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John Waddell.
The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland: new edn.
Wordwell. 2022

On present evidence the human settlement of Ireland commenced over ten thousand years ago. Now in a revised edition, this book provides a chronological account of this long timespan and, with numerous illustrations, charts the development of the first hunting and foraging communities, the achievements of the earliest agriculturalists with their remarkable megalithic tombs, and the technological advances of the later bronze- and iron-using societies.

Recent decades have seen some exceptional developments in the study of the prehistoric archaeology of Ireland. New discoveries, excavations and research, new theoretical approaches, genomic studies and the increasing application of radiocarbon dating have all made an enormous contribution to the better understanding of this remote past. As well as being a comprehensive and original review of the subject, this new edition answers the need for a detailed introduction to a large body of archaeological evidence resulting from the explosion of work completed in the last 15 years. The impact of the digital ‘open science’ revolution on Irish archaeology is also evident in the numerous electronic sources cited. In that respect it could be said to bring Ireland’s prehistoric past right up to date.