252 Recent Explorations at Silbury Kill. 



In addition to the objects already referred to, a brass coin of 

 Marcus Aurelius was found, oft. under the surface, in shaft No. 2, 

 and in another shaft an iron arrow-point was found; these things' 

 however, bear but little on the date of the mound. 



The idea entertained by some antiquarians, that the shape of the 

 summit and slope of the hill were altered owing to the large 

 quantity of material excavated from the shaft in 1777 is not borne 

 out by the fact. This shaft was 4ft. in diameter, and the whole of 

 the chalk debris removed could not have exceeded forty cubic yards, 

 and this would occupy but a small space in the centre of the summit 

 of the hill-over 100ft. diameter, so that none of it would have 

 rolled down the hill sides. In fact all this material appears to have 

 been refilled into the hole, excepting a small bank which is still 

 visible on the flat summit. 



As the outcome of these excavations I have ascertained that 

 Silbury Hill was originally surrounded by a deep trench, or moat, 

 at all times containing water. 



Also, that it was erected by a people, probably a rude race of 

 hunters, so little advanced in civilization, that they were using flint 

 implements a long time after the hill was built; this discovery 

 places the date of the erection of Silbury Hill at a very early period, 

 probably some centuries before the arrival of the Romans in 

 Britain. 



It does not follow that the builders of Silbury Hill were actually 

 the same race as the flint- workers, whose traces were found in the 

 trench. A long interval of time must have necessarily elapsed to 

 account for the deposit of 5ft. of alluvium ; so these men may have 

 supplanted some previous race of dwellers ; but, if this be so, it 

 carries back the date of the erection of Silbury Hill to a still more 

 remote period. 



Not*.— All the objects of interest found in these excavations have 

 been sent to their proper resting-place, the Devizes Museum. 



Appendix. 



Details of the ten shafts. The numbers refer to the numbers on 

 the annexed plan, and the depth of water stated is the height to 



