Atlantic Europe in the first millennium BC : crossing the divide /

Archaeologists from Great Britain, Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, and Portugal trace how perceptions of Iron Age societies in Atlantic Europe have changed. These changes have been far ranging, often substantial, and conditioned by different archaeological traditions in the countries concerned. In general for Atlantic Europe, there has been a movement away from what were once viewed as intensely hierarchical Celtic societies dominated by warrior chieftains. More widely seen now is a far more nuanced construction of cultural landscapes in which much smaller social units--for example, farming settlements--acted with a much higher degree of autonomy in far more decentralized societies. The volume is an important demonstration of the increased communication between archaeologists in different countries, "crossing the divide" between individual traditions of archaeological interpretation. The excellent contributions have extensive and current bibliographies, making the volume as a whole an important addition to libraries associated with academic programs, but stiff going for nonspecialists. Finally, while the book deals specifically with Atlantic Europe and the Iron Age, the theoretical issues it examines have worldwide interest. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. R. B. Clay emeritus, University of Kentucky