Defined by Stones: 50 Extraordinary Rocky Places That Connect our Prehistoric Ancestors to Northern Landscapes

The latest in the Rock book series by Ian Jackson. This, his fifth book, explores the connections between our prehistoric ancestors and our northern landscapes.

The book takes you to 50 places which tell extraordinary stories about the prehistoric landscape and people of Northern England. Its photographs are stunning and the text is accessible and engaging. But those same images and words are also incredibly informative and its pages provide a completely new perspective on a subject that fascinates most of us - our past. If you are curious about how rocks shaped the north and influenced how early humans lived, how they exploited and made their mark on this landscape, then this book is for you. These were times long before Britain was an island, when our coastlines, mountains, valleys and the vegetation that covered them were very different. It was rock that first provided prehistoric people with the raw materials for their tools and weapons, jewellery and pots. Stones built their monuments and the tombs for their dead. It was stone that defined our ancestors. Without it they could not shelter, hunt, farm, or light fire. It was essential to their daily lives but also central to their beliefs. You’ll love reading what those stones have to say … and then check out the stunning locations for yourselves!

If you are in the region there are two launch and book signing events taking place:

Profits from the sale of this publication are donated to the charity, MIND, the Tyneside and Northumberland branch of the mental health charity that empowers, supports, and campaigns to ensure everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets the respect and help they need.

2026 PODCAST SERIES
This is the first episode of the first season of these podcasts. They are based on my five books about northern rocks and their connections with our landscape ….and us. The stories of this first season – Time travelling - begin almost 500 million years ago and end with the Roman conquest of the north. Episode one begins deep in a southern ocean ....and on a hill in the Lake District of England.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5qNtz9BKkKamBaVcARdUkM?si=qgaWzyZ5RaWqaIVAKiDQmg&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A0xgzXwDfcXCqnxopWVNlaW

FORTHCOMING TALKS BY IAN JACKSON

Date	Organisation-Venue	Location	Subject



9 July	Newbrough Women’s Institute	Newbrough	Northumberland Rocks
24 September	Wall Village Hall Society	Wall	Defined by Stones
27 September	National Park Talk and walk	The Sill	Rocks and history
28 September	Bedlington Historical Society	Bedlington	Defined by Stones
17 October	Manchester Geologists Association	University of Manchester	Rocks at Edge of the Empire and prehistory
18 November	Coquetdale Archaeology	Thropton	Defines by Stones
23 November	Coldingham History Society	Coldingham	Defined by Stones
3 December	Blyth U3A	Blyth	Defined by Stones
January 2027	Richard Berg Rust Lecture	University of Cambridge	Defined and Roman