History Books

18986 products


  • The Little Book of the 1960s

    Headline Publishing Group The Little Book of the 1960s

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisMake love, not war.At the heart of the 1960s was a desire for change, a yearning for a new way of living and a rejection of the old order. From the civil rights movement or the Vietnam War to the Apollo moon landings or the launch of the birth control pill, and from the Beatles to the Beat Generation, it was a period of revolutionary change.Packed full of fabulous facts and quotes from civil rights leaders and counterculture icons to writers, artists and musicians this little book captures the key events, icons and ideas that defined this tumultuous decade.A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. John F. Kennedy, 1963We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. Martin Luther King, 1964We don''t like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out. Decca executive, after turning down the Beatles, 1962The yellow smiley fa

    1 in stock

    £6.99

  • On Dragons Wings

    Y Lolfa On Dragons Wings

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisHistory of a Welsh reserve squadron, from 1930s biplanes through WWII bombing raids and Cold War fighter jets to disbandment in 1957 and relaunch in 2014. The story is not just of operations but also the human side of fighting thousands of miles from home and facing danger with humour and courage.

    1 in stock

    £14.24

  • On The Eve: The Jews of Europe before the Second

    Profile Books Ltd On The Eve: The Jews of Europe before the Second

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis is the portrait of a world on the eve of its destruction. Bernard Wasserstein presents a disturbing interpretation of the collapse of European Jewish civilization even before the Nazi onslaught and World War Two. In this revisionist account of modern European Jewry, Wasserstein shows how the harsh realities of the age devastated the lives of communities and individuals. By 1939, the Jews faced an existential crisis that was as much the result of internal decay as of external attack. Ranging from Vilna ('Jerusalem of Lithuania') to Salonica with its Judeo-Español-speaking stevedores and singers, and beyond, the book's focus is squarely on the Jews themselves rather than their persecutors. Wasserstein's aim is to 'breathe life into dry bones.' Based on vast research, written with compassion and empathy, and enlivened by dry wit, On the Eve paints a vivid and shocking picture of the European Jews in their final hour.Trade ReviewNothing less than a marvel. Nothing escapes his gaze * Sunday Times *The extensively researched On the Eve is an enlightening and moving evocation of the richness and heterogenity ... of Jewish life in pre-war Europe. * Jewish Chronicle *In poignant detail, Wasserstein chronicles the salons, publishing houses and film studios of Jewish communities in Lithuania, Poland and Austria. The book is brocaded with scenes of a people and a culture in their final hour. * Independent *Only the finest historian could hope to expose the anti-semitic idiocies of 1930s Europe and explore the Jewish response in a sensitive and even-handed way. Enter Wasserstein, who has written one of the most important books I've ever read. -- Jonathan Wright * Herald *

    1 in stock

    £13.49

  • CorkCorcaigh

    Royal Irish Academy CorkCorcaigh

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis new historical atlas of Cork will explore the city from its origins to the present day. The emergence of Cork from a monastic settlement on a marshland site through to the thriving city we know today is explained in a thoroughly researched text, illustrated with newly created thematic maps, early views and photographs. Historic maps are reproduced on large-format pages showing how the topography transformed through time. A gazetteer of over 13,000 sites and accompanying essay gives the detailed topographical history of the city up to c. 1900. The Irish Historic Towns Atlas is a long-term research project of the Royal Irish Academy. Since publication began in 1986, thirty atlases of Irish towns and cities, north and south, have been published. The atlases are produced following basic principles making it possible to compare and contrast places with one another. Cork will join the cities of Dublin, Belfast, Galway and Limerick; and regional towns of Bandon and Youghal already covered in the Irish series; as well as over 580 European towns and cities produced as part of a wider International scheme. See www.ihta.ie for more information. The Irish Historic Towns Atlas of Cork is published by the Royal Irish Academy in association with Cork City Council. Maps are produced in association with Ordnance Survey Ireland.

    1 in stock

    £42.75

  • Stonehenge

    Liverpool University Press Stonehenge

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £40.00

  • War: What is it good for?: The role of conflict

    Profile Books Ltd War: What is it good for?: The role of conflict

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisWar is one of the greatest human evils. It has ruined livelihoods, provoked unspeakable atrocities and left countless millions dead. It has caused economic chaos and widespread deprivation. And the misery it causes poisons foreign policy for future generations. But, argues bestselling historian Ian Morris, in the very long term, war has in fact been a good thing. In his trademark style combining inter-disciplinary insights, scientific methods and fascinating stories, Morris shows that, paradoxically, war is the only human invention that has allowed us to construct peaceful societies. Without war, we would never have built the huge nation-states which now keep us relatively safe from random acts of violence, and which have given us previously unimaginable wealth. It is thanks to war that we live longer and more comfortable lives than ever before. And yet, if we continue waging war with ever-more deadly weaponry, we will destroy everything we have achieved; so our struggles to manage warfare make the coming decades the most decisive in the history of our civilisation. In War: What Is It Good For? Morris brilliantly dissects humanity's history of warfare to draw startling conclusions about our future.Trade ReviewMorris is the world's most talented ancient historian -- Niall FergusonThis is an astonishing book, full of controversy, brilliantly researched and thoughtfully argued ... one of the most fascinating and thought-provoking histories I've read in years. * Daily Telegraph *A provocative and extraordinary contribution to wide-screen comparative history ... a true banquet of ideas. -- Boyd Tonkin * Independent *He is a much wittier and more self-deprecating writer than most of his competitors, has a sharper eye for facts and anecdote, and steers well clear of the preening bombast that so often disfigures such tracts. Clever, acute and counterintuitive, his book is a pleasure to read, and though his argument may be depressing, it seems pretty persuasive. -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *Ian Morris' evidence that war has benefited our species-albeit inadvertently-is provocative, compelling, and fearless. This book is equally horrific and inspiring, detailed and sweeping, light-hearted and deadly serious. For those who think war has been a universal disaster it will change the way they think about the course of history. -- Richard Wrangham * Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence, Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human *Perhaps you think that you already know everything about the history of all peoples on all the continents for the last 15,000 years. Even if you do, you'll still get a fresh perspective from this thought-provoking book. With this volume and his previous Why the West Rules-for Now, Ian Morris has established himself as a leader in making big history interesting and understandable. -- Jared Diamond * Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed *That war is the antithesis of everything we cherish in our modern civilization is that one rare idea nobody would dare disagree with in polite company. Nobody except Ian Morris that is. This delightful, erudite and thought-provoking book challenges some of our core beliefs. Morris argues, fairly convincingly, that far from being its antithesis, war is the mainspring of our civilization, and we are far from the last chapter of the history that war has made. You will be surprised, informed, entertained and most importantly challenged by this book. -- Daron Acemoglu, coauthor of Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and PovertyWe now live in a far safer, healthier, and more prosperous world than any of our ancestors ever did. Ian Morris has drawn upon a breathtaking array of data from paleography, anthropology, history, psychology, and political science to demonstrate the unpalatable but inescapable truth that we do so thanks to what has for centuries been seen as mankind's greatest scourge: war. Written with all of Morris' habitual narrative flair, this brilliant book will surely change forever the way we think about human conflict and what we should attempt to do about it in the future. -- Anthony Pagden * Worlds at War: The 2,500-Year Struggle Between East and Wes *Big thinker Morris (Why the West Rules-for Now) returns with an ambitious, epoch-spanning study of violence writ large across time and place ... By surveying germane, timely issues from containment to ICBMs and "doomsday devices," as well as speculating on the potentials of the transhuman and posthuman, Morris casts a wide net ... A fascinating and stimulating work sure to compel readers of anthropology, archaeology, history, and futurity. * Publishers Weekly *A profoundly uncomfortable but provocative argument that "productive war" promotes greater safety, a decrease in violence and economic growth ... A disturbing, transformative text that veers towards essential reading * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *An ambitious, epoch-spanning study of violence writ large across time and place ... A fascinating and stimulating work sure to compel readers of anthropology, archaeology, history, and futurity. * Publishers Weekly *Praise for Why the West Rules - For Now: 'A great work of synthesis and argument, drawing together an awesome range of materials and authorities -- Andrew MarrOne doffs one's hat to Morris's breadth, ambition and erudition * Sunday Times *An astonishing work -- David S. Landes, author of The Wealth and Poverty of NationsBrilliantly argued across a huge sweep, combining history with human geography, human and natural sciences. It is a magnificent and stimulating read, and should be given to anyone involved in the business of war and peace, or the human fate in any respect - and already a book of the year. -- Robert Fox * Evening Standard *An exuberant and wonderfully entertaining tour de force of history, archaeology, anthropology, geography, evolutionary biology and technological and military speculation... a terrific book. -- David Crane * The Spectator *the author is an unabashed pop writer, using humour and anecdote to lively effect. The result is a mammoth work of scholarship, written in an entertainingly accessible style... If we think we can understand history, this admirably provocative book makes us think again. -- Andrew Anthony * Mail on Sunday *Morris has a lively writing style and enjoys provoking his readers. -- Sir Lawrence Freedman * Financial Times *It is the book's elegantly succinct prose that will most captivate readers. it is a book filled with lucid explanations of the most recondite questions, with many revealing quotations and witty asides. -- Edward Luttwak * Prospect *One of the most thought-provoking volumes you're likely to read this year. * Geographical *In this remarkable book, historian Morris argues not only that war is a source of technological advance but that it brings peace... the thesis is disturbingly persuasive. -- Martin Wolf * Financial Times *

    2 in stock

    £13.49

  • Kings & Queens: The Real Lives of the English

    Headline Publishing Group Kings & Queens: The Real Lives of the English

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisHistorians and broadcasters Peter Snow and Ann MacMillan tell the real stories of the most powerful men and women in British history.Kings & Queens explores the lives, loves, triumphs and disasters of a monarchy that is the envy of the world. Snow and MacMillan offer a unique insight into those born to rule, whether villains or heroes – from cruel King John and warrior-king Edward III, to our own Elizabeth II: dutiful, discreet and the longest-reigning queen in the world.This is the story of modern civilization through the lens of those who have ruled.Table of ContentsThe Anglo-Saxons c.800-1066 • William I the Conqueror 1066-87 • William II 1087-1100 • Henry I 1100-35 • Stephen 1135-54 • Henry II 1154-89 • Richard I 1189-99 • John 1199-1216 • Henry III 1216-72 • Edward I 1272-1307 • Edward II 1307-27 • Edward III 1327-77 • Richard II 1377-99 • Henry IV 1399-1413 • Henry V 1413-22 • Henry VI 1422-61 • Edward IV 1461-70 • Henry VI 1470-71 • Edward IV 1471-83 • Edward V 1483 • Richard III 1483-85 • Henry VII 1483-1509 • Henry VIII 1509-47 • Edward VI 1547-53 • Mary I 1553-58 • Elizabeth I 1558-1603 • James I (VI of Scotland) 1603-25 • Charles I 1625-49 • Charles II 1660-85 • James II 1685-88 • William III and Mary II 1689-1702 • Anne 1702-14 • George I 1714-27 • George II 1727-60 • George III 1760-1820 • George IV 1820-30 • William IV 1830-37 • Victoria 1837-1901 • Edward VII 1901-10 • George V 1910-36 • Edward VIII 1936 • George VI 1936-52 • Elizabeth II 1952-

    1 in stock

    £17.00

  • Survival Revival and Moral Revolution

    Troubador Publishing Survival Revival and Moral Revolution

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book tells the remarkable story of how the young Scottish runaway Alexander Stewart survived ten brutal years in Napoleonâs prisons. Back in England, he played a full part in the Evangelical revival as the nation avoided a political revolution whilst embracing a moral one.

