Izar, The Amesbury Archer: A Pioneer Metal Smith

This is the story of a man who lived 4,500 years ago. He was born in the region of the Swiss Alps and died nearly a thousand miles away in the south of England near to Stonehenge when it was being built. The mystery is how this could have happened, for the man's skeleton shows that he was physically disabled. He lived at the end of an era, when human curiosity was pushing the boundaries into a new age. It was an exciting time when dependence on stone gave way to a new, more versatile material - metal. The numerous items buried with the man give tantalising clues regarding to his ability as an archer, but also to his role as a pioneer metal worker. How did this man come to be so far from his homeland, and who, or what, brought him into contact with his apparent trade? What secrets of metallurgy, locked into simple stone, did he learn and how did he use the power that these secrets bestowed upon him? Utilising real-life detail from his burial site and remains, Michael E Wills weaves a story that could represent what life was like for this individual, how he lived and how he died. It is an exploration of a time when technology took a great leap forward and helped us to get to where we are today.