The Archaeological sites of Orkney give us an unparalleled glimpse into prehistory. Inscribed as the 'Heart of Neolithic Orkney' World Heritage Site in 1999, four great monuments - the village of Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and the burial mound of Maeshowe - are also at the centre of the archipelago's story. This book looks at what makes these monuments so special. Caroline Wickham-Jones explores the Neolithic world in which they were built, how they caome to be a focus through the ages, and what they mean today. Picts, saints, Vikings, antiquarians and tourists populate Orkney's past: a history which is channelled through these 'dances of stones'.

About the Author
Caroline Wickham-Jones lives and works in Orkney. She is an honorary Research Associate in archaeology at the University of Aberdeen. She has worked on, and directed, archaeological excavations across Scotland including Skara Brae and Links of Noltland in Orkney. She directed the excavations of a Mesolithic site on the island of Rum and since then she has worked on a number of other Mesolithic projects including the sites at Camas Daraich, in Skye and Long Howe in Orkney, and as co-director of the Scotland's First Settlers Project. She is the author of several popular archaeology books, as well as many academic papers. Website: www.mesolithic.co.uk

Reviews
blends hard archaeological fact with an appreciation of the sophisticated systems of belief that gave rise to Orkney's rich and complex heritage. * Current Archaeology *
This comprehensive and beautifully illustrated book is a thoroughly revised and updated new edition...[it] is a book which succeeds on several different levels. * Landscape History *



Book Information
ISBN 9781909686502
Author Caroline Wickham-Jones
Format Paperback
Page Count 178
Imprint Windgather Press
Publisher Windgather Press