Product Description

HOMO BRITANNICUS tells the epic history of life in Britain, from man’s very first footsteps to the present day. Drawing on all the latest evidence and techniques of investigation, Chris Stringer describes times when Britain was so tropical that man lived alongside hippos and sabre tooth tiger, times so cold we shared this land with reindeer and mammoth, and times colder still when we were forced to flee altogether. This is the first time we have known the full extent of this history: the Ancient Human Occupation of Britain project, led by Chris, has made discoveries that have stunned the world, pushing back the earliest date of arrival to 700,000 years ago. Our ancestors have been fighting a dramatic battle for survival here ever since.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3874 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Bill Bryson
'A superlative achievement. HOMO BRITANNICUS is pure stimulation
from beginning to end.'

Richard Dawkins
‘This is a beautiful book on a fascinating subject, written by the
world authority. What more could one ask?’

Tony Robinson
'This important and eminently readable book pulls together all the
best scientific work on the first humans to inhabit Britain.'

Customer Reviews

A must read!
'A delightful addition to his previous 'Complete World of Human Evolution', Homo Britannicus, written by Chris Stringer, offers a fascinating account of the history of human occupation in Britain from the first evidence of hominid activity circa 700,000-500,000 years ago to the arrival of modern humans about 12,000 years ago. In addition to being of erudite specialist interest to his peers and students in palaeontology and archaeology, this clearly written book -- which offers useful additional background in text and illustrations, humour and a share of the author's own experiences -- is a real pleasure to read for the lay person with little knowledge of these disciplines. After a thorough study of the role of climatic changes in the history of human adaptation to, or extinction from, new environments, Chris Stringer ends his book with a crucial appeal for our common responsability in preserving our future, threatened by global warming today, not tomorrow. Essential for learning about the past, this is palaeontology at its best use for the present and future. Anyone interested in the complete story of the British Isles should read this book without delay'.

Homo Britannicus, A review of hominins in Britain by the Rob Walsh, director of The Lewis Research Unit
Homo Britannicus by Prof Chris Stringer, is a thoughtful account of human life in Britain from the earliest evidence at Pakefield, Happisburg and Boxgrove(700 ka - 500 ka) to more modern occupation by the Neaderthals at Swanscombe (300 ka), and early homo sapiens, who arrived circa 12,000 years ago, following the last gacial phase. There is nothing too technical to understand for the lay reader, who knows little of human evolution, yet plenty to satisfy the thirstful knowledge of the more accomplished palaeontological/archaeological reader.
The book combines achaeological evidence, with Chris's own experiences as Britains foremost authority on human evolution, and makes compelling reading, for anyone interested in the history of the British Isles.

I thouroughly recomend Homo Britannicus as a more discerning Christmas present this year.

History of Britain way back
This is a super book, well presented interesting and stimulating. A mark of its success is that it makes you want to read more about the origins of the British. It lights the fire to know more!
Its also refreshing to have a book which goes back to our true origins rather than political events of the last 1000 years!

Buy it and you wont be disappointed!