ON THE AGE OF STONE CIRCLES 331 



from 5 to 7.5 mm. in thickness. With the fragments, which were scattered 

 over an area measuring some 15 in. across, was found a well-struck flint flake. 



The pottery was found ^ in the middle of the siltinj;; of the fosse on the east 

 margin of the cutting in burnt earth, nearly at the bottom ol the mi.xed silting 

 and 6.5 ft. below the surface, and barely 0.5 ft. above the top of the white chalk 

 rubble. 



Prehistoric pottery of the West Kennet and Peterborough type has already 

 been found in appreciable quantity at the bottom of the mi.xed silting in the 

 Avebury fosse at a level corresponding exactly with the beaker fragments found 

 this season. There is probably little difference in the date of these wares, and 

 althoush the vessels with round bottoms, such as have been found at Peter- 

 borough, ^lortlake, &c., are probably older as a type, it is now regarded as 

 proved that the manufacture of this class of pottery overlapped to some extent 

 with the earliest types of beaker pottery. The association of beakers with 

 typical Neolithic ware, as Mr. Eeginald Smith has pointed out, ' is all in favour 

 of the introduction of the beaker into this country before bronze was in use 

 en this side of the North Sea, though metal had become fairly common before 

 the I'eaker passed out of fashion.' ' 



It will be approDriate and interesting to recall here the discovery made by 

 Mr. and ^Irs. B. H. Ciuiningtnn of a human skeleton with fragments of a 

 beaker close to and immediately in front of the hole in which the stone ' Adam ' 

 stood at the western end of the Beckhampton Avenue, in the parish of Avebury. 

 ' Adam ' fell on December 2, 1911, and it was during the preliminaries preceding 

 the re-erection of the stone that the discovery was made. It was evident that 

 this important interment was in its original position.* 



VI. Picks and other Remains of Red-Deer Antler, found in the Fosse 



(Cutting IX). 



Picks or red-deer antler and other tools of the same material were again 

 fairly plentiful in this cutting. Twenty numbered specimens were found in 

 this part of the fosse in 1914, to which we are now able to add seventeen as 

 follows. (All the picks are formed from shed antlers; all were found in the 

 chalk rubble.) 



259. Crown of an antler, one of the four points missing, another broken off at the tip ; the 

 two remaining points much worn down by use. 



Found in the S. half of the cutting near the W. end: depth 27-5 ft. below the brink of the 

 fosse on the E. side of the causeway. (The depths in this section of the report are all given 

 from the same point.) 



260. Worked tine of red-deer, bevelled and smoothed at the tip. 

 Found in the N. half of the cutting, depth 20 ft. 



261. Greater part of the beam of an antler, the stumps of the intentionally removed bez- and 

 trez-tines remaining. The base of the antler and the brow-tine were not found ; they were 

 evidently broken off owing to prolonged use of this pick as a hammer also (the specimen shows 

 considerable evidence of hammering). 



Found in the N. half of the cutting near the middle of tlic silting, depth 21 ft. 



262. Worked tine, broken at the tip. 

 Depth 27.."? ft. 



263. Pick, small but well worn, consisting of the beam and burr of a shed antler. The bez- 

 and trez-tines arc reduced to stumps, and the brow-tine is partly broken off. The back of the base 

 of the antler and the burr bear clear evidence of wear. 



Found in the middle of the cutting, depth 27.5 ft. 



264. Antler of young animal, feebly developed, having all its four points remaining (including 

 the brow-tine) ; they are smooth and show traces of human work. Most of the burr has been 

 removed, apparently by hammering. 



Found near No. 263, and at the same depth. 



'■' T collected the fragments myself, using a small trowel for the purpose. 



' Aichaolof/iii. LXII., 351. A part of the Avebury Report for 1911 should 

 also be read iri this connection (/>•..!. Ih'port, 1911, pp. 150-1.51) ; and :\Ir. Leeds' 

 paper on 'Further Discoveries at Peterborough' (The Antirjuarict' Jotini.. IT., 

 220-237). 



' Wilt.^ Arrh. Mag., XXXVIII., 1-7. 



