The Modern Antiquarian

Product Information

Compelling too is the St Peter’s Kirk Pictish-symbol stone discovered on the north-east coast of South Ronaldsay.

Stone circles, standing stones, megalithic sites, prehistoric

When Christian culture finally arrived, many of the sites were consumed by the new religion through an act of syncretism, and the book lists chapels and churches that were built using these sacred stones, such was the significance of the sites. By keeping steadfastly to their inclusive vision of all things Celt, Farley and Weetch are helping to instil in future generations the kind of open-mindedness that has enabled our democracy to thrive. He may be a weird character, and maybe he doesn't shower enough, but he's put out a lot of fine music, and his memoirs are a load of fun. In contrast to the formality of ancient history, there is an enduring appeal to Cope’s musical career that stretches beyond conventional audiences.At the time of its publication, there was rarely any indication from the roadside that these sites existed; the ‘brown signs’ of English Heritage weren’t common, so it was frequently left for the intrepid walker to find the sites of Bronze Age and Neolithic Britain through Ordnance maps or word of mouth. Back in 1992, in a fit of neo-Celtic fervour, I set off for a tour of prehistoric Ireland armed with a hickory-handled wood-axe on which I had carved my name in rudimentary sub-rune style letters. For all ebook purchases, you will be prompted to create an account or login with your existing HarperCollins username and password. At his best, Cope symbolizes the obscure depths of 20th-century counterculture, a period left partially undamaged by the instant access of our new digital era. The Modern Antiquarian: A Pre-Millennial Odyssey Through Megalithic Britain is a guide book written by Julian Cope, published in 1998.

Julian Cope presents Head Heritage Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

This prehistory maps the indigenous pagan tradition of ancient Britain, an era in which the vast landscapes of Britain, from Cornwall to North Yorkshire, Orkney and North Wales, were united by megalithic structures that were built communally by pre-feudal societies. Cope believes that visiting and studying these sites has a spiritual importance, it is a “nourishing and healing act”. Indeed, William Owen Roberts initially attached a strong, heavy chain that made up part of the hoard to a tractor and used it to haul several lorries out of the mud. When he once spent a prolonged period in Tamworth building rooms out of toy cars, taking vast quantities of LSD, and speed-walking around a local mound (which inspired the song ‘Reynard The Fox’) for seven hours a night, he somehow spring-boarded from that insane repetitive behaviour into writing books, with much more concrete results.His expertise is neither intimidating nor boring, and the brief snapshots of the many sites -- a page of pictures and writing for each, rarely more -- is just the right amount to get a general idea of these marvelous places. But the absence of a carved sword or indeed any form of armour lend an immediate religious air to this sombre sandstone giant. Of the countless sites visited, over 300 of the very best have been selected, their remains photographed and their relationships with the landscape explained. His great skill is to make convincing arguments on whatever he happens to be enthusiastic about at the time.

Modern Antiquarian by Julian Cope, First Edition - AbeBooks Modern Antiquarian by Julian Cope, First Edition - AbeBooks

Although a fan of his work, I certainly wouldn’t describe myself as an acolyte, and he’s certainly not a hero in any sense of the word. As it turns out, there are literally hundreds of such megalithic ("Greek for 'great stone'") sites spread all across Britain. Cope varies between narrative (of his visits) and semi-scholarly studies, and he manages to make it all quite interesting.According to Cope, the ancients were the first glam rockers: men wore make-up and costumes, and pilgrims visited the sites to dance, sing and be invigorated. Occasional poetry surfaces--"Atop Knap Hill I eat my snot/For 'tis the only food I got"--but generally the absurdities are kept at bay, as St Julian leads us on a pilgrimage. Julian Cope is quite inspiring in his dedication to ancient stone structures, and this book is roughly 50% enthusiastic amateur rambling and 50% solid, academic thoroughness. Stranger still, the signpost was a rough, hand-painted thing quite at odds with the huge early bronze age megalithic tomb that awaited me.

Modern Antiquarian (Signed) by Cope, Julian: Collectable The Modern Antiquarian (Signed) by Cope, Julian: Collectable

His unperfect view of what these sites were used for is open to interpretation, guiding the reader to make up their own minds as to their true intent. In some ways, it’s also a respect for transience, and like the KLF, who have deleted their back catalogue, he has deliberately allowed his books to go out of print. Similarly the illustrative quotes chosen here are merely those the complete review subjectively believes represent the tenor and judgment of the review as a whole. Climbing aboard the 1781 bandwagon created by Iolo Morganwg’s brand new Society of the Ancient Druids, towns across Britain revived or even invented their own Celtic-styled festivals, my personal favourite being the “ancient” Cornish street theatre of Padstow’s Obby Oss, first recorded in 1803. Staring at a computer screen, and clearly off his gourd, Cope selected his own questions and bounced around the room like a mad chimp.His engagement with etymology and symbolism is particularly revealing, as he demonstrates the links between our own contemporary language and Goddess culture. And so it is with a similar generosity of spirit that the London exhibition lays upon me its open-minded vision of all things Celtic. To access your ebook(s) after purchasing, you can download the free Glose app or read instantly on your browser by logging into Glose. Comes with rare CD of Cope reading extracts from this book, duration over 20 mins~~Near Fine 1st ed 1999 hardback with slipcase.