One of our favorite authors; world famous experimental archaeologist and Prehistoric Cooking Expert “Jacqui Wood” has joined our family of authors as we seek to find a publisher for her “already popular” trilogy of Mia’s adventures across ancient Europe and her coming out tale of the Goddess religion. As Jacqui is already well known for her appearances on BBC television specials, the “Time Team”, and her fascinating work with Saveok Water Archaeology, she single-handedly weaved a replica of the “Ice Man’s” grass skirt, reproduced the Orkney Hood, and has shown many how to reconstruct the past. As we are Jacqui’s agent for her popular books on “Prehistoric Cooking” and “Tasting the Past”, Jacqui already has hundreds of fans following her amazing saga of “Cliff Dreamers” and little Mia’s adventures as a coming-of-age young priestess of the Goddess fighting off evil shamans, bewitching foes, and embarking upon high sea journeys escaping a magical history that wants to enslave her. Reminiscent of the academic high points of the “Clan of the Cave bear” series in style of an academic placing a fantastical tale surrounded by historical facts, melded with the magical charms and wizardry one finds shining in the “Harry Potter” story-crafts, Jacqui Wood brings a whole new style of fact and fiction of priestesses, seafaring merchants, brave warriors, magical faerie beings, and dark forces in an enticing work of art that will not only captivate you but send you on a personal journey into the roots of Indo-European history.
Jacqui Wood is a stunning woman with a depth of prehistoric and historic knowledge, Jacqui Wood is a scholar ahead of her time – or should we say ‘before’ her time. Jacqui possesses a wealth of knowledge about past life ways that she’s discovered through the practice of Experimental Archaeology. Forget Indiana Jones as an icon of an Archaeologist, we present you with ‘Jacqui Wood’. Jacqui Wood is an independent researcher and Experimental Archaeologist. We would say over her 25+ years in the field, she’s been monumental in the advancement of Experimental Archaeology in the discipline. She has developed a particular approach to discovering the practical aspects of prehistoric Europe’s daily life. She bases this approach on the theory that the inherent skills and ingenuity of prehistoric Europeans are still latent in the people of Europe today. She believes that these survival skills have only been forgotten in Northern Europe because we don’t have a need for them in the modern age. She has found that these skills are very easily acquired particularly if one is not impeded by any training in the skill to be researched and needs to be approached purely by logic. The best way to learn about a prehistoric settlement she believes is to create one, utilize it through trial and error, and learn to survive based on what is at hand. This is how she discovered the archaeological horde that lies in her backyard. She was working on recreating a metal foundry when she discovered a habitation floor. Several years later she did an excavation with some field school students and before she knew it – she had one of Cornwall’s best examples of a ritual site in her own personal sandbox. This led to her creation of “Saveok Water Archaeology” – an archaeological research center and field school with its own multi-period excavation. This opened large doorways to taking her experimental archaeological projects onto central stage by creating the Cornwall Celtic Village as a representative reconstructed Bronze and Iron Age settlement. This however was not her first footsteps into the cultural limelight … she served a three-year term of office for the Council for British Archaeology’s National Education Committee and well as CBA’s secretary in the southwest region, worked for many years demonstrating Bronze Age technology for English Heritage (including events at Stonehenge), and has lectured throughout Europe in Italy, Germany, Poland, and Lithuania. She was commissioned to make the Grass cloak for the infamous “Ice Man” museum in Bolzano, Northern Italy and worked on many museum exhibits for Expo 2000 in Hamburg. She was commissioned by the Orkney Council to make the first replica of Britain’s oldest textile garment “The Orkney Hood“. Jacqui has also read papers at the European Association of Archaeologists conference since 1997 as well as writing a full paper on “Food and Drink in European Prehistory” for the April 2000 journal. She has a full paper published in the Journal Cornish Archaeology on “Courtyard House Construction” as well as several other papers in various academic journals including “Discovering Archaeology”. Jacqui has been the consultant archaeologist for various reconstruction projects in Italy and Eastern Europe as well as Cornwall’s own “Eden Project”. She has authored “Prehistoric Cooking” (published by Tempus) and did a Woman’s Hour interview and Food Programme for Radio 4 over the same subject. To read more about Jacqui Wood, visit our Review Page on her awe-inspiring work and research.