    1 in stock

    £12.59

  • Engel's England: Thirty-nine counties, one

    Profile Books Ltd Engel's England: Thirty-nine counties, one

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisEngland, says Matthew Engel, is the most complicated place in the world. And, as he travels through each of the historic English counties, he discovers that's just the start of it. Every county is fascinating, the product of a millennium or more of history: still a unique slice of a nation that has not quite lost its ancient diversity. He finds the well-dressers of Derbyshire and the pyromaniacs of Sussex; the Hindus and huntsmen of Leicestershire; the goddess-worshippers of Somerset. He tracks down the real Lancashire, hedonistic Essex, and the most mysterious house in Middlesex. In Durham he goes straight from choral evensong to the dog track. As he seeks out the essence of each county - from Yorkshire's broad acres to the microdot of Rutland - Engel always finds the unexpected . Engel's England is a totally original look at a confused country: a guidebook for people who don't think they need a guidebook. It is always quirky, sometimes poignant and often extremely funny.Trade ReviewWry, rueful, funny, packed with knowledge, and, like all good reporting, entirely personal and subjective, it is simply the most enjoyable commentary on today's England that could be imagined. * Sunday Times *The book is a triumph and deserves an audience far beyond those infatuated with the clickety-clack of steel wheels * Independent *... quirky three year quest for the essence of England. If you could bottle his wit, it would taste as sharp, rich and savoury as Worcestershire sauce on a Cornish pasty stuffed to bursting. -- Ian Finlayson * Times *Highly personal and very funny * London Review of Books *[Engel] has managed to do the seemingly impossible and find a new way to write about England... The great pleasure in the book - for Engel as much as the reader - is in his love of the entertaining factual nugget -- Michael Prodger * Financial Times *Engel has the perfect light, humorous touch for the task. * New Statesman *Immensely enjoyable... Engel is a wonderfully wry comic writer. -- Ian Samson * The Guardian *

    1 in stock

    £10.44

  • The Complete Works of Rosa Luxemburg Volume III:

    Verso Books The Complete Works of Rosa Luxemburg Volume III:

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis collection is the first of three volumes of the Complete Works devoted to the central theme of Rosa Luxemburg's life and work-revolution. Spanning the years 1897 to the end of 1905, they contain speeches, articles, and essays on the strikes, protests, and political debates that culminated in the 1905 Russian Revolution-one of the most important social upheavals of modern times. Luxemburg's near-daily articles and reports during 1905 on the ongoing revolution (which comprises the bulk of this volume) shed new light on such issues as the relation of spontaneity and organization, the role of national minorities in social revolution, and the inseparability ofthe struggle for socialism from revolutionary democracy. We become witness to Luxemburg's effort to respond to the impulses, challenges, and ideas arising from a living revolutionary process, which in turn becomes the source of much of her subsequent political theory-such as her writings on the mass strike, her strident internationalism, and her insistence that revolutionary struggle never take its eyes off of the need to transform the human personality.Virtually all of these writings appear in English for the first time (translated from both German and Polish) and many have only recently been identified as having been written by Luxemburg.Trade ReviewThe moment has clearly come for a return to Rosa Luxemburg. -- Jacqueline Rose * London Review of Books *Praise for The Letters of Rosa Luxemburg:Combining revolutionary fire, sharp polemics, biting irony, sparkling humour, broad historical vision, as well as profound humanity, intimate friendship and burning love, full of poetical images borrowed from Goethe, Mörike, Conrad Ferdinand Meyer and other Romantics, these letters are an amazing testimony of the charm and fascination of her personality. -- Michael Löwy * Critique *One of the most emotionally intelligent socialists in modern history, a radical of luminous dimension whose intellect is informed by sensibility, and whose largeness of spirit places her in the company of the truly impressive. -- Vivian Gornick * Nation *One cannot read the writings of Rosa Luxemburg, even at this distance, without an acute yet mournful awareness of what Perry Anderson once termed 'the history of possibility.' -- Christopher Hitchens * Atlantic *Luxemburg's criticism of Marxism as dogma and her stress on consciousness exerted an influence on the women's liberation movement which emerged in the late '60s and early '70s. -- Sheila Rowbotham * Guardian *Rosa goes on being our source of fresh water in thirsty times. -- Eduardo GaleanoIntrepid, incorruptible, passionate and gentle. Imagine as you read between the lines of what she wrote, the expression of her eyes. She loved workers and birds. She danced with a limp. Everything about her fascinates and rings true. One of the immortals. -- John Berger

    1 in stock

    £26.99

  • ¡No Pasaran!: Writings from the Spanish Civil War

    Profile Books Ltd ¡No Pasaran!: Writings from the Spanish Civil War

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Spanish Civil War captured the imaginations of writers and readers around the world. ¡No Pasarán! collects thirty-eight of the most vivid, poignant stories to come out of the conflict, by writers from across the political, geographical and artistic spectrum. The writers include celebrated international figures such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Leonardo Sciascia and Victor Serge and well known British and American observers such as George Orwell, Gamel Woolsey, Langston Hughes and Muriel Rukeyser. Uniquely, where previous collections privileged the writings of the International Brigades, ¡No Pasarán! draws most heavily on writers from Spain itself - including Mercè Rodoreda, Javier Cercas and Luís Buñuel. ¡No Pasarán! is the essential anthology of Spain's Civil War writing, and allows the reader to witness life and death, hope and despair at the front lines of one of the century's most bitter wars.Trade ReviewIn this superb, shattering book of testimonies, Pete Ayrton has organised the best of all introductions to the Spanish Civil War -- Neal AschersonThese pieces bring home the visceral nature of the Spanish conflict, a clash of ideologies that defined a generation and continues to reverberate today * New Internationalist *With every page the reader learns and appreciates more, with deeper insight than previously, about the true nature of the war * Morning Star *¡No Pasarán! evokes to perfection this most 'impossible' of wars - only through such outstanding writing can we understand what these wars really meant, and cost -- Helen Graham, author of The Spanish Civil War: A Very Short IntroductionWith a judicious mixture of famous and recondite pieces, admirably translated by a well selected team, the editor offers a touching blend of humour and pathos, reality and artifice * Times Literary Supplement *

    3 in stock

    £11.69

  • The Communist Party of Great Britain and the

    University of Wales Press The Communist Party of Great Britain and the

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhile electorally weak, the Communist Party of Great Britain and its Welsh Committee was a constant feature of twentieth century Welsh politics, in particular through its influence in the trade union movement. Based on original archival research, the present volume offers the first in-depth study of the Communist Party's attitude to devolution in Wales, to Welsh nationhood and Welsh identity, as well as examining the party's relationship with the Labour Party, Plaid Cymru and the labour and nationalist movements in relation to these issues. Placing the party's engagement of these issues within the context of the rapid changes in twentieth century Welsh society, debates on devolution and identity on the British left, the role of nationalism within the communist movement, and the interplay of international and domestic factors, the volume provides new insight into the development of ideas by the political left on devolution and identity in Wales during the twentieth century. It also offers a broad outline of the party's policy in relation to Wales during the twentieth century, and an assessment of the role played by leading figures in the Welsh party in developing its policy on Wales and devolution.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter One: Conspicuous by its Absence, 1920-1932 Chapter Two: The Awakening of a National Consciousness within the Communist Party in Wales, 1933-1950 Chapter Three: Praxis, Neglect and Renewal, 1950-1969 Chapter Four: Devolution, Defeat and Dissolution, 1970 -1991 Conclusion Bibliography

    1 in stock

    £34.01

  • Agenda Publishing Heralds of a Democratic Europe

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisDetailed research that challenges the received wisdom in European integration history that, long before the EU was plagued by Euroscepticism and other forms of contestation, there was a "permissive consensus" between European elites and the general public, which allowed European integration to move forward.

    Out of stock

    £999.99

  • Tales of Old Berkshire

    Countryside Books Tales of Old Berkshire

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £7.55

  • Dublin and the Viking World

    O'Brien Press Ltd Dublin and the Viking World

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisDublin and the Viking World is a unique blend of the familiar and the unfamiliar, the broad generalisation and the rarefied detail, the well-known historical character and the ordinary Dubliner.

    1 in stock

    £13.29

  • Archives of the Valuation Office

    Four Courts Press Ltd Archives of the Valuation Office

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £17.95

  • The Great Adaptation: Climate, Capitalism and

    Verso Books The Great Adaptation: Climate, Capitalism and

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Great Adaptation tells the story of how scientists, governments and corporations have tried to deal with the challenge that climate change poses to capitalism by promoting adaptation to the consequences of climate change, rather than combating its causes. From the 1970s neoliberal economists and ideologues have used climate change as an argument for creating more "flexibility" in society, that is for promoting more market-based solutions to environmental and social questions. The book unveils the political economy of this potent movement, whereby some powerful actors are thriving in the face of dangerous climate change and may even make a profit out of itTrade ReviewThis is an excellent and very important book. -- Geoff Mann * Antipode *A trenchant essay * Libération *Thanks to its solid argumentation and the quality of its writing, this extremely well documented book offers a judicious interpretation at a time when it is essential to ensure that the solutions to serious problems do not, in turn, become problems in their own right. -- Lucile Maertens * Books and Ideas *

