between the platform and the surveying post, Plate III., B.). 

 It was found to be 25' 8ft. deep below the nearest arena-turf, 

 and 33' 6ft. below the old turf line under the Great Bank. 

 Towards the bottom it was of circular section with diameters 

 of 4ft. at 9ft., and 3' 1ft. at 1ft., from the bottom. At higher 

 levels the rounded section had a flattening on the W. The 

 bottom was basin-shaped, but not quite true, being slightly 

 deeper on the S.W. than on the N.E. The chalk rubble 

 filling of this shaft was moister than in any of the other pits 

 re-excavated. 



Besides the antler pick (No. 402), depth 9ft., and an antler 

 rake (No. 392), depth 6'5ft. below the arena-turf, a few 

 other fragments of antler were found at a depth of 8 '5ft. 

 Below this very little was discovered until, at a short distance 

 from the bottom, a fine rounded nodule of flint about 5Jins. 

 in diameter was brought to light. Within a foot of the 

 bottom a pick formed from the antler of a slain red-deer 

 (No. 405) was discovered ; the skull part was slightly charred, 



* In the mouth of this shaft part of a pick (No. 357) and the point 

 of an antler tine (No. 359) were found. 



