Sited at the furthest limits of the Neolithic revolution and standing at the confluence of the two great sea routes of prehistory, Britain and Ireland are distinct from continental Europe for much of the prehistoric sequence. In this landmark 2007 study - the first significant survey of the archaeology of Britain and Ireland for twenty years - Richard Bradley offers an interpretation of the unique archaeological record of these islands based on a wealth of current and largely unpublished data. Bradley surveys the entire archaeological sequence over a 4,000 year period, from the adoption of agriculture in the Neolithic period to the discovery of Britain and Ireland by travellers from the Mediterranean during the later pre-Roman Iron Age. Significantly, this is the first modern account to treat Britain and Ireland on equal terms, offering a detailed interpretation of the prehistory of both islands.

'… this provocative book deserves to be widely read, and will stimulate much debate …'

Source: Antiquity

'… should … become a much depended upon text for the simple reason that no other can claim such a deeply and extensively researched background.'

Source: Minerva

'… full of insights based on the author's unrivalled knowledge of the material, and his skill and insight in making connections, identifying trends, and weaving new narratives.'

Source: Cambridge Archaeological Journal