ANDREWS] "WEBSTER" RUIN IN SOUTHERN RHODESIA . 39 



have been built for a fort ; certainly the situation encourages the 

 idea, though at present the ground around is densely wooded. I 

 excavated to bed-rock and carefully searched through the soil, but 

 fragments of common household pottery only were found, and cer- 

 tainly not enough of that to lead one to suppose the place had been 

 inhabited for any length of time. 



The outlying stone enclosures may or may not have been used as 

 cattle kraals. I could find no evidence of human occupation in any 

 of them. 



(Chipinga, S. Melsetter, S. Rhodesia, November 19, 1906.) 



III. Work Done on the Webster Ruin. 

 The Temple. 



October ij, 7906. — Commenced sinking a shaft 2.3 m. in diameter 

 through the earth in the center of the upper tier. At 30 cm. came 

 upon quantities of common household pottery sherds, undecorated. 

 At about the same depth found an iron .spear-head, the head being 

 20 cm. in length and 2 cm. broad at the widest part, the iron shaft 

 being. 10 cm. in length, having four sides. Again, at the same 

 depth, a circular iron shaft of spear 20 cm. long ; also at the same 

 depth one iron arrow-head 15 cm. in length and 1.5 cm. in width at 

 widest part. They are in fair condition, the earth where they were 

 found being seldom dry. At 1.6 m. from the surface came upon 

 stone rubble, showing every indication of considerable depth, prob- 

 ably to the level of the foundations. This rubble much resembles 

 the rubble foundations found in the majority of Rhodesian ruins. 



The shaft is sunk nearly against and due southeast of the " curl." 

 My reasons for sinking through the ruin were : (1) It appeared to 

 me that should the large flat stone, or "cap" of the " curl," have 

 any connection with an underground chamber I was far more likely 

 to cut that connection, besides doing infinitely less damage, and 

 (2) there would undoubtedly be a great saving of time and labor. 



October 15. — Having on the last day's work sunk through earth 

 1.7 m. in depth, proceeded this morning to remove the rubble. I 

 worked through this rubble, which had a depth of 1.2 m., when I 

 again came upon the same sort of soil, which is in reality decom- 

 posed sandstone. I worked through this to a depth of 70 cm., and 

 at that depth it strongly resembles bed-rock, though I am not at all 

 certain at present that it is. 



This makes the depth of the shaft 3.6 m. From very careful 

 measurements taken from the outside, corresponding with the level 



