Rock Art and Ritual: Interpreting the Prehistoric Landscapes of the North York Moors - Softcover

Following a devastating fire in 2003, an area of moorland above Robin Hoods Bay on the North Yorkshire coast was laid bare, revealing a fascinating and previously unrecorded landscape. The authors have spent hundreds of hours locating and plotting the newly exposed features with particular regard to the many curiously marked prehistoric stones. This engaging book represents the first major interpretative work on both the recently discovered and already known prehistoric rock motifs within this area. It follows the authors in a fascinating series of archaeological detective stories, studying the clues through which an insight into prehistoric life can be reached. In a collection of multidisciplinary studies the authors present their innovative interpretations of the carvings, as well as offering new insights into the astronomical and calendrical associations that can be assigned to the marked stones of the North York Moors.

Alan Walker and Brian Smith are Independent Researchers and experienced archaeologists, who have numerous publications to their names and carry out a busy schedule of lectures, day schools and workshops promoting interest in prehistoric rock art. They are both active members of the Teesside Archaeological Society and have been involved in a large number of excavations and surveys, including the English Heritage walkover survey of Fylingdales moors following the 2003 fire. Alan Walker lives at Ravenscar and is a professional surveyor, while Brian Smith is a retired teacher and lives in Stockton-on-Tees.