This is a fairly light-hearted look at some of the less well-known archaeological sites and objects of Britain. It is clearly written for a very general readership who have an interest in the ‘mystical’ and are looking for interesting places to visit during a vacation in Britain. Despite Mary-Ann Ochota’s degree in archaeology, she seems to emphasise how much is ‘unknown’ or ‘unknowable’ about these sites and objects rather than focusing on what we can say about these peoples. However, this selection of sites and objects does include many that are often forgotten about and are probably due more attention.
The book is organised as if the reader was taking a tour from Shetland, along the east coast of Scotland and England, across the south, then up through Wales and along the western seaboard. This makes sense if you are taking a tour around the country, but makes it more difficult to understand chronological changes. Some sites, such as Sculptor’s Cave in the Moray Firth, are multiperiod sites, thus the geographic focus allows all periods to be discussed. Many of the entries are also cross-referenced, making it easy to identify similar monuments in separate places.
Despite the emphasis on mystery, there are many references to archaeological knowledge. For example, the discussion of Stonehenge correctly focuses on the winter sunset and includes recent work on the animal bone assemblage at Durrington Walls. Also, the Ness of Brodgar is described as a centre for civilisation and innovation rather than being seen as peripheral. However, some of the sites and objects are relatively mundane and are given a sense of mystery. The Headington Mandrake, actually a black briony root, has folklore associations and is held in a museum, but is not particularly archaeological. While stone rows and circles on Dartmoor are given mystical significance when they may actually be more mundane.
This book will be of some interest to all archaeologists, but it is really aimed at a lay reader. For a professional, this could provide some ideas for day trips and holidays, but there are plenty of more useful field guides on the market for this. The lay reader might find some interesting ideas and might learn a little about the past of this island. The entries throughout the book are nicely illustrated with large pictures. The book certainly lives up to the title by presenting sites and objects that are secret (or lesser known) or have secret (or ritual) associations.