The story of Silbury Hill - Jim Leary

Written by two people with unrivalled information from the recent work and knowledge of Silbury Hill and combining scholarly research and readable narrative, this book sets out the archaeological story of Silbury: from an early recognition of its importance to antiquarian and archaeological investigations of the hill. The book describes each event, setting it within its own historical and political context; the story of the monument hanging off the enigmatic and eccentric characters of the time. The collapse on the summit in 2000, leading to the opening of the hill's famous tunnel in 2007 to much media fanfare, is covered. For the first time the results of the recent work are set out in detail, describing early activity on the site, the origins of the monument and the construction techniques used. Numerous new and vivid reconstruction drawings present a new interpretation of this iconic prehistoric monument. The book also describes how the monument was seen and used by later communities; from the Roman small town that grew up around the hill - the inhabitants quite literally living in its shadow; to medieval buildings on the summit. The final chapter discusses what Silbury means to people today: its power and spirituality for locals, visitors, New Agers and Druids alike.