Stonehenge for the Ancestors: Part 2: Synthesis

The Stonehenge Riverside Project (2003-2009) investigated the purpose of Stonehenge by considering it within its wider archaeological context. This volume includes studies of the lithics, petrography, and land mollusca, providing an overview of Stonehenge in its landscape over millennia.

Format: Hardback
Length: 380 pages
Publication date: 28 September 2022
Publisher: Sidestone Press

For countless centuries, scholars and enthusiasts alike have been captivated by Stonehenge, the world's most renowned stone circle. In 2003, a team of archaeologists embarked on a long-term fieldwork project for the first time in decades, marking a significant milestone in the study of this ancient monument. The Stonehenge Riverside Project (2003-2009) sought to unravel the purpose and significance of this unique prehistoric structure by examining it within its broader archaeological context.

This second installment of a four-volume series presents the findings of that remarkable campaign. It encompasses comprehensive studies of the lithics derived from excavations, encompassing both topsoil sampling and excavated features. Additionally, the petrography of the renowned bluestones, identified through chippings recovered during excavations, is explored in depth. Other specialized syntheses focus on the land mollusca.

The volume offers a comprehensive overview of Stonehenge's landscape throughout millennia, from its pre-monumental existence to the final stages of its construction. It concludes with a chapter that places Stonehenge in its rightful context within Britain and western Europe during the third millennium BC.

Contributions to this volume come from a diverse group of esteemed scholars and experts, including Umberto Albarella, Michael Allen, Richard Bevins, Benjamin Chan, Robert Ixer, Claudia Minniti, Doug Mitcham, and Sarah Viner-Daniels. Their collective expertise and insights have greatly enriched the understanding of Stonehenge and its place in history.

Stonehenge, a testament to human ingenuity and cultural heritage, continues to captivate and inspire us, reminding us of our connection to the past and the mysteries that still surround us.

Dimension: 279 x 203 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789088907067