XXXVl. THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. 



in plain grey and white. On reference to the plan it will be seen 

 that this was the floor of a corridor. 



Long occupation. — That the building was long occupied is 

 clearly proved by the 56 (and more) coins found there. These 

 range from Helena, circa A.D. 290, down to Arcadius, who died 

 in A.D. 408. 



Amongst the more important objects found in the digging was 

 one which may indicate the purpose for which the building was 

 put up ; it is a bronze plate, about 7 inches by 3, triangular at 

 the top. It bears in repousse work a helmeted figure carrying a 

 spear. It is of inferior workmanship, but very similar in other 

 respects to the votive offering to Mars found at Barkway, Herts, 

 and now in the British Museum. Unfortunately the plate is 

 broken in two and only the top was found at Maiden Castle. It 

 is to be hoped that the portion bearing the inscription may be 

 found some day. 



The description of the Barkway votive offering is thus given in 

 Hiibner (Inscriptiones Britannia? Latinae), which the writer has 

 compared with the original and found correct. 



Mars armatus. 



Slans Ultra CBdictilam. 



Infra in talella aurata titulus scriptus est. 



D. MARTI. ALATORl 



DVM. CENSORINVS 



GEMELLi FIL. 



V.S.L.M. 



The letters V.S.L.M., which stand for "votum solvit libens 

 merito," are an unmistakable sign of the purpose of the Bark- 

 way bronze. They are used only on votive offerings. 



There was also found a fragment of a hollow bronze statue, 

 seeming to be good in art. 



Of other things found at the same spot, but not so directly 

 giving knowledge about the building, a short record is added. 



