The Prehistoric Society
Book Reviews
THE STORY OF STONEHENGE BY PATRICIA SOUTHERN Amberley Press. 2012. 158p; 19 text figs, 52 plates. ISBN978-1-4456-0563-0, pb, £16.99
The literature on this iconic monument continues to grow. What more can be said about Stonehenge and what is there new to say? Books aimed at children, the general public and specialists alike tend to recycle the same information whilst others explore fantasy in their striving for alternative enlightenment. Although we are getting there, no-one really knows what Stonehenge was ‘ for ’ – the most fundamental question most frequently asked by the interested non-specialist. This simple question is perhaps the most difficult to answer and as a result the floodgates of theory, speculation and sheer lunacy can be thrown wide open. Consequently the literature on Stonehenge ranges from the scholarly to the ridiculous within a recycled framework of the undeniable facts – the stones themselves. This book does nothing to advance our knowledge of Stonehenge and must be listed amongst the recyclers.
After a brief introduction that clearly shows that the author is not up to date with the literature, there follows a series of chronologically-based chapters detailing the history of the site from the Mesolithic to the antiquarians. The chapters are all very simply written and we have rather patronising definitions of Mesolithic, microlith and megalith which makes me wonder if the book is aimed at children though this is not stated on the dust-jacket. This simplicity is continued through the book and is rather annoying. We have undiscovered causewayed enclosures ‘lurking’ (p20) and animal bones with ‘butcher marks’. The description of the early Neolithic field monuments is of poor quality, confusing chambered tombs and earthen long barrows (p.24-5) and no causewayed enclosures or long barrows in the vicinity of Stonehenge itself are mentioned. At least with cursus monuments, erroneously assigned to the early Neolithic in England, it is the Greater Stonehenge cursus that gets the (limited) attention.
The discussion of Stonehenge 1 is fair but again written so simplistically. The author discusses the orientation and the major phase 1 elements. The internal timber structures are described and discussed as is the southern entrance. The lunar and solar orientations are also debated openly and cautiously. Even the possibility of the Aubrey Holes having held bluestones and the mention of Bluestonehenge shows awareness of some of the results of the Stonehenge Riverside Project.
Chapter 3 is less accurate. Attempting to look at the ‘people’ who built Stonehenge, the long house from Lismore Fields, Buxton is given as an example of early architecture despite its early Neolithic associations. There is an attempt to reconstruct Neolithic Society but it is undertaken with such a broad brush that it is at the same time neither contentious nor accurate and so many bold statements are unsubstantiated by archaeological data or specific examples. Thus we have hallucinogens in ‘a pot from Scotland’, presumably Balfarg and now seriously questioned. Grooved ware and Peterborough ware are described together and their interaction explained even though it is acknowledged that the two were not strictly contemporary. Indeed current opinion is that the two styles hardly overlapped at all.
Chapter 4 is more about how the Bluestones arrived at Stonehenge than Stonehenge itself and there seems slight confusion regarding the supposed origins of the Bluestones (Preseli) and the newly discovered location (Craig Rhosyfelin). Chapter 5 describes the sarsen arrangements, conventionally phase 3. The monument is described with very little reference to sequences and dates. The transportation of the stones, their finishing, setting and the fixing arrangements of the lintels are all described in some detail and the discussion about the altar stone – standing or not – owes much to Aubrey Burl (though without acknowledgement). Chapter 7, The Stonehenge People (also borrowed from Burl) is another attempt to analyse contemporary society though extending not from the time of Stonehenge but right up until the end of the Bronze Age. It is simplistic in the extreme, almost totally based on burial (‘burials’ is used when ‘inhumations’ are intended) with settlement being given the most cursory of treatments. The chapter certainly does not convey the complexity of the period.
The book ends with a survey of the Iron Age and later history of the monument, and its description by early chroniclers and antiquarians. Again it is re-hashed material and there is nothing new. The glossary of terms is simplistic and, I would think, largely unnecessary and the list of further reading is not only pitifully small but contains works of a very general nature – all of them (except Cleal et al. ) popular works.
As mentioned above, the general nature, the simplistic language, the lack of critical analysis and the complete lack of referencing, suggest to me that this is a book aimed at children rather than a mature audience. If this is the case, then it seems surprising that it is not mentioned on the dust- jacket. Certainly I see no other audience for a work of this kind. Furthermore, even a children’s book deserves better quality illustrations – the line drawings are particularly poor.
Alex Gibson University of Bradford
Review submitted: September 2012
The views expressed in this review are not necessarily those of the Society or the Reviews Editor
TITLE OF BOOK HERE, AND AUTHORS Location, publisher, year. Pages, figs photos pb ISBM (£€price)
Review here The study of British rock art is flouring as never before, and these two books are both outstanding contributions to the field, although markedly different in content and approach.
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The views expressed in this review are not necessarily those of the Society or the Reviews Editor