EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 99 



to pass the armlet over a hand, however large, the spring of 

 the ornament exerting a pressure on the arm which would 

 keep it in place. These armlets have not infrequently been 

 found in England, including, in the S.W., Woodcuts (N. 

 Dorset) and Puckington (Somerset). A bronze leglet of the 

 same type was found in 1896 in Albert Road, Dorchester, 

 encircling the thigh-bone of a human skeleton.* 



On the same part of the arena floor, or near it, the following 

 remains of the Roman period were found : — 263, piece of a 

 Kimmeridge shale armlet and an iron nail ; 267, small disc 

 of stone, probably a counter ; 271, rim piece of pottery with 

 burnished lattice pattern ; and 272, piece of green glass 

 handle. 



Owing to the earlier mutilation of the solid chalk, the 

 whole of the trench in this cutting, in w^hich wooden posts 

 had been placed to support the outer barrier, and the greater 

 part of the inner trench which followed the true margin of 

 the arena, had been formed in rammed and puddled chalk, 

 and in some places they were filled with a dark, rich mould. 

 Post-holes were clearly defined in these trenches, those in 

 the outer trench averaging 3ft., and those in the inner trench 

 4ft., apart (Plate III.). Most of these post-holes were 

 circular. 



Dealing with so much rammed chalk it was by no means 

 easy to trace the true surface of the Roman work, but when 

 the clue was once obtained the features were carefully exposed. 

 Repairs had evidently been frequent. In places the surface 

 of the rammed chalk w^as covered with shells (described 

 elsewhere) . 



It now remains to give a brief description of the rest of the 

 numbered relics found in Cutting XXI. having reference to 

 the Roman work. 



* It is exhibited in the Dorset County Museum, as also are t^vo 

 twisted armlets of gold of similar design from the Fayyiim, Egypt. 

 The Dorchester and Puckington specimens are figured in the writer's 

 paper on the subject in Proc. Som. Arch. Soc, LVII., ii., 94. 



