The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy

This is a sober yet detailed look at what little we really know about historical paganism which along the way highlights how neopaganism takes so much for granted. Neopaganism covers a wide spectrum of beliefs from Black Magic to ecopaganism, from Wicca to fuzzy New Age thinking, and on examination can often seem to be founded on outdated scholarship and speculative antiquarianism, both ancient and modern. Ronald Hutton is both a pagan and an academic and so is particularly well-placed to appreciate the nuances of both approaches, and this study should be required reading for all who lean towards being part of a revived religion.

I found this slow going at first. There are many problems surrounding the interpretations of prehistoric cultures in Europe, including the British Isles, so any careful study is going to leave you with more questions than it answers. However, I plowed through and, as usual, with Hutton, found much to think about, including how some of the Arthurian myths like the Lady of the Lake might have gotten started.

Hutton spends about 300 pages telling his readers that "we don't know much about paganism in the British Isles." However, he does point out some historical inaccuracies and presents his material in a decent way. Sometimes, one can get lost in all his examples and forget what conclusion he's leading up to. But overall, I learned a great deal about how paganism survived up until modern times, despite it being "ended" in the mid-6th century. I never realized how much early Christianity "borrowed" from paganism---Overall, very interesting book.

Another good book from Prof.Ronald Hutton, this coveres a very wide subject but in a manner accessible to most readers (including those with very little prior aquaintance with the subject matter.) Not the most indepth or definitive study but one that should form a part of every library.

Used - Like New. Nameplate inside book cover.