2 JO EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 



measuring 1*5 ft. by rzft. The sides were smoother in the lower 

 than in the higher parts of the pit. When a depth of 24ft. had 

 been reached, the work of re-excavation was considered to be 

 safe no longer, so that the sides had to be shored up and a 

 wooden tripod erected over the shaft to haul the remainder of the 

 filling to the surface by means of pulley, rope, and bucket. It 

 was noticed that the lowest 6ft. of filling was much damper than 

 above, which suggested the mere possibility that prehistoric man 

 had endeavoured to find water here. This theory, however, has 

 little or nothing to support it, seeing that the wells of the 

 immediate neighbourhood are very deep, and that water was 

 obtainable from the river within half a mile. 



Below 13 or i4ft. worked flint was not found plentifully. 

 Between i4'5ft. and 2ift. the following were recorded: Ten 

 flint flakes, two burnt flints bearing marked evidence of calcina- 

 tion, a hammerstone, three cores, and traces of charcoal. Other 

 evidence of fire was recognised in the charred handles of two 

 antler picks, and other fragments of burnt antler. 



Antler Picks. Portions of two red-deer antlers, one having a 

 worked tine, were found at from i2ft. to isft. deep; and below 

 that, from i6'2ft. to the bottom, no less than nine picks, more or 

 less complete, were discovered. Some of them were much 

 broken before discovery ; others fractured in removal owing to 

 their frail condition. Since then, however, they have been 

 carefully restored by Mrs. St. G. Gray. Some of the antlers are 

 extremely massive, one having a circumference just above the 

 burr of 8 Jin. Only two could be identified as being taken from 

 the heads of slain deer, the great majority having been shed. 

 The brow-tine was generally utilized for digging purposes, but 

 when set at a very obtuse angle with the beam it was removed, 

 and the bez-tine was used instead. In two cases the handle was 

 found to be polished and partly charred features noticed in 

 examples from elsewhere including Avebury and Grime's 

 Graves. Most of the Maumbury picks bear clear indications of 

 prolonged use, the burr-ends having been considerably battered 

 by hammering, the tines and shafts showing various scratches 