    1 in stock

    £14.24

  • Winston Churchill: His Times, His Crimes

    Verso Books Winston Churchill: His Times, His Crimes

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe subject of numerous biographies and history books, Winston Churchill has been repeatedly voted as one of the greatest of Englishmen. Even today, Boris Johnson in his failing attempts to be magisterial, has adopted many of his hero's mannerism! And, as Tariq Ali agrees, Churchill was undoubtedly right in 1940-41 to refuse to capitulate to fascism. However, he was also one of the staunchest defenders of empire and of Britain's imperial doctrine. In this coruscating biography, Tariq Ali challenges Churchill's vaulted record. Throughout his long career as journalist, adventurer, MP, military leader, statesman, and historian, nationalist self belief influenced Churchill's every step, with catastrophic effects. As a young man he rode into battle in South Africa, Sudan and India in order to maintain the Imperial order. As a minister during the first World War, he was responsible for a series of calamitous errors that cost thousands of lives. His attempt to crush the Irish nationalists left scars that have not yet healed. Despite his record as a defender of his homeland during the Second World War, he was willing to sacrifice more distant domains. Singapore fell due to his hubris. Over 3 Millions Bengalis starved in 1943 as a consequence of his policies. As a peace time leader, even as the Empire was starting to crumble, Churchill never questioned his imperial philosophy as he became one of the architects of the postwar world we live in today.Trade ReviewIncluded in The Independent's Books of the month for May 2022 * Independent *For Tariq Ali, Churchill debunking, like Churchill worship, is a political act. -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *In Ali's telling, which draws on more honest existing historical scholarship than most popular biographies of Churchill, the two-times prime minister emerges not so much as deeply racist - some of his contemporaries remarked on it in shock - as profoundly authoritarian, with a soft spot for fascist strongmen, and a hostility to working-class assertion. -- Priyamvada Gopal * Prospect *Ali portrays Churchill as cruel, incompetent and blinded by prejudice * Spectator *A Marxist insult to history. -- Simon Heffer * The Telegraph *A powerful corrective...shining a light on the nasty parts of the Churchill story that his supporters conveniently ignore. This book is an unreserved polemic against the man usually celebrated for standing up to Hitler -- Martin Chilton * Independent *An essential antidote to the Churchill myth...This book could not be more timely. -- Lindsey German * Counterfire *A counter to popular mythology; an effort to peel back the curtain of propaganda and locate truth ... a worthy contribution in a crowded field -- Labour Hub * Talal Hangari *[Ali] seeks not so much to flush WC down the toilet of history, but to reassign him to his rightful place as one of history's most over-rated figures ... [a] highly readable book -- Donald Sassoon * Political Quarterly *The important thing about Ali's book, even after a thousand on the same subject, is that it is primarily interested in Churchill's years in service to British imperialism, and only secondarily interested in World War II, inverting the usual balance...a vital corrective. -- Alex Skopic * Current Affairs *Ali's book is a helpful corrective to the cult of Churchill that has come to dominate British culture. His study makes one thing clear: there is ultimately no path to a socialist and internationalist future without challenging this legacy. -- Liam Kennedy * Jacobin *Ali's examination remains an important corrective to the hagiographic praise that Churchill receives to this day. -- Andrew Moravcsik * Foreign Affairs *

    1 in stock

    £22.50

  • Mayo: The Irish Revolution, 1912 - 23

    Four Courts Press Ltd Mayo: The Irish Revolution, 1912 - 23

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £21.38

  • China's Revolutions in the Modern World: A Brief

    Verso Books China's Revolutions in the Modern World: A Brief

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisChina's emergence as a twenty-first-century global economic, cultural, and political power is often presented as a story of what Chinese leader Xi Jinping calls the nation's "great rejuvenation," a story narrated as the return of China to its "rightful" place at the center of the world.In China's Revolutions in the Modern World, historian Rebecca E. Karl argues that China's contemporary emergence is best seen not as a "return," but rather as the product of revolutionary and counter-revolutionary activity and imaginings. From the Taipings in the mid-nineteenth century through nationalist, anti-imperialist, cultural, and socialist revolutions to today's capitalist-inflected Communist State, modern China has been made in intellectual dissonance and class struggle, in mass democratic movements and global war, in socialism and anti-socialism, in repression and conflict by multiple generations of Chinese people mobilized to seize history and make the future in their own name. Through China's successive revolutions, the contours of our contemporary world have taken shape. This brief interpretive history shows how.Trade ReviewRebecca Karl brings to life in wonderful detail the successive revolutionary moments that constituted modern China, illuminating their importance even when they failed to achieve their goals. Although that modern world may now be behind us, Karl shows how the modern Chinese experiments provide an essential basis for thinking revolution in our future. -- Michael Hardt, co-author of AssemblyHow do we reckon with "state communism" and the twentieth-century revolutions now that they have passed? This is not an abstract question, but a pressing concern for all those who are committed to the long struggle against capitalism during the current interregnum. Rebecca Karl's China's Revolutions in the Modern World underscores the centrality of China's revolutionary experience to global modernity, and, through an analysis of China's one and a half centuries of revolution in its many permutations, offers readers a deepened understanding of revolution itself. -- Prof. Christopher Connery, University of California, Santa CruzKarl blows away the manufactured fog that has obscured our understanding of China's radical history. She allows us to see the patterns of serial revolution that have brought so much turmoil and innovation to modernity. Breathtaking and indispensable! * Andrew Ross, author of Fast Boat to China: Lessons from Shanghai and Stone Men *It is exceedingly rare for a book to provide both a synthetic, comprehensive overview of a complex historical period and new, original perspectives for our understanding of that period: Rebecca Karl achieves just that in this clearly written and insightful volume. By investigating seven revolutionary moments, from the Taiping to 1989, Karl shows us that China's revolutions were part and parcel of global struggles to define possible futures. Unabashedly anti-teleological, theoretically inspired, and politically engaged, China's Revolution in the Modern World is a perfect introduction to modern China for non-specialists, an excellent teaching tool, but also a revealing read for China specialists, who will find much to think with in this volume. -- Fabio Lanza, author of The End of Concern: Maoist China, Activism, and Asian StudiesChina's Revolutions in the Modern World is an insightful, sometimes provocative, and always readable survey of the most tumultuous events in China's history. Karl provides a convincing narrative of political, social, and intellectual change while offering a unique global perspective as well as nuanced discussions of gender and historiographical issues. This book would make an excellent introductory text in university undergraduate courses. -- Peter Zarrow, author of China in War and Revolution, After Empire: The Conceptual Transformation of the Chinese State, and Educating ChinaA tour de force re-narration of modern China's revolutionary moments. Written with uncommon grace and lucidity, Karl invites readers to rethink China's past as lived creations of the present and explorations of possible futures. A spectacular achievement! -- Ching Kwan Lee, author of The Specter of Global ChinaRebecca Karl's masterful study of revolution in modern China shows us how revolutionary movements became thinkable. -- Asad Haider, author of Mistaken IdentityA concise and thought-provoking overview of nearly two centuries of Chinese revolutionary movements by historian Rebecca Karl, starting with the Taiping Rebellion which broke out in 1850. -- Carlos Martinez * Morning Star *

    1 in stock

    £18.04

  • Egyptomania: A History of  Fascination, Obsession

    Reaktion Books Egyptomania: A History of Fascination, Obsession

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisNow available in paperback, Egyptomania takes us on a historical journey to unearth the Egypt of the imagination, a land of strange gods, mysterious magic, secret knowledge, monumental pyramids, enigmatic sphinxes and immense wealth. Egypt has always exerted a powerful attraction on the Western mind, and an array of figures have been drawn to the idea of Egypt. Even the practical-minded Napoleon dreamed of Egyptian glory and helped open the antique land to explorers. Ronald H. Fritze goes beyond art and architecture to reveal Egyptomania's impact on religion, philosophy, historical study, literature, travel, science and popular culture. All those who remain captivated by the ongoing phenomenon of Egyptomania will revel in the mysteries uncovered in this book.Trade Review'A broader interpretation of the subject, going back to the Greek historian Herodotus and forward to Cecil B. DeMille and Tutankhamen . . . Fritze reminds us that what fascinated later artists and their public was not what Egyptologists considered important. Largely self-nourishing, Egyptomania was often detached from its original sources, and the stream of dime novels and films about mummies and their curses have, according to scholars, more to do with Western guilt over imperialism than with the supernatural. Even the artifacts exhumed from Tutankhamens tomb with great fanfare beginning in 1922 did not, in fact, add much to our knowledge of ancient Egypt, although they were responsible for the museum world’s first blockbuster traveling exhibition . . . Document[s] an enduring fascination with its subject, based, as the author points out, on the fact that it is both comfortably familiar and intriguingly exotic.' - The New York Times, 'The richness, distinction and diversity of ancient Egyptian culture has fired imaginations for millennia. Here, historian Ronald Fritze examines Egyptomania in detail and through time. As Herodotus and other classical scholars extolled Giza’s pyramids and the great lighthouse at Alexandria, Egyptian cults and esoteric tracts seeped into Greece and Rome to later fascinate and befuddle medieval and Renaissance scholars. The cracking of hieroglyphs, discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, and mummymania from the nineteenth century onwards ensured that the craze persists almost unabated today.' - Nature, 'Ronald H. Fritze proves himself an expert guide on this journey through the history of our fascination with Ancient Egypt in all its forms ranging from the serious study of Egyptology to its more bizarre manifestations in popular culture . . . an entertaining, enlightening work.' - Minerva magazine, 'Fritze has used this amazingly fertile field to produce a well-researched and comprehensive history of enthusiasm for all things Egyptological, from ancient times right up to the twenty-first century, spanning the whole spectrum. It is a remarkable achievement and makes for a fascinating read . . . there is a rich mine of factual material here which could repay detailed study.' - Ancient Egypt Magazine, 'Fritze surveys the bewildering variety of Egyptian rites dreamed up by the Rosicrucians, Freemasons and Theosophists, and takes us on an entertaining tour of fringe and alternative history set in the Land of the Nile.' - Fortean Times, 'The particular craze that’s the focus of veteran historian Ronald Fritzes new book Egyptomania is one of the oldest intellectual fads in the history of mankind: the fixation with ancient Egypt that’s been felt by the rest of the world for so long that it actually started when ancient Egypt wasn’t even ancient . . . Fritze’s narrative is dense with historical detail and frequently sparkles with wit. Anyone who has ever felt the touch of Egyptomania . . . will find plenty in these pages to feed their curiosity.' - Open Letters Monthly, 'It’s an enormous subject, and Fritze works his way through it all with a thoroughness no other account has ever quite matched . . . Delves into how the realities of Egyptology have been reimagined or misinterpreted as sources of hermeticism, portals to another reality, or tokens to confer knowledge and respectability . . . Fritze’s entertaining and enlightening work does well in separating ancient Egypt’s actual legacy from the pseudo-history of occultists and assorted charlatans.' - Publishers Weekly, 'From Medieval Christians and Muslims to Napoleon, a detailed but readable account of how Ancient Egypt has been a focus of fascination throughout history, capturing our imagination through its strange gods, murky magic, secret knowledge, immense wealth and mystifying mummies.' - The Bookseller, 'a fascinating read for any who are interested in Egyptian culture.' - Decatur Daily, 'Ron Fritze has an enviable ability to dig deep into the worlds of popular history. Well written, his new book, which goes right up to date, is wide-ranging, both chronologically and thematically. Fritze covers the pyramids, archaeology, film, popular fiction and a wide range of concerns and forms. Deserves wide attention.' - Jeremy Black, author of Contesting History.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part One: Egyptomania through the Ages One: The Real Egypt Two: Ancient Egyptomania: Hebrews, Pharaohs and Plagues Three: Classical Egyptomania: The Greeks and Romans Four: Medieval Egyptomania: From St. Augustine to the Renaissance Five: Egyptomania from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment Six: Napoleon’s Expedition to Egypt and the Birth of Modern Egyptomania Seven: Nineteenth-century Egyptomania to the Discovery of Tut Eight: The Rise of Mass Egyptomania: Tutankhamun, Tutmania and the Curse of the Mummy Part Two: Varieties of Modern Egyptomania Nine: Occult Egyptomania Ten: Egyptomania on the Fringe of History Eleven: African American Egyptomania Twelve: Egyptomania and Fiction Postscript References Select Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index

