Stonehenge - A New Understanding: Solving the Mysteries of the Greatest Stone Age Monument

Stonehenge - A New Understanding: Solving the Mysteries of the Greatest Stone Age Monument
Author: Mike Parker Pearson
Publisher: The Experiment, LLC
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2014-03-25
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1615191720

“The most authoritative, important book on Stonehenge to date.”—Kirkus, starred review Stonehenge stands as an enduring link to our prehistoric ancestors, yet the secrets it has guarded for thousands of years have long eluded us. Until now, the millions of enthusiasts who flock to the iconic site have made do with mere speculation—about Stonehenge’s celestial significance, human sacrifice, and even aliens and druids. One would think that the numerous research expeditions at Stonehenge had left no stone unturned. Yet, before the Stonehenge Riverside Project—a hugely ambitious, seven-year dig by today’s top archaeologists—all previous digs combined had only investigated a fraction of the monument, and many records from those earlier expeditions are either inaccurate or incomplete. Stonehenge—A New Understanding rewrites the story. From 2003 to 2009, author Mike Parker Pearson led the Stonehenge Riverside Project, the most comprehensive excavation ever conducted around Stonehenge. The project unearthed a wealth of fresh evidence that had gone untouched since prehistory. Parker Pearson uses that evidence to present a paradigm-shifting theory of the true significance that Stonehenge held for its builders—and mines his field notes to give you a you-are-there view of the dirt, drama, and thrilling discoveries of this history-changing archaeological dig.

Places of Special Virtue

Places of Special Virtue
Author: Alasdair Whittle
Publisher: Oxbow Books
Total Pages: 541
Release: 2017-02-20
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1785705423

This volume explores the landscape settings of megalithic chambered monuments in Wales. Set against a broader theoretical discussion on the significance of the landscape, the authors consider the role of visual landscapes in prehistory, meanings attached to the landscape, and the values and beliefs invested in it. Wales is rich in Neolithic monuments, but the general absence of certain classic monumental forms found in the rest of Britain and Ireland, such as causewayed enclosures, henges, and cursus monuments, seems to have marginalized the Welsh record from many wider discussions on the Neolithic. Instead of seeing Wales as an area which lacks many of these 'classic' components, Cummings and Whittle argue that Wales has its own unique and individual Neolithic which is simply different from the Neolithic found further to the east. It is suggested that this difference may relate to an essentially mobile existence, with strong links back to the Mesolithic period. The authors present three detailed case studies, examining the settings of sites in southwest, northwest and southeast Wales. They outline the history of research for each region, including the previous classification of the monuments and any excavations, and describe the specific landscape settings of the monuments. They assess the significance of a variety of landscape features which would have been visible from the monuments, in particular emphasizing the mythological and symbolic significance of the sea, rivers and mountains. An illustrated inventory of sites completes the volume.

Stonehenge

Stonehenge
Author: Michael Parker Pearson
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2012-06-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 085720730X

Our knowledge about Stonehenge has changed dramatically as a result of the Stonehenge Riverside Project (2003-2009), led by Mike Parker Pearson, and included not only Stonehenge itself but also the nearby great henge enclosure of Durrington Walls. This book is about the people who built Stonehenge and its relationship to the surrounding landscape. The book explores the theory that the people of Durrington Walls built both Stonehenge and Durrington Walls, and that the choice of stone for constructing Stonehenge has a significance so far undiscovered, namely, that stone was used for monuments to the dead. Through years of thorough and extensive work at the site, Parker Pearson and his team unearthed evidence of the Neolithic inhabitants and builders which connected the settlement at Durrington Walls with the henge, and contextualised Stonehenge within the larger site complex, linked by the River Avon, as well as in terms of its relationship with the rest of the British Isles. Parker Pearson's book changes the way that we think about Stonehenge; correcting previously erroneous chronology and dating; filling in gaps in our knowledge about its people and how they lived; identifying a previously unknown type of Neolithic building; discovering Bluestonehenge, a circle of 25 blue stones from western Wales; and confirming what started as a hypothesis - that Stonehenge was a place of the dead - through more than 64 cremation burials unearthed there, which span the monument's use during the third millennium BC. In lively and engaging prose, Parker Pearson brings to life the imposing ancient monument that continues to hold a fascination for everyone.

Greencoats

Greencoats
Author: Kate Innes
Publisher: Mindforest Press
Total Pages: 294
Release: 2021-05-22
Genre:
ISBN: 9780993483769

August 1940 - After a bomb explodes in Gwen's street during the Birmingham Blitz, she is sent to the safety of her eccentric aunt's woodland cottage. But she soon discovers that the countryside has its own peculiar dangers. The woods are alive with strange, magical creatures wielding frightening powers. To protect herself and her new friends, Gwen must face them, and outwit them, alone. "In 'Greencoats' the magic feels real and the reality magical. Tense, compassionate and lyrical, I devoured it in a weekend. Highly recommended." Caroline Lawrence - author of The Roman Mysteries 'Greencoats', is a middle grade historical fantasy set in 1940 during the Birmingham Blitz. The story is told from the perspective of a resourceful girl evacuated to Shropshire and brings nature, myth, and history together in a cathartic adventure. The narrative blends our pressing concern for dwindling natural spaces with an abiding interest in the supernatural, exploring issues of mental health, friendship and the fallout of war.

Prehistoric Wales

Prehistoric Wales
Author: Frances Lynch
Publisher: Sutton Publishing Limited
Total Pages: 280
Release: 2000
Genre: History
ISBN:

A title which aims to give the reader a modern and authoratative summary of research interpretations on prehistoric monuments, sites and artefacts. This book should be of interest to anyone who has a serious interest in Welsh history and in early settlement and society in the British Isles.

The Old Stones

The Old Stones
Author: Andy Burnham
Publisher: Watkins Media Limited
Total Pages: 709
Release: 2018-09-18
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1786782030

Winner of Current Archaeology’s Book of the Year Discover the iconic standing stones and prehistoric sites of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland—this comprehensive, coffee table travel guide features over 750 must-see destinations, with maps and color photographs The ultimate insiders’ guide, The Old Stones gives unparalleled insight into where to find prehistoric sites and how to understand them, by drawing on the knowledge, expertise and passion of the archaeologists, theorists, photographers and stones aficionados who contribute to the world’s biggest megalithic website—the Megalithic Portal. Including over 30 maps and site plans and hundreds of color photographs, it also contains scores of articles by a wide range of contributors—from archaeologists and archaeoastronomers to dowsers and geomancers—that will change the way you see these amazing survivals from our distant past. Locate over 1,000 of Britain and Ireland’s most atmospheric prehistoric places, from recently discovered moorland circles to standing stones hidden in housing estates. Discover which sites could align with celestial bodies or horizon landmarks. Explore acoustic, color, and shadow theory to get inside the minds of the Neolithic and Bronze Age people who created these extraordinary places. Find out which sites have the most spectacular views, which are the best for getting away from it all and which have been immortalized in music. And don't forget to visit the Megalithic Portal website and get involved by posting your discoveries online. All royalties from this book go to support the running of the Megalithic Portal: www.megalithic.com.

Public Archaeology: Arts of Engagement

Public Archaeology: Arts of Engagement
Author: Howard Williams
Publisher: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2019-11-21
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1789693748

This collection, stemming from the 2nd University of Chester Archaeology Student Conference 'Archaeo-Engage: Engaging Communities in Archaeology' (April 2017), provides original perspectives on public archaeology’s current practices and future potentials focusing on art/archaeological media, strategies and subjects.