Land of the Ilich
Journey's into Islay's Past
Published on 4. November 2021
857 pages
978-1-78885-309-5 (ISBN)
Description
As an archaeologist, Steven Mithen has worked on the Hebridean island of Islay over a period of many years. In this book he introduces the sites and monuments and tells the story of the island's people from the earliest stone age hunter-gatherers to those who lived in townships and in the grandeur of Islay House. He visits the tombs of Neolithic farmers, forts of Iron Age chiefs and castles of medieval warlords, discovers where Bronze Age gold was found, treacherous plots were made against the Scottish crown, and explores the island of today, which was forged more recently by those who mined for lead, grew flax, fished for herring and distilled whisky - the industry for which the island is best known today.
Although an island history, this is far from an insular story: Islay has always been at a cultural crossroads, receiving a constant influx of new people and new ideas, making it a microcosm for the story of Scotland, Britain and beyond.
Although an island history, this is far from an insular story: Islay has always been at a cultural crossroads, receiving a constant influx of new people and new ideas, making it a microcosm for the story of Scotland, Britain and beyond.
Reviews / Votes
'Not only a mighty guide to the archaeological landscape of Islay, but a thrilling microcosm of all human history' -- Joyce MacMillan * The Scotsman * '[a] deep-dive into the archaeology of the Ilich - the people of Islay... a scholarly, accessible and very pleasant read, complemented by delicate illustrations, maps, and high quality colour photographs' * Current Archaeology *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Birlinn General
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
16pp colour plates, b/w line drawings and maps
File size
58,37 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-78885-309-5 (9781788853095)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
11/2021
Origin
€50.00
Shipment within 3-4 weeks
Person
Steven Mithen is Professor of Early Prehistory at the University of Reading, having previously served as Pro Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor. He has published widely within his field and has written a number of bestselling books, including The Singing Neanderthals, After the Ice and The Prehistory of the Mind .He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2004.
Content
- Intro
- Title
- Copyright
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- List of Plates
- 1 A Small Island with a Big History
- 2 Ice Age Visitors and the First Settlers
- 3 Farmers Arrive
- 4 Metalworkers and Islay's Landscape Transformed
- 5 The Use of Iron and the Building of Forts
- 6 The Coming of the Saints
- 7 The Viking Insurgence . . .
- 8 Historical Introduction to the Twelfth to Seventeenth Centuries
- 9 On The Trail of The Macdonalds
- 10 The Making of Modern Islay
- Epilogue: The Great Islay Picnic
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- Picture section