    1 in stock

    £16.20

  • Four Courts Press Ltd Archaeology and Celtic Myth: An Exploration

    10 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    10 in stock

    £39.28

  • Freud's Patients: A Book of Lives

    Reaktion Books Freud's Patients: A Book of Lives

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisEveryone knows the characters described by Freud in his case histories: 'Dora', the 'Rat Man', the 'Wolf Man'. But what do we know of the people, the lives behind these famous pseudonyms: Ida Bauer, Ernst Lanzer, Sergius Pankejeff? Do we know the circumstances that led them to Freud's consulting-room, or how they fared - how they really fared - following their treatments? And what of those patients about whom Freud wrote nothing, or very little: Pauline Silberstein, who threw herself from the fourth floor of her analyst's building; Elfriede Hirschfeld, Freud's 'grand-patient' and 'chief tormentor'; the fashionable architect Karl Mayreder; the psychotic millionaire Carl Liebmann; and so many others? In an absorbing sequence of portraits, Mikkel Borch-Jacobsen offers the stories of these men and women - some comic, many tragic, all of them deeply moving. In total, thirty-eight lives tell us as much about Freud's clinical practice as his celebrated case studies, revealing too a darker and more complex Freud than is usually portrayed: the doctor as his patients, their friends and their families saw him.Trade Review“Freud’s Patients brings new scrutiny to the methods used by Freud with the patients he treated, including his own daughter, Anna. Not least, the book illustrates through the fates of those under Freud’s care that his treatments may not only have been ineffective, but at times utterly destructive. Borch-Jacobsen, one of the world’s great Freud scholars, has done a masterful job in allowing readers to peek behind the curtain and sample the real lives of these illustrious patients.” -- Elizabeth F. Loftus, Distinguished Professor, Stanford University, author of “Eyewitness Testimony” coauthor of “The Myth of Repressed Memory”“Freud’s Patients features thirty-eight historical portraits, but the picture which emerges is a strikingly true-to-life one of Freud himself, drawn by his subjects, their friends and families, and framed in this beautifully presented collection. Freud’s case histories have been compared to fiction from the beginning—not least by their author himself. Freud’s Patients separates the fact from the fiction with stunning and sobering effect and makes this book a must-read for anyone who wants to know the truth about these cases. It is a landmark publication which reveals the truth so often obscured in the case histories. The result is a riveting read which is not just better informed but much more interesting than Freud’s fiction. You couldn’t make it up!” -- Christopher Badcock, author of “The Imprinted Brain”

    1 in stock

    £18.00

  • Monaghan: The Irish Revolution, 1912-23

    Four Courts Press Ltd Monaghan: The Irish Revolution, 1912-23

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £21.38

  • The Cosmatesque Mosaics of Westminster Abbey: The

    Oxbow Books The Cosmatesque Mosaics of Westminster Abbey: The

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWestminster Abbey contains the only surviving medieval Cosmatesque mosaics outside Italy. They comprise: the ‘Great Pavement’ in the sanctuary; the pavement around the shrine of Edward the Confessor; the saint’s tomb and shrine; Henry III’s tomb; the tomb of a royal child, and some other pieces. Surprisingly, the mosaics have never before received detailed recording and analysis, either individually or as an assemblage. This two-volume publication presents a holistic study of this outstanding group of monuments in their historical architectural and archaeological context.The shrine of St Edward is a remarkable survival, having been dismantled at the Dissolution and re-erected (incorrectly) in 1557 under Queen Mary. Large areas of missing mosaic were replaced with plaster on to which mosaic designs were carefully painted. This 16th-century fictive mosaic is unique in Britain. Conservation of the sanctuary pavement was accompanied by full archaeological recording with every piece of mosaic decoration drawn and coloured by David Neal, phase plans have been prepared, and stone-by-stone examination undertaken, petrologically identifying and recording the locations of all the materials present. It has revealed that both the pavements and tombs include a range of exotic stone types. The Cosmati study has shed fresh light on every aspect of the unique series of monuments in Westminster Abbey; this work will fill a major lacuna in our knowledge of 13th-century English art of the first rank, and will command international interest.Trade ReviewThe two volumes comprise work of lasting quality and importance. * Church Monuments *…a series of hugely important thoughts and conclusions about the material evidence which offer a new set of narratives about Henry’s presbytery and his place as patron of the new medium — Cosmatesque mosaics. * Medieval Archaeology *With their in-depth discussions and analyses, new insights and lavish illustrations, these two volumes are a truly monumental achievement and an essential resource for scholars. * Archaeological Journal *This is a monumental study, a work of great scholarship with breath-taking illustrations … An invaluable and comprehensive historical work. * Ancient Monuments Society *There is a good index, and pages are helpfully numbered consectively across the two volumes. A wonderful achievement. * British Archaeology *Table of ContentsForeword by The Dean of Westminster Preface Acknowledgements Summary VOLUME 1 The Pavements 1 The cosmatesque pavements and monuments: introduction and context 2 Historiography and the antiquarian record 3 The sanctuary and high altar pavements: past interventions, damage and repair 4 Description of the sanctuary pavement 5 Surveying, analyzing and evaluating the sanctuary and high altar pavements 6 Conservation and repair of the sanctuary pavement by Vanessa Simeoni 7 St Edward the Confessor’s chapel pavement 8 Materials employed in the pavements and monuments VOLUME 2 The Royal Tombs 9 St Edward’s chapel and the context of the shrine 10 The shrine-tomb of St Edward the Confessor, I: description and primary fabric 11 The shrine-tomb of St Edward the Confessor, II: Tudor reconstruction and later history 12 Tomb of King Henry III 13 Child’s tomb in the south ambulatory 14 Related monuments and furnishings 15 The Westminster mosaic assemblage: summary, assessment and dating Appendix 1. The shrine in the records by Matthew Payne Archival references Chronicles Appendix 2. Quantification of tesserae in the mosaic pavements and monuments Notes to chapters 9 to 15 Abbreviations and bibliography Index Plans 3 and 4 (fold-outs at end of volume)

    1 in stock

    £58.50

  • Army of the Roman Emperors: Archaeology and

    Oxbow Books Army of the Roman Emperors: Archaeology and

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisCompared to modern standard, the Roman army of the imperial era was surprisingly small. However, when assessed in terms of their various tasks, they by far outstrip modern armies – acting not only as an armed power of the state in external and internal conflicts, but also carrying out functions which nowadays are performed by police, local government, customs and tax authorities, as well as constructing roads, ships, and buildings.With this opulent volume, Thomas Fischer presents a comprehensive and unique exploration of the Roman military of the imperial era. With over 600 illustrations, the costumes, weapons and equipment of the Roman army are explored in detail using archaeological finds dating from the late Republic to Late Antiquity, and from all over the Roman Empire. The buildings and fortifications associated with the Roman army are also discussed. By comparing conflicts, border security, weaponry and artefacts, the development of the army through time is traced.This work is intended for experts as well as to readers with a general interest in Roman history. It is also a treasure-trove for re-enactment groups, as it puts many common perceptions of the weaponry, equipment and dress of the Roman army to the test.Trade ReviewThe range of material covered in this work is remarkable, making this book a useful resource for students looking deeper into the material culture of the Roman army, including dress, equipment, and infrastructure. Fischer’s book provides a strong notion of the development over time of military equipment and infrastructure. All readers will find the tools of this book—illustrations and end matter—especially useful. This book is a great starting point for learning about the hierarchy and structure, the equipment used, buildings and infrastructure, and other material culture of the Roman military. It can serve as a reference work that sums up the archaeological and historical evidence. * H-Net Reviews *In this work, Thomas Fischer gives an excellent overview of the buildings and equipment of the Roman military from the Republic to Late Antiquity, completed by the excellent contributions of the co-authors. All authors involved are proven experts, which is all too clear in the contributions. Numerous illustrations and the presentation of numerous finds, some of which have not yet been published, complete the book. This is certainly a standard work on the Roman military and can only be warmly recommended to anyone who is interested. * Bonner Jahrbücher *Table of ContentsTranslator’s Preface Acknowledgements Introduction The state of research The iconographic sources On armament, equipment, and the buildings Basic information on the history and structure of the Roman army Notes to introduction Part I Iconographic sources for the Roman military by Dietrich Boschung 1. Introduction 2. Republican representations 3. The Early Empire: Augustus to Domitian 4. Representations from the middle imperial period 5. Representations from the Tetrarchic period 6. Representations from Late Antiquity Notes to Part I Part II General remarks on the Roman army 1. Introduction 2. A history of research 3. Armament and equipment 4. Find contexts of Roman weapons and equipment parts 5. Legionary or auxiliary equipment? 6. Rank insignia 7. On the reconstruction of Roman fighting methods 8. Comments on the re-enactment scene 9. Forgeries Notes to Part II Part III Costumes, weapons, and equipment of the army from original archaeological finds 1. Infantry 2. Cavalry 3. Artillery 4. Standards and instruments for signalling 5. Awards and decorations 6. Pioneer tools, tents, field pack Notes to Part III Part IV The buildings of the Roman army 1. Introduction 2. Roman camps and forts 3. The most important types of camps and forts 4. Late Roman fortifications 5. Military infrastructure 6. Limites and ripae Notes to Part IV Part V The development periods of Roman military history 1. Introduction 2. Republic 3. The early Imperial period from Augustus to Nero 4. The middle Imperial period from Vespasian to Trajan 5. The middle Imperial period from Hadrian to Septimius Severus 6. The middle Imperial period from Caracalla to the reforms of Diocletian 7. Late Antiquity Notes to Part V Part VI The Roman navy 1. Arming and equipping the marines 2. Bases of the Roman fleets in the Imperial period by Thomas Schmidts 3. Roman warships by Ronald Bockius Notes to Part VI End matter 375 Bibliography Abbreviations Illustration credits Index Persons and peoples Places Subjects

