Britain has been inhabited by humans for over half a million years,
during which time there were a great many changes in lifestyles and in
the surrounding landscape. This book, now in its second edition,
examines the development of human societies in Britain from earliest
times to the Roman conquest of AD 43, as revealed by archaeological
evidence. Special attention is given to six themes which are traced
through prehistory: subsistence, technology, ritual, trade, society, and
population.
Prehistoric Britain begins by introducing the background to
prehistoric studies in Britain, presenting it in terms of the
development of interest in the subject and the changes wrought by new
techniques such as radiocarbon dating, and new theories, such as the
emphasis on social archaeology. The central sections trace the
development of society from the hunter-gatherer groups of the last Ice
Age, through the adoption of farming, the introduction of metalworking,
and on to the rise of highly organized societies living on the fringes
of the mighty Roman Empire in the 1st century AD. Throughout, emphasis
is given to documenting and explaining changes within these prehistoric
communities, and to exploring the regional variations found in Britain.
In this way the wealth of evidence that can be seen in the countryside
and in our museums is placed firmly in its proper context. It concludes
with a review of the effects of prehistoric communities on life today.
With over 120 illustrations, this is a unique review of Britain's
ancient past as revealed by modern archaeology. The revisions and
updates to Prehistoric Britain ensure that this will continue to be
the most comprehensive and authoritative account of British prehistory
for those students and interested readers studying the subject.
