Ancient Pembrokeshire - a hand painted map of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments and megaliths

A map of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments and megalithic sites in Pembrokeshire. A2 signed posters (P&P is included in the price) An original watercolour painting on 425gsm paper, size 540 x 400 mm Anyone interested in archaeology, history, and megaliths will enjoy this map. Especially if they love wild west Wales! Which ancient sites are on the map? Pembrokeshire is stuffed with ancient monuments! I have painted what I consider to be the main megalithic sites, and included some of the less well-known monuments. Bedd Arthur - hengiform monument, possibly the flanking stones of a mound Carn Ingli - sacred mountain Carreg Coetan - dolmen (remains of a burial chamber) Carreg Samson - dolmen Castell Henllys - reconstructed Iron Age village on a hillfort Cerrig Y Gof - five box-like stone chambers on a low, circular mound Coetan Arthur - dolmen Devil’s Quoit - standing stone Devil’s Quoit - dolmen Ffyst Samson - dolmen Foel Drygarn - Iron Age hillfort with three Bronze Age burial cairns Garnwnda - dolmen Glandwr - standing stone Gors Fawr - stone circle Gwal y Filiast - dolmen (in Carmarthenshire) Hanging Stone - dolmen King’s Quoit - dolmen Llech y Drybedd - dolmen Long Stone - standing stone Morfabychan - dolmen (in Carmarthenshire) Parc y Meirw - stone row Pentre Ifan - dolmen St Elvis - dolmen Treffynnon - dolmen The best known and most visited sites are probably Pentre Ifan and Carreg Coetan. There are many single standing stones all over the county, only a couple of which I have included. Why did our Neolithic ancestors build these monuments? Pembrokeshire, surrounded on three sides with sea and richly endowed with rivers would have provided rich fishing and fowling, and a great place for our Neolithic and Bronze Age ancestors to settle and farm. The monuments they built so many thousands of years ago not only honour their dead, but perhaps were places to gather for festivals or trade. They may have marked seasonal changes, or have been waymarkers or boundary stones. Remarkably, so many survive and are still respected. In the hurly burly and chaos of 21st century life, the Ancients' constructions offer we Moderns a place of safety, quiet and grounding. Perhaps even magic? Note: Clearly, the notion of 'Pembrokeshire' as an administrative area is a modern construct. Other things I've included in my hand painted map As we combine our visits to ancient monuments with birding, I have included a number of species. Stonechats abound - that's the little bird sitting on the title text. The pair of black crows above Carreg Samson are choughs, which we commonly see on the cliffs. Seabirds include razorbill, puffin, and guillemot. I also illustrated a common dolphin and a grey seal. And lovely ponies! A note about language Modern Welsh, derived from ancient Celtic Brittonic, has a rich and fascinating history, and is beautiful to read and hear. But it's not a language I speak. It has been impossible to include place names in both Welsh and English due to constraints on space on the painting. Apologies for any offence caused to my Welsh-speaking Brothers and Sisters. Fortunately, the names of the ancient monuments are predominently only in Welsh. Ordnance Survey As ever, with my hand painted schematic maps, nothing is to scale. If you want scale and topographical accuracy, reach for these maps from the Ordnance Survey instead. Love Pembrokeshire? See my hand painted map of the county here. Love maps? Me too! See my collection of hand-painted maps