By Mr. Cunnington, F.G.S. 217 



An iron barbed arrow-head, 2£in. in length. 



A circular mass, probably a "pig," 1 of iron, weighing fifteen and 

 a-half pounds. It is 6in. in diameter, and 2^in. high. 



The late Dean Merewether, speaking of Oldbury, says, " I possess 

 an iron spear-head, and one of those curious circular stones with a 

 hole in the centre (query, a quern), found here/' 2 



Mr. Henry Cunnington has successfully explored two of the pit- 

 dwellings of Oldbury, and supplies the following report : — " In 

 August, 1875, a man engaged in digging flints in Oldbury Camp, 

 within a few yards of the Lansdowne Monument (m., see plan), 

 found what appears to have been a dwelling-pit similar to many 

 which have recently been opened near Westbury, Beckhampton, and 

 other places in the county. It was about 4ft. deep, and 5ft. in 

 diameter. The floor was covered with a quantity of ashes and burnt 

 wood, and among them, lying on its side, was a very rudely-formed 

 bowl-shaped cup or food vessel, in height 4in., by 5^in. in width. 

 In rudeness of shape and workmanship it resembles vessels which 

 have been found in some of the Beckhampton barrows ; but it has 

 been burnt to redness, and has traces on the bottom of having been 

 used as a cooking utensil. It was not, apparently, made of the 

 Tertiary clay from the top of the hill, but the numerous spangles of 

 selenite in it would lead to the belief that the material was obtained 

 from the Gault, or from Kimmeridge Clay of the neighbourhood 

 of Rowde. Near this cup we found an implement formed of a 

 bone, split longitudinally, about 5in. in length ; the inside showing 

 the natural surface of the bone, while the outside is curiously orna- 

 mented with a pattern of diagonal lines, and numerous small circles, 

 each with a dot in the centre. One end has been divided into teeth 

 like a comb. They were originally seven in number. The other 

 end has a hole bored as if for suspension. There was also a plain 

 bronze finger-ring, or link. The pit contained many unburnt bones 



1 The Romans smelted iron from the Lower Green Sand, near Heddington, 

 which is not far from the foot of Oldbury Hill, and very extensively at Wans 

 House, a few miles further. A circular pig of copper, with a Roman inscription, 

 has been found in Wales. 



2 "Salisbury vol., Archseolog. Institute," 1851, p. 92. 



