Sacred Stones Sacred Places takes a look at a variety of ancient monuments that are united by one dominant factor: they are all in the care of the Kirk of Scotland and are in parishes where worship still takes place. Many such sites were already sacred to the inhabitants before the first Christian missionaries came to our land. There is a continuity of worship that in some cases can be thousands ofyears old. It is a continuity that the author is well aware of. In a perceptive preface she suggests that the Kirk itself provides a living link with the mist-shrouded ancient past when these artefacts were created, whether stone circles and cup-marks in 2500 BC or the Pictish stones of the C6th-C9th. Apart from the continuity, the other dominant aspect of this book is stone itself. All of the sites described have their own hymn in stone, whether it is the recumbent stone circle of Midmar in Aberdeenshire, or the Pictish stone at Glamis with its salmon and adder, or the beautiful C14th-C16th sculptured stones of lochaline in Morvern.

The book covers mainland Scotland from Whithorn to Farr, and includes several of the Inner Hebrides. When dealing with periods of the distant past it is often a temptation to speculate and try to throw a bit of light on the Dark Ages. That temptation has been largely resisted in this work. Legend and story have their place here, however. This is perfectly fair when the subject matter is the continuity of sacredness in the chosen sites. There are a few surprises. Despite a recent conference held there, Govan is still not most peoples' idea of where ancient treasures are to be found, but in fact Govan Old Kirk has no less than 46 carved stones, some of them fragments, ranging from the magnificent ClOth sarcophagus to the strange Norse grave-covers known as "hogbacks", and including the "Sun Stone" which the locals believe was used by the Druids to draw down power from the mighty Sun.

This book will be a great delight to new visitors to Scotland as well as to those of us natives actively interested in the past, particularly the Dark Ages. Although several of the illustrations of Ms Lines "impressions" of particular stones are fascinating, the photographs largely miss the opportunity to give the material presented an exciting visual dimension. In a period when many artists, including photographers, are turning to the Pictish and other Dark Age art traditions for inspiration, this is a shame. Perhaps I have been spoiled by seeing our PAS Secretary Tom E Gray's work; anyone else's contribution is bound to be diminished by comparison.

The Saint Andrew Press as well as the author deserve praise for the production of this work. To publish a book which will of necessity focus at times on our Pagan past, and which underlines the many strands of continuity with those distant times, was a courageous project for the publishing arm of the Kirk to undertake. As a guide to a whole range of fascinating remnants of Scotland's history this book is a little on the pricey side, but as an introduction to the wealth of our heritage over centuries and millennia it will be of use to tourist and native alike.

Stuart McHardy.