The Gwent County History
General Editor: Ralph A. Griffiths

Vol. I: Gwent in Prehistory and Early History

Edited by Miranda Aldhouse-Green and Ray Howell

‘The publication of this volume, the first in what promises to be a distinguished series, is a matter for celebration. This volume is a resounding success at many levels. It provides an accessible narrative of Gwent’s pre-Norman past, it embodies the most up-to-date interpretations presented by those who are at the forefront of research and it reveals, as the story proceeds, the working methods, aspirations and sometimes the frustrations of scholars as they piece together the story of the long march of the people of Gwent.’ The Monmouthshire Antiquary

‘Sobriety and consummate scholarship are the hallmarks of this pioneering volume, setting the scene for the Gwent of our nearer ancestors and of our own day . . . even the most complex, arcane topics are presented clearly and intelligibly . . . Engrossing and intriguing!’ www.wales.com

The Gwent County History Association, in conjunction with the University of Wales Press, has planned a major series of five authoritative volumes on the history of Gwent from prehistoric times to the end of the twentieth century. In this vast time-span, south-east Wales has been at the heart of historic changes that have affected both England and Wales. These changes will be fully explored in Volume I: Gwent in Prehistory and Early History; Volume II: Gwent in the Middle Ages, 1070–1536; Volume III: Early Modern Gwent, 1530–1780; Volume IV: Industrial Gwent, 1780–1914; and Volume V: Twentieth-century Gwent.

This volume deals with an exceptionally long period in Gwent’s history, from prehistory to the appearance of Norman invaders from the east in the second half of the eleventh century. To the remoteness of this period may be added its comparative neglect by archaeologists over the past century. Confident explanations are not easily made before the Iron Age, and written records become available only at the end of the first century AD. But by bringing to bear sophisticated skills in archaeological and environmental interpretation of the landscape, by placing Gwent in the broader context of south Wales, south-west England and what came to be known as the Welsh March, and by innovative analyses of some striking site remains and unearthed hoards, the present generation of scholars has enabled a fascinating tale to be told. It is a partial story, sometimes disjointed, yet stressing continuity of human activity in early Gwent, and, above all, the need for more research and investigation. This volume reviews what is presently known and also sets an agenda for future study.

Jacket illustration: Llanmelin hillfort, two km NNW of Caerwent, showing a distinct series of three sub-rectangular annexes which extend from the main enclosure. © Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales.

Contents and Contributors:

1. The Palaeolithic S. H. R. Aldhouse-Green
2. The Mesolithic: The Final Hunter-Gatherer-Fisher Societies of South-eastern Wales Elizabeth A. Walker
3. The Neolithic: The First Farming Societies Rick Peterson and Joshua Pollard
4. The Bronze Age M. A. Hamilton
5. Late Bronze Age Societies (1150-600 BC): Tools and Weapons Adam Gwilt
6. The Iron Age: Settlement and Material Culture Ray Howell and Joshua Pollard
7. The Iron Age: Art, Ritual and Society Miranda Aldhouse-Green
8. The Romans: Conquest and the Army W. H. Manning
9. The Romans in Gwent Richard J. Brewer
10. The Fifth to Seventh Centuries Ray Howell
11. Society and Religion Jeremy Knight
12. High Status Sites David Longley
13. Caerleon Restaurata: The Narrative World Juliette Wood
14. The Coming of the Normans Mike Davies

Miranda Aldhouse-Green is Professor of Archaeology at University of Wales Newport. Her many books include Animals in Celtic Life and Myth, Celtic Goddesses: Warriors, Virgins and Mothers, Dying for the Gods, and, most recently, An Archaeology of Images. Until recently she was archaeology editor of Studia Celtica.

Ray Howell is Reader in History and Medieval Archaeology at the University of Wales Newport. He has directed archaeological excavations on Iron Age, Roman and medieval sites in Gwent and has published widely on the history and archaeology of Wales. He is co-author with Miranda Aldhouse-Green of A Pocket Guide: Celtic Wales.

The General Editor of the series is Ralph A. Griffiths, Emeritus Professor of Medieval History at the University of Wales Swansea.

Book launch at Caerleon Museum