Welsh Journals

REVIEWS GUIDE CATALOGUE OF THE BRONZE AGE COLLECTIONS National Museum of Wales 1980 ISBN o 7200 0219 2. Pages 258 Figures 72 Plates 10. £ 7.50. As the title implies, this is both a guide to the Bronze Age, and a Catalogue of the collection consisting of stone implements, copper and bronze implements, gold objects, objects in other material and pottery at the National Museum of Wales. The ordin- ary reader will be introduced to the Bronze Age after reading the 84 pages of text* This is follwed by drawings and descriptions of the finds in Wales coupled with illus- trations of some examples. Finds from Cardiganshire are prominent in this volume, and one recalls the awe felt by a 5 year old boy when an Encrusted Cinerary Urn ("the only complete example in Wales of the fully developed Encrusted type which is characteristic of Ireland") was unearthed at Penllwyn in 1927, but whose significance one did not appreciate until later in life. Dr. H. N. Savory, who until his retirement was Keeper of Archaeology at the National Museum, prepared this ecxcellent volume. BORN ON A PERILOUS ROCK: ABERYSTWYTH PAST AND PRESENT by W. J. Lewis. The Cambrian News (Aberystwyth) Ltd., 1980 ISBN o 900439 03 3. Pages 264. Illustrated, Hardcover £ 8 Softcover £ 5. In this volume, which is profusely illustrated with photographs both old and new and many in colour, W. J. Lewis has compiled an interesting readable history of the town. Every facet of life, especially over the last 300 years, is mentioned-trade, religion, education, social life, national occasions and literary institutions, its build- ings, its people-in fact, so thorough has been this reconstruction of the town's history, it is difficult to find an aspect that has been neglected unless one mentions sport and recreation. W. J. Lewis's past publications have included Lead Mining in Wales and An Illustrated Atlas of Cardiganshire (bilingual), and if this latest volume is to repay the debt the author owes to the town of his adoption, he has unwittingly presented to us a mine of information in a volume which has been attractively produced by a well established printing firm in the town. This is a book to be treasured by every native of Aberystwyth and all who have connections with it. Y SMOTIAU DUON gan D. Elwyn Davies. Gwasg Gomer 1980. ISBN o 85088 873 5. Tud. 180. Lluniau. £ 3 Mewn cyfrol hwylus, mae'r awdur wedi cyflwyno inni fraslun o hanes mudiad (mudiad, sylwer, nid enwad) yr Undodiaid, ac yn rhoi hanes byr pob eglwys sy'n perthyn i'r mudiad, nid yn unig yn ardal "Y Smotiau Du" yng Ngheredigion, ond mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru yn ogystal. Wrth reswm, ni ellir son am eglwys heb grybwyll y sawl a fu'n arwain y gynulleidfa yno, ac am yr enwogion (a'r rhai llai enwog) a gladdwyd yng nghysgod y muriau. Ceir cyfeiriadau hefyd at Undodwyr blaenllaw ac am eu cyfraniad mewn amrywiol feysydd. I ychwanegu at werth y gyfrol, ceir lluniau o'r rhan fwyaf o'r eglwysi yr ymdrinir â hwy.