Ebook: Pagan Britain

Britain's pagan past, with its mysterious monuments, atmospheric sites, enigmatic artifacts, bloodthirsty legends, and cryptic inscriptions, is both enthralling and perplexing to a resident of the twenty-first century. This book reveals the long development, rapid suppression, and enduring cultural significance of paganism, from the Paleolithic Era to the coming of Christianity. It draws on an array of recently discovered evidence and shows how new findings have radically transformed understandings of belief and ritual in Britain before the arrival of organized religion. Setting forth a chronological narrative, the book along the way makes side visits to explore specific locations of ancient pagan activity. It includes the well-known sacred sites—Stonehenge, Avebury, Seahenge, Maiden Castle, Anglesey — as well as more obscure locations across the mainland and coastal islands.