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A View from the West: The Neolithic of the Irish Sea Zone

by Vicki Cummings

At the heart of this study are the early Neolithic chambered tombs of the Irish Sea zone, defined as west Wales, the west coast of northern Britain, coastal south and western Scotland, the western isles and the Isle of Man, and the eastern coast of Ireland. In order to understand these monuments, there must be a broader consideration of their landscape settings. The landscape setting of the chambered tombs is considered in detail, both overall and through a number of specific case studies, incorporating a much wider area than has been previously considered. Cummings investigates the background against which the Neolithic began in the Irish Sea zone and what led to the adoption of Neolithic practices, such as the construction of monuments. Following on from this, she considers what the chambered tombs and landscape can add to our understanding of the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition.

This volume aims to incorporate landscape analysis into a broader understanding of the Neolithic sequence in this area and beyond. It will provide an introduction to the Mesolithic and Neolithic of the Irish Sea zone, as well as a summary of previous work on this subject. It also offers a starting point for future research and a better understanding of this area. 224p, 111 figs (Oxbow Books 2009)

Review Quotes

"There are many new and interesting ideas here, and the book will be widely debated."

Graeme Warren
British Archaeology (Sept/Oct 2010)

"A View from the West stands as a timely, working addition to Neolithic studies along the Irish Sea and beyond."

Robert D. Lenfert
Archaeological Review from Cambridge, vol 25, No. 2 (November 2010)

"A View from the West is characterised by dedication to the subject, and a true appreciation of the importance of landscape and context to the assessment of archaeological monuments... Altogether an impressive and thought-provoking study."

Paula Martin
International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, vol 40, No. 1 (2011)

Related Titles

• Neolithic Settlement in Ireland and Western Britain
  edited by Ian Armit, Eileen Murphy, Eiméar Nelis and Derek Simpson

• Places of Special Virtue: Megaliths in the Neolithic landscapes of Wales
  by Vicki Cummings and Alasdair Whittle

• Set in stone: New approaches to Neolithic monuments in Scotland
  edited by Vicki Cummings and Amelia Pannett

• Prehistoric Journeys
  edited by Vicki Cummings and Robert Johnston

• Defining a Regional Neolithic: Evidence from Britain and Ireland
  edited by Kenneth Brophy and Gordon Barclay

• Gathering Time: Dating the Early Neolithic Enclosures of Southern Britain and Ireland
  by Alasdair Whittle, Frances Healy and Alex Bayliss

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