Who were the first Britons, and what sort of world did they occupy? In A HISTORY OF ANCIENT BRITAIN Neil Oliver turns a spotlight on the very beginnings of the story of Britain; on the first people to occupy these islands and their battle for survival.
There has been human habitation in Britain, regularly interrupted by Ice Ages, for the best part of a million years. The last retreat of the glaciers 12,000 years ago brought a new and warmer age and with it, one of the greatest tsunamis recorded on Earth which struck the north-east of Britain, devastating the population and flooding the low-lying plains of what is now the North Sea. The resulting island became, in time, home to a diverse range of cultures and peoples who have left behind them some of the most extraordinary and enigmatic monuments in the world.
Through what is revealed by the artefacts of the past, Neil Oliver weaves the epic story - half -a-million years of human history up to the departure of the Roman Empire in the Fifth Century AD. It was a period which accounts for more than ninety-nine per cent of humankind's presence on these islands.
It is the real story of Britain and of her people.
Review
Five stars - "Behind Neil Oliver's dark-haired, professionally Celtic looks lies a serious archaeologist intent on telling you everything about our country's history" -- Peter Marren BBC COUNTRYFILE MAGAZINE This is a fascinating piece of little-explored history CATHOLIC HERALD a fine introduction, and an excellent encouragement to get out and see some of the places under discussion -- Dave Musgrove BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE he succeeds - brilliantly - in making people who lived thousands and tens of thousands of years ago human. In doing so he connects us to our distant past with a vividness and immediacy that catches both your imagination and at times your breath. Buy and read. -- John Clare Family Tree Magazine 20111201 uses his archaeological training to good effect in a text that is both appealing and interesting - nay, fascinating - to those who have little or no training in scientific research. CONTEMPORARY REVIEW 20120601
About the Author
Neil Oliver is a Scottish archaeologist, historian, and broadcaster, is known for his distinctive voice and long black hair, and was the charismatic presenter of the award-winning documentary series Coast. His 10-part A History of Scotland on BBC2 was a critical success, as was the book of the same name that accompanied it.