cleared out at the foot of the earthwork in Cutting X. (1908), depth 30ft. (the depth of all being given below the nearest turf over the arena). In front of "the den " in Cutting XV. (1909) at least two shafts (Nos. II. and III.) are known, one of which was re-excavated to a depth of 19ft. Cutting XII. Extension revealed part of the outline of a very large pit, No. IV. (Plate III., 1910 Report); and a series of three shafts (Nos. V., VI., and VII.) were met with in Cutting XX. between the "inner trench" and the solid chalk core of the arena-wall (Plate IV., 1910 Report). Of these, No. VI. was completely re-excavated (depth 24.5ft.), and within 2ft. of the bottom fragments of a rude pottery vessel were found. The outline of Shaft VIII. was partly revealed in 1910, and partly in 1912 when Cutting XXI. was extended for the purpose. At the top of the filling, part of an antler pick (No. 320) was found.

The excavation of Cutting XXI. added three shafts more (Nos. IX., X., and XI.) to the list, and the bottom of all of them was reached, their depth being 28.5ft., 25.5ft., and 28ft. respectively. The average depth of the five shafts re-excavated was 27.3ft.

Their outlines were irregular (Plate I.). Nos. VI., VII., and VIII. were separated from each other at the top by very narrow partitions, and Nos. IX., X., and XI. were similar in this respect. A few feet separated Shafts V. and VI., and Shafts VIII. and IX.; a V-shaped gutter cut in the solid chalk connected the two latter..

Shaft IX. (Plates III, and IV.).-Below the mouth where the sides became steep the shaft was 7ft. in diam., and at a ledge further down the dimensions were 4.25ft. by 4.5ft. At lft. from the bottom it was only 1.7ft. across, and ultimately it lessened to lft.* At the top of the shaft against the N.W. side two deep, vertical, and well-worn grooves were

*The floor of one of the shafts at Cissbury was 4.5ft. in diameter, and this was unusually small (Archaeologia, LXIII., 123).

noticed, which may have been caused by the rubbing of ropes used for the ascent and descent of men and material when the shaft was sunk.

Red-deer antler was plentiful, including twelve picks, more or less broken, found in the filling, down to a depth of 27ft. Two crowns of antlers were also met with; one had perhaps served the purpose of a rake; the other had been much used, judging from the extreme smoothness of the implement. Three of the picks bore traces of fire. With few exceptions the picks found here and in the adjoining shafts were formed from shed antlers.

A few large flint flakes, up to 44in. in length, were found between 23ft. and 26ft., and a flint with deep marks of calcination, depth 26.5ft. One small fragment of prehistoric pottery (No. 291), unornamented, was discovered at 26ft.

Shaft X. (Plate IV.).—This shaft may, perhaps, have been started by prehistoric man as two distinct pits. Its double bottom was in the form of an elongated 8, the two halves, small and of oval outline, being divided by a ridge of chalk 9ins. high. The top of the division between this shaft and No. XI. was only 8ft. above the bottom of the former.

The upper part of the filling of this shaft and No. XI. was crossed by a concave seam of mould about an inch thick, the depth of which varied from 8:4ft. to 11.2ft. It was important to note this, because fragmentary human remains (Nos. 305 and 306) were found in rammed chalk on the level of this seam or just above it; and there seems to be no evidence for regarding the bones as prehistoric.

The "finds in this shaft were few, but of great interest. Two antler picks were met with at 15ft. and 22ft. At a depth of 14.5ft. the base of a red-deer's skull with antlers attached (No. 307) was found tight against the wall of the shaft; after being cleared it was photographed in situ (Plate II.). The antler complete measures 38in. in length, and is surmounted by a crown of four points; the brow-tine is 14in. long, and the bez and trez each 13in.; the circumference of the antler above the burr is 220mm. (8ğin.).

MAUMBURY RINGS, DORCHESTER, 1912. CUTTING XXI. SHAFTS IX, X AND XI, AND MARGIN OF ARENA FLOOR.

(Full Title given at the beginning of the Report.)

A somewhat remarkable carving in chalk was found in the filling, 15ft. deep, and perhaps affords further evidence of phallicism in early prehistoric times. This object differs from the chalk carving of the male organ found by Canon Greenwell, F.R.S., in the Grime's Graves (Brit. Mus.)* in being much larger, with a diameter of 2țin.

Several flint flakes were noticed here and in Shaft XI., especially in the upper three-quarters of the filling. The nodules of flint were fairly numerous, and all appear to have been tested as to their quality. Some of the blocks of chalk in the filling were very large.

Shaft XI. (Plate V.).-This large pit was cleared out only at the W.S.W. end. The bottom was trench-like and only 1.2ft. wide; the termination to a height of 5.5ft. had a nearly upright even face. Thin seams of mould were noticed in the filling (Plate V.).

No less than thirteen antler picks, some damaged, were found between 8.25ft. and 28ft., and five of them bear marks of fire, the handle-end of one being much burnt. Two crowns of antlers were also found, and an excellent antler rake of three points. Portions of three red-deer skulls were also met with, and a worked piece of rib-bone (ox or horse) was obtained.

At a depth of 10ft. a rough chalk ball (3in. diam.), and another piece, cheese-shaped (3țin. diam.), were found. At the same level a fragment of rude pottery (No. 314) was discovered undoubtedly prehistoric.

General Remarks on the Shafts (see also Introductory Remarks) :-The flint occurring in such thin seams and being of such poor quality sustains the only tenable theory that these shafts were sunk in search of better material; for no

* Described by Canon Greenwell in a paper that he read to the Ethnological Society, 27 June, 1870 (Journal, II., 430). See also Archaeologia, LXIII., 118.