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This title "will reach beyond military readers to earn a place in general early history collections." -"Library Bookwatch"
"The drawings are well done and this artist uses the right combination of colors to put life into his illustrations. The selection of photos is also quite good. This book is an excellent up to date introduction to the Celtic forts of Great Britain." -J. E. Kaufmann, "Site-O Newsletter"
"The drawings are well done and this artist uses the right combination of colors to put life into his illustrations. The selection of photos is also quite good. This book is an excellent up to date introduction to the Celtic forts of Great Britain." -J. E. Kaufmann, "Site-O Newsletter"
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is a short and broad overview of Celtic forts in Britain from the Early Iron Age to the Roman Conquest.
The author describes the various ancient forts found in Britain, from the famous Maiden Castle in England to the Brochs of Scotland.
In between he takes us on a tour of Danesbury in Hampshire, and he describes the less well known Tre'r Ceiri in North Wales. Various other forts, some famous others obscure, are mentioned along the way.
Konstam discusses many aspects of these Celtic Forts, from their form and function, to their construction, settlement and defence. Along the way he includes photographs of the sites, some basic maps, and a number of good colour plates by Peter Bull, which display reconstructions of these sites.
Overall this is a good introductory title. The author knows that the subject can be a potential minefield considering the difficulties of identifying which structures are forts, which date to the Iron Age, and whether Britain was truly Celtic. He does a relativily good job of it all, and should be congratulated.
The author describes the various ancient forts found in Britain, from the famous Maiden Castle in England to the Brochs of Scotland.
In between he takes us on a tour of Danesbury in Hampshire, and he describes the less well known Tre'r Ceiri in North Wales. Various other forts, some famous others obscure, are mentioned along the way.
Konstam discusses many aspects of these Celtic Forts, from their form and function, to their construction, settlement and defence. Along the way he includes photographs of the sites, some basic maps, and a number of good colour plates by Peter Bull, which display reconstructions of these sites.
Overall this is a good introductory title. The author knows that the subject can be a potential minefield considering the difficulties of identifying which structures are forts, which date to the Iron Age, and whether Britain was truly Celtic. He does a relativily good job of it all, and should be congratulated.
4 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you want to learn anything about the Iron Age and Hill Fort do not read this book. I cannot believe anyone is still writing this tired old rubbish. The authors claims date back thirty or forty years and have long since been shown to be incorrect. There was no invasion, by Celts or anyone else at the start of the Iron Age, which is a century earlier then the authors claim. The first hill forts actually appear around 1100 BCE, 500 years earlier then the authors state, which means they are in fact Bronze Age. About the same time, 1000 BCE the first roundhouses appear, again Bronze Age. These, as the name implies, were round and were still being built after 800 CE. The people on the continent built rectangular longhouses. If they did invade Britain then you have to ask where are the longhouses? After all, you would expect them to carry on building the same style of house. There are no longhouses, is the simple answer.
As for what the people of Britain were called the answer is simple, the Britain's. We know this because that is what the Romans called them. Interestingly, the Romans never mentioned them being Celts.
As for these none existent Celts being driven to the remoter corners by the English invaders, the evidence says otherwise. Some of the earliest Anglo-Saxon houses show British influence in their design. This would suggest that the English and the Britain's were working together. In Wales archaeologists discovered a British round house with and Anglo Saxon house nearby. Again suggesting no one was being driven out. DNA testing is now suggesting that what we are looking at was not an invasion by the Anglo-Saxon English but British people calling themselves English, probably to fit in with the new arrivals.
If these authors actually knew anything about this period they are writing about then they would know that what we are looking at is an invasion of ideas rather then of people. What is more is that the style of design we see in the art of this period is not even Celtic as the real Celtic designs are different. The so called Celtic art seen in the book of Kells is a mixture of Irish and English art. Again we see co-operation rather then confrontation. Claiming that there was a Celtic invasion of Britain is like claiming that just because we have Japanese cars and Japanese cameras and Japanese TV's then we must have been invaded by Japan.
I do not know where the authors got their knowledge of this period from, mine was from studying for a degree in archaeology, but it was completely pointless effort. If I could I would give this book a minus 5 star rating. All I will say is do not waste your money on this book.
As for what the people of Britain were called the answer is simple, the Britain's. We know this because that is what the Romans called them. Interestingly, the Romans never mentioned them being Celts.
As for these none existent Celts being driven to the remoter corners by the English invaders, the evidence says otherwise. Some of the earliest Anglo-Saxon houses show British influence in their design. This would suggest that the English and the Britain's were working together. In Wales archaeologists discovered a British round house with and Anglo Saxon house nearby. Again suggesting no one was being driven out. DNA testing is now suggesting that what we are looking at was not an invasion by the Anglo-Saxon English but British people calling themselves English, probably to fit in with the new arrivals.
If these authors actually knew anything about this period they are writing about then they would know that what we are looking at is an invasion of ideas rather then of people. What is more is that the style of design we see in the art of this period is not even Celtic as the real Celtic designs are different. The so called Celtic art seen in the book of Kells is a mixture of Irish and English art. Again we see co-operation rather then confrontation. Claiming that there was a Celtic invasion of Britain is like claiming that just because we have Japanese cars and Japanese cameras and Japanese TV's then we must have been invaded by Japan.
I do not know where the authors got their knowledge of this period from, mine was from studying for a degree in archaeology, but it was completely pointless effort. If I could I would give this book a minus 5 star rating. All I will say is do not waste your money on this book.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Will reach beyond military readers to earn a place in general early history collections.
5 Nov 2006
Format:Paperback
Angus Konstam's THE FORTS OF CELTIC BRITAIN is also a spectacular addition to the reference series, packing photos, color maps and color artwork into a historical survey of the Iron Age Celtic fortresses whose remains still pepper the landscape of Britain. From types of fortifications to how they evolved and differed between regions, THE FORTS OF CELTIC BRITAIN will reach beyond military readers to earn a place in general early history collections.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Celtic Hillforts
2 April 2007
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A very worthy title, examining the topic concisely yet in detail. Fortifications are not really my strong point, but as far as I could tell the information was accurate. The color plates are also pretty good. The book reads as follows:
Introduction
Chronology
Types of fortified sites
Design and construction
Tour of a fortified site: Danebury
The living site
Celtic fortifications in operation
Afermath
The sites today
Biblography
Glossary
Index
Introduction
Chronology
Types of fortified sites
Design and construction
Tour of a fortified site: Danebury
The living site
Celtic fortifications in operation
Afermath
The sites today
Biblography
Glossary
Index
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Helpful
14 Aug 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I wish I had ordered this book BEFORE I went to England and Wales this summer. I passed on the hill fort sites even though I was nearby because I thought they were just big grassy hills. Angus Konstam make me see what I was missing. I did buy the book for my high school students and our study of Celtic life. I expected it to be targeted for middle school or high school students because of the cover and the length. However, it is scholarly and very informative. If you are planning a trip to visit these sites such as Maiden Castle or Uffington Castle, this book is a must. It is compact enough to slip into a day pack and loaded with pertinent information.
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