Archæological Essays, Vol. 1, gathers studies by Sir James Young Simpson, the eminent Scottish physician better known as a pioneer of anaesthesia, who pursued antiquarian research as a serious avocation. This first volume collects his investigations into ancient monuments, artefacts, and customs, chiefly relating to Scotland and the wider British past.
Simpson brings a scientist’s rigour to questions of archaeology and early history, examining such subjects as ancient sculptured stones, prehistoric remains, and medical practices of the past. The essays reflect the lively antiquarianism of the nineteenth century, when amateur scholars contributed substantially to the emerging discipline. Combining careful observation with broad learning, the collection preserves Simpson’s contributions to the study of antiquities and offers a window onto Victorian approaches to the material remains of earlier ages.