Reviews
Thoroughly researched, engagingly written and the author's style is accessible... an excellent starting point for anyone with an interest in any of the Small Isles
Undiscovered Scotland
About the Book
This book is the essential companion for those who wish to learn about and visit the Inner Hebridean islands of Eigg, Muck, Rum and Canna, known collectively as the Small Isles.
As well as focusing on history, archaeology and landscape change from earliest times to the present day, it is a fascinating account of the people who have lived there – their subsistence, legends and superstitions, interactions and the ways in which they exploited the land and the sea.
It takes the reader through prehistoric landscapes and Iron Age forts into the Age of the Saints and the incoming Vikings. The islands are rich in monastic tradition and rife with the clan feuding of the Middle Ages. Contemporary descriptions help explore population change, townships, the boom and bust of the kelp industry and the devastation brought about by the Clearances before the late 19th century, when wealthy aristocrats created great sporting estates.
The Author
John Hunter
John Hunter has undertaken extensive excavations in the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland and elsewhere. He is Emeritus Professor of Ancient History and Archaeology at the University of Birmingham and Affiliate of the Department of Archaeology, University of Glasgow. As a Royal Commissioner on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland for eleven years he was involved in its merger into Historic Environment Scotland. In 2012 he was awarded an OBE for services to scholarship.
You may also like…
-
Paperback | Pub: 25 Oct 2018£9.99
Mull and Iona are two of the most visited islands in Scotland, and have played a central role in the history of the country. As the cradle of Christianity in Scotland, Iona has been a place of pilgrimage for almost 1,500 years and was a beacon of...
-
Paperback | Pub: 05 May 2022£7.99The Small Isles comprise the Inner Hebridean islands of Rum, Eigg, Canna and Muck. The landscapes, rocks and fossils of these beautiful, remote islands tells of a drama involving erupting volcanoes, an ancient ecosystem that included dinosaurs and...
-
Paperback | Pub: 01 Jul 2021£12.99The Outer Hebrides lie 40 miles to the west of mainland Scotland, forming a barrier to the North Atlantic. Culturally distinct from early prehistory, the islands contain a wealth of historical and archaeological monuments, including the standing...
-
Paperback | Pub: 12 Mar 2015£10.99Orkney lies only 20 miles north of mainland Scotland, yet for many centuries its culture was more Scandanavian than Scottish. Strong westerly winds account for the scarcity of trees on Orkney and also for the tradition of well-constructed stone...
