EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 87 



bones of a powerfully-built and tall man was a small and 

 complete earthenware vessel, assigned to the Romano- 

 British period. 



Within the Rings, a very large cutting (No. XXI.), measur- 

 ing some 60ft. by 26ft., was made on the N.W. side of the 

 arena in continuation of Cutting XX. of 1910, where a large 

 area deeply recessed into the solid chalk wall (described in 

 the Third Interim Report) Avas discovered. In this excava- 

 tion we had to deal with a period covering some 4,000 years, 

 or at least from Neolithic times down to the Civil Wars of 

 Charles I. The northern termination of this western recess 

 and platform was found ; and it was observed that the solid 

 chalk wall further north sloped considerably, and was more- 

 over covered to a large extent with rammed chalk. This 

 afforded indication of the existence of another series of 

 prehistoric shafts below the rammed chalk of the Roman 

 work. Undoubtedly the Romans had great difficulties to 

 contend with when forming their amphitheatre, or adapting 

 the site to their requirements. In this particular cutting, 

 only a small part of the western curve of the arena floor was 

 found to be of solid chalk, all the other Roman work over 

 the position of several prehistoric shafts being of rammed 

 chalk ; so that the greatest care had to be exercised in 

 following the details of construction. 



It is worthy of note that the inner curve of the earthwork 

 follows the line of these shafts, the relative position of which 

 is given in the Plan (Plate I.) ; and it may prove to be an 

 important factor in determining the age of the great embank- 

 ment. The existence of at least eleven of these shafts is now 

 known, and a large proportion of our time this season has 

 been occupied in endeavouring to ascertain their true 

 significance. Their contents have been of no little interest, 

 but their real purpose is not positively proved, although it is 

 probable that in sinking them an attempt was made to obtain 

 good flint suitable for the manufacture of small or delicate 

 implements. Their depth was fairly uniform. Measured 

 from the present turf-level covering the arena, the depths of 



