The first detailed study to address how Iron Age and Roman heritage in Britain is conceived and understood in the present day. 

Ancient Identities in Britain explores the relevance of Iron Age and Roman heritage in modern-day Britain. Shedding new light on the continued social significance of these ancient histories, it discusses how they are presented in the form of ancient monuments, museums, reenactments, living history exhibits, community projects, and other heritage venues across England, Scotland, and Wales. The book is not only interested in the continued resonance of ancient myths and material culture, but also the very actions, ideas, and material conditions through which antiquity becomes heritage in the present—and how present values shape the way antiquity is displayed and consumed.

Richard Hingley is emeritus professor at Durham University and specializes in Roman imperialism and heritage. Kate Sharpe is an independent researcher who worked on the Ancient Identities project at Durham University. Tom Yarrow is professor of anthropology at Durham University.

List of figures
List of tables
Preface
Acknowledgements

1 Introduction: myths, dualities and the making of places

Part I: Places and practices: venues, community archaeology and re-enactments

2 Ancient monuments: whose places?
3 Building a better yesterday? Re-constructing places
4 Re-enacting Iron Age and Roman pasts
5 The archaeological community and community archaeology

Part II: Sensing place and time: ethnographic approaches

6 Places apart and within: observations of a time traveller
7 Experiencing the past: empathy and engagement
8 Conclusion: imagining future pasts

Bibliography