372 



EARLY MAN IN BRITAIN. 



[CHAP. x. 



it formerly ended in another double circle. Between 

 them rises Silbury Hill, the largest artificial mound in 

 Great Britain, no less than 130 feet in height. This 



FIG. 142. Avebury, restored by Mr. Fergusson. a, Silbury Hill ; l>, "Waden Hill. 



group of remains was at one time second to- none, " but 

 unfortunately for us the pretty little village of Ave- 

 bury, like some beautiful parasite, has grown up at the 

 expense and in the midst of the ancient temple, and 

 out of 650 great stones, not above twenty are still stand- 

 ing/' 1 In spite of this it is still to be classed among 

 the finest ruins in Europe. 



The famous temple of Stonehenge 2 on Salisbury Plain 

 is probably of a later date than Avebury, since not only 

 are some of the stones used in its construction w r orked, 

 but the surrounding barrows are more elaborate than 

 those in the neighbourhood of the latter. 3 It consisted of 

 a circle (Fig. 143), 100 feet in diameter, of large upright 



1 Lubbock, Prehistoric Times, p. 123. 1878. 



2 In the account of Stonehenge I have followed Mr. Stevens. Wilts 

 Archceol.andNat. Hist. Soc., Salisbury Meeting, Stonehenge Excursion, 1876. 



3 Lubbock, Prehistoric Times, 1878, c. v. Thurnam, Arcliceologia, xliii. 

 p 309. 



