Product Description

Pitts, an archaeologist, asks what sort of people designed and built these extraordinary structures. Using computer reconstructions he shows what they looked like - and asks what they are for. This story of the discovery of a lost civilisation that spanned five centuries, a civilisation that now lies mostly beneath the fields of Southern England.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #287000 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
From an archaeologist and co-author of Fairweather Eden (on the Boxgrove excavations), comes a book that takes us from hard facts to speculation on prehistoric minds. Mike Pitts' Hengeworld unites societies of different dates, places and pottery styles by the action of building "circular enclosed spaces", seeking to "confront real people" from that henge-building Neolithic world. Dealing principally, but far from exclusively, with Stonehenge and Avebury, Hengeworld asks the usual questions concerning how they were built, how they looked in their time and the extent to which astronomy and religion had a part in their purpose. Combining reports of his own digs and new research with a re-examination of evidence gathered in the past, Mike Pitts also makes some significant new discoveries and solves some intriguing mysteries from the recent history of archaeological excavation along the way. Probing beyond the material world, he suggests "new contexts" for Stonehenge which "envisage metaphor and symbol". Hengeworld is supported by clear diagrams and well-documented evidence: there are over 75 pages of appended radiocarbon date tables, notes and bibliographic information. But Mike Pitts also tells a good story, ably capturing the excitement of new discoveries with an almost chatty writing style and touches of humour and suspense. This is a book which amateurs and professionals alike should find valuable and evocative. --Karen Tiley

Customer Reviews

An enlightening view of a fascinating subject.
Archaeology is terribly fashionable at the moment, as witnessed by such TV programmes as TIME TEAM and MEET THE ANCESTORS, but rarely do books on the subject generate the same enthusiasm in the reader. I am happy to say that this is a rare exception.
Mike Pitts obviously knows his subject, and so he should when you consider his biography, but, unlike so many other archaeologists who put down the trowel in favour of the pen, he also has the knack of being able to write entertainingly about it. I am not suggesting that this is a book that has been 'dumbed down', far from it. However, Pitts manages to educate the reader without swamping his text in archaeological jargon and, at one and the same time, make you want to keep on turning the page.
Admitedly, with such subject matter the author already had a headstart but, having recently read several other similar works, it would have been all too easy to go wrong. Pitts achieves an enviable balance. This is how archaeology should be presented to the public.
Matthew Champion.

Strictly for enthusiasts
A menhir fest for archeology afficiandos, Pitts provides an immensely detailed chronological account of excavations at Stonehenge, Avebury and Woodhenge and comparisons with lesser known and recently discovered sites. The haphazard, amateur, shoestring origins of the discipline in Britain are described together with sketches of the often eccentric characters and leading lights of ancient and modern archeology. In this context, Pitts permanently lays to rest the idea skeleton 4.10.4 from Stonehenge was King Arthur. Discussing earth, stone and wood formations, there are few flights of fancy into more esoteric opinions of what these constructions represented, the author prefers scientific appraisal. As such the etiology of the ancient transport and erection controversy are examined without superfluous comment as are the astrological suppositions which ultimately depict Stonehenge as an early British computer. Thankfully in its place, Pitts creates a timeline of carbon dated gleanings which illustrate the frugality of valid evidence. It is from this he attempts to reconstruct, with admitted lacuna, the lives of the "henge people". In doing so he draws on historical similarities of the same period from around the world which will probably be a revelation to newcomers of archeological facts. Akin to this is a plea for more research into "rock-art" which so far seems to have had only one academic and present day champion in Jeremy Dronfield. Surprising when the doodles of ancient humanity can contribute so much to contemporary understanding. Packed with facts, concisely presented, this is a truthful, non-partisan, frequently humorous summary and a valuable addition to the reference shelf.

Archaeology: brought to life.
Archaeology is often accused of being a dry subject, and many books in the field seem sadly to conform to this archaism. Particularly for the beginner or the enthusiastic amateur, the heavy language and endless data can be somewhat overwhelming. Hengeworld is a welcome publication in that it captures all the raw imaginative energy of the subject, tapping the veins of what it is that most gets people worked up about 'bones and stones', yet still maintains the scholarly approach for those who can appreciate the science. As such it is a perfect read for anyone with a fascination with this period in human history. Mike Pitts' written style (previously so eloquently showcased in 'Fairweather Eden') is a perfect balance of the scholarly and the familiar, and he really makes the history and archaeology of the period he has termed Hengeworld come to life, telling a story with gathering pace with all the elan of a bestselling novelist. Un-put-down-able archaeology? Yes, it can happen!

Whatever your interest or your level of archaeological expertise, 'Hengeworld' has an obvious appeal. It provides thought-provoking propositions backed up by solid research, and is eminently easy to read without 'dumbing down' on the technicalities. Mike clearly has a passion for his Hengeworld, a quality that shines through in his writing and enlivens this story of past millennia in a profoundly evocative way, and his being the only living archaeologist to have dug at both Avebury and Stonehenge makes him the ideal choice to have produced this impressive and fascinating book.