The Tale of the Axe: How the Neolithic Revolution Transformed Britain

Great synthesizing overview of Western European archaeology. Pleasurable read for experts or armchair enthusiasts.

An excellent, well-written history.

First I read Neolithic Britain, 2018 covering much of the same ground, but it was nice to read even more about the Langdale Axe in this book. Between both books you can connect the dots to form an idea of what life was like then, for stone age people who were 100% just like us physically and genetically. The only Neolithic site I've been to is Castlerigg Stone Circle in Cumbria, which left me with questions. These two books made it very clear what role the Langdale Axe (mined not far from the Circle) played in peoples' lives, and how vast the Neolithic trading network was. This book is easy to read; it just flows, with a many amusing side-paths. The author's bringing the reader into his personal life in France made it somewhat auto-biographical. The author quotes from so many archeologists, adding depth to the ideas. Truly, this a good read about the Neolithic era mainly in the early UK and Ireland. Of course western Europe is given it's due in spreading burial mound design and also pottery designs. I ended up reading it twice. I think this author purposely 'set the table' with better known archeological facts that allow the reader to speculate on daily life back then. I thought it to be amazing that so many burial sites, even the most modest, had entrances aligned with winter or summer solstices.

An amazing read! Lots of detail without getting bogged down like a dissertation or journal.

Interesting book with lots of good research. Could have been shorter.

Good information on the effects of climate change on human development. Should be read in conjunction with Lynne Kells' -The Memory Code - to get an insight into the transition from hunter/gatherer to farming in the Neolithic/Mesolithic period.

One of the best books in years. Loving Britain’s deep time.

Très bonne synthèse du paléolithique et surtout du néolithique britannique mise en regard des développements mondiaux, avec une insistance particulière sur les formes successives de monumentalités (causeweyed enclosures, Henges, dont le complexe de Stonehenge), leurs fonctions sociales et l'organisation des territoires, avec une révision critique de l'évolution des interprétations archéologiques depuis Gordon Childe. Agréable à lire, abordable par des non spécialistes, et encore à jour.

David Miles has written a real cracker of a book. The book is a synthesis of prehistory from the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic through to the main focus on the transition to farming in the Neolithic from the Near East, it's journeys through Europe and eventually into Britain. David Miles uses the prism of the axe both as a practical tool and status symbol to weave this wonderful story of how we became farmers and created more complex societies. It ends in the Later Neolithic with the start of metallurgy. The book is up to date and includes many case studies that illuminate the past and the author brings many useful personal points of view on their interpretation. It is very well written; the text flows easily and seamlessly throughout. It is enlivened by interesting short asides and anecdotes that do not detract from the main thrust of the narrative but make the book fun and fluent to read. I could not wait for the next chapter. A great introduction to prehistoric archaeology that will make you go on to read more widely. I hope the author will go on and write another that covers the Bronze and Iron Ages.

Very readable. Loved it!!

Like to know more on this topic. Was a help. Bit of a thesis in style as refered to others t/out book