McHardy presents a new approach to history, changing our mindset to look at Scotland as the centre of our story. Rather than starting from the Mediterranean, from the classical/Christian bias we have been taught for centuries. Rather than being a remote dark land populated by barbaric tribes. Perhaps we were the centre of a well-organised civilisation around the Orkneys and islands and coasts and rivers, with our own priorities, community-centred, locally self-sufficient, well-versed in lore of all kinds. Who were/are we? The great centres of ritual in Orkney, Lewis and Kilmartin suggest an indigenous population much more sophisticated in terms of social ritual and communal rule than we have been led to believe. In whose interest is it that we accept the classical/Christian version of history relayed to us by monks? These are some of the questions McHardy addresses in a passionate and accessible style. Read and become more Alba-centric in terms of what we see as important to research, study and understand.
