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Based on new archaeological finds, this book introduces a novel rethinking of the whole of British history before the coming of the Romans. So many extraordinary archaeological discoveries (many of them involving the author) have been made since the early 1970s that our whole understanding of British prehistory needs to be updated. So far only the specialists have twigged on to these developments; now, Francis Pryor broadcasts them to a much wider, general audience. Aided by aerial photography, coastal erosion (which has helped expose such coastal sites as Seahenge) and new planning legislation which requires developers to excavate the land they build on, archaeologists have unearthed a far more sophisticated life among the Ancient Britons than has been previously supposed. Far from being the woaded barbarians of Roman propaganda, we Brits had our own religion, laws, crafts, arts, trade, farms, priesthood and royalty. And the Scots, English and Welsh were fundamentally one and the same people.
This work investigates the sophisticated nature of pre-Roman British society by challenging the historical narrative of Ancient Britons as primitive barbarians. Francis Pryor, a veteran archaeologist, synthesizes decades of fieldwork and modern discoveries to present a revised understanding of the social, political, and economic complexity of early Britain. By integrating data from aerial photography, coastal erosion sites, and developer-led excavations, the author argues that these ancient populations possessed advanced systems of trade, law, and governance long before Roman influence.
What You Will Find
The text serves as an accessible bridge between academic archaeological findings and the general public, effectively dismantling long-standing myths regarding the cultural status of pre-Roman Britain. Its reliance on the author's personal field experience and contemporary data provides a grounded, authoritative perspective on the evolution of British prehistory.
Page Count:
512
Publication Date:
2004-05-03
Publisher:
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
ISBN-10:
0007126921
ISBN-13:
9780007126927
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