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GLASTONBURY LAKE VILLAGE

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Lake Village occupied apparently in two phases of the Late Iron Age, concluding around 50 AD. Finds include log boats, wheeled vehicles, a currency bar, ploughs, pottery and a tin coin. There is evidence for Neolithic and Roman occupation or use. Possibly a crannog.

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[ST 492 407] Lake Village (site of) (GT) (1)

Glastonbury lake village covers an area 400 ft. N S 300 ft. E W,
about 1 mile NNW of the town [See AO/LP/64/56] it was excavated by Bulleid and Gray from 1892 - 1908 and was found to have consisted
of a timber and brushwood platform resting on peat, surmounted by
clay-floored wattle and daub huts, indicated by low mounds. The
foundations of at least sixty mostly circular huts of 14' - 40'
diameter were examined. There was also evidence of rectangular huts,
not in situ, believed to be earlier. The perimeter of each of the
circular huts was bounded by vertical piles driven into the
substructure, and each contained a central clay hearth, often much
rebuilt. Stone paths were found connecting various huts whilst the
whole village was surrounded by a wooden palisade (from one to four
posts deep), and on the east side had a causeway 158' long, leading
to a timber landing stage, with a stone embankment nearby.
The finds which were extremely numerous, represented all aspects of
village life e.g. weaving, fishing, agriculture, metallurgy, personal
adornment etc. An enormous amount of pottery was found, but currency
was only represented by two iron currency bars and part of a tin
coin of 100 - 75 B.C. A flint industry, probably contemporary was
noted. Dug-out boats were found in and near the village, and just
outside the palisade a fine bead-rimmed bronze bowl. Two Neolithic
polished stone axes were also found, probably brought to the site
in the Iron Age. R.B. material consisting of pottery and metal
objects found overlying the site. Most of the finds are in Taunton
and Glastonbury Museums.
Hawkes dates this village to the South Western Province third B of
the Iron Age, and remarks that it has become a nearly complete
La Tene III culture. (2-4)

There are many hummocks in the area of the lake village but they
cannot be accurately interpreted. The northern edge of the
settlement is marked out by stones. (5)

A re-assessment of Glastonbury Lake Village from the existing
evidence:
The site was occupied in succession by two distinct groups of people
who had different cultural affinities. The first group were
woodworkers who built an undefended settlement of small rectangular
timber-framed houses on oak piles. They had lathes, wheeled vehicles
and ploughs, and to them should be assigned the 'sceptre', the
Glastonbury bowl, the currency bar, the iron key and the iron
plough-share. They probably occupied the site from C150 to 60BC.
The second group probably occupiedd the site after the first
village had been abandoned. They destroyed the rectangular
houses and instead built round huts on crannogs, surrounding the
settlement with a palisade. They had little use for wood, but
had much pottery. They used looms, smelted bronze, and worked
bone. They did not use wheeled
vehicles or ploughs. The site was probably deserted c 50 AD
because of a rise in the water level. Contrary to a widely held
belief there was no terminal massacre and no destruction by
fire. See Plan (which distinguishes between the two postulated
occupations). (6)

ST 493408: Glastonbury Lake Village, scheduled. (7)

Logboat from Glastonbury Lake Village. (8)

Additional reference. (9)

Glastonbury Lake Village - models and source criticisms. (10)

Report on excavations, 1984. (11)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" (prov) 1960

( 2) General reference

The Glastonbury lake vil. Vols. 1 & 2 1911 & 1917 (Bulleid & Gray)

( 3) Antiquity Publications Limited Antiquity

(Hawkes) 33 - 1959 Page(s)178,182

( 4) Somerset archaeology and natural history : the proceedings of the Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society

30 - 1894 Page(s)140

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 JP 06-JUL-66

( 6) General reference

PUBSS 12 (2) 1970 143-68. Plan (E K Tratman)

( 7) General reference

//// Eng Heritage schedule of AMs, County List, Dec 1987 5

( 8) General reference

//// BAR 51 i 1978 - Logboats 199 No51 (S McGrail)

( 9) General reference

//// Prehist of the Somerset Levels 1980 52-63 figs (J Coles B Orme)

( 10) General reference

//// Arch J 144 1987 409--423 figs (J Barrett)

( 11) General reference

//// Somerset Levels Papers 14 1988 57-91 figs (J Coles B Coles R Morgan)

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