Keppie - The Antiquarian Rediscovery of the Antonine Wall

The Antiquarian Rediscovery of the Antonine Wall

Lawrence Keppie, 2012, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland

Had an enjoyable time this afternoon dipping into Keppie's fabulous book, The Antiquarian Rediscovery of the Antonine Wall - it's not so much a rediscovery as a first discovery for me. I picked the book up last year, even before I had it in mind to walk the wall at some point but hadn't got round to reading it. It's a great book - a kind of 'enquire within about everything' for the Antonine Wall. It has some fabulous photographs, maps and plans inside. For me, it has been a great starting point for finding out more - in the sense that the book provides a marvellously broad review of existing literature and key research across the ages. My favourite chapter right now is Chapter 7 and its focus on the beginnings of organised excavation and excavation of the forts along the Antonine Wall. I especially enjoyed the discussion of the Society of Antiquaries at the turn of the last century.