Why did Tim love this book?
This archeological mystery begins with the author’s coming into possession of a small carnelian bead from an excavation in Repton, England, and finding that it originated in India.
She traces how it might have made its way from such a distance over long trade routes to end up in the possession of a Norse woman (or man) in ninth-century England.
This is no dull trade or mercantile history but a thrilling read about the vibrant cultures that interacted with one another in the days before mass communication and transit, as well as new archeological methods of understanding the past.
3 authors picked River Kings as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER & THE TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF 2021 'Astonishing and compelling' Bernard Cornwell 'Replete with witches, human sacrifice, Greek fire and funeral orgies... one of the most thrilling works of archaeological detective work I have ever read' William Dalrymple, FT
Follow bioarchaeologist Cat Jarman - and the cutting-edge forensic techniques central to her research - as she uncovers epic stories of the Viking age and follows a small 'Carnelian' bead found in a Viking grave in Derbyshire to its origins thousands of miles to the east in Gujarat.
'This superb book is like a classical symphony, perfectly…