Megalith - Eleven Journeys in Search of Stones

Submitted by TimPrevett on Friday, 25 August 2006 Page Views: 4159

"The primal urge to be close to this, the most basic of raw material, never leaves us." (p87). This is something which many realise within themselves, and an urge which Megalith is not afraid to articulate and celebrate.

Megalith is a journey into the poetic, personal encounter between people and these old stones.

For any who derive some emotional satisfaction from visiting these places (other than that of scientific data gained, or hard archaeological insights), it should be a satisfying read. Reviewing it as one who derives great pleasure from introducing people to such places and the past, it was an encouraging read.

For all the information we can gain about a place, it is the personal experience that leaves the most lasting impression. To a degree it is the difference between such German verbs as wissen - to know about something, and kennen - to have personal acquaintance / experience (or for French Savoir and Connaitre, respectively). Human beings do not remember so much the facts about places and people. They more remember how places, and how others made them feel. This book is an exploration of that inclination for feeling.

Eleven chapters comprise this book, and each is very different in its location and style of writing. Each chapter is quite short, and can easily be digested one by one before bed. Some of the writers are more flowing in style, others choose more abrupt paragraphs breaking the flow of thought about the stones. Nonetheless, that is a reflection on humans and stones. There are as many ways to encounter stones as there are for people who seek them. Some harder to relate to, while others will ring with identification to the reader. Nevertheless, each a valid human - megalithic interaction.

The book is dominantly Welsh in focus, with seven sites in Wales, and England, Ireland and Scotland having parts to play, too. The opening site is the Drumtroddan Stones, which soon goes to Shropshire in its encounter, taking in Mitchell's Fold, The Stiperstones, and then west to Wales for Pistyll Rhaeadr and the nearby Rhos y Beddau Circle and Rows.

The following chapters remain focussed on their geographical locale. The chapter on the Knockduff Galan in Cork also mentions Knocknakilla , Carraig Cliona, Castlelack, and Galaun. The Presaddfed chambers, the awe inspiring Llyn Brenig Platform Cairn and the Cow and Calf in Ceredigion are all in turn dealt with.

Journeying south, Pentre Ifan, and Parc y Meirw (Field of the Dead), with the nearby Lady Stone are visited. Maen Ceti (Arthur's Stone), Tinkinswood, a trip into England for the Nympsfield chambered long barrow, and finally to the flooded landscape around Samson Hill (south) in the Isles of Scilly.

The chapters which were most personally enjoyable, were those which related the stones to the procession of people and their lives which have been in the company of the stones. The compelling, and sometimes dark recollection of human encounters at the Cow and Calf, or the workers who would eat their lunch under the jurisdiction of the Knockduff Galan, or the pyschological landscape of those who will detour to avoid going near the stones of the Field of the Dead.

The human - megalith relationship has endured for millenia, and hopefully will continue to. This book is a satisfying poetic, journey into eleven such relationships.

Megalith is published by the Gomer Press on 31st August 2006. Edited by Damian Walford Davies, with a preface by Jan Morris. 128 pages, black and white full page photos, ISBN 1843236656.

Review by TimP - Main admin/general user ID Shropshire Traveller, main gallery ID Equinoxe Ancient Tours, and Dark Age / Christian site ID Just3Days.

Contributor Bio for TimPrevett: Based in Warrington, contributing since 2012. Favourite site: Taversoe Tuick. Occupation: Creative Media.

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