    1 in stock

    £40.50

  • Women and the Country House in Ireland and

    Four Courts Press Ltd Women and the Country House in Ireland and

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £22.95

  • The Social and Cultural Contexts of Historic

    Oxbow Books The Social and Cultural Contexts of Historic

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWriting is not just a set of systems for transcribing language and communicating meaning, but an important element of human practice, deeply embedded in the cultures where it is present and fundamentally interconnected with all other aspects of human life. The Social and Cultural Contexts of Historic Writing Practices explores these relationships in a number of different cultural contexts and from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including archaeological, anthropological and linguistic. It offers new ways of approaching the study of writing and integrating it into wider debates and discussions about culture, history and archaeology.Table of ContentsList of contributors Acknowledgements Abbreviations 1. Introduction: writing practices in socio-cultural context Philip J. Boyes, Philippa M. Steele and Natalia Elvira Astoreca 2. Towards a social archaeology of writing practices Philip J. Boyes 3. The lives of inscribed commemorative objects: the transformation of private personal memory in Mesopotamian temple contexts Nancy Highcock 4. A cognitive archaeology of writing: concepts, models, goals Karenleigh A. Overmann 5. The materiality of the Cretan Hieroglyphic script: textile production-related referents to hieroglyphic signs on seals and sealings from Middle Bronze Age Crete Marie-Louise Nosch and Agata Ulanowska 6. Visual dimensions of Maya hieroglyphic writing: meanings beyond the surface Christian M. Prager 7. Visibility of runic writing and its relation to Viking Age Society Sophie Heier 8. Words beyond writings: how to decrypt the secret writings of the masters of psalmody (Yunnan, China)? Aurélie NévotContents 9. A script ‘good to drink’. The invention of writing systems among the Sora and other tribes of India Cécile Guillaume-Pey 10. Why did people in medieval Java use so many different script variants? A.J. West 11. Cultures of writing: rethinking the ‘spread’ and ‘development’ of writing systems in the Bronze Age Mediterranean Theodore Nash 12. Script, image and culture in the Maya world: a southeastern perspective Kathryn M. Hudson and John S. Henderson 13. Writing and elite status in the Bronze Age Aegean Sarah Finlayson 14. Why με? Personhood and agency in the earliest Greek inscriptions (800–550 BCE) James Whitley 15. Names and authorship in the beginnings of Greek alphabetic writing Natalia Elvira Astoreca 16. Marking identity through graphemes? A new look at the Sikel arrow-shaped alpha Olga Tribulato and Valentina Mignosa Bibliography

    1 in stock

    £49.50

  • Trinity College Library Dublin: A catalogue of

    Four Courts Press Ltd Trinity College Library Dublin: A catalogue of

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £45.00

  • The Competition of Fibres: Early Textile

    Oxbow Books The Competition of Fibres: Early Textile

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe central issues discussed in this new collected work in the highly successful ancient textiles series are the relationships between fiber resources and availability on the one hand and the ways those resources were exploited to produce textiles on the other. Technological and economic practices - for example, the strategies by which raw materials were acquired and prepared - in the production of textiles play a major role in the papers collected here.Contributions investigate the beginnings of wool use in western Asia and southeastern Europe. The importance of wool in considerations of early textiles is due to at least two factors. First, both wild as well as some domesticated sheep are characterized by a hairy rather than a woolly coat. This raises the question of when and where woolly sheep emerged, a question that has not up to now been resolvable by genetic or other biological analyses. Second, wool as a fiber has played a major role both economically and socially in both western Asian and European societies from as early as the 3rd millennium BCE in Mesopotamia, and it continues to do so, in different ways, up to the modern day. Despite the importance of wool as a fiber resource contributors demonstrate clearly that its development and use can only be properly addressed in the context of a consideration of other fibers, both plant and animal. Only within a framework that takes into account historically and regionally variable strategies of procurement, processing, and the products of different types of fibers is it possible to gain real insights into the changing roles played by fibers and textiles in the lives of people in different places and times in the past.With relatively rare, albeit sometimes spectacular exceptions, archaeological contexts offer only poor conditions of preservation for textiles. As a result, archaeologists are dependent on indirect or proxy indicators such as textile tools (e.g., loom weights, spindle whorls) and the analysis of faunal remains to explore a range of such proxies and methods by which they may be analyzed and evaluated in order to contribute to an understanding of fiber and textile production and use in the past.Trade ReviewThe research will be a valuable resource for those who study the history of clothing and weaving, as well as ethnographers and archaeologists. * Journal of Dress History *Table of ContentsPreface 1 Introduction 2 The Neolithic Revolution in the Fertile Crescent and the origins of fiber technology 3 Early Wool of Mesopotamia, ca. 7000-3000 BC. Between prestige and economy 4 Continuity and Discontinuity in Neolithic and Chalcolithic Linen Textile Production in the Southern Levant 5 Fibers, Fabrics and Looms: A link between animals fibers and warp weighted looms in the Iron Age Levant 6 An archaic, male exclusive, loom from Oman 7 The TOPOI Research Group "Textile Revolution" - Archaeological background and a multi-proxy approach 8 Fibres to Fibres. Thread to Thread. Comparing Diachronic Changers in Large Spindle Whorl Samples 9 Finding the woolly sheep: meta-analyses of archaeozoological data from Southwest- Asia and Southeast-Europe 10 Taming the Fibres: Traditions and Innovations in the Textile Cultures of Neolithic Greece 11 Ex Oriente Ars? "Anatolianizing" spindle whorls in the Early Bronze Age Aegean islands and their implications for fiber crafts 12 Different skills for different fibres? The use of flax and wool in textile technology of Bronze Age Greece in light of archaeological experiments 13 Neolithic flax production in the pre-Alpine region - Knowledge increase since the 19th century 14 Underrated. Textile-making in Neolithic lakeside settlements in the Northern Alpine Foreland 15 Textile materials in the Mesolithic and Neolithic and their processing 16 Raw materials, Textile Technologies, Innovations and Cultural Response in Central Europe in the 3rd to 1st mill. BC 17 First genetic evidence for the origin of Central European sheep (Ovis ammon f. aries) populations from two different routes of Neolithisation with contributions to the history woolly sheep 18 Sheep Husbandry in the Ancient Near East

    1 in stock

    £36.10

  • Making One's Way in the World: The Footprints and

    Oxbow Books Making One's Way in the World: The Footprints and

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe book draws on the evidence of landscape archaeology, palaeoenvironmental studies, ethnohistory and animal tracking to address the neglected topic of how we identify and interpret past patterns of movement in the landscape. It challenges the pessimism of previous generations which regarded prehistoric routes such as hollow ways as generally undatable.The premise is that archaeologists tend to focus on ‘sites’ while neglecting the patterns of habitual movement that made them part of living landscapes. Evidence of past movement is considered in a multi-scalar way from the individual footprint to the long distance path including the traces created in vegetation by animal and human movement. It is argued that routes may be perpetuated over long timescales creating landscape structures which influence the activities of subsequent generations. In other instances radical changes of axes of communication and landscape structures provide evidence of upheaval and social change. Palaeoenvironmental and ethnohistorical evidence from the American North West coast sets the scene with evidence for the effects of burning, animal movement, faeces deposition and transplantation which can create readable routes along which are favoured resources.Evidence from European hunter-gatherer sites hints at similar practices of niche construction on a range of spatial scales. On a local scale, footprints help to establish axes of movement, the locations of lost settlements and activity areas. Wood trackways likewise provide evidence of favoured patterns of movement and past settlement location. Among early farming communities alignments of burial mounds, enclosure entrances and other monuments indicate axes of communication. From the middle Bronze Age in Europe there is more clearly defined evidence of trackways flanked by ditches and fields. Landscape scale survey and excavation enables the dating of trackways using spatial relationships with dated features and many examples indicate long-term continuity of routeways. Where fields flank routeways a range of methods, including scientific approaches, provide dates.Prehistorians have often assumed that Ridgeways provided the main axes of early movement but there is little evidence for their early origins and rather better evidence for early routes crossing topography and providing connections between different environmental zones. The book concludes with a case study of the Weald of South East England which demonstrates that some axes of cross topographic movement used as droveways, and generally considered as early medieval, can be shown to be of prehistoric origin. One reason that dryland routes have proved difficult to recognise is that insufficient attention has been paid to the parts played by riverine and maritime longer distance communication. It is argued that understanding the origins of the paths we use today contributes to appreciation of the distinctive qualities of landscapes. Appreciation will help to bring about effective strategies for conservation of mutual benefit to people and wildlife by maintaining and enhancing corridors of connectivity between different landscape zones including fragmented nature reserves and valued places. In these ways an understanding of past routeways can contribute to sustainable landscapes, communities and quality of life.Trade Review[…] this important book […] could not be more topical. * British Archaeology *There is a good deal of novel thought and synthesis in this essentially stall-setting book; a research agenda that will intrigue many. * Northern Earth *It’s incredibly wide ranging, detailed and thorough. All the things I’d hoped to read about were there in spades along with an entire tranche of evidence and opinions that were new to me and kept me happily turning pages, right to the end. I’d definitely advise this book for anyone with an interest in prehistory. * The Prehistoric Society *This is an interesting and incredibly readable book examining the physical environmental evidence for the most basic of human needs, subsistence mobility and community interaction. The text is supported by well-chosen illustrations, it is extremely well-referenced and though descriptive in parts, it is critical throughout and delivers much food for thought. * Archaeologia Cambrensis - Cambrian Archaeological Association *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Figures List of Tables List of Supplementary Tables (on WWW) Chapter 1: Steps towards understanding: routeways in practice, theory and life Chapter 2 Walks in the temperate rainforest: developing concepts of niche construction and linear environmental manipulation Chapter 3 Niche construction and place making: hunter-gatherer routeways in north west Europe Chapter 4 Footprints of people and animals as evidence of mobility Chapter 5 Early farmers: mobility, site location and antecedent activities Chapter 6 Wetland trackways and communication Chapter 7 Barrow alignments as clues to Bronze Age routes Chapter 8 Trackways in later prehistoric agricultural landscapes Chapter 9 Maritime and riverine connectivity: the allure of the exotic Chapter 10 A case study of the Wealden District in South East England Chapter 11 Conclusions: why routes matter Bibliography Index

    1 in stock

    £45.00

  • Manuscripts in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms: Cultures

    Four Courts Press Ltd Manuscripts in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms: Cultures

