The Rocks At The Edge Of The Empire
50 Extraordinary Rocky Places That Tell The Story Of The Romans And The Landscape Of Their Northern Frontier
£12.00
Through stories about 50 remarkable places this book explores how the rocks of the Roman frontier in northern England shaped its history. If you are curious about the landscape and want to understand its natural origins and the way that connects to its archaeology this book is for you. Use it as your guide for walks to discover this landscape and its past, or simply let its beautiful full colour photographs and expert but accessible descriptions transport you to 50 special locations. This is a book that will take you to places you may not know and reveal secrets about places you thought you knew.
What did rocks ever do for the Romans? The answer is pretty much everything. From the siting of their defences, to providing building materials and the metals for their swords, slingshots and tools. They used coal to smelt metals and for heating and bath houses. Rocks ground their flour and sharpened their knives, copper and clay pots cooked their food. Lead, umber and ochre made their pigments, paint and even make-up. Jasper and jet fashioned their jewels. Gypsum prepared their dead for burial. Inscribed stone made their tombs. Springs and wells sustained them in this life…… and the next. For Romans an understanding of the landscape was not just desirable, it was essential – their day-to-day lives and the resilience of the infrastructure of the Empire depended on it.
Using the latest scientific evidence the book looks at the region’s ancient history through a professional geologist’s eyes, a perspective which inevitably raises questions about several long held archaeological interpretations. Rocks at the Edge of the Empire will provoke debate …. and your curiosity!
publisher:
Northern Heritage
Publication Date:
2024-10-03
format:
Paperback; 280 x 210mm.
ISBN:
9781739486143
illustrations:
Full colour illustrations