Times Anvil: England, Archaeology and the Imagination

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But mainly it is about how the past is read, and about what we bring to the reading as well as what we find. The result is a book that defies categorisation, but one which will by turns surprise, enthrall and provoke anyone who cares for England, who we are and where we have come from.

He makes the point that history is always changing, as we find new things, or come to see old things in new ways.

Time's Anvil: England, Archaeology and the Imagination

The press release for this remarkable book announces that it 'defies categorisation'. It is not wrong. Longlisted for the Samuel Johnson prize, Time's Anvil contemplates what is now England over a span of , years.

Sometimes we are left with snapshots, including the varying view from Paviland Cave over the last 29, years; elsewhere the text lingers, as with the felling of the Old Wood. Along the way we meet eminent practitioners of many disciplines, as archaeology itself emerges and the stories it tells evolve. An acquired taste, perhaps, but presenting archaeology in this way has created an especially thought-provoking read.

Richard Morris is emeritus professor of archaeology at the University of Huddersfield. He began his career working on excavations under York Minster in Since then he has worked as a university teacher, as director of the Council for British Archaeology, as director of the Leeds Institute for Medieval Studies, and as a writer and composer. His book Churches in the Landscape is widely regarded as a pioneering classic. He is completing a new biography of the aeronautical engineer Barnes Wallis, and working on a social history of interwar England from the air.

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Review He makes the point that history is always changing, as we find new things, or come to see old things in new ways. A thoughtful book, intelligent book. It is a wonderful reminder of the extent of human knowledge and how little we can know about our own past. It is possible to hold a Saxon's helmet in your hand but you can't hear the man who wore it speak.

It is not wrong.

Editorial Reviews

Longlisted for the Samuel Johnson prize, Time's Anvil contemplates what is now England over a span of , years. Sometimes we are left with snapshots, including the varying view from Paviland Cave over the last 29, years; elsewhere the text lingers, as with the felling of the Old Wood. Along the way we meet eminent practitioners of many disciplines, as archaeology itself emerges and the stories it tells evolve.

UK show more. Review quote He makes the point that history is always changing, as we find new things, or come to see old things in new ways. A thoughtful book, intelligent book. It is a wonderful reminder of the extent of human knowledge and how little we can know about our own past. It is possible to hold a Saxon's helmet in your hand but you can't hear the man who wore it speak. This is a wise book, worth the investment.

He began his career working on excavations under York Minster in Since then he has worked as a university teacher, as director of the Council for British Archaeology, as director of the Leeds Institute for Medieval Studies, and as a writer and composer.

This is just a truly, generally, good read. This is an uneven book, but it has some very enjoyable chapters. It tells the story of archaeology in England - its history, major developments and recent advances - in relatively short readable chapters that are akin to short essays, although they are linked. There is much enthusiasm, excellent storytelling and comprehensible to a layman analysis.

However, This is an uneven book, but it has some very enjoyable chapters. However, it is disjointed and in the afterword it does note that the book was written over the period from , with some chapters having to be revisited in the light of subsequent discoveries. You can feel this unevenness when reading it, but I thought that the chapter on aerial archaeology was fantastic.

Mar 04, Roger Boyle rated it really liked it. I can't recall why I bought this, and procrastinated it for a long time - needlessly as I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a long book and while it does have some pictures, there's no conversation. He does a lovely job for me of talking about the role and place of archaeology, and about England.

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I think I leaned a lot, but it's not facts, rather attitudes I can't recall why I bought this, and procrastinated it for a long time - needlessly as I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I leaned a lot, but it's not facts, rather attitudes and ideas. Excellent book for anyone with the vaguest interest in archaeology, or the history of the British Isles.

Its interesting to see particularly how our understanding of ancient Britain and the role of Angles, Saxons etc has changed and developed. Some really interesting stuff on ancient deforestation and population sizes but also really good stuff on all sorts of other areas - the English Civil War, the development of Birmingham, etc. May 08, Lisa rated it it was amazing Shelves: Best history I've read in a long while. Adam Sutton rated it it was amazing Mar 25, Diana Hale rated it really liked it Apr 14, Feb 10, Imogen Robertson rated it really liked it.

Crammed with stories and ideas. Derek Johnston rated it really liked it Aug 29, Stevie Carroll rated it it was amazing May 04, Steve M rated it really liked it Dec 24, Chris Brown rated it it was amazing Aug 08, Michael Scott rated it really liked it Jan 19, Adrian Loades rated it really liked it Oct 01, Marcus Collins rated it liked it Apr 03, Josie rated it really liked it Mar 09, Cmhawkins rated it it was amazing Jun 14, Sarah Rama rated it really liked it Sep 06,

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