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 | | Exploring Prehistoric Europe (Places in Time) by Chris Scarre ISBN-10: 0195103238 ISBN-10: 0-19-510323-8 ISBN-13: 9780195103236 ISBN-13: 978-0-19-510323-6 Hardcover 1999-02-04 Oxford University Press, USA Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Amazon.com British archaeologist Chris Scarre provides a literate and thoroughly enjoyable grand tour of Old World prehistory in this handsomely illustrated volume, the first in Oxford's "Places in Time" series. Treating 15 sites as case studies, Scarre grounds his readers in some of the thornier problems confronting archaeologists: establishing reliable chronologies (and Scarre, like many of his colleagues, proposes extending the arrival of humans to the European continent much farther back in time than late-20th-century orthodoxy permits), determining the ways of life of prehistoric peoples, and, most difficult of all, guessing at what they might have thought and believed about the world and their place in it. Scarre takes us to expected venues such as Stonehenge and Maiden Castle, and he conducts a chamber-by-chamber tour of Lascaux Cave, which the French government closed to the public years ago. He also ventures to a number of lesser-known sites that are in many ways more illuminating of European prehistory than are their more famous counterparts. Tarxien, a Maltese site, for instance, yields evidence of organized religion dating far back into the megalithic period; its peculiar temple architecture gives "an impression of dramatic ritual ceremonies in a setting carefully designed with an eye to effect." Scarre aims to educate the eye of the traveler to recognize signs of the prehistoric presence in a landscape since overlain by many other cultures. In this he is eminently successful. --Gregory McNamee | ||
Product Description Part travel guide, part survey of Europe's prehistory, Exploring Prehistoric Europe delves into fifteen of the most famous, most important, and most exciting archaeological sites in Europe. The first volume in the Places in Time series, this beautiful book takes us to locales both famous and obscure, from Ireland to Poland to Malta, ranging chronologically from Terra Amata, a site in southern France occupied some 380,000 years ago, to Borremose, a Danish settlement that dates to Roman times. The author, archaeologist Chris Scarre, examines the haunting cave paintings of Lascaux, France; the stone circle and ritual complexes of Avebury, England; and the ever mysterious Stonehenge--as well as lesser known but no less intriguing sites around Europe. For each location, he conducts a careful tour of the existing remains, describes the history of its excavation, and then interprets how the site might have been built, used, or occupied. Readers will explore a variety of cultures and monuments, from megalithic stone circles to Neolithic villages to Bronze Age tombs, and see intimate portraits of the daily life of Europe's prehistoric ancestors. Perhaps equally important, Scarre has selected the sites with accessibility in mind--all can be easily reached by the modern tourist--and he also highlights local museums and visitor centers where further artifacts and information can be found. Beautifully illustrated with maps and full-color photographs, Exploring Prehistoric Europe makes the perfect companion for the historically minded traveler--or the reader who wants to curl up at home and wander at leisure through the distant past. | ||
Reviews | ||
Guidebook to the past A guidebook to touring the ancient world is unusual to say the least. Scarre has managed to create one, and it's an admirable job. Sifting a wealth of research, he's produced a string of vignettes depicting archaeological sites available to visitors. He reminds us throughout the book that we have learned a great deal about our ancestors, but there's still much to be achieved. Some sites have room for volunteers to assist in the recovery of buildings, religious centres and graves. It's a thought to keep in mind as you go through the photos and text he's provided for guidance. If you can afford to buy this book, you can probably afford visiting at least one of the locations. Scarre's opening is also unique in that a location map is provided in the end papers with a chronological chart running along the bottom. If you have an interest in a particular time period, you can determine which sites are represented. On the other hand, if you want to visit a particular site, you can determine where it stands in the course of history. It's an effective beginning for this special book. Reading this book should be incentive enough to visit one or more of the sites. The maps show both the layout of the find and its relationship to the surrounding area. The photography is exquisite, complemented by numerous useful diagrams. A short "Further Reading and "Further Viewing Each reader must make their own priorities in choosing preferred sites to visit. For me, two stand out - Avebury in southern Britain [Chapter 6] and the long stone avenues of Carnac in southern Brittany [Chapter 4]. Avebury and Carnac overlap slightly in the chronology, and scholars debate on Brittany's influence on megalithic monuments in the British Isles. Both sites cover an immense amount of landscape. Anyone thinking to gain a meaningful view of either in one day is doomed to disappointment. For these or any of the sites Scarre introduces us to, read him, keep a map handy and put his resources for the location to use. There is much here to learn and enjoy. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada] | ||
An extremely interestimg book Excellent overview. The authors objectively present the current theories, even conflicting ones, letting the reader weigh-up the evidence for themself.They offer a small bibliography for each site,plus information on area museums housing finds from each site.Some sites relatively unknown, but fascinating! | ||