DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22272#0163
THE ANTONINE WALL REPORT.
145
ing general statement. (1) The vallum proper and the apparently
semi-circular expansion of its southern face present the same
constructive features, and are of the same substance. Apparently
both are cespiticious. (2) The expansion is perfectly distinguish-
able from the vallum, because a mass of clayey earth, forming
the southern face of the vallum proper, contrasts vividly
with the expansion, which is wholly of a brown earthy nature.
(3) The processes of lamination, the successive dark lines in the
vallum and the expansion, are distinct from each other. There
is a break all the way down the line of junction of the expansion
with the vallum. (4) The relative position of the two, as seen
in section, justifies a very positive inference that the expansion
was not made till after the vallum—in fact, that the expansion
was built up against the vallum. (5) As the dark lines in the
expansion are continuous without any break in the centre, it
has all the appearance of a solid mound of sods built against a
sod vallum. The expansion could never have been a chambered
earthen tower; had it been so, there would have been a hollow
(or, at least, a disappearance of the dark lines) in the centre, and
there is no such thing. (C) The original external shape of the
expansion cannot yet be stated with any approach to certainty.
' "With these facts in view it will certainly be profitable to insert
here the enunciation of a proposition which has been submitted
to explain the purpose of these expansions. In doing this we must
pointedly guard ourselves from being committed to the theory,
because the premises are somewhat too narrow to warrant the
absolute acceptance of so large a structure of argument upon
them.
It is pointed out that, just as has been the case on the North
English Wall so in the neighbourhood of the Wall of Antonine,
stone projectiles in goodly number have been found. Some of
them at Nethercroy or thereabouts were used1 in the humble
occupation of breaking coals—a falling-off well fitted to point a
moral on the uncertainties of things ! One fine specimen is in
the Hunterian Museum. Another, very like the last mentioned,
was turned up in the course of the present explorations, as stated
1 So Mr. Jolly was informed by a correspondent.
K
145
ing general statement. (1) The vallum proper and the apparently
semi-circular expansion of its southern face present the same
constructive features, and are of the same substance. Apparently
both are cespiticious. (2) The expansion is perfectly distinguish-
able from the vallum, because a mass of clayey earth, forming
the southern face of the vallum proper, contrasts vividly
with the expansion, which is wholly of a brown earthy nature.
(3) The processes of lamination, the successive dark lines in the
vallum and the expansion, are distinct from each other. There
is a break all the way down the line of junction of the expansion
with the vallum. (4) The relative position of the two, as seen
in section, justifies a very positive inference that the expansion
was not made till after the vallum—in fact, that the expansion
was built up against the vallum. (5) As the dark lines in the
expansion are continuous without any break in the centre, it
has all the appearance of a solid mound of sods built against a
sod vallum. The expansion could never have been a chambered
earthen tower; had it been so, there would have been a hollow
(or, at least, a disappearance of the dark lines) in the centre, and
there is no such thing. (C) The original external shape of the
expansion cannot yet be stated with any approach to certainty.
' "With these facts in view it will certainly be profitable to insert
here the enunciation of a proposition which has been submitted
to explain the purpose of these expansions. In doing this we must
pointedly guard ourselves from being committed to the theory,
because the premises are somewhat too narrow to warrant the
absolute acceptance of so large a structure of argument upon
them.
It is pointed out that, just as has been the case on the North
English Wall so in the neighbourhood of the Wall of Antonine,
stone projectiles in goodly number have been found. Some of
them at Nethercroy or thereabouts were used1 in the humble
occupation of breaking coals—a falling-off well fitted to point a
moral on the uncertainties of things ! One fine specimen is in
the Hunterian Museum. Another, very like the last mentioned,
was turned up in the course of the present explorations, as stated
1 So Mr. Jolly was informed by a correspondent.
K