This book is about how local communities in prehistory, by shaping their landscape, carved out a place for themselves in a big social world that stretched out far beyond the landscape they lived and worked in.

Prehistoric Britain, now in its second edition, examines the development of human societies in Britain from earliest times to the Roman conquest of AD 43, as revealed by archaeological evidence. Special attention is given to six themes which are traced through prehistory: subsistence, technology, ritual, trade, society, and population.

Megalithic cairns, ancient earthworks, Bronze Age burial chambers, Stonehenge--these mysterious, awe-inspiring monuments in their remote British settings have long exercised a powerful hold on people's imagination. In this lavishly illustrated atlas, John Manley provides a beautiful and highly informative account of prehistoric British culture, revealing how the evidence of monuments, excavations and artefacts sheds light on the technological development, social organization, military exploits, and religious practices of these long-departed peoples. Ranging from 300,000 B.C. and the earliest indications of prehistoric culture, to the final Roman conquest in 43 A.D., and covering Wales, Scotland, and Ireland as well as England, Manley makes use of the latest research in archeaology to interpret Britain's prehistoric heritage for the nonspecialist reader. He describes the earliest bands who hunted artic fox, woolly rhinoceros, and mammoth and often lived in caves such as Picken's Hole in Somerset; the first farming communities dating back to 4000 B.C.; the construction of Stonehenge, which required thousands of workers to drag huge sandstone blocks across the countryside; and the hill-top settlements, or hillforts, and the warrior-chiefs who ruled them. The maps, site plans and reconstruction drawings have been specially commissioned to combine clarity with an attractive style, and they are closely integrated with Manley's text. The photographs are particularly striking; they capture the magic and haunting presence of the past. Beautifully illustrated, vividly narrated, and completely up to date, The Atlas interprets and celebrates Britain's amazingly rich prehistoric heritage. It will enthrall anyone fascinated by ancient ruins, Stonehenge, and the mysteries of the past.

Informed by the latest research and in-depth analysis, Prehistoric Britain provides students and scholars alike with a fascinating overview of the development of human societies in Britain from the Upper Paleolithic to the end of the Iron Age. Offers readers an incisive synthesis and much-needed overview of current research themes Includes essays from leading scholars and professionals who address the very latest trends in current research Explores the interpretive debates surrounding major transitions in British prehistory

This is the first survey of religious beliefs in the British Isles from the Stone Age to the coming of Christianity. Hutton draws upon a wealth of new data to reveal some important rethinking about Christianization and the decline of paganism.