ox THE AGE OF STONE CIRCLES. 465 



when bronze was in general use. Judging from various finds of stone 

 arrow-heads of the barbed form; although they are generally regarded as 

 a late development in the Neolithic Age, they may probably have been in 

 use in some districts about the middle of that age. The absence of finds 

 on the old surface line under the vallum in the parts examined unfortu- 

 nately does not help towards the solution of the problem of the date of 

 construction of this fine circle of stones. Whilst still bearing in mind 

 that Arbor Low has not been disproved to be of early Bronze Age date, 

 no bronze, as before mentioned, has been found ; so that the balance 

 weighs in favour of Arbor Low being of Neolithic construction ; but such 

 a conclusion is, admittedly, only deduced on somewhat meagre evidence as 

 regards the quantity and nature of the relics found. Finally, the evidence 

 of Neolithic construction obtained last year has not been largely increased 

 this year, but it has been greatly strengthened. 



It is unnecessary for the Committee to deal with the finds of this year 

 in detail, as Mr. Gray has, in the preceding report, amply described the 

 various objects discovered during the diggings. Undoubtedly the interest 

 centres mainly round the finding of a typical ' tanged and barbed ' flint 

 arrow-head at the bottom of the fosse at a depth of over l™-70 below the 

 present level of the silting. This form of arrow-head, being usually believed 

 to be a late development in Neolithic flint working, points to the probability 

 of the construction of the fosse and vallum not being referable to a date 

 earlier than the late Neolithic period, and thus a time-limit in one direction 

 seems to be fairly established. There were no indications that the arrow- 

 head may have reached its position at a date long subsequent to the for- 

 mation of the fosse. It is well known that the frequent use of implements, 

 arrow-heads, scrapers, and the like of flint persisted far into the Bronze 

 period, and to some extent even later, and that the ' tanged and barbed ' 

 type of flint arrow-head is very frequently found associated with Bronze Age 

 finds. While, then, it must be admitted that the series of flint and chert 

 implements discovered in situ at Arbor Low cannot claim ;;«?• se to establish 

 ■a Neolithic date for this monument, it should be borne in mind that the 

 total absence of objects of bronze or other metal which characterised the 

 finds of last year has persisted as a noteworthy feature of this year's 

 Tesults ; and, in view of the extent of the area examined, this absence of 

 "metal has some significance. 



If, on the one hand, the results so far obtained go to show that the 

 construction of Arbor Low stone circle should probably not be referred to 

 •an earlier date than the later portion of the Neolithic period, there are 

 reasons, on the other hand, for believing that it should not be placed later 

 than the earlier portion of the Bronze Age. The absence cf metal of any sort 

 amongst the finds must be taken as a clue only at the value of negative 

 •evidence, but it maybe a fair deduction, in the light of this evidence, that 

 if bronze were in use at all at the time of construction there was at least 

 no abundance of the metal, and that great care was exercised in avoiding 

 the loss of pieces of metal during the work of digging the fosse and 

 building the vallum, and this may perhaps of itself point to a time when 

 the Bronze Age was in its infancy, and when metal was far scarcer and 

 more precious than it became later on. A much more important piece of 



1902. u H 



