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ANCIENT BRITISH SKULL.
FROM CIST AT WINTERBOURNE MONKTON, NORTH WILTS.
(BEGION OP THE DOHrNI, TEMP. PTOLEMJDI, A.D. 120.)
Cranium from a CM at Winterbourne Monkton.—Quarter-size.
The vUlage of Monkton, one mile north of Avebury, so renowned for its stone cii-oles, is situate
on the outsku-t of a district abounding in remains of the British period. It is doubtless within
the hmits of the aboriginal tribe of the Dobuni, being about twenty miles south of theii- capital
{Cor^n^um Dobunorum), and five miles to the north of Wansdyke, the probable barrier
between them and the Belgas. Close to the village was the cromlech called " Shelvingstone "
and on its west side " King's Mill barrow," a long tumulus enclosed by a peristalith, both of
which have been removed. To the south-west rises Windmill Hill, conspicuous from the
barrows and earthworks on its summit. In the large open fields between this hiU and the site
of Mill barrow, and a few hundred yards to the west of the latter, were several large Sarsen
blocks which It was determined to remove by digging holes and sinking them. The stones ten
or twelve in number, lay some to the north and others to the south of the road between Monkton
and Tatesbury. In the course of this operation, four at least were found to cover sepulchral
deposits. Circular cists had been excavated through the marl and chalk, to the depth of four
feet, the bottom m one instance being closely paved with smaU Sarsen stones. In the cists were
human skeletons in a crouched or sitting posture, as proved by the close contact of the skulls
and thigh-bones. The upper part in each was tilled in with Sarsen fragments and a layer of
mould, the whole covered over by one of the gigantic blocks abeady referred to. The writer had
the opportunity of assisting in the exhumations, and he is also indebted to Mi-. Eyles for the
large series of skulls which was obtained. In the fli-st cist were about six skeletons ; two males
of thirty to thirty-five years, two or three females of twelve to seventeen, and one child of about
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