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £52.25

  • Ecology of a Tool: The ground stone axes of Irian

    Oxbow Books Ecology of a Tool: The ground stone axes of Irian

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisNew Guinea, and especially Papua New Guinea, is the last country in the world where ethnologists were able to closely observe, film and photograph the whole manufacturing chaînes opératoires of polished stone felling tools, from quarry extraction to finished tool use. Research on the polished blades of PNG has evolved over the years, following changing philosophies and research agendas. While it is clear that an exceptional sum of information has been gathered, it remains centered on that small part of the Highlands where conditions for field research were more pleasant than elsewhere. Our presentation of Irian Jaya axes therefore tackles a topic that remains mostly unexplored. Until now, stone tool research in New Guinea has followed an anthropocentric approach, in which tools are seen more as vectors for social exchanges than as means of acting on the environment.This monograph will take a different approach. Here, polished stone blades are placed at the center of the world, between, on one side, the transformed natural environment, and, on the other, the social and economic environment. This approach will allow us to suggest new avenues of inference in archaeology, as well as to test and abandon existing ones.In this volume, the stone blade is considered as a living being, existing in balance within its biotope. This idea is not far removed from the beliefs of Irian Jaya farmers, for whom life animates certain objects of their material culture.Following a brief presentation of Irian Jaya, we will describe the function of polished stone blades in Irian Jaya societies and the distribution of hafting styles, define and study the quarrying zones and the areas of diffusion and use of their production, and, if possible, the different trends noted in each area of polished blade production and exchanges. Finally, we will conclude with a discussion of the ethnoarchaeological potential of these contemporary observations.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Preface (by Polly Wiessner) Introduction Foreword to the English edition 1. Polished stone blades as means of social and technical reproduction 1.1. An island open to global economies 1.2. Raw material determinisms 1.3. Axes and Adzes 2. The Yeleme quarries (Kp. Paniai) and the polished blades of Central Irian Jaya 2.1. Rocks from the upper Ye-I River 2.2. The Wang-Kob-Me quarry 2.3. The Brahire quarry in Ye-Ineri 2.4. Blocks from the bed of the Ye-I River 2.5. From roughout to axe in Wano country 2.6. The Axe Trail 2.7. Accessing roughouts: the Yamo Dani perspective 2.8. From roughout to axe among the Yamo Dani 2.9. The expansion of the Western Dani and the acceleration of exchanges 2.10. The Baliem and the realm of adzes 2.11. Axes and adzes, the prestige of stone blades 2.12. Partners and strangers: the limitation of exchanges 3. Material and social techniques of the Dani: black rocks and greenschists 3.1. The black rocks of Gomburu (Kp. Paniai) 3.2. The black rocks of Tagi (Kp. Jayawijaya) 3.3. Black rock axes and sacred objects 3.4. The quarries of Awigobi and greenschist blades 3.5. Ye-yao, the exchange axes 4. Adzes of the Eastern Highlands (Kp. Jayawijaya) 4.1. From rock to adze in Langda 4.2. Stone blade production in the Phu Valley and the westward expansion of adzes 4.3. Yamyhl, Red Digul and the Seashell Trail 5. Ormu-Wari and the Lowland axes 5.1. The Mumugo Valley and schist axes 5.2. Ormu and marriage axes 6. The polished blades of Irian Jaya, a synthesis 6.1. A shared background: the balance between natural environment, modes of subsistence and population density 6.2. Rocks and types of sources 6.3. Quarry access and the social context of quarrying 6.4. Quarrying techniques 6.5. Duration of the quarrying events 6.6. From rock to polished blade: segmentation of the chaîne opératoire 6.7. Shaping roughouts: raw material determinisms 6.8. Manufacture and specialization 6.9. Polishing and polishing stones 6.10. Axes and adzes 6.11. Intensity of polishing 6.12. Length of the stone blades 6.13. Handles for felling tools 6.14. Circulation of the blades 6.15. Stone blades for the living 7. Postface

    1 in stock

    £40.50

  • Art in the Eurasian Iron Age: Context,

    Oxbow Books Art in the Eurasian Iron Age: Context,

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisSince early discoveries of so-called Celtic Art during the 19th century, archaeologists have mused on the origins of this major art tradition, which emerged in Europe around 500 BC. Classical influence has often been cited as the main impetus for this new and distinctive way of decorating, but although Classical and Celtic Art share certain motifs, many of the design principles behind the two styles differ fundamentally. Instead, the idea that Celtic Art shares its essential forms and themes of transformation and animism with Iron Age art from across northern Eurasia has recently gained currency, partly thanks to a move away from the study of motifs in prehistoric art and towards considerations of the contexts in which they appear. This volume explores Iron Age art at different scales and specifically considers the long-distance connections, mutual influences and shared ‘ways of seeing’ that link Celtic Art to other art traditions across northern Eurasia. It brings together 13 papers on varied subjects such as animal and human imagery, technologies of production and the design theory behind Iron Age art, balancing pan-Eurasian scale commentary with regional and site scale studies and detailed analyses of individual objects, as well as introductory and summary papers. This multi-scalar approach allows connections to be made across wide geographical areas, whilst maintaining the detail required to carry out sensitive studies of objects.Trade ReviewAs to be expected from an Oxbow publication, the quality of presentation is high: with a generous array of tables, figures and eyecatching photographs to support each contribution. * Later Prehistoric Finds Group *Table of ContentsList of figures and tables List of contributors Introduction: Context, connections and scale Chris Gosden, Helen Chittock, Peter Hommel and Courtney Nimura 1. Art, ambiguity and transformation Chris Gosden 2. Collecting Iron Age art Courtney Nimura, Peter Hommel, Helen Chittock and Chris Gosden 3. Eurasian Iron Age interactions: A perspective on the sources and purposes of La Tène Style (‘Celtic’) art Peter Wells 4. Fantastic beasts and where to find them: Composite animals in the context of Eurasian Early Iron Age art Rebecca O’Sullivan and Peter Hommel 5. Bodies and objects in Iron Age Europe and beyond: An integrated approach to anthropomorphic imagery Helen Chittock 6. How Celts perceived the world: Early Celtic art and analogical thought Laurent Olivier 7. How can Celtic art styles and motifs act? A case study from Later Iron Age Norfolk Jody Joy 8. Visual memory and perceptions in ancient Celtic art Nathalie Ginoux 9. Celtic art before the Early Style: Some new data from south-west Germany and the Heuneburg Dirk Krausse 10. Sign o’the times: The re-use of pre-Roman Iron Age British and European symbols on Late Iron Age Irish equestrian equipment Rena Maguire 11. ‘Damn clever metal bashers’: The thoughts and insights of 21st century goldsmiths, silversmiths and jewellers regarding Iron Age gold torus torcs Tess Machling and Roland Williamson 12. Refugees, networks, politics and east–west connections in Early Celtic art: Paul Jacobsthal’s ‘History of a Monster’ in context Sally Crawford and Katharina Ulmschneider 13. The history of a monster Paul Jacobsthal Discussion: Dialogues with Jacobsthal Tim Champion

    1 in stock

    £43.20

  • The reminiscences of Ignatius O'Brien, Lord

    Four Courts Press Ltd The reminiscences of Ignatius O'Brien, Lord

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £47.50

  • Interrogating Networks: Investigating Networks of

    Oxbow Books Interrogating Networks: Investigating Networks of

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisNetwork theory and methodologies have become central to exploring and explaining social, economic and political relationships and connections in past societies. However, in archaeology, the deployment of networks has sometimes been more descriptive than analytical. Methodologies have often depended upon underlying assumptions which inevitably simplify relationships that were complex and multi-faceted. However, the fragmentary, heterogenous and usually proxy data we possess are not always amenable to reconstructing that complexity.In ancient societies, we must infer the movement of knowledge about 'how to make things' largely from objects themselves. This is because we usually lack direct evidence of the human relationships that entwined people with objects and their makers, and hence have only imperfect understanding of the full range of diverse factors that shaped the relationships that constituted these networks.The chapters in this volume aim to interrogate the interpretative potential of network concepts for understanding the movement over time and space of ideas about making, using and moving things through a range of archaeological case studies, which reveal both functional and dysfunctional relationships. The purpose is to consider how more broadly contextualised and multi-faceted studies can both enhance, and be enhanced by, network and related approaches. The volume contributes to the search for greater understanding of the movement and transmission of knowledge (or in some cases their absence), and to debates about how best to expand the utility of network concepts and approaches.Table of ContentsList of illustrations Author biographies Introduction Lin Foxhall 1. Materiality, methodologies and the agency of things in archaeological networks Lin Foxhall 2. Zeitgeist: materialised worldviews in archaeology Susanne Hakenbeck, Katharina Rebay-Salisbury and Roderick B. Salisbury 3. From systems of power to networks of knowledge: the nature of El Argar culture (southeastern Iberia, c. 2200–1500 BC) Borja Legarra Herrero 4. The breakdown of knowledge: people and pottery at the Bronze Age tell at Százhalombatta-Földvár, Hungary Joanna Sofaer 5. Connecting the world of the Bronze Age Anthony Harding 6. Innovation through recoil from networks Julie Hruby 7. Networks and assemblages: a view from Archaic Sicily Carla M. Antonaccio Index

    1 in stock

    £16.10

  • Is There a British Chalcolithic?: People, Place

    Oxbow Books Is There a British Chalcolithic?: People, Place

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Chalcolithic, the phase in prehistory when the important technical development of adding tin to copper to produce bronze had not yet taken place, is not a term generally used by British prehistorians and whether there is even a definable phase is debated. Is There a British Chalcolithic? brings together many leading authorities in 20 papers that address this question.Papers are grouped under several headings. Definitions, Issues and Debate considers whether appropriate criteria apply that define a distinctive period (c. 2450 - 2150 cal BC) in cultural, social, and temporal terms with particular emphasis on the role and status of metal artefacts and Beaker pottery. Continental Perspectives addresses various aspects of comparative regions of Europe where a Chalcolithic has been defined. Around Britain and Ireland presents a series of large-scale regional case studies where authors argue for and against the adoption of the term. The final section, Economy, Landscapes and Monuments, looks at aspects of economy, land-use and burial tradition and provides a detailed consideration of the Stonehenge and Avebury landscapes during the period in question.The volume contains much detailed information on sites and artefacts, and comprehensive radiocarbon datasets that will be invaluable to scholars and students studying this enigmatic but pivotal episode of British Prehistory.Additional information originally found on included CD ROM can be downloaded here.Table of ContentsDEFINITIONS, ISSUES and DEBATE 1. Case and Place for the British Chalcolithic (STUART NEEDHAM) 2. Drawing Boundaries and Building Models: investigating the concept of the ‘Chalcolithic frontier’ in northwest Europe (BENJAMIN W. ROBERTS and CATHERINE FRIEMAN) 3. A Rumsfeld Reality Check: what we know, what we don’t know and what we don’t know we don’t know about the Chalcolithic in Britain and Ireland (ALISON SHERIDAN) 4. Before 29Cu became copper: tracing the recognition and invention of metalleity in Britain and Ireland during the third millennium BC (PETER BRAY) CONTINENTAL PERSPECTIVES 5. The importance of being insular: Britain and Ireland in their North-West European context during the 3rd millennium BC (MARC VANDER LINDEN) 6. Sense and non-sense of the term ‘Chalcolithic’ (MARTIN BARTELHEIM and RAIKO KRAUSS) 7. Growth and expansion; social, economic and ideological structures in the European Chalcolithic (VOLKER HEYD) 8. Dutchmen on the Move? A discussion of the adoption of the Beaker package (HARRY FOKKENS) 9. Working copper in the Chalcolithic; a long term perspective on the development of metallurgical knowledge in Central Europe and the Carpathian Basin (TOBIAS KIENLIN) AROUND BRITAIN & IRELAND 10. Chronology, corpses, copper and lithics (FRANCES HEALY) 11. Is there a Scottish Chalcolithic? (IAN SHEPHERD† (completed by Alison Sheridan and Lekky) ) 12. A date with the Chalcolithic in Wales; a review of radiocarbon determinations for the period 2450- 2100 BC (STEVE BURROW) 13. Searching for the Chalcolithic: continuity and change in the Irish Final Neolithic/Early Bronze Age (NEIL CARLIN and JOANNA BRÜCK) 14. The Chalcolithic in Ireland; a chronological and cultural framework (WILLIAM O’BRIEN) PEOPLE 15. The Beaker People Project: an interim report on the progress of the isotopic analysis of the organic skeletal material (MANDY JAY, MIKE PARKER PEARSON, MIKE RICHARDS, OLAF NEHLICH, JANET MONTGOMERY, ANDREW CHAMBERLAIN, and ALISON SHERIDAN) 16. The Regionality of Beakers and Bodies in the Chalcolithic of North-East Scotland (NEIL CURTIS and NEIL WILKIN) 17. Stepping out together: men, women and their Beakers in time and space (ALEXANDRA SHEPHERD) ECONOMY, LANDSCAPES and MONUMENTS 18. Beaker land-use, animals and economy – a chronological changing point? (MICHAEL J. ALLEN and MARK MALTBY) 19. The present dead: the making of past and future landscapes in the British ‘Chalcolithic’ (PAUL GARWOOD) 20. The Revenge of the Native: monuments, material culture and burial and other practices in the third quarter of the 3rd millennium BC in Wessex (ROSAMUND CLEAL and JOSHUA POLLARD) Index CD 1. Case and Place for the British Chalcolithic (STUART NEEDHAM) Appendix 1.1: Key Chalcolithic grave groups Appendix 1.2: Selected radiocarbon dated ceremonial sites mentioned in the text Bibliography 10. Chronology, corpses, copper and lithics (FRANCES HEALY) Table 10.4 Radiocarbon measurements used in models and/or cited in the text, in laboratory number order Figures 10.3a, 10.3b. 10.3c, 10.3d, 10.3e, 10.5b, 10.5c, 10.5d, 10.5e, 10.5f, 10.5g, and 10.5i Bibliography 15. The Beaker People Project: an interim report on the progress of the isotopic analysis of the organic skeletal material. (MANDY JAY, MIKE PARKER PEARSON, MIKE RICHARDS, OLAF NEHLICH, JANET MONTGOMERY, ANDREW CHAMBERLAIN, and ALISON SHERIDAN) Table 15.1: List of individuals included in the Beaker People Project for isotope analysis 16. The Regionality of Beakers and Bodies in the Chalcolithic of North-East Scotland (NEIL CURTIS and NEIL WILKIN) Appendix 2: Figures 16.9, 16.10, 16.11 and 16.12 17. Stepping out together: men, women and their Beakers in time and space. (ALEXANDRA SHEPHERD) Case studies Borrowstone Cists 1 & 2 Fig 17.11 Borrowstone Cists 4, 5 & 6 Broomhend of Crichie cist 2 Broomhend of Crichie cist 1 Garton Slack 163 Painsthorpe Wold 4 Huggate and Warter Wold 254

