Excavations at Avebury. 



211 



in for the purpose of propping the massive stone in its upright 

 position. On digging on the other (the west) side of the same 

 stone, we found a continuation of the same layer of sarsen blocks. 

 The next hole was dug close to the tall upright stone ("b" in the 

 map) ; this disclosed the same sarsen foundations as in the other 

 instance. The fact that these stones were thus supported, has not, 

 as far as I am aware, been hitherto observed. 



In digging near the large stone, we noticed at a spot about a 

 foot below the surface, a quantity of black charred matter. This 

 discovery induced us to extend our operations by digging a large 

 trench from this spot in an east north east direction, ten feet from 

 the great western stone : and throughout this distance we found 

 numerous large flakes and chips of sarsen, covered with black 

 charred matter and burnt straw, or other material ; but beyond this 

 it ceased, and the ground appeared undisturbed as in other parts. 

 But again we came upon more burnt matter and more charred stones 

 in a hole we dug farther on in the same direction, viz., E.N.E., from 

 the great western stone. Here there apparently stood the third stone 

 of the Cove, exactly equidistant from the inside centre of the 

 remaining two ; and the fire of destruction having been lit (as was 

 customary) beneath it, it fell towards the western stone, where 

 again other fires were lit for breaking up the upper portion, and 

 hence the chippings or flakes and burnt matter in that immediate 

 spot. At first I was inclined to attribute these flakes to the remains 

 of an " Altar stone," which might have once stood in the centre of 

 the three stones of " the Cove," and since have been destroyed, but 

 this theory is not supported by any tangible facts. We now sunk 

 another hole due east of the large western stone of the Cove, on the 

 supposition that the tall stone standing due south, might have been 

 flanked by large stones east and west, but we came upon no trace of 

 any stone having ever stood in that position. A good deal of British 

 pottery, and many animal bones ; sheep, horse, ox, and dog, were 

 found in ail of these holes, more especially in the latter, but no 

 human bones tvhatever. I should add, that above the natural soil 

 within the Cove, now a rick-yard, an accumulation of chalk rubble 

 covers the surface of the ground to the depth of above a foot. 



