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An exploration of shamanism and ritual behavior in ancient Europe draws on recent archaeological research to identify the roles and techniques of shamans from multiple periods and civilizations, in a history that also features numerous photographs of elaborate ritual objects.
The 'Red Lady of Paviland' has been the enigmatic heroine of Early Man in Britain since the discovery of human remains impregnated with ochre were found within the Paviland Cave in the Gower Peninsular in 1823. But was she a lady, and what were the circumstances of her burial? This book examines the evidence again with the benefit of modern techniques and it provides a definitive report on more recent investigations at the site carried out in 1997. The twelve chapters include a description of the site and its deposits, dating techniques, faunal remains, human remains, DNA, geology, lithics, ivory, bone and shell and analysis of the ochre. Contributors: S Aldhouse-Green, S Swainston, A Brookes, D J Lowe, A Turner, D Q Bowen, R Mourne, E Trinkhaus, T Holliday, T Young and other.
The caves of the Elwy valley contain evidence of the earliest human occupation of Wales, the site at Pontnewydd having transformed understanding of human settlement. This monograph documents the results of 20 years of field research.
The grisly story of the bog bodies, updated via details of archaeological discovery and crime-scene techniques Some 2,000 years ago, certain unfortunate individuals were violently killed and buried not in graves but in bogs. What was a tragedy for the victims has proved an archaeologist’s dream, for the peculiar and acidic properties of the bog have preserved the bodies so that their skin, hair, soft tissue, and internal organs—even their brains—survive. Most of these ancient swamp victims have been discovered in regions with large areas of raised bog: Ireland, northwest England, Denmark, the Netherlands, and northern Germany. They were almost certainly murder victims and, as such, the...
A compelling new account of religion in Roman Britain, weaving together the latest archaeological research and a new analysis of ancient literature to illuminate parallels between past and present Two thousand years ago, the Romans sought to absorb into their empire what they regarded as a remote, almost mythical island on the very edge of the known world—Britain. The expeditions of Julius Caesar and the Claudian invasion of 43 CE, up to the traditional end of Roman Britain in the fifth century CE, brought fundamental and lasting changes to the island. Not least among these was a pantheon of new classical deities and religious systems, along with a clutch of exotic eastern cults, including...
The archaeology of death and burial is central to our attempts to understand vanished societies. Through the remains of funerary rituals we can learn not only about the attitudes of prehistoric people to death and the afterlife, but also about their way of life, their social organisation and their view of the world. This ambitious book reviews the latest research in this huge and important field, and describes the sometimes controversial interpretations that have led to rapid advances in our understanding of life and death in the distant past. A unique overview and synthesis of one of the most revealing fields of research into the past, it covers archaeology's most breathtaking discoveries, from Tutankhamen to the Ice Man, and will find a keen market among archaeologists, historians and others who have a professional interest in, or general curiosity about, death and burial.
Examines archaeological evidence, Classical commentaries, and early Welsh and Irish myths to uncover the role of Druids in Celtic society
When ochre-stained bones were unearthed by William Buckland in a Welsh cave in 1823, they raised many unsettling questions regarding their origin, and inspired the casting and recasting of the character who became known as the Red Lady. Her biography reflects the personal, professional, and national ambitions of those who studied her.
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.
Relevance of the religious beliefs and practices of past European societies can enhance understanding of our own. The popular notion of Druids is unpacked and debunked using archaeological evidence. New research findings are shared with readers in accessible and engaging ways, enhanced by copious illustrations that weave into the text. The book is thoroughly readable and tells stories of the past in a deeply compelling manner.