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Neolithic Britain: The Transformation of Social Worlds (Oxford Handbooks Online Archaeology)

by Keith Ray (Author), Julian Thomas (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 70 ratings
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The Neolithic in Britain was a period of fundamental change: human communities were transformed, collectively owning domesticated plants and animals, and inhabiting a richer world of material things: timber houses and halls, pottery vessels, polished flint and stone axes, and massive monuments of earth and stone. Equally important was the development of a suite of new social practices, with an emphasis on descent, continuity and inheritance. These innovations set in train social processes that culminated with the construction of Stonehenge, the most remarkable surviving structure from prehistoric Europe.

Neolithic Britain provides an up-to-date, concise introduction to the period of British prehistory from c. 4000-2200 BCE. Written on the basis of a new appreciation of the chronology of the period, the result reflects both on the way that archaeologists write narratives of the Neolithic, and how Neolithic people constructed histories of their own. Incorporating new insights from the extraordinary pace of archaeological discoveries in recent years, a world emerges which is unfamiliar, complex and challenging, and yet played a decisive role in forging the landscape of contemporary Britain.

Important recent developments have resulted in a dual realisation: firstly, highly focused research into individual site chronologies can indicate precise and particular time narratives; and secondly, this new awareness of time implies original insights about the fabric of Neolithic society, embracing matters of inheritance, kinship and social ties, and the 'descent' of cultural practices.

Moreover, our understanding of Neolithic society has been radically affected by individual discoveries and investigative projects, whether in the Stonehenge area, on mainland Orkney, or in less well-known localities across the British Isles. The new perspective provided in this volume stems from a greater awareness of the ways in which unfolding events and transformations in societies depend upon the changing relations between individuals and groups, mediated by objects and architecture.

This concise panorama into Neolithic Britain offers new conclusions and an academically-stimulating but accessible overview. It covers key material and social developments, and reflects on the nature of cultural practices, tradition, genealogy, and society across nearly two millennia.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0198854463
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0198854463
  3. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  4. Publication date
    July 30, 2020
  5. Part of series
    Oxford Handbooks Online Archaeology
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    9.1 x 0.7 x 6.1 inches
  8. Print length
    416 pages
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"an excellent, highly informative and readable text for anyone new to the subject of the Neolithic or seeking a reference on recent developments of how complicated Neolithic chronologies fit together within Britain. It is a beautifully produced, highly readable, detailed, engaging and thought-provoking, informative book, and is highly recommended." -- Ingrid O'Donnell, Journal of Skyscape Archaeology

"[A] marvellously readable and intelligent book. . . . The entire book is dense with evidence (I learned about many sites for the first time) and is richly illustrated with photographs, many taken by the authors and most in color. It is a luxuriant presentation both visually and intellectually. . . . It offers valuable insights and analogies as well as a concise understanding of the current state of knowledge. The fact that it is pleasant to read is an added bonus, and the authors and Oxford University Press are to be commended for producing a model presentation of archaeological narrative and interpretation." -- Peter Bogucki, Journal of Anthropological Research

About the Author

Keith Ray, Archaeological consultant and writer, ,Julian Thomas, Professor of Archaeology, University of Manchester

Keith Ray is an Archaeological consultant and writer. He has been actively involved in field archaeology since 1970, when he worked with Dr Geoffrey Wainwright at the major later Neolithic henge site at Mount Pleasant, Dorchester, Dorset. He has been involved in fieldwork and research elsewhere in southern and western England and in Scotland, Wales, France, and Norway, as well as in West Africa. In 2007 he was awarded an MBE for services to archaeology in Herefordshire. He was a collaborator on the 'Gathering Time' Neolithic chronologies project, having co-organised the excavation of the early Neolithic enclosure at Hill Croft Field, Bodenham, in Herefordshire in 2006. His publications include The Archaeology of Herefordshire: An Exploration (Logaston Press, 2015) and Offa's Dyke: Landscape and Hegemony in Eighth-Century Britain (with Ian Bapty; Oxbow/Windgather, 2016).

Julian Thomas is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Manchester. Early in his career, Julian worked on a number of key Neolithic sites, including the early Neolithic Hazleton North long barrow in the Cotswolds with Alan Saville, and the Hambledon Hill causewayed enclosure with Roger Mercer. He was appointed Professor of Archaeology at Manchester University in 2000. He was a co-director of the Stonehenge Riverside Project (2005-9), and is a Vice-President of the Royal Anthropological Institute. He is the author of The Birth of Neolithic Britain
An Interpretive Account (OUP, 2013).

