Lost Gods of Albion: The Chalk Hill-figures of Britain

Lost Gods of Albion: The Chalk Hill-figures of Britain
ISBN-10
0752449397
ISBN-13
9780752449395
Category
History / Europe / Great Britain / General
Pages
230
Language
English
Published
2009
Publisher
History Press Limited
Author
Paul Newman

Description

A uniquely British phenomenon, the 30 or so figures cut into the turf of southern England have excited antiquarians, archaeologists, and the general public for generations. However, their origins are enigmatic. Paul Newman shows how hill-figures reveal Britain's darkest past: Druid massacres, conjectured human sacrifice, and strange phallic and pagan rites that in milder form survive even today. In recent years much has changed in the world of hill-figure studies, most significantly perhaps the absolute dating by scientific means of early silts incorporated into the Uffington White Horse, which can now be seen to date from around 1000 BC. These and other discoveries and reinterpretations are among the many features which make this book essential reading for all those who have been captivated by the potent symbolism of chalk hill-figures.

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