The Discovery of Middle Earth: Mapping the Lost World of the Celts
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| Author | Graham Robb |
|---|---|
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Norton and Company |
Publication date | October 2013 |
| Pages | 416 |
| ISBN | 978-0-393-34992-4 |
The Discovery of Middle Earth is a 2013 non-fiction book by British author Graham Robb. Drawing on ancient maps and other archival sources, Robb argues that the ancient Celts organized territories and determined the locations of settlements, potential battle sites, and tribal migration routes based on solstice lines and latitude lines related to the Greek system of klimata.[1][2]
As evidence, Robb presents interpretations of artistic geometries, road surveying, and Greek "centuriations." He suggests these alignments predate the Roman Empire.[3] The book was published by Norton and Company. It was well received for its contributions to ancient geography, mathematics, and European ethnography. The New York Times cited its "intricacies of archaeological methods" in building an ancient Celtic detective story.[4]
The book is divided into four sections, beginning in the Iron Age, moving the through druidic history, and culminating with an argument for a modern appreciation of Europe as a Celtic "middle Earth." Roads are central to Robb's analysis: he details the Heraklean Way, which ran across the Iberian Peninsula as early as the sixth century BCE.[5] Two chapters are spent on the Mediolanum mystery, an archeological debate over the dates of first sophisticated settlements in the Po Valley of Italy. With roads used as indicators, Robb connects towns, battle sites, and solstice sites across Europe.
