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The Old Stones: A Field Guide to the Megalithic Sites of Britain and Ireland Spiral-Bound | September 25, 2018
Andy Burnham (Edited by)
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The Old Stones: A Field Guide to the Megalithic Sites of Britain and Ireland
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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.
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.
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Original Binding: Trade Paperback
Pages: 416 pages
ISBN-10: 1786781549
Item Weight: 3.0 lbs
Dimensions: 8.1 x 1.1 x 9.5 inches
“A wonderful guide to the many megaliths of Britain’s Neolithic and Bronze Age.”
—Mike Parker Pearson, Professor of British Later Prehistory at UCL
“As if by magic, along came this remarkable guide, a glorious celebration of standing stones [...] attractively laid out by region with many good photos [...] It’s well done, but there is something else which makes it extraordinary. Its editor is the founder and editor of the Megalithic Portal, ‘the world’s most-visited standing-stone website’. He has devised the book’s contents around what the website has shown to be most popular, and the whole thing is a collaborative venture of browsers, travellers, visionaries and scholars, all given free rein. Vicki Cummings has written a long, and very good introduction, and other well-known archaeologists pop up among the geomancers, dowsers and bog waders with no favours [...] The reader is left to judge for themself, with powerful effect.”
—British Archaeology magazine
“Lavishly illustrated with fab photographs. A great guide, I was very very impressed.”
—Howard Hughes, TalkRadio
“Destined to become a classic of its kind.”
—Psychic News
“[A] must for the bookshelves of everyone who wants to learn more about the people and places
that have shaped our land.”
—Cotswold Life
“This is a masterful resource of information about these marvelous ancient sites and a valuable research tool for anyone with an interest.”
—Phenomena Magazine
“The Old Stones is one of those wonderful books we return to time and time again. With each perusal we'll discover new sites to visit and absorb more interesting facts.”
—Backpax Magazine
“The Old Stones provides a fascinating detailed guide to all the known megalithic sites of Britain and Ireland [...] It is an indispensable reference work, and is especially valuable as a companion to visiting these—sometimes difficult to find—ancient monuments.”
—Edinburgh Life Magazine
“This 400+ page field guide of over 1,000 sites does everything it promises and is another dedicated testament to the might of the 'amateur' [...] The production values are remarkable [...] This is most definitely another for the Christmas stocking—alongside a pair of thick socks, sturdy boots, and gritty determination.”
—Rob Ixer, Current Archaeology magazine
“This comprehensive guide to prehistoric sites in Britain and Ireland is unparalleled. [...] impressive and eye-opening—it truly is a book worth owning.”
—Scottish Field magazine
—Mike Parker Pearson, Professor of British Later Prehistory at UCL
“As if by magic, along came this remarkable guide, a glorious celebration of standing stones [...] attractively laid out by region with many good photos [...] It’s well done, but there is something else which makes it extraordinary. Its editor is the founder and editor of the Megalithic Portal, ‘the world’s most-visited standing-stone website’. He has devised the book’s contents around what the website has shown to be most popular, and the whole thing is a collaborative venture of browsers, travellers, visionaries and scholars, all given free rein. Vicki Cummings has written a long, and very good introduction, and other well-known archaeologists pop up among the geomancers, dowsers and bog waders with no favours [...] The reader is left to judge for themself, with powerful effect.”
—British Archaeology magazine
“Lavishly illustrated with fab photographs. A great guide, I was very very impressed.”
—Howard Hughes, TalkRadio
“Destined to become a classic of its kind.”
—Psychic News
“[A] must for the bookshelves of everyone who wants to learn more about the people and places
that have shaped our land.”
—Cotswold Life
“This is a masterful resource of information about these marvelous ancient sites and a valuable research tool for anyone with an interest.”
—Phenomena Magazine
“The Old Stones is one of those wonderful books we return to time and time again. With each perusal we'll discover new sites to visit and absorb more interesting facts.”
—Backpax Magazine
“The Old Stones provides a fascinating detailed guide to all the known megalithic sites of Britain and Ireland [...] It is an indispensable reference work, and is especially valuable as a companion to visiting these—sometimes difficult to find—ancient monuments.”
—Edinburgh Life Magazine
“This 400+ page field guide of over 1,000 sites does everything it promises and is another dedicated testament to the might of the 'amateur' [...] The production values are remarkable [...] This is most definitely another for the Christmas stocking—alongside a pair of thick socks, sturdy boots, and gritty determination.”
—Rob Ixer, Current Archaeology magazine
“This comprehensive guide to prehistoric sites in Britain and Ireland is unparalleled. [...] impressive and eye-opening—it truly is a book worth owning.”
—Scottish Field magazine
The Megalithic Portal is the world's most-visited standing-stone website. It was set up by chartered engineer Andy Burnham in 2001 as a forum for megalith enthusiasts and to document, publicise and protect our prehistoric heritage, much of which is under threat today from development and intensive agriculture. This interactive website, run by Andy and a team of around a dozen other amateur editors, has input from thousands of contributors from all over the world, including professional photographers and archaeologists. Since 2001 they have assembled a worldwide resource of over 50,000 ancient sites and 170,000 images, serving half a billion pages.
Vicki Cummings is a Reader in Archaeology at the University of Central Lancashire. Over the last decade she has excavated a series of Neolithic monuments, and is the author of a number of books and articles, including The Neolithic of Britain and Ireland (Routledge, 2017).
Vicki Cummings is a Reader in Archaeology at the University of Central Lancashire. Over the last decade she has excavated a series of Neolithic monuments, and is the author of a number of books and articles, including The Neolithic of Britain and Ireland (Routledge, 2017).