    1 in stock

    £28.45

  • Medieval Dublin XIX

    Four Courts Press Ltd Medieval Dublin XIX

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £23.70

  • Britannia Romana: Roman Inscriptions and Roman

    Oxbow Books Britannia Romana: Roman Inscriptions and Roman

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisBritannia Romana: Roman Inscriptions and Roman Britain is based on the author’s 40 years’ experience of the epigraphy of Roman Britain. It collects 487 inscriptions (mostly on stone, but also on metal, wood, tile and ceramic), the majority from Britain but many from other Roman provinces and Italy, so as to illustrate the history and character of Roman Britain (AD 43–410). Each inscription is presented in the original (in Latin, except for eight in Greek), followed by a translation and informal commentary; they are linked by the narrative which they illustrate, and more than half (236) are accompanied by photographs. All Latin terms in the narrative and commentary are translated and explained. The author demonstrates his unrivalled ability to read and understand Roman inscriptions and their importance as a source of historical knowledge. They are treated by chronology or theme in 14 chapters. The first eight take the narrative from Claudius’ invasion (AD 43) to the death of the last emperor to attempt the conquest of Britain, Septimius Severus (AD 211). The next four cover the general themes of soldier and civilian, economy and society, government, religion. The last two continue the narrative to the death of the last emperor to rule Roman Britain, Constantine III (AD 411).Trade ReviewThis book is a joy, learned, insightful and witty. His [Roger Tomlin’s] contributions have ever been amongst the most erudite, informative and readable contributions to that journal. Now Tomlin has drawn on his deep knowledge of the Roman inscriptions from Britain, and also Roman inscriptions relating to Britain from elsewhere in the empire, to offer us a personal panorama of life and death in the province. * Northern History *

    1 in stock

    £28.45

  • Ireland's First Settlers: Time and the Mesolithic

    Oxbow Books Ireland's First Settlers: Time and the Mesolithic

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisIreland's First Settlers tells the story of the archaeology and history of the first continuous phase of Ireland’s human settlement. It combines centuries of search and speculation about human antiquity in Ireland with a review of what is known today about the Irish Mesolithic. This is, in part, provided in the context of the author's 50 years of personal experience searching to make sense of what initially appeared to be little more than a collection of beach rolled and battered flint tools.The story is embedded in how the island of Ireland, its position, distinct landscape and ecology impacted on when and how Ireland was colonised. It also explores how these first settlers evolved their technologies and lifeways to suit the narrow range of abundant resources that were available.The volume concludes with discussions on how the landscape should be searched for the often ephemeral traces of these early settlers and how sites should be excavated. It asks what we really know about the thoughts and life of the people themselves and what happened to them as farming began to be introduced.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Part I 1. why 2. Understanding Ireland’s environment and ecology 3. It’s about time Part II. Laying the foundations 4. Where did it all come from? 5. Chronology, flint facts and other artefacts Part III. Often an island too far? 6. Anything earlier? 7. The first arrivals 8. Settling in Part IV. Lifeways 9. Patterns in the landscape 10. Food, sustenance and procurement Part V. Where to now? 11. A critical analysis of fieldwork and methodolgies 12. Life, death, the universe and everything Bibliography

    2 in stock

    £33.25

  • A Fine Brother: The Life of Captain Flora Sandes

    Alma Books Ltd A Fine Brother: The Life of Captain Flora Sandes

    1 in stock

    Shortlisted for the HW Fisher Best First Biography Prize 2012 "The only Western woman to enlist as a soldier in the First World War, the Englishwoman Flora Sandes became a heroine and a media sensation when she fought for the Serbian Army and pursued a distinguished career in its ranks. This account charts her incredible story: her tomboyish childhood in genteel Victorian England, her mission to Serbia as a Red Cross volunteer and subsequent military enrolment, her celebrity lecture tours, her marriage to a fellow officer, her survival in a Gestapo prison during the Second World War and her final years in Suffolk. A fascinating character of her times and an inspiration to women the world over, Flora Sandes is brought to life and restored to her rightful place in history by this biography, compiled with the help of her family, and using hitherto unpublished private papers and photographs."

    1 in stock

    £9.49

  • Roman Butrint: An Assessment

    Oxbow Books Roman Butrint: An Assessment

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisButrint, ancient Buthrotum , has taken many forms in different ages, shaped by the near-constant interaction between the place, its lagoonal landscape and the Mediterranean. Though Butrint does not appear on any of the records of early Greek colonisation to identify it as a Corcyrean settlement, strong links must have existed between it and the metropolitan Corinthian colony of Corfu. Blessed with springs that possessed healing qualities, a small polis was created - extended to incorporate a healing sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius. Julius Caesar, harbouring at Butrint in urgent need of supplies to sustain his struggle against Pompey, must have viewed the sanctuary, ringed by largely dried-out marshland, as the perfect site to settle veterans as a colony. It was an obvious cornerstone in controlling the passage from the Adriatic to the Aegean. The early settlers seem to have been limited in number and possibly mainly of civilian status. However, the political changes to the city's magistrature were immediate, and within a relatively short time-span fundamental changes to the physical make-up of the city were set in motion. Its new Roman status also located Butrint as a directly before the highest authorities in Rome, and within fifteen years or so, under Augustus's guidance following his victory at Actium, the city was refounded as a colony and awarded a pivotal role in Virgil's court-sponsored foundation epic, The Aeneid. Now linked to the Victory City of Nicopolis rather than in the shadow of Corfu, Butrint prospered. The urban fabric evolved, sometimes faltered, but was essentially sustained until the later 6th century A.D. This present volume is an assessment of the Roman archaeology, a compilation of studies and field reports that focuses upon the foundation and early history of the colony.Table of ContentsIntroduction (Richard Hodges and Inge Lyse Hansen) The artistic and historical evidence The sanctuary of Asklepios (Milena Melfi) La structure politique de la colonie romaine de Buthrotum (Elisabeth Deniaux) Appendix: A dedication to Minerva Augusta from Butrint (John R Patterson) The Trojan connection: Butrint and Rome (Inge Lyse Hansen) The monumental togate statue (Iris Pojani) The Roman coins from Butrint (Sam Moorhead, Shpresa Gjongecaj and Richard Abdy) The archaeological investigations on the Vrina Plain Geoarchaeological investigation at Roman Butrint (David J Bescoby) The archaeology of the Vrina Plain: an assessment (Andrew Crowson and Oliver J Gilkes) Two Roman monuments: proposals for function and context (Ryan Ricciardi) Comparative studies Butrinto e Phoinike a confronto (Sandro De Maria) Butrint and Nicopolis: urban planning and the 'Romanization' of Greece and Epirus (William Bowden) Index

    1 in stock

    £28.50

  • Exploring Archaeoastronomy: A History of its

    Oxbow Books Exploring Archaeoastronomy: A History of its

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisArchaeoastronomy and archaeology are two distinct fields of study which examine the cultural aspect of societies, but from different perspectives. Archaeoastronomy seeks to discover how the impact of the skyscape is materialised in culture, by alignments to celestial events or sky-based symbolism; yet by contrast, archaeology's approach examines all aspects of culture, but rarely considers the sky. Despite this omission, archaeology is the dominant discipline while archaeoastronomy is relegated to the sidelines. The reasons for archaeoastronomy’s marginalised status may be found by assessing its history. For such an exploration to be useful, archaeoastronomy cannot just be investigated in a vacuum but must be contextualised by exploring other contemporaneous developments, particularly in archaeology. On the periphery of both, there are various strands of esoteric thought and pseudoscientific theories which paint an alternative view of monumental remains and these also play a part in the background.The discipline of archaeology has had an unbroken lineage from the late 19th-century to the present. On the other hand, archaeoastronomy has not been consistently titled, having adopted various different names such as alignment studies, orientation theory, astro-archaeology, megalithic science, archaeotopography, archaeoastronomy and cultural astronomy: names which depict variants of its methods and theory, sometimes in tandem with those of archaeology and sometimes in opposition. Similarly, its academic status has always been unclear, so to bring it closer to archaeology there was a proposal in 2015 to integrate archaeoastronomy research with that of archaeology and call it skyscape archaeology. This volume examines how all these different variants came about and consider archaeoastronomy's often troubled relationship with archaeology and its appropriation by esotericism, to shed light on its position today.Table of Contents1. Introduction: contesting the past 2. Antiquarianism: the longue durée 3. The emergence of archaeoastronomical thought 4. ‘The great subject of orientation’ 5. Lines in the landscape 6. ‘God in the machine’ 7. Megalithic science 8. New World archaeoastronomy 9. A turning point for British archaeoastronomy 10. Archaeoastronomy and cultural astronomy in Europe 11. Archaeoastronomy in the 21st century 12. Final Thoughts Glossary Bibliography

