STONE LANDS

A lover of Britain’s prehistoric standing stones justifies her enthusiasm.

A writer, editor, and “committed megalith enthusiast,” Robertson writes that Britain is home to thousands of these monuments, often accompanied by causeways, ditches, burial mounds, and chambers. Prehistoric people took thousands, if not millions, of labor hours away from practical business to raise stones and build huge earthworks, and although scholars speculate endlessly about why they did so, we can never know for sure. Along with pottery, agriculture, and polished stone tools, the practice arrived from continental Europe thousands of years ago, spread across Britain and Ireland, and continued until roughly 1,000 B.C.E. An interest in the works began in Elizabethan times, when the stones were also pushed over, vandalized, and broken down for building material. By the 19th century, when scholarly attention and protection took hold, many had been destroyed. But according to a dedicated website—megalithic.co.uk—thousands of prehistoric sites remain. It’s no secret that archeologists share their fascination with enthusiasts who believe that these sites radiate mystical energy and healing forces. Robertson admits that she cannot ignore this feature, because her husband, who shares her interest and accompanies her, is undergoing cancer chemotherapy. The book recounts her travels throughout the British Isles, usually with her husband and two children. A dozen chapters deliver vivid histories and archeological findings of a score or more, but she pays special attention to their situation today.

A thoughtful memoir and vivid account of a national treasure.