Megaliths : The Ancient Stone Monuments of England & Wales

From Booklist
Six thousand years ago, an unknown people built the famous standing stones and stone circles of Britain. These mysterious structures range from the famous Stonehenge and the Rollright Stones to the obscure Hoar Stone of Lower Swell and Robber's Stone of Llandyfydog. This lavish, oversize book differs from many recent others by displaying only black-and-white photographs of the selected monuments, which, far from restricting the evocative artistry of the book, enhances it. David Corio's images of Stonehenge and other famous monuments are striking and luminous; his photos of lesser-known sites, revealingly detailed and deeply textured. Lai Ngan Corio's clear, information-packed text enhances overall appeal by providing, besides site information, legends and archaeological data. Books on megaliths are fairly common, but this one, distinguished by its intense focus on the visual impact and mythic importance of the sites, is unusual and rewarding. Patricia Monaghan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Amateur Photographer, September 2003
'This book is probably the most visually appealing of any I've seen on the same subject'

British Journal of Photography, August 2003
'When sated with David's sumptuous photography, one is drawn to Lai Ngan's finely-honed monographs'

The Times, 22nd October 2003
'Corio captures that curious quality of many extraordinary landmarks - that they are simultaneously smaller or larger than you expect'

Elle magazine, October 2003
'Looking at David's spectral photographs it's easy to see why these wonderful prehistoric monuments attract so many stories'

The Modern Antiquarian, October 2003
'A large format coffee table book containing wonderful b/w photos of some of the most famous landmarks around the country'

Library Journal
“Stunning Photographic survey”

Book Description
The best photographic survey of megalithic sites to be published, accompanied by a highly authoritative text describing, first, the legends surrounding each site, highlighting the folklore tradition, then addressing the mathematical and astronomical significance of the major sites such as Stonehenge.

From the Publisher
David Corio has sytematically photographed the megalithic sites of England and Wales with the eye of a great landscape photographer as well as with the passion of an explorer in the ruins of an ancient culture. These photographs go to the heart of prehistoric England and reveal a profound sense of "place". They point to the beginning of architecture itself in Britain, with the suggestion of both sacred and secular function, layered in the fabulous tales of popular imagination. The photographs are accompanied by text by Lai Ngan Corio, which describes the legends surrounding each megalith site, highlighting the folklore tradition, then addressing the mathematical and astronomical significance of the major sites such as Stonehenge.

From the Inside Flap
A superb photographic survey of megalithic sites, accompanied by an authoritative text describing the legends associated with each site and the significance of major sites such as Stonehenge.

About the Author
David Corio’s work has been published by The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The New York Times and Rolling Stone. His book on black musicians, The Black Chord, was published in New York in 1999. His work has been exhibited at the V&A and numerous galleries. He lives in New York with his wife Lai Ngan, a film maker.


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David Corio has photographed Britain’s megalithic sites with the fine eye of a landscape photographer and the passion of an explorer of ancient culture, revealing all their drama and beauty. In her accompanying text, Lai Ngan Corio distills the mythical narratives that surround these mysterious structures as well as recent scientific research that suggests their remarkable function in the prehistoric calendar. David Corio’s work has been published in THE NEW YORK TIMES, the London TIMES, and ROLLING STONE; his photographs have also been exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum and numerous galleries. Corio, whose books include The Black Chord and The Couture Accessory, lives in New York with his wife Lai Ngan Corio, a filmmaker.


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