14 ROMANO-BRITISH SETTLEMENT AT CHIGWELL.
OAK BOARDS FROM WELL.
The well was sunk about 13ft. below the surface, into about
11ft, of gravel. The bottom of it was 3ft. square ; it was lined for
nearly 2ft. from the base with oak planks, packed outside between
the wood and the surrounding gravel with flints, broken Roman
tiles, and stones. This interesting discovery was made in
October, 1892, when the writer secured portions of the plank
lining which, as well as all the soil above, showed indications of
decayed animal matter in abundance. When disused as a well it
evidently became a refuse pit.
Rough Section of the Well.
A Alluvial soil. B Gravel. C Soil and decayed matter, with fragments
of pottery, The planks are shown with tile and stones outside.
PORTIONS OF MORTARIA.
(Tray No 1.)
Mortaria, so generally found in Romano-British settlements,
were flat, earthenware mortars used for the pounding, or rather
trituration, therein of soft food-stuffs. The inner surface of the
vessels was roughened by the insertion of particles of hard