80. On the Occurrence of Flit Implements of Palaeolithic Type on an Old Land-Surface inOxfordshire, Near Wolvercote and Pear-Tree Hill, Together with a Few Implements of VariousPlateau TypesAuthor(s): A. M. BellSource: The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 30(1900), p. 81Published by: Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and IrelandStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2842715 .

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1900.] Anthpopologi.al Jevievs and Miscelanea. [Nos. 80-81,

EUROPE. England: Paleolithic. Bell.

Ott the occurrrence of Flint Implements of Palceolithic type on an Old Land- 80 su?face in Oxfordshire, near Wolvercote and Pear-tree Hi7l, together with a few UU Implemnents of various Plateau Types. Communicatedl by A. MI. Bell, M.A., to the Anthropological Section of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Bradford, September 12th, 1900.

At Wolvercote near Oxford tllei e is a large section of a quaternary river-gravel, which has produced the usual fauna, elephas primigenius, etc., and many finie implements of h-uman workmanship. This gravel cuts into, and is consequently newer than, a previous land-surface. A portion of this surface is found at Wolvercote, and another portion at Pear-tree Hill, about half a mile distant.

In both places flints, implements of palmeolithic types, together with bulbed flakes, and a few implemenits of plateau type have been found. In every case the flints are oclbreous, which distinguiishes them from those which belong to the river-gravel at Wolvercote.

The older surface has been previously described as Northern Drift. It is supposed by the author to be a remcaniement of the true Northern Drift, but to have been deposited under semi-frozen conditions. It must be anterior to ihe river valley, and consequently its relics of man are ths oldest as yet obtained from the Thames Valley.

The drift in question most resembles the drifts of Caddington described by Mr. G. Worthington Smith, and some sections on the Lower Greensand near Limpsfield. Both of these drifts are implementiferous, alnd the author would coITelate the Wolvercote and Pear-tree Hill surface with these drifts.

England: Roman. Silchester Excavation Fund. The Tenth Report of the Executive Committee of the Silchester Excavation 81

Fund states that the excavations at Silchester in 1899 were begun on 5th Q May, and continued, with the usual break du-ring the harvest, until 16th November.

The examination of the south-west quarter of the town having been completed in 1898, it was resolved to continue the excavation of the northern half of the site. To suit the convenience of the tenant, the operations of 1899 were restricted to the insula (XXI) east of insula I (which was excavated in 1890-1) and to another insula (XXII) north of XXI, extending nearly as far as the town wall. The total area examined was about 52 acres.

ITnsula XXI appears to have been enclosed by walls on all four sides. In addition to two houses occupying the norlthern corners, it had on its eastern side a large house of the courtyard type, with another small house to the south of it. At the south-east angle of the insula was situated an oblong chamber with an apsidal end, perhaps the meeting-room of some trade guild. Other traces of buildings were found along the south side. The south-west angle unfortunately underlies the modern roadway through the city, and could only partly be examined. The western side contained two small square structures. With regard to the houses, that at the north-west corner was discovered in 1864, by the Rev. J. G. Joyce, who communicated an account of it to Archceologia. It was, however, only partly excavated by him, and additional chambers have now been found on the south and east. The north-east house is one of the corridor type that has become a courtyard house by later additions. In one of the

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