414 KEPOKTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 



The Lahe Village at Glastonhury . — Tenth Report of the Committee, 

 consisting of Dr. E. MuNRO (Chairman), Professor W. Boyd 

 Dawkins {Secretary), Dr. Arthur J. Evans, Mr. Henry Balfour, 

 Mr. G. H. Read, and Mr. A. Bulleid. (Draivn up by Mr. Arthur 

 BuLLEiD and Mr. H. St. George Gray.) 



The examination of the entire site comprising the Glastonbury Lake 

 Village was completed in 1907, and during the past year an exhaustive 

 description has been in course of preparation. Owing to the large amount 

 of material, notes, plans, drawings, and photographs to be gone through 

 and prepared — a collection that accumulated during the sixteen years the 

 excavations were in progress — the work of compilation for publishing has 

 been found somewhat onerous, but the chapters by the various con- 

 tributors are now well in hand, and it is hoped the monograph will be 

 published next year. 



During the past summer tentative explorations have taken place at 

 another Lake Village site at Meare, situated between two and three 

 miles west of the Glastonbury Village. 



The existence of this site has been known to Mr. Bulleid since 1895, 

 but the Glastonbury excavations being in progress no examination was 

 attempted until this year. 



The Meare Lake Village lies on the peat moor to the north side of 

 a low ridge of ground, on which the village of Meare is built, and from 

 400 to 600 feet south of the River Brue. 



The tract of land in this neighbourhood was at one time occupied 

 by Meare Pool, a body of water which in the early part of the sixteenth 

 century was five milfes in circumference. All traces of this lake have 

 disappeared owing to drainage, and its position is now represented by 

 fertile pastures. 



The Lake Village consists of two distinct groups of circular mounds, 

 A and B, separated by a level piece of ground about 200 feet in width. 



The site covers parts of five fields, and measures some 250 feet in 

 width N. and S., by 1,500 feet in length E. and W. 



Group A occupies parts of three fields, and consists of some forty 

 dwelling-mounds. This portion contains the more important mounds, 

 the highest being 4*4 feet above the level of the surrounding fields. This 

 is twice the height of the largest dwelling-mound excavated at the Glaston- 

 bury Village. 



Group B represents at least fifty dwellings, together with the areas of 

 ground between them. These dwelling-mounds are comparatively low, 

 and range in height from a few inches to 2 feet at the centre, which is the 

 highest part. 



During the flood-time last spring the two areas of ground, A and B, 

 were the only dry spots in this part of the moorland. The level of the 

 land lying to the south of the village is only 13'6 feet above the mean 

 tide level at Highbridge, 10 miles distant, and near the mouth of the 

 River Parret. The flood-soil covering the fields immediately adjoining 

 the village varies from 1 to 2 feet. 



The recent trial excavations at Meai-e consisted of digging a trench 

 5 feet wide through the centre of a dwelling-mound of medium size, and 



