In this beautifully illustrated book, anthropologist and broadcaster Mary-Ann Ochota unearths more than fifty of Britains most intriguing ancient places and artefacts and explores the mysteries behind them.
Britain's pagan past, with its mysterious monuments, atmospheric sites, enigmatic artifacts, bloodthirsty legends, and cryptic inscriptions, is both enthralling and perplexing to a resident of the twenty-first century. In this ambitious and thoroughly up-to-date book, Ronald Hutton reveals the long development, rapid suppression, and enduring cultural significance of paganism, from the Paleolithic Era to the coming of Christianity. He draws on an array of recently discovered evidence and shows how new findings have radically transformed understandings of belief and ritual in Britain before the arrival of organized religion. Setting forth a chronological narrative, Hutton along the way makes side visits to explore specific locations of ancient pagan activity. He includes the well-known sacred sites—Stonehenge, Avebury, Seahenge, Maiden Castle, Anglesey—as well as more obscure locations across the mainland and coastal islands. In tireless pursuit of the elusive “why” of pagan behavior, Hutton astonishes with the breadth of his understanding of Britain’s deep past and inspires with the originality of his insights.
Throughout the length and breadth of Britain, ancient tribes, druids, Celtic Saints, Medieval Knights and 18th century landowners have left future generations a wealth of extroadinary sights, scapes and structures. Homer Syke's superb and evocative photographs record these marvels in full colour while his informative text relates their history, and the legends and folktales that surround them - dancing maidens and unfortunate princes turned to stone in Devon and Cornwall, water made holy by the Gilded skull of Saint Teilo in Wales, and the witch who milked the Giant cow in Mitchells fold, Shropshire.