The Stone Circles of the British Isles
Front Cover
The Stone Circles of the British Isles is the first major publication by Aubrey Burl (b. 1926), a British archaeologist best known for his studies into megalithic monuments. The image shows the jacket of the hardcover edition published in 1977 by Yale University Press, New Haven and London. The typography pairs Times New Roman and Helvetica in white caps against an aerial photograph of the Callanish Stones in Lewis, Scotland. The book interior (not pictured, see images on this auction page) was designed by John Nicoll and is set in Monophoto Times. Filmset and printed by BAS Printers Limited, Wallop, Hampshire.
The author provides a hypothetical chronological framework for the circles and considers their origins and purpose, examining in particular their possible astronomical function. He then discusses each regional grouping of circles, describing their architectural types and the finds from excavations. Special attention is paid to Stonehenge and Avebury, the two best known and most spectacular rings.
