Product Description

The spectacular stone circles of western Europe, some nearly 6000 years old, have intrigued viewers through the ages. This beautiful book about these megalithic rings explores their ancestry, methods of construction, and eventual desertion. A substantially revised version of Aubrey Burl's highly praised book The Stone Circles of the British Isles, it offers new insights into the purpose of stone circles. It also provides a new interpretation of Stonehenge and of Callanish in Scotland, the first overview of the cromlechs in Brittany, a discussion of the problems of archaeo-astronomy as related to stone circles, and includes a greatly expanded Gazetteer, and an up-to-date list of radiocarbon dates and recent excavations.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #656791 in Books
• Published on: 2000-06-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 416 pages

Review
"An informed, informative, and well-balanced survey of the facts, fictions, and problems of our stone circles." Glyn Daniel, The Guardian "Burl's authoritative book is indispensable for anyone pursuing this tantalising enigma." Publishers' Weekly "A magnificent book thorough, lucid, scholarly, and at times poetic...A landmark book." Alan J. Friedman, San Francisco Review of Books "An admirable balance of scholarship and literary skill." New Yorker

About the Author
Aubrey Burl was formerly principal lecturer in archaeology, Hull College of Higher Education, East Riding of Yorkshire. He is the author of many books, including Great Stone Circles: Fables, Fictions, Facts (ISBN 0 300 07689 4, #19.95); From Carnac to Callanish: The Prehistoric Stone Rows and Avenues of Britain, Ireland, and Brittany (ISBN 0 300 05575 7, #29.95); and Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland, and Brittany (ISBN 0 300 06331 8, #9.95); all published by Yale University Press.

Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Reference to Stone Circles - Masterful.
Aubrey Burl has the credentials and credibility to author this, the best reference to the stone circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany, with gusto. It is a powerful masterpiece which is long overdue in the world of prehistoric antiquarianism. It surpasses all contemporaries in the field with no difficulty. While many others, Julian Cope's tome included, are wonderful texts in themselves, none come close to the mastery of the subject area that Burl exhibits here.

The information shared with the reader is truly remarkable. Everything you will ever need to know about these stones is here, from the swirling myths and legends which surround such phenomena to historical, geographical, geological, astronomical and archaeological facts. The only thing left is to actually follow the maps and go and see them for yourself. It is one of the cheapest, most leisurely and yet interesting activities any one could ever do. The hefty price of this book is well justified.

It is the big brother of "A guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland, and Brittany", which is the smaller version or gazetteer to be carried around while tramping over the hills and moors searching for these elusive shrines. This book is a tad too big for space in the rambling haversack.

Every circle doesn't make it. "Bedd Gurfal" here in North Wales doesn't make an appearance, neither do a few other smaller rings, but all of the larger rings are not only mentioned, but are positively dissected with words, diagrams, pictures and academic hypotheses.

If you ever want to purchase an all knowing, all telling book on this subject, you need not look any further... Expensive, but truly magnificent.

great work made better
Aubrey Burl's previous works were showing a wee bit of dating. As carbon dating become more accurate, you are seeing these ancient rings grow older in age instead of younger as they anticipated. While Burl's previous works were amazing, this long awaited "update" of this information, as well as addition information on more recent excavations make this is must. Yes, it's expensive. But it's worth every penny. There are new insight in the the purpose of the rings of stone, a new interpretation of Calanais (sorry, as a Scot I refuse to call it Callanish!) and Stonehenge

The beautiful book is loaded with hundreds of photos, explores the ancestry, methods of construction and why they were abandoned after thousands of years of use.

Marvelous work made even better by bringing the information up to date.

Detailed but very little on Brittany. Misleading title.
I bought this book because I have found very little in English about the stones of Brittany. I was disappointed with that aspect of the book as there are only 11 pages on this area in a book of over 260. I do not think that the material warrants the inclusion of 'Brittany' as equal billing in the title and the title is therefore quite misleading. But the material on the sites on britain and Ireland is detailed, including map references, and very well presented. The book is small enough to go into a pocket and has hard-wearing covers. So, with the above qualification, I would rate it as very good.