The Modern Antiquarian — Cope's Notes 5

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a suaver harv A
a suaver harv Nov 2, 2023 21:33:11
Replying to thesweetcheat

I've been enjoying the TMA Cope's Notes, both the music and the book.

It's hard to believe the book's 25 years old. I started visiting megalithic sites in 1990, so the book was eagerly awaited by me, we knew it was coming years before. I got it for Xmas 1998 and it was one of the first 20,000. It certainly didn't disappoint. My copy is battered and falling apart now, but I wouldn't swap it for the world, and Cope signed it for me at a book event in Birmingham. It's been to Callanish, Brodgar, Cork, Land's End, even Shropshire! It's well-travelled.
Oh yea, in Cope's Notes, he dismisses the 1hr TV promo he did as 'crap'. It worked for me though, I've watched it many times and enjoyed it. I got it on a fuzzy DVD. Years later, a longer version appeared on Youtube, with added Polisher Stone stuff on.

K Kwoo
Kwoo Nov 5, 2023 09:31:36
Replying to a suaver harv

I agree on the TMA show being far from crap. It's very rewatchable and incredibly quotable. I often wish he'd done the series, but I guess maybe he didn't enjoy doing it enough. Filming can kinda sap the fun outta what you're trying to capture if you'd prefer to just be present in doing it.

There is great reading in the booklet, too. Still gotta give the disk a spin tho.

In the booklet, I clocked one small error. I'm not sure where he got his translation of "Knocknarea" (Cnoic Na Rí) as meaning "Hill of the God", but it's actually "Hill of The King" (Rí = King). "Hill of the God" would something like "Cnoic an Dia" or "Cnoic na Dé"


Which is not to say that the King / Queen ("BanRÍon", or "Ladyking" Meabh) buried therein were not considered to be gods (they're very active in Irish mythology). It's just that the evidence isn't in the name.

I once lived on a road named after this mountain. Something was on fire every day, usually by small children with baseball bats.

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