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Thursday, December 8, 2011
british - Great Crowns of Stone
Great Crowns of Stone
The Recumbent Stone Circles of Scotland
Recumbent stone circles are among the most spectacular ancient structures you
could ever hope to see. Silhouetted against a skyline, they dominate the
landscape for miles around, presenting a range of architectural devices that
draw the visitor to confront a massive horizontal stone placed between two tall
pillars on a southern arc. These recumbent stones – ‘altar stones’ in popular
folklore – are blocked doorways to another world; a world sprung from the
imaginations and beliefs of peoples who lived some 4,000 years ago.
The densest concentration of stone circles in the British Isles is found in
north east Scotland. Although far from Stonehenge, these monuments have much in
common with that famous structure and other great rings of the ancient world.
While some of Scotland’s circles have suffered grievously – plundered of their
stones and ploughed up in the 18th and 19th centuries – many still survive
largely intact, preserving their enigmatic legacy.
Illustrated by unique plans and photographs, Great Crowns of Stone
is the product of more than ten years of research, drawing on studies stretching
back to the early 16th century. A landmark book, it presents the most radical
and complete account of these evocative ancient monuments ever published.
"Thorough, scholarly, beautifully illustrated . . . Sheds
fascinating new light on Scotland's most enigmatic stone circles."
Current Archaeology
"Detailed but never dry, this is a magnificently glossy tome for the
coffee table but also for the back seat of the car as you seek out Scotland's
ancient stone circles for yourself." Scotland in Trust
- Author
- RCAHMS
- Date of publication
- August 2011
- Illustrations
- 290
- ISBN
- 9781902419558
- Pages
- 280
- Size
- 279mm x 216mm
- Price
- £30.00
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