THE LAKE VILLAGES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF GLASTONBURY. 263 



(femur), bearing evidence not only of having been gnawed and cut, 

 but of having been perforated in two places at one end. In the 

 Late-Celtic camp of Hunsbury a human skull was found having three 

 circular holes bored on the vertex of the head, and arranged as an 

 equilateral triangle. 



The most numerous classes of objects found were the worked animal 

 remains — bone, antler, teeth — the latter consisting of perforated canine 

 teeth of dog and boars' tusks. Most of the cut-bone objects are per- 

 forated. Worked shoulder-blades of ox and horse are common, one 

 found in 1908 being covered with representations of the dot-and-circle 

 pattern. Their precise purpose remains to be elucidated, and none 

 were found in the Glastonbury village. Bones worked to a point at 

 cue end are abundant. The polishing or burnishing bones found 

 consist of the tarsal bones of ox. The knobbed pin and needle 

 are good examples of their kind. A bone tool has been found, used, 

 probably, for ruling double lines in ornamenting pottery. A sickle- 

 shaped knife was formed from a lib bone. 



Sawn and polished tines of red-deer antler are common and call 

 for no particular comment; several are perforated. A large antler was 

 found with the burr and points of three tines sawn off, the crown 

 being detached by knife-cutting. One specially well-cut knife-handle 

 of antler has the tang of the iron blade and the rivets still remaining. 



The largest dwelling-mound excavated was undoubtedly a weaving 

 establishment, although it is probable, judging from the remains found, 

 that other industries also flourished there. The whorls (used in com- 

 bination with a wooden spindle for twisting wool or flax into yarn) 

 are among the objects most frequently unearthed, some being in early 

 stages of manufacture; they are formed of stone, bone, or baked clay. 

 Loom-weights of baked clay, mostly of the triangular form for suspen- 

 sion, are also found, and a few bone bobbins. 



The large dwelling (Mound VII.) produced no fewer than twenty- 

 one weaving-combs of antler, including eight found in the same mound 

 in 1908. They are not all complete, but on the whole they form a 

 very fine series; the largest measures 8| inches long. Many of them 

 bear evidence of very hard wear, being used, no doubt, for pushing 

 home the weft, or woof, through the warp threads. One is probably 

 unique, dentated at both ends and reversible. No dwelling in the 

 neighbouring village produced more than nine of these combs. 



The animal remains found this year at Meare are very numerous, 

 and include the bones of small ox (bos longifrons), small horse (mostly 

 about the size of the New Forest pony), pig, sheep, red-deer, roe-deer, 

 dog, beaver, and otter. A number of bird bones have been collected 

 which have not yet been identified. Cereals and vegetable products 

 were extremely scarce. 



It is hoped that the excavations will be continued from year to year, 

 until an exhaustive examination of the whole area has been completed. 

 The undertaking is already bearing a varied and prolific harvest of 

 archaeological material, and revealing remarkable evidence of the life- 

 history and civilisation of the Early Iron Age in Britain. 



