The Neolithic of Britain and Ireland (Routledge Archaeology of Northern Europe)

The Neolithic of Britain and Ireland provides a comprehensive overview of this exciting period, covering the last few hundred years of the Mesolithic and the arrival and spread of the Neolithic up to the start of the early Beaker period: roughly 2000 years of prehistory.

Drawing on the latest excavations and the results of new scientific techniques, this book considers what life was like for people in the Neolithic and how they were treated when they died. It explores in detail the monuments constructed from stone and wood, the most famous of which is Stonehenge, but also includes many other sites such as chambered tombs and causewayed enclosures. It considers some of the key ways we interpret evidence from the Neolithic to offer insights into social organisation and belief systems at this time. The new edition contains the results of the latest ancient DNA evidence, which has seen this period of prehistory undergoing considerable revision in the last few years. Exciting new finds and excavations are also included.

This is an accessible introduction for students new to the study of the Neolithic and also acts as a reference for students and scholars already researching this area.

Vicki Cummings is Professor of Neolithic Archaeology at Cardiff University. Her research has focused on the start and spread of the Neolithic in Britain, Ireland and north-west Europe. She has a particular research interest in Early Neolithic monumentality, especially chambered tombs, and has excavated sites in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. More recently her work has focused on the Early Neolithic of Orkney as well as Early Neolithic kinship. She is the author of Monuments in the Making: Raising the Great Dolmens in Early Neolithic Northern Europe (with Colin Richards).