magic magic archaeological study material evidence ritual magical practices europe containing particular emphasis london written english archaeologist deputy director published opens magic discussing archaeologists understood magic ritual practices past societies opining neglected area study looking archaeological evidence ritual activity pre roman iron age roman iron age britain discusses animal human sacrifice offering deposits rivers bodies water moves explore rituals surrounding death burial suggesting areas ritual activity visible burial record multiple societies goes discuss archaeological evidence ritual practices highlighting areas ritual earlier pagan periods particular deposition metal goods water looking evidence foundation deposits european buildings likely religious purposes looks examples written spells survived archaeological record publication magic received predominantly positive reviews academic peer reviewed journals ensuing years book widely cited scholars influential pioneering text study ritual magic background born raised brighton following education worked gaining developed lifelong interest religious magical beliefs england serving royal_air_force second world war returned working appointed assistant keeper month period stationed worked organising collection preparation country independence british_empire march returning compiled detailed study years published london following creation deputy director post held retirement preface magic noted book bias london particularly evident use illustrations dedicated book memory curator time assistant archaeologist dedication noted mentor folk studies synopsis preface noted archaeologists studying prehistoric periods paid increasing attention evidence ritual magic archaeological record counterparts working later historical periods failed follow lead presenting book outlines intentions study limitations chapter ritual archaeologist begins describing ritual deposits pre roman iron age sites southern britain fact majority archaeologists particularly studying historical periods avoided ritual explanations unusual phenomenon archaeological record believes exhibit ritual contrasts view archaeologists studying bronze age britain widely accepted ritual uses tombs stone circles particular definitions words ritual religion arguing terms precision archaeologists offering case study describes stone axes adopted later roman iron age onward britain archaeologists expect find non prehistoric contexts second chapter offerings earth water pre roman roman times explores forms archaeological evidence ritual deposits pre roman iron age roman iron age britain provides overview evidence animal human sacrifice support ritual offerings bodies water river thames deals deposits land particular looking evidence deposition ditches shafts wells rounds chapter examining evidence iron age rituals took place commencement termination building constructions chapter rituals death deals religious rituals accompanying death burial visibility archaeological record explains main ways human communities dealt corpses dead exposing elements beliefs surrounding discusses ways beliefs visible archaeological record deposition grave goods discussing evidence rituals separation deceased separated world living including deal body looks effect christianity europe arguing brought new intimacy dead collection relics contrast pagan beliefs portrayed deceased fourth chapter christianity explores continuing practice ritual discussing early roman_catholic_church pagan deities states church continued form cult blessed dead saints middle ages discussing ritual use christian relics looks offerings presented christian context churches paying particular reference tradition offering bent coins late medieval england examining construction churches earlier pagan ritual sites deals evidence destruction pagan statues early christians chapter continues exploration ritual practices examines items deposited rivers including swords pilgrimage deposition represent survival pagan tradition casting offerings water speculates contemporary practice throwing coin fountain good luck survival custom discusses evidence ritual foundation deposits buildings noting widespread medieval deposition animal head jaw construction foundations presumably protective magical purposes proceeding deal deposition foundations looks place churches believed aided continuing theme discusses british folk custom burying horse head floor improve building survival pagan foundation deposit custom rounding chapter examines magical items intentionally placed walls chimneys roofs buildings britain particular widespread use dead cats old shoes sixth chapter written spells discusses use written word magical contexts highlighting archaeological examples ancient roman world looks inscriptions lead buried places associated dead moving use magic squares highlights examples square archaeological contexts discussing squares contained numerical data significance rounds chapter examination containing written word citing examples found archaeologists britain hidden inside parts buildings seventh chapter deals archaeological evidence variety early modern modern british spells designed ward briefly discussing role stone looks evidence witch bottles making reference relation beliefs proceeding focus 20th century examples discusses case english man involvement witch bottle tradition final chapter ritual recognition potential study provides overview entire book highlighting evidence ritual continuity pre christian periods present day pointing sees areas exploration archaeologists calls systematic investigation subject reception recognition academic reviews magic reviewed folklore journal published arm highlighted work benefit putting museum exhibits dead cats buried shoes witch bottles wider context ritual activity opined little disappointing examples london described book written carefully argued illustrated short review historian religion praised cautious balanced arguments work opined read archaeologist thought widespread ignorance folklore noting wide array evidence ritual behaviour archaeological record surprise readers wider recognition obituary independent newspaper archaeologist described magic study unusual subject importance book discussed englishman independent researcher authored academic paper entitled counter popular magic published witch trials anthology edited historians recounted magic notable exception trend archaeological studies magic restricted small journals magazines newspaper articles influential nature work recognised medieval archaeologist academic paper published edition journal referenced study noting offered rare contribution ritual magic britain particular highlighted belief archaeologists dealing cultures exhibited ritual accurate
The Archaeology of Ritual and Magic