Keith Branigan

This volume presents the final report on the excavation of two Prepalatial tholos tombs and their associated remains at Chatzinas Liophyto near the Moni Odigitria (monastery) in south-central Crete. The grave goods and burial remains include pottery, metal objects, chipped stones, stone vases, gold and stone jewelry, sealstones, and human skeletal material. The results of the associated survey of the upper catchment of the Hagiopharango region are also reported. The book finishes with a reappraisal of our understanding of the early settlement of the Hagiopharango and a Greek summary.

Barra - Episodes from an Island's History looks at a dozen episodes of particular interest and importance in the history of Barra and the Bishop's Isles, from the time of the Pioneers who first settled the islands around 3500 BC to the Vatersay Raiders of 1906. In reading about these events you'll also meet some of the colourful characters who have peopled Barra over the centuries from the Viking invader Onund Woodenleg, and the piratical chief Rory the Tartar, to the Macneil who fought at Corunna and Waterloo, went spectacularly bankrupt, and then went on to become one of Britain's most senior soldiers. You'll also witness the notorious clearances at the hands of Colonel Gordon of Cluny and the tragic fate of 350 passengers on the Annie Jane in 1853. Weaving together the evidence of archaeology, historical documents and oral tradition this book provides a fascinating overview of six thousand years of Barra's history.

A biography of the last ancient clan chief of Clan Macneil, Roderick Macneil. This book as about the transformation of a highland chieftain into an officer and a gentleman. It's the story of General Roderick Macneil, the last hereditary chief of his Clan. Brought up on the remote island of Barra, as a young man he survived the horrendous Napoleonic campaigns (Corunna, Walcheren, Waterloo). When he became chief in 1822 he introduced the industrial revolution to the Western Isles and went bankrupt in spectacular fashion. He re-invented himself and led a charmed life in the Indian Army, before returning to live out his retirement in a fine house overlooking Hyde Park.

This book traces the development of human settlement in the beautiful but marginal landscapes of these islands, situated on the very western fringe of Europe.

Why are you digging it up? How did it get buried? How did you know it was there? In this simple guide to the basic elements of archaeology, Professor Branigan tackles the questions most commonly asked by visitors to archaeological sites. Drawing on examples from both the Old World and the New and from prehistoric to recent times, he shows the fascination of archaeology as a study in itself and the exciting part it plays in our general view of the past. 'The best explanation of archaeology for the layman that I have ever read. The writing is clear and concise, the illustrations are excellently selected to support the examples, and the style is so interesting that it will keep the reader fascinated to the end.' American Antiquity