Traveling around England is in many senses a journey back in time. On all sides, and sometimes even under the road or footpath itself, there are fragments of the ancient past alongside the clutter of the modern world. Medieval villages, castles, ancient churches, and Roman villas are commonplace and take us back to the time of Christ. And far older, yet equally abundant, are the barrows, hillforts, stone circles, camps, standing stones, trackways, and other relics of prehistoric times.
Now, thanks to these three archaeologists--each a specialist in one of the three periods covered by the...

These essays urge archaeologists to reexamine and to change their basic assumptions about how we assign value to cultural places and, beyond that, how we should understand and manage our heritage throughout much of the world. At the heart of the complex field of cultural resource management is the work archaeologists do to determine the significance of a particular site. On a daily basis, they often face the question of what should be protected for future generations, salvaged in the face of impending destruction, or allowed to be destroyed without record. Frequently, their assessments are at...

Prehistoric war-god, seventeenth century marvel, or living monument? In 1996, a 'trial' was held in Cerne Abbas Village Hall to discuss the origin of the Giant - prehistoric/Romano-British, medieval/post-medieval, or significant for the very fact that he exists, regardless of age. This is the book of the trial: after a preliminary briefing, the witnesses for the three cases present their evidence which ranges from detailed factual information about the archaeology and history of the monument through to its folklore and continuing role as the inspiration for all sorts of activity from local...