Synopsis: (from  book preface by The Duke of Northumberland 1983)

It is approximately 4000 years ago that our remote ancestors, who are sometimes known as the ‘Beaker People’ because of the distinctively decorated cinerary urns they fashioned to contain ashes of the dead, incised markings on the sandstone rocks of Northumberland, which are generally but not always associated with burial sites.

It is these markings so similar yet varied in form, and the identification of the places where they may be found with which this interesting book details.

The book brings together not only the results of a long tradition of research in which my predecessors took great interest but also in the personal observations of the author who has devoted many years to the discovery of new examples and the careful assessment of sites and individual stones already recorded.

It is therefore a definitive work and has a great deal to contribute to the international study of rock carvings.

The title refers to ‘a mystery explained’, The mystery is certainly well explained but as the author states it is not solved and there in part lies the fascination of the subject. Clearly the form of the markings is symbolic rather than decorative but the question remains – symbolic of what?

Review:

The book is a comprehensive study of the rock art in Northumberland. The types of carvings on the rock and types of locations are explained followed by detailed descriptions of the rocks and where they can be found. The text is accompanied by black and white photographs of the stones and diagrams of the carvings. I found the book a fascinating read especially as, despite trying, I failed miserably to locate any of the stones on my most recent visit to Northumberland.