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THE WILTSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY MAGAZINE 



3. CVCCI(LLI), on form 31, AD 150-180. 



4. VEGETI.(M), on form 37, AD 120-140/50. 



Small Finds: Neolithic 



FLINT 



The 1 1 pieces of worked flint from the site were 

 examined by Philip Harding who reported that all 

 were likely to be residual. The material may 

 represent several periods of activity, the earliest of 

 which probably dates to the early Neolithic. The 

 Neolithic phase is represented by two blades and a 

 scraper. 





Small Finds: Iron Age 



Six items of worked bone were recovered including 

 a bone handle (Fig. 3, 19) from the ditch and a 

 spindle whorl (Fig. 3, 20) from Area B. A scoop 

 and rib knife are known only from Grant King's 

 notes; their find spots are not recorded. Two 

 polishing bones were found boxed with inhumation 

 1 from Area A. 



A ceramic weight in the shape of a ring (Fig. 3, 

 21) with an external diameter of approximately 

 13cm was recovered, although its find spot was not 

 recorded. A similar quoit-like object was found at 

 Potterne (Hall 2000, fig. 65.22). 



At least six and probably seven individual clay 

 weights are represented by seven fragments. Six of 

 these are of a light grey-pinky fabric. All come from 

 triangular weights, the fragments ranging from 475- 

 2600g, the latter almost complete. Such large 

 weights are often referred to as thatch weights 

 (Poole 1991, 37 5). Three of the six are from Area B 

 near inhumation 2. The remaining three, although 

 unmarked, almost certainly are as well (Grant King 

 notes). The remaining weight, from the ditch, is 

 almost complete at 550g and is of a grey-buff fabric 

 with large chalk inclusions clearly visible on the 

 surface. It is roughly trapezoidal; a type usually 

 associated with early Iron Age sites. 



Small Finds: Roman 



A single coin, an As of Nero (AD 54-66), was a 

 surface find in Area A. It was identified by Paul 

 Robinson: 



Obv. (NER)O.CAESAR,AVG GER P MTR P IMP, bare 



bust right 



Rev. Victory advancing left holding buckler inscribed 



S.P.Q.R. 



Ref. M&S 319. 



Thirty-one items of worked iron were found; 

 among them a knife (Manning 1985, 55.Q46) from 

 Area B near inhumation 2, and a small hook, 

 possibly a reaping hook, from Cutting IVB. Twenty- 

 six nails or nail fragments, most of Manning type 

 1, were recovered, 20 of them 'near' inhumation 2. 

 It is not recorded whether any of these nails are 

 actually from the burial where they could have 

 indicated a coffin. 



A bone comb (Fig. 3, 22) from 'near' 

 inhumation 2 has a ring and dot pattern and is 

 paralleled by a late Roman example from Colchester 

 (Crummy 1983, fig. 59.1860). Bone combs are 

 sometimes found with Romano-British burials 

 (Philpott 1991, fig. 32); 13 examples similar to the 

 Erlestoke comb were excavated at Lankhills (Clarke 

 1979, 246-248). The only other recorded example 

 from Wiltshire, however, is the bone comb from 

 the inhumation cemetery at Boscombe Down West 

 (Richardson 1952, 133). It is unfortunately now 

 missing. 



Thirty-two fragments of clay plates representing 

 at least 11 plates were also found (Fig. 3, 23-25). 

 Only two of 32 have recorded find spots, one in the 

 'SE', and the other in Area B. Although none is 

 complete, seven are from circular plates with 

 estimated diameters ranging from 18-26cm. The 

 thickness varies between 1.7-3. 0cm. Three 

 fragments are from rectangular plates with rounded 

 corners. It is not now possible to determine their 

 original dimensions; thickness ranges from 1.4- 

 1 .9cm. The basic fabric of the plates is sandy, pinky- 

 buff to red throughout with varying amounts of 

 grog, chalk, flint, and ironstone. The fabric is poorly 

 mixed giving a very striated appearance in breaks. 

 Some of the fragments appear to have been burnt. 

 Although often cited as kiln furniture (Swan 1984, 

 41) similar circular plates have been found in 

 Wiltshire on non-kiln sites; e.g. Maddington Farm 

 (Seager Smith 1996, 58) and Figheldean (Mepham 

 1991, 34). Rectangular plates are also often 

 identified as kiln furniture but appear on sites 

 apparently without kilns; e.g. Baldock (Rigby and 

 Foster 1986, 185-88) and King Harry Lane. At the 

 latter it is suggested that they might have been used 

 as salt licks for cattle (Rigby 1989, 52) 



Other ceramics include three pottery counters, 

 one from Cutting IVC, one from Area B, and a 



