Prehistoric Avebury


Book Description

This magnificent book is a fascinating account of the prehistoric stone circles at Avebury, which not only II date from an earlier era but are also larger than the more famous sarsen stone circle of Stonehenge. Written by a leading archaeologist, the book considers every aspect of Avebury's history and construction and discusses the probable purpose of these massive structures, in the process creating a vivid and moving picture of their creators -- a primitive people whose lives were brief, savage, and fearful.




The Old Stones


Book Description

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.




Exploring Avebury


Book Description

Avebury in Wiltshire is best known as the world's largest stone circle, but surrounding it is a wealth of ancient monuments. Captivated by its unique atmosphere, many visitors form a personal, often spiritual, connection to Avebury and its 'sacred landscape'. What was it that first attracted people to the Avebury area more than 5,000 years ago?Beautifully illustrated with over 400 photographs, maps and diagrams, Exploring Avebury invites us on a journey of discovery. For the first time the importance of water, light and sound is revealed, and we begin to see Avebury through the eyes of those who built it.




Cumbria's Prehistoric Monuments


Book Description

Cumbria is a land built from stone. Whether it is Hadrian's Wall, Kendal Castle or the beautiful fells of the Lake District – for thousands of years people have found a certain elegance and utility in stone. Nestled amongst these common relics are a multitude of massive stone monuments, built over 3,000 years before British shores were ever touched by Roman sandals. Cumbria's 'megalithic' monuments are among Europe's greatest and best-preserved ancient relics but are often poorly understood and rarely visited. This updated and revised edition of Cumbria's Prehistoric Monuments aims to dispel the idea that these stones are merely 'mysterious'. Within this book you will find credible answers, using up-to-date research, excavation notes, maps and diagrams to explore one of Britain's richest archaeological landscapes. Featuring stunning original photography and illustrated diagrams of every megalithic site in the county, Adam Morgan Ibbotson invites you to take a journey into a land sculpted by ancient hands.




English Heritage Book of Avebury


Book Description

This is an illustrated survey of one of Britain's most important archaeological sites. As well as the Avebury stone circle, it includes other important neolithic monuments: the Great Henge; East and West Kennet Long Barrows; the Sanctuary and the Avenue; and Silbury Hill.




Prehistoric Monuments of Avebury


Book Description

Avebury stone circle is over 4000 years old. It is one of the largest prehistoric henges in Britain, and has been designated as a World Heritage Site. This is an account of Avebury's ceremonial sites, ancient avenues and barrows.




Avebury Enigmas


Book Description

An original and radical interpretation of the two spectacular ancient monuments which are found virtually next door to each other in the Wiltshire countryside. The book suggests that they were the work of not only a very successful Neolithic society but also of an extremely sophisticated one. Important celestial and geometric patterns in the layout of Avebury are revealed and, for the first time ever, the bizarre shape of the outer circle and the strange positioning of the two inner ones begins to make sense. At the same time a solution is offered to the enduring mystery that is Silbury Hill, based simply on its undeniable geometric proportions. The overall result is to indicate that these two nearby monuments, built at different times but probably by the same culture, each had a different but complementary focus. The key conclusions are based very firmly on the surviving evidence and can readily be checked against that. At the same time, in a work of this kind, a certain amount of speculation cannot be avoided but it is always clearly indicated as such and the reader left to make up his/her own mind. There are many photographs and diagrams: the former used to give a vivid impression of both sites, the latter to illustrate and clarify various suggested interpretations. For this reason the e-book will be best enjoyed on a device which supports colour reproduction. The Kindle Previewer indicates that the formatting works very well on the Kindle Fire range of tablets and also on IPad. It does require a reasonably large screen for full appreciation.An earlier version of Part 2 of the book, which forms the last two chapters and is concerned with Silbury Hill, was originally published separately under the same title: 'In Plain View. The Secret of Silbury Hill.' This has since been refined and developed.




Silbury Hill


Book Description

Silbury Hill is an enormous earthen mound that is situated in the heart of the Marlborough Downs, and set today within the Avebury World Heritage Site. This academic monograph will provide a full account of the recent archaeological investigations.




Megalithomania


Book Description

A feast of extraordinary theories and personalities centred around the mysterious standing stones of antiquity. John Michell tells the incredible story of the amazing reactions, ancient and modern, to these prehistoric relics, whether astronomical, legendary, mystical or visionary.




The Lives of Prehistoric Monuments in Iron Age, Roman, and Medieval Europe


Book Description

This volume explores the pervasive influence exerted by some prehistoric monuments on European social life over thousands of years, and reveals how they can act as a node linking people through time, possessing huge ideological and political significance. Through the advancement of theoretical approaches and scientific methodologies, archaeologists have been able to investigate how some of these monuments provide resources to negotiate memories, identities, and power and social relations throughout European history. The essays in this collection examine the life-histories of carefully chosen megalithic monuments, stelae and statue-menhirs, and rock art sites of various European and Mediterranean regions during the Iron Age and Roman and Medieval times. By focusing on the concrete interaction between people, monuments, and places, the volume offers an innovative outlook on a variety of debated issues. Prominent among these is the role of ancient remains in the creation, institutionalization, contestation, and negotiation of social identities and memories, as well as their relationship with political economy in early historic European societies. By contributing to current theoretical debates on materiality, landscape, and place-making, The Lives of Prehistoric Monuments in Iron Age, Roman, and Medieval Europe seeks to overcome disciplinary boundaries between prehistory and history, and highlight the long-term, genealogical nature of our engagement with the world.