122 BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOB THE 



cupg, one within the other, were discovered. It was not unusual thus to find the 

 remains in one spot and the ornaments in another. On removing the earth off the 

 sides of a rock, the apex of which was only perceptible on the summit, I struck upon' 

 a recess, three sides of a square chiselled out of a rock 16 feet in length and 8 in 

 depth. Following this, I reached a stone seat; hewn out on each side of this 

 seat small recesses had been made, apparently for the purpose of receiving lamps. 

 After descending 12 feet I came to human remains, and for five days the workmen 

 turned nothing out of this pit but human bones. How far these would have descended 

 I know not, for I ceased my explorations here, feeling satisfied, from the appearance 

 of the bones, that they must have been placed there at the same period — the result, 

 most probably, of some great engagement, for many of the skulls and long bones pre- 

 sented fractures and injuries. The marks on the rock would indicate that sacrificial 

 meetings, possibly commemorative of the event, were held here. Keplacing these re- 

 mains, I preceded to a point indicated as the tombs of the diminutive or pigmy race, 

 but discovered nothing that would indicate a peculiar class of people. Beneath an 

 extensive sloping artificial tumulus, running at right angles with the the ridge ex- 

 tending northwards from Mons Mithridates, I came upon a mass of rubble masonry, 

 beyond which was a door leading to an arched chamber, built under the side of the 

 mound. This led me to a larger chamber, which was also arched. The walls of the 

 larger chamber were marked off in squares, with here and there flowers, birds, and 

 grotesque figures. Over the entrance into this chamber were painted two figures 

 of griffins rampant, two horsemen, a person in authority and his attendant — the 

 latter carrying in his hand a long spear — being rudely sketched on one of the 

 inner walls. There were no remains of any sort in this tomb or temple. A recess 

 in the walls on two sides resembled doors blocked up. On removing the masonry 

 to the right the skeleton of a horse was found. To the left a human skeleton lay 

 across the door. Tunnelling on each side, the work was carried on beneath the 

 descents of former explorations from above. On the right-hand side the tunnel ex- 

 tended ten yards, but nothing of interest was met with. On the left, descending as 

 the tunnel was formed, arriving occasionally at objects possessing much interest, I 

 came upon a layer of natural slate rock, the sides and roof of the tunnel being 

 composed of artificial soil, charcoal, animal remains, and, as usual, heaps of broken 

 pottery. Thirty feet from the entrance, the rock suddenly disappeared to the front 

 and left, the mark of the chisel being perceptible on the divided portion. Tunnel- 

 ling in the rock, we again reached 12 feet from the spot where it had disappeared, 

 loosesand occupying the intervening space, into which the exploring rod, six feet 

 long, dropped without any effort. I worked down into this shaft 12 feet. But the 

 left side of the shaft, which was composed of the same loose sand as far as the steel 

 rod could reach, was continually falling in. Moreover, the labour carried on by 

 candlelight of raising the earth in baskets, and conveying it in wheelbarrows to 

 the outside through the building was becoming very arduous, and I was compelled to 

 abandon the work. At this period no relics or remaini of any sort were discover- 

 ed, and tha steel rod sunk into the loose sand as if it had been so much flour. I felt 

 satisfied that this shaft led to rich treasures below, but regard for the safety of 

 my workmen prevented my proceeding deeper. The tunnel was carried on a few 

 feet further, and the earth allowed to drop into the shaft. I now sought out other 

 ground, and selected a place removed about 100 yards from that I had just left. 

 Descending some ten feet, I struck upon a tomb cut out of the solid rock. Not far 

 from this my attention was attracted to an excavation in the rock, somewhat similar 



