Britain AD: A Quest for Arthur, England, and the Anglo-SaxonsIn this book, which accompanies and expands on his Channel 4 television series, leading archaeologist Francis Pryor retells the story of King Arthur, legendary king of the Britons, tracing it back to its Bronze Age originsThe legend of King Arthur and Camelot is one of the most enduring in Britain's history, spanning centuries and surviving invasions by Angles, Vikings and Normans. In his latest book Francis Pryor -- one of Britain's most celebrated archaeologists and author of the acclaimed Britain BC and Seahenge -- traces the story of Arthur back to its ancient origins. Putting forth the compelling idea that most of the key elements of the Arthurian legends are deeply rooted in Bronze and Iron Ages (the sword Excalibur, the Lady of the Lake, the Sword in the Stone and so on), Pryor argues that the legends' survival mirrors a flourishing, indigenous culture that endured through the Roman occupation of Britain, and the subsequent invasions of the so-called Dark Ages. |
Contents
Britons Celts and AngloSaxons | 1 |
The Origins and Legacy of Arthur | 16 |
Ancient Britons | 43 |
Copyright | |
18 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
ancient Anglian archaeological army Arthur Arthurian barbarian barrows Barry Cunliffe Bede believe Birdoswald Britain BC Britannia British Britons Bronze Age buildings burial Castle Celtic Celts cemetery centre changes Chapter Christian Church continued culture Danebury Dark Age ditches Durobrivae Early Saxon East eastern England élite Emperor English Heritage evidence example excavations Fens field fifth century foederati forts fourth century Gaul Gildas Glastonbury Gnostic Hadrian's Wall Higham hillforts Ibid identity important invasions King landscape Late Iron Age Late Roman later London Maxey medieval migration military Myres myths Neolithic Nicholas Higham organised Orton Hall Orton Hall Farm pagan Peterborough political population post-Roman pottery pre-Roman prehistoric probably Roman Britain Roman Empire Roman period Roman rule Romanised Romano-British rural Saxon shore settlement social South Cadbury southern Britain stone suggest Sutton Hoo Tintagel towns tradition Verlamion village Wales Welsh West Heslerton Witham Valley Wroxeter Yorkshire