    1 in stock

    £36.10

  • The Decline of an English Village

    Quiller Publishing Ltd The Decline of an English Village

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis is the 45th Anniversary Edition of The Decline of an English Village. When The Decline of an English Village was first published in 1974, its appearance was greeted with immediate critical acclaim. As a young writer, born into declining village life, Robin Page’s message simultaneously struck a chord and sounded a warning. Now, after forty-five years, it reappears with a new and updated introduction, in which political activist Robin Page exposes greed, political ineptitude, and social and environmental indifference as the driving forces behind the deterioration of village life and the communities around it. Robin Page transports readers back to a time when villages were founded on the value of community, and when people still worked the land in the traditional sense. He reflects and ruminates on his own experiences of rural life, raising sensitive topics, such as the intensification of farming, over-population, and environmental degradation in some of England’s most beloved places. Robin shares his concern for the alarming loss of wildlife in England, and offers his own perspective on what he perceives to be the most pressing issues. His passion for English tradition, reflected through his involvement with the Countryside Restoration Trust, radiates from within the pages of this book, along with his enthusiasm for preserving the countryside and its wildlife. Throughout his life, Robin has observed dramatic changes in the way people live their lives. It’s in this book that he reiterates the tragedy behind a countryside increasingly misused and abused in the name of urbanisation and industrialisation. Trade ReviewRobin Page is a national treasure. This whiskery and rebarbative countryman, now in his mid seventies, has campaigned tirelessly for the cause of traditional rural life... he has shown, admirably, what even a single individual can do off his own bat by founding the Countryside Restoration Trust. The Decline of an English Village was one of Mr.Page's early books. Written 45 years ago, and now reissued with a new last chapter, it is a classic. * Country Life *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Home and Farm 2. The Village 3. God 4. Sex and Violence 5. The School 6. The Brook 7. The Shoot 8. Feathers and Feet 9. Second Thoughts 10. All Change 11. Thirty Years On 12. Forty-Five Years On Countryside Restoration Trust

    1 in stock

    £18.00

  • Roman Religion in the Danubian Provinces: Space

    Oxbow Books Roman Religion in the Danubian Provinces: Space

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Danubian provinces represent one of the largest macro-units within the Roman Empire, with a large and rich heritage of Roman material evidence. Although the notion itself is a modern 18th-century creation, this region represents a unique area, where the dominant, pre-Roman cultures (Celtic, Illyrian, Hellenistic, Thracian) are interconnected within the new administrative, economic and cultural units of Roman cities, provinces and extra-provincial networks. This book presents the material evidence of Roman religion in the Danubian provinces through a new, paradigmatic methodology, focusing not only on the traditional urban and provincial units of the Roman Empire, but on a new space taxonomy. Roman religion and its sacralised places are presented in macro-, meso- and micro-spaces of a dynamic empire, which shaped Roman religion in the 1st-3rd centuries AD and created a large number of religious glocalizations and appropriations in Raetia, Noricum, Pannonia Superior, Pannonia Inferior, Moesia Superior, Moesia Inferior and Dacia.Combining the methodological approaches of Roman provincial archaeology and religious studies, this work intends to provoke a dialogue between disciplines rarely used together in central-east Europe and beyond. The material evidence of Roman religion is interpreted here as a dynamic agent in religious communication, shaped by macro-spaces, extra-provincial routes, commercial networks, but also by the formation and constant dynamics of small group religions interconnected within this region through human and material mobilities. The book also presents for the first time a comprehensive list of sacralised spaces and divinities in the Danubian provinces.Trade ReviewThis book presents the material evidence of Roman religion in the seven Danubian provinces through a new methodology, focusing not only on the traditional urban and provincial units of the Roman empire, but on a new space taxonomy. * New Testament Abstracts *Table of ContentsList of illustrations Foreword 1. Introduction 2. Emerging Roman religion: the beginnings 3. Lived religion and its macro-spaces in the Danubian provinces 4. Space sacralisation in meso-spaces 5. Religious experience in micro-paces: housing the gods 6. Conclusions: beyond the materiality of Roman religious communication Annexes 1. Sanctuaries in the Danubian provinces 2. Divinities in the Danubian provinces 3. Diagrams Bibliography Index

    1 in stock

    £36.10

  • Textiles in Motion: Dress for Dance in the

    Oxbow Books Textiles in Motion: Dress for Dance in the

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisDress is at the core of dance. It adorns dancers, defines various roles and forms symbolic expressions that, for example, either bind people together or opposes them. It is a communicative tool that gives crucial information for understanding the dance as well as the culture and the sociological effects of a group of people. As such, dress transcends how it is seen visually to address what is being communicated. Nonetheless, studies in ancient dance have rarely taken clothing into consideration.This volume provides new perspectives and insights on ancient dances and their ancient textiles. Comprehension of ancient dance benefits from investigations undertaken through the lens of dress, and research on ancient dress is understood through its relation to body movement and performative rituals, thus reinforcing the progressive integration of an anthropological and sociological dimension into historical analysis of ancient textiles. For the first time, the two-way transfer of knowledge between dance studies and costume studies is connected via an innovative approach. Among the issues that are specifically addressed are the movement design of dress for dance, its sensory experience, gender and identity, re-enactment and reception.The chronological range of the book is focused on the ancient world (3rd-millennium BC to 5th-century AD), with a broad geographical definition in order to promote a comparative, interdisciplinary approach and cross-cultural dialogue.Table of ContentsIntroduction Audrey Gouy Practicalities 1. Practical Perspectives on Dance and Clothing Elizabeth J. W. Barber Movement and Design 2. Dancing in flames - fabulous designs from the desert sands. Reconstructing the east Central Asien skirts’ construction secret Ulrike Beck 3. The whirling dance of Baukis: reinterpreting our sources Elena Miramontes Seijas 4. Dance and Metatheatre in Menander’s Theophoroumene Evangelia Keramari Embodiment and Communication 5. The unhellenic attire of choruses as image of the ‘other’ in ancient Greek tragedy Leonidas Papadopoulos. 6. The Dress of the dancing Lares Alexandra Sofroniew 7. Dance and Clothing in Ancient Egypt ‒ the Earliest Evidence Heidi Köpp-Junk Cognition and Sensory Experience 8. Soft cloth and sounding jewellery – sound fields of rich women in Eastern Hallstatt Culture Karina Grömer and Beate Maria Pomberger 9. Flowing White Dresses for Dancing Initiates in the Mysteries of Eleusis Aikaterini-Iliana Rassia 10. Fashioning Sensescapes through Ancient Egyptian Dance Jordan Galczynski and Robyn Price Images and Metaphors 11. Dancing around the Goddess’ dress Angela Bellia 12. ‘Wearing’ tattoos in Ancient Egypt. Evidence from Middle Kingdom mummies and feminine figurines Vittoria Rapisarda Modern Reception 13. Egyptologist Dancers – Re-enacting ‘Ancient Egyptian’ Dances at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Gerrit Berenike Heiter

    1 in stock

    £38.00

  • The Archaeology of Roman Portugal in its Western

    Oxbow Books The Archaeology of Roman Portugal in its Western

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Archaeology of Roman Portugal contributes to the wider debate on Roman imperialism and expansionism, by bringing to the fore a much-underrepresented area of the Roman empire, at least in English-language scholarship: its westernmost edge in modern day Portugal. Highlighting the perspective from Roman Portugal contributes to our understanding of the Roman empire, through presenting both an extraordinary landscape in the sense of economic opportunities (ocean resources, marble and metal mining), and also settlement history. The volume presents new data and insights from both archaeology and ancient history, discussing their significance for our understanding of Roman expansion and imperialism.A key goal of the volume is to discuss how the Portuguese panorama compares to other areas of the Iberian peninsula, and to better integrate Portuguese scholarship in the academic debate on the Mediterranean Roman world, and to contextualise it firmly within the wider Iberian and Western Mediterranean. The volume brings together an internationally diverse team of scholars in archaeology and ancient history from Portugal, Spain, Germany, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. It explicitly discusses different national and disciplinary research traditions and historical frameworks in order to assess the potential of integrating best practices in archaeological approaches and methodology.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of contributors Introduction Tesse D. Stek and André Carneiro I. Contested landscapes: between pre-Roman polities and early Roman encroachment 1. Exploring Rome’s early military deployment strategies in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula Jordi Principal and Carles Padrós Gómez 2. Late Iron Age and early Roman conflict and interaction in southern Callaecia (north-west Iberia) João Fonte 3. Towers, territory, and the negotiation of a colonial landscape in the early Roman Central Alentejo Joey Williams, Rui Mataloto, and Karilyn Sheldon 4. The last frontier: Late Iron Age society, Roman conquest, and the Romanisation of the territory north of the River Duero Jesús García Sánchez II. Economic targets: integrating and energising resources 5. Upgrading town appearances: relating white marble exploitation and town development in Roman Lusitania Devi Taelman 6. Shifting landscapes: change and adaptation in the Lusitanian territory during the first globalisation André Carneiro 7. Adding complexity to a complex world: the role of tableware imports in Portugal during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC Vincenzo Soria III. Cities and hillforts: settlement organisation in the Roman west 8. Land-use and settlement patterns around Ercavica in Antiquity: initial findings Miguel Ángel Valero Tévar 9. Understanding the town-territory relationship: a case study from Lusitania Cristina Corsi 10. Why would we need a city? The dispersed civitates in Lusitania Pieter Houten 11. Roman rural life in the far west: the case study of the Serena Region (Badajoz, Spain) Victorino Mayoral Herrera, Martina Cecilia Parini, and Luis Sevillano Perea IV. Local religious and cultural identity 12. The role of cult places in shaping landscapes during the Roman expansion: an Iberian perspective on a Mediterranean process Ignasi Grau Mira 13. Men, women, children, animals: the votive statuary from the sanctuary of Endovellicus at São Miguel da Mota/Alandroal (Portugal) Thomas G. Schattner 14. Romanising the mountains? Exploring cultural change through archaeological spatial analysis in western Sierra Morena (Spain) Maria del Carmen Moreno Escobar 15. Oppida and public spaces: constructing identities in Late Iron Age and early Roman north-west Iberia Manuel Fernández-Götz and Marco V. García Quintela 16. Funerary practices and material culture: a ‘portrait from life’ in the fields of Lusitania Mónica Rolo

    1 in stock

    £40.50

  • Edexcel GCE History AS Unit 1 F7 From Second

    Pearson Education Limited Edexcel GCE History AS Unit 1 F7 From Second

    5 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    5 in stock

    £27.52

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