262 EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMHURY RINGS. 



In the deeper excavation in the middle, the sequence of the 

 soils was puzzling, and will be described hereafter. The most 

 important " finds " at depths below 3'sft. were : Two pieces of 

 red Samian and four other pieces of Roman pottery, one on the 

 chalk floor. At a depth of 3ft. were found coins of (i) Carausius, 

 A.D. 287-293, and (2) Constantine I., A.D. 307-337, of a type not 

 often found, with horizontal inscription on the reverse only. 



Culling IX. was slightly to the S. of Cutting I., measuring i3ft. 

 E. and W., and 4ft. N. and S. It revealed the " modern " trench 

 in more attenuated proportions, width at top about 9'3ft., depth 

 2'7ft. (against 4*ift. in Cutting I.). The width of the bottom of 

 the trench (minimum 4' 7ft.) extended on the W. just to the 

 margin of the deeper excavation, the bottom of which was 7ft. 

 from the surface. These dimensions showed the trench to be 

 getting smaller and shallower as it approached the arena, in 

 which direction we now dug. At 4ft. to the S. the ledge was 

 found at 2'ift. from the surface, diminishing to i'25ft. at loft, to 

 the S., where all traces of it disappeared. The sloping chalk 

 wall of the trench on the E. also gradually tapered out. In this 

 area several fragments of glazed earthenware, of a kind common 

 in the seventeenth century, were collected. If this ledge has an 

 early origin, it would be expected to present a worn and slightly 

 concave surface, but, as a matter of fact, it was flat throughout, 

 which certainly does not indicate prolonged use. The ledge and 

 the trench above it, therefore, can only reasonably be supposed 

 to have served a temporary purpose possibly during the Civil 

 Wars of Charles I. On the other hand, the fact that the ledge 

 runs in a straight line on the edge of the deeper area towards the 

 so-called pathway and " ramp " on the top of the arena-wall (see 

 description of Cutting II.) must not be lost sight of. 



Arena Cuttings III. to VI., each zoft. by 4ft., with an interval 

 of i oft. between them, were situated on the line of the long axis 

 of the arena between the entrance and the central picket. Their 

 object was chiefly to ascertain whether the level chalk floor found 

 in Cuttings I., II., VII., and VIII. was continuous across the 

 arena. It was found that the floor was actually level, and that a 



