3.5 out of 5 stars

The publisher provided a copy of this, free of charge, in return for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Time Team for longer than I can remember. But it was only last year that I finally made it to an actual archaeological dig near me in Dorset. This is the Durotriges dig site near Winterborne Kingston, in Dorset and has uncovered all sorts of details about the lives of these people. It was a fascinating day out. A friend and neighbour has actually dug there, and I am now slightly jealous.

This book begins with the story of Brian Hope-Taylor, an eminent archaeologist and recluse, and the Banburgh sword that he found. This sword is unique in the way that it was pattern-welded, and the story behind it is fascinating. It is thought that there was only one blacksmith who would have had the skills to make this weapon.

There is a fictionalised account of a father and son sailing from Ireland to Iona to begin with, before the authors start to fill in the details, to bring that time back to life. The people back then built brocks, huge circular buildings that served certain purposes, some of which we know, some of which we can only guess at and others that are lost to time forever.

The next chapter covers some of the history behind the sword; who fought who, who won and lost and the various inter-family disputes that spilt over into war. I didn’t realise that the armies of these kingdoms were so small.

The stories of who we are, talks about Pitt-Rivers, who inherited Cranborne Chase (a fantastic area of land just near me) and the influence that he has had over archaeology. He pioneered the philosophy that every artefact found in the ground tells a tiny part of the story; it is a real connection to the people of that time and can sometimes have more significance than the headline-grabbing treasure.

Back in the 600’s, this island was in a state of flux. The old religions had waned after the Roman invaders had brought with them their own suite of gods. After the Romans had departed a couple of hundred years previously, paganism and the gods of the Anglo-Saxons took precedence. That is, until the next religion embraced by Rome arrived on the shores: Christianity. On top of this are the power plays between the ruling classes as they loved, married, fought, and murdered each other in the vain pursuit of power.

The authors expand on what makes a warrior and their way of fighting in these times. I had incorrectly assumed that they had swords and shields, but it turns out that they had spears and the shield was as much a weapon as it was for protection.

In another part of the excavation, they come across a reminder of just how short, sharp and brutal life was in those times. Death, both natural and inflicted, was common in society. One of the skeletons they examined had almost been cut in two from his shoulder to his waist.

It takes a wealth of experience to spot a grave when digging. The trowel makes a subtly different sound when it scrapes the soil when you go from backfill to regular ground. One day a lintel grave is found that contains two individuals, whom they eventually conclude must be a father and son.

Marrying the details that they find in the ground to actual historical events is much, much harder. However, it can be done when the archaeologist knows who lived in the area and the grave goods provide a strong indication of status.

I liked some parts of this book, primarily the archaeology and how the things they discovered under the ground were made and used back in those days. I did feel it was a little bit heavy on the history side, and whilst I get that context is important, as it sets the scene for the things they are discovering, I felt it dominated this book. That said, I thought it was an enjoyable read and very much eye-opening about life back then.

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