We have two of Jacqui’s books published: “Prehistoric Cooking” and “Tasting the Past”, both available through Amazon and the publishers. Prehistoric Cooking, published in 2002 by Tempus Publishing Ltd (Gloucestershire, UK) is teamed together with the History Press (Charleston South Carolina), now in its fourth edition; to present you with one of the world’s most comprehensive Prehistoric Cookbooks, bringing together Jacqui’s experimental archaeology at the world-famous research settlement in Cornwall, mixing together the ingredients of a ancient diet with detailed sections and recipes covering bread, dairy foods, meat, fish, and vegetable stews cooked with hot stones, clay baked coverings, salt, peas, beans, lentils, herbs, spices, vegetables, yeast, wine, beer, teas, sweets, and pudding. Then in her epic “Tasting the Past: Recipes from the Stone Age to Present”, commissioned by the History Press in 2009, with an exquisite timeline of the evolution of British food from ancient cookery to the 1970’s. Packed with over 200 recipes, this wonderful book will tantalize you palate. Highly recommended for any culinary chef.
Up-and-coming, Ready for a Publisher:
“Cliff Dreamers” is a amazing novel written by Experimental Archaeologist Jacqui Wood as a ‘fantasy’ fiction tale rocketing you into Europe around 6,000 B.C.E. where Jacqui weaves her knowledge into a mystical adventure tale about a heroine named Mia who is rescued from an evil shaman by some log boat traders and discovers she is the reincarnated high priestess of an ancient Goddess Cult. As she becomes aware of her powers she has at her fingertips, the dark lord Zundel notices her, and she battles to stop him from pulling her into his Dark Realm. She is between the worlds as she holds on to her Mother Crystal of light and becomes invisible to the dark forces. She flies off into the future on Swan’s wings and begins to remember a past life in which she left a Golden Goddess for herself to find 6,000 years later when she knows the Goddess power will be needed again. It is the first of seven novels.
Several years ago, in October of 2006, Jacqui Wood had weaved together a magical quest for participants to enter for free to find the treasure known as the “Mia Goddess Figurine”. This was prompted by many readers of her first book that wanted to help Jacqui get a publishing deal – and couldn’t understand why publishers weren’t jumping at the opportunity to print her book – so they donated gold, diamonds, and precious stones to have a brilliant craftsman create the figurine. This magnificent work of art was created by Kif Wood from gold and gemstones donated to the fundraiser that would help promote Jacqui’s book “Cliff Dreamers” and get it national publicity. The hair of this amazing figurine was made of twisted gold, eyes vibrant blue with a turquoise topaz upon the head surrounded by a golden arc. Pearl breasts with ruby and gold nipples, a skirt of gold cords with a rainbow of sapphires and green garnets with red rubies cascading from her waist to her toes. A cluster of diamonds and opals hang from her right hip below a upheld hand with a diamond embedded into the palm. She holds a golden staff upon which hangs a crescent moon holding three diamonds. The “Mia Goddess” represents the Goddess in all her golden awe and glory as reminding us of a magical age gone that will be renewed into the future. The figurine is estimated value of £10,000. Once residing on a now defunct web site called www.cliffdreamers.com, Jacqui’s book was revealed to the explorers seeking the treasure. Clues, hidden secrets, and challenges awaited the contestants on these pages. Contestants went to sign into the Quest Book at the Queens Hotel at the Promenade in Penzance where they were given clues by cloaked Quest Mastes at each quest site. Adventurers were give 28 hours to find the Figurine. The Winner was presented the Mia Goddess Figurine atop St. Michael’s Mount in Marizion near Penzance. It was an amazