112 EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 



Above and below the pick (No. 400) a large mass of frag- 

 ments of charred antler was revealed, some of the pieces being 

 far more calcined than others ; one or two fragmentary 

 animal bones were also found here,and a good deal of blackened 

 wood (not true charcoal). This was identified at the Royal 

 Botanic Gardens at Kew as hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). 

 It is said that this tree is now rare in Dorset, though an 

 undoubted native. 



Four pieces of flint, much calcined, were found in the mouths 

 of some of the shafts, viz., No. 360 in Shaft XIII., Nos. 393 

 and 414 in Shaft XIV., and No. 371 in Shaft XV. 



In the 1912 Report it was recorded that a remarkable 

 carving in chalk was found in the filling of Shaft X., which 

 perhaps affords further evidence of phallicism in early pre- 

 historic times. This season two somewhat similar objects 

 of chalk were discovered. No. 409 is mentioned in the 

 description of Cutting XXXII. into the earthwork. The 

 other (No. 378) was found in the mouth of Shaft XV., and 

 consists of a piece of carved chalk of circular section, broken 

 at both ends ; diam. at larger end 2Jins., tapering to 2jins. 

 at the other end. 



Excavation of the Great Bank (Plates II., IV.). At the same 

 time as the excavation of the enclosure and shafts was in 

 progress, men were employed in penetrating the Great Bank 

 (to the middle of its crest) on the line of the transverse axis. 

 This part of the cutting was 10ft. wide at the top, a con- 

 siderable batter being necessary to keep the sides standing 

 as the digging was continued downwards. 



The upper part of the Civil War terrace, which had to be 

 removed, was composed chiefly of chalk rubble, closely 

 compacted and with horizontal stratification. The maximum 

 thickness of this material, measured vertically, proved to be 

 5' 8ft. ; and the width of the whole terrace (at its highest 

 part), measured horizontally, was 33ft. Below it the old 

 surface covered in the XVII. Century was clearly defined, 

 and its junction with the turf at the E. margin of the terrace 

 was quite distinct. 



