258 EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 



SHORT REPORT ON 

 THE EXCAVATIONS OF 1908. 



By H. ST. GEORGE GRAY. 



In considering the area of ]Maumbury and the height of the 

 encircling bank, it is undoubtedly the largest and most important 

 structure of its kind in Great Britain. It is, moreover, one of the 

 rarest types of ancient monuments remaining in our countrj^ and 

 I feel it a privilege to have had the direction of these excavations 

 placed in my hands by the Excavation Committee. The prefa- 

 tory note to this interim report has already acknowledged the 

 great assistance rendered by ]Mr. C. S. Prideaux, to which I wish 

 to add my personal thanks. The Excavation Committee, too, are 

 to be congratulated in having such an enthusiastic Hon. 

 Secretary as Captain Acland has proved to be. On the 

 selection of a suitable staff much of the success of an investi- 

 gation of this kind depends. The amount of interest taken in 

 these excavations, not only by. antiquaries, but also by the general 

 public, was remarkable, and it is evident to every close observer 

 that archaeological field-work is not only steadily on the increase, 

 but is gradually being regarded as a serious science for the 

 further upbuilding of the annals and histor)' of the world. 



Until now nothing was known of the inner structure and origin 

 of INIaumbur}', but it has been regarded as a Roman amphitheatre 

 by the great majority of those competent to judge. Somewhat 

 similar ancient sites in Britain have also been sometimes recorded 

 as "amphitheatres." I refer, among others, to circular or oval 

 depressions, generally surrounded by a bank, at Caerleon, 

 Caerwent, St. Alban's, Colchester, Cirencester, Silchester, 

 Wroxeter, London, Richborough, Borcovicus, Castel (Anglesey), 