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press (July 30, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0198854463
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0198854463
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.44 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.1 x 0.7 x 6.1 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 70 ratings

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  1. Julian Thomas

    Julian Thomas

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    Julian Thomas is Professor of Archaeology at the University of Manchester, in the UK. He specializes in the archaeology of the British Neolithic period, and in the theory and philosophy of archaeology. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and is a member of the Council of the Royal Anthropological Institute. He has been involved in a series of major archaeological field projects, including the excavation of Neolithic monumental complexes at Dunragit and Holywood in south-west Scotland, and has been one of the directors of the Stonehenge Riverside Project. Together with Dr Keith Ray he is presently directing excavations at Dorstone Hill in Herefordshire, which have revealed burned Neolithic buildings, funerary long mounds and a causewayed enclosure.

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  2. Keith Ray (Archaeologist)

    Keith Ray (Archaeologist)

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
70 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Brian Howard
5.0 out of 5 stars Meaty and substantive
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2022
I am always open to a fresh perspective on this topic and this book certainly brings that. It’s academic and well researched, which is my preference.
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Kindle Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Pictures, Terrible Text
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2023
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The text is terrible, the photos are beautiful. The subtitle implies a discussion of how social worlds were transformed. Yet there is no sweeping discussion of Neolithic societies, just exhaustive, detailed discussion of each site in isolation. The authors reject the idea that the people of Britain were replaced by invading people from the lower Rhine, who brought the Neolithic package with them, even though that is what genetics shows. They cling to the idea that the British were somehow “different” from Europe, rather than Britain simply being one of the last areas occupied by the invasion of the people from the steppes of Central Asia. The authors also state that they don’t discuss the relation of British Neolithic societies to those of Ireland and Europe, when that is essential to understanding how the British piece fits in to the bigger puzzle that is the Neolithic Age.
One person found this helpful
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mikey d.
5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, very informative and nice artwork
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2022
Verified Purchase
I have no background in archeology but thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing was especially good and tells us a lot about the Neolithic people and their way of living and possibly their beliefs. It seemed to me that each chapter was better than the last. In fall 2019 my wife and I visited Castlerigg Stone Circle, near Keswick, England and the brief info available was helpful but online research and now this enjoyable book have clarified the purpose of that early stone circle, due to the widespread popularity of the locally-made Langdale Axe, so this was a gathering/trading/feasting site attracting social groups and possibly their leaders from far flung distances, who tended to bring their various breeds of cattle for grazing, trading, and feasting. The authors point out that such gatherings (most likely in time for observation of the summer solstice) solidified alliances among widely scattered social groups, and reinforced ancestry and kinship ties. Imagine as we might their religious ceremonies, the evidence is thin, except for certain reverential practices relating to the bones of the ancestors and important leaders, and even reverence for older cattle bones. As the Neolithic era progressed, the tendency towards henge construction began. The illustrations & art in this book are meaningful and a pleasure to see. I did not find the sometimes wordy text to be an issue (as some reviewers did) and agree it is like reading a text book, and (like taking a course) I took many pages of notes, trying to understand the meaning and purpose of the Castlerigg stones. Besides constructing impressive stone monuments, the book shows that Neolithic people herded animals, grew crops, and had extensive trade networks. Just as the Langdale stone axes were traded far & wide so were Grooved Ware pottery which was made way north in Orkney. This book is a wonderful 'window' into the Neolithic peoples' lives and cultures, complimented by terrific art work.
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Top reviews from other countries

Phillipa Brookes
5.0 out of 5 stars Good quality book. Met description
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
Very good quality second hand book. Purchased as in reading list for a course. For the hard book version for the price of a paperback. Very pleased
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Mrs Royle
4.0 out of 5 stars The neolithic comes alive
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
I liked the book because it brought many aspects of the neolithic together, beyond just the architecture and many of them previously under-explored.

An idea of life in the neolithic can be gained, rather than just musings on excavations.

Reference to the preceeding mesolithic were also interesting, demonstrating there was continuum. Good photos and scetches too.

My sole criticism is that it could have done well with a rigerous edit. The verbosity was sometimes soporific.
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Offers new conclusions
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
Challenges traditional thoughts regarding the historical development and origins of the neolithic in the british isles
4 people found this helpful
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Paolo Sammut
5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic overview of such an interesting period on prehistory
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2019
Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
I dont remember learning about Neolithic Britain at School (in the 80s, lol). However I have always had a deep interest in history and its nice to read this book and see the Neolithic era painted with so much detail. The book is very academic in approach, yet easy to read and replete with many photographs and illustrations. The book covers many aspects of neolithic life including social structures, kingship and culture and will give the reader a solid perspective on this period in our history.
3 people found this helpful
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M Cavanagh
4.0 out of 5 stars More a textbook than a read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2021
Verified Purchase
Bought to find out a bit more about the Neolithic sites and history. This is very detailed and is an academic text which makes it very detailed but hard going at times. Nothing wrong with the product but it isn’t quite what I wanted
One person found this helpful
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