Deborah Hallam

This book represents the first synthesis of the Neolithic archaeology of a pastoral, upland region of northern England that has historically been poorly represented in the archaeological record. Importantly for scholars of the period, the study identifies the changes that mark the Mesolithic-Neolithic Transition in the Yorkshire Dales, finding it to be in progress at the same time as adjoining northern counties, thus proving the region to be no cultural backwater, despite the topography. Questions around how the region became peopled by farmer-settlers with new lifeways are discussed, with cultural influences identified. Burial practices are compared beyond the area and are found to align with country-wide practices, whereas built monuments reflect increasing social complexity and population growth. A must-read for any scholar or enthusiast of British prehistory, this study brings to light a fascinating insight into the earliest farming communities and cultural practices commencing during a period of irrevocable social change.

Funerary and related cups of the British Bronze Age presents the first national corpus and study of these often highly decorated items. Cups are the least studied of all Bronze Age funerary ceramics and their interpretations are still based on antiquarian speculation. They are clearly ‘Urnes of no small Variety’ and previous attempts at classification have largely failed due to this variation. Their potential uses, technologies and associations are examined and many myths, such as their association with children and their role in accompanying other ceramics such as Collared Urns and Food Vessels are examined and questioned. Cups appear to have been grave goods in their own right and the term ‘accessory vessel’ is rejected. The book contains a fully referenced and illustrated national corpus that will form the basis for future studies.