520 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION H. 



3. The Early Bronze Age in Britain. By 0. G. S. Crawford. 



The development of the study of prehistoric archaeology in this country 

 may be divided into four periods : (i) The ' Brut ' period, eleventh to fifteenth 

 centuries a.d. ; (ii) the 'Ancient Briton' period, fifteenth century to 1860; 

 (iii) the Evolution period, 1860 to 1900; and (iv) the Distribution period, 1900 

 to to-day. During the Evolution period, prehistoric science in this country 

 was crowded out by the growth of other branches of study, some of which 

 greatly confused the issues. Hence the coming of the Distribution period has 

 been delayed. The evolution of types must be known before their distribution 

 can be mapped. 



The paper dealt with the subject in the following manner : Firstly, the 

 place of the Bronze Age in the evolution of the culture in Britain, together with 

 the character and extent of neolithic culture, so far as known at present, was 

 discussed. The distribution of flat celts and beakers was explained with the aid 

 of maps, the following four main areas of habitation being indicated : (i) East 

 coast of Scotland and of Northern England; (ii) the Peak District; (iii) the 

 Margin of Fenland ; and (iv) Salisbury Plain. 



Geologically, emphasis was laid upon the great extent of forests over English 

 clay lands, the regions settled by the Early Bronze Age invaders being those 

 where there was no forest. There are generally limestone regions where the 

 soil is shallow and light, as, for example, the Peak district, the Fen margin, 

 and Salisbury Plain. In such regions the bulk of the aboriginal neolithic popu- 

 lation was probably settled. The effect of climate is most marked in the rela- 

 tively dry, warm lowlands of East Scotland. 



Lastly, the author discussed the source of the metals used in the Early Bronze 

 Age. The geological absence of the requisite metals in certain thickly inhabited 

 regions proves the existence of an extensive trade. This is confirmed by the 

 abundance of moulds for flat celts found in Aberdeenshire. The following prob- 

 lems concerned with this subject were then discussed : The Irish gold trade and 

 the gold of Wicklow ; the probable course of trade routes as indicated by the 

 nature of the country and confirmed by isolated discoveries of flat celts; the 

 nature of the trade. 



Report on the Lake Villages in the Neighbourhood of Glastonbury. 

 See Reports, p. 134. 



5. Notes on Human Remains of Ancient Date found at Weston-super-Mare. 



By H. N. Davies, F.G.S. 



• 



The remains were found at a depth of eight feet on the ancient shore line of a 

 bay, now a quarter of a mile inland. They were in a position of rest; one leg 

 being slightly drawn up, and the head resting on the right hand. No traces 

 of clothing, weapons, or implements were found. The interment had evidently 

 taken place in the course of a ferruginous stream or near chalybeate springs, 

 as the sand grains were cemented together by oxide of iron, the bones were 

 stained a dark chocolate tint and were heavy, while the softer parts of the 

 long bones were replaced by a ferruginous deposit of sand and iron oxide. The 

 brain-case of the skull, which is in splendid preservation, was filled with ferru- 

 ginous sand, the eyeballs being replaced by globular masses of hematite, the 

 soft parts of the nose also being replaced by the same material. The lower 

 jaw is cemented to the upper by an iron cement, which also holds many of the 

 teeth in position. The alveolar ridges show considerable absorption, and there 

 are traces of disease in the fangs of some of the teeth. 



The supraciliary ridge of the skull is prominent, and the occipital region pro- 

 tuberant. The transverse arch' is well rounded, and the antero-posterior curve 

 slightly depressed in the frontal region, and flattened in the post-parietal region, 

 and regular in the parietal region. The orbits are broadly elliptical. The lower 

 jaw is very square, and the chin broad and sharply pointed at the angles. 



Among the measurements obtained were : Skull — Max. antero-posterior 



