OS1/25/17/24

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 24
[Continued] At the southern extremity of this section, there was found a pit adjoining the rampart full of fat
and moist earth, loose stones, burnt wood, and bones of cattle, sheep, and hares, but not of the human
body. Upon digging, last year, into the south east side of the top of the hill, and several feet
under the grass covering, four rude chambers were found built of freestone, generally of old red
sandstone, some of the varieties of which seem to have been brought from a considerable distance.
The stones were all undressed, and carefully built, but no cement appeared to have been used in their erection.
On examining these chambers more carefully, they were found to occupy a quadrangular space (see fig. [figure] attached)
and to communicate with each other by small passages, 2 ft. broad, by 3 in height, 2 entrances (a and b) led
by an inclined plane to (c and d), which entered into 2 other chambers (e and f) by 2 passages (g and h).
The southern wall of chamber (c) was nearly straight, and was probably the outer wall stated by Principal Playfair
to be 5 or 6 feet in height, and he supposed it formed part of the wall of the rampart. This wall extended
backward to (d) forming 2 chambers 20 ft, in length, having 2 entrances ; and in one of them (h) the 3
Skulls were found. These chambers had usually a rounded figure, were 7 or 8 feet in diameter; and
after the wall had been raised 2 or 3 ft. above the stone flooring of the chamber, the stones overlapped each
other as the building advanced upwards, so as to form a roof, which was completed by a large flat
stone placed over the top, the rude substitute for an arch. The greatest height of these chambers
was 6 feet from the floor, which was laid with undressed flags. As the roofs of these chambers had fallen in,
or their walls had been disturbed by former excavations, it was not always easy to discover their original
figure, particularly as they were filled with black earth and stones, the accumulation of ages. Some
of the masses of trap, containing portions of quartz and other stones, were fused together by the action of
fire, and were found deep in these excavations. There were also quantities of vegetable charcoal, chiefly
of oak and plane trees, with rotten straw, and fragments of animal bones much decayed, among
these the teeth of horses and cattle, and horns of deer, were distinguished, and from their quantity, proved
the slovenly habits of the rude occupants. The only domestic utensil found in these caverns was
a quern, 18 inches in diameter, surrounded by 4 border stones, to prevent the scattering of the grain during
the grinding process. This was above & by the side of the passage (h), & was probably in the position in which it had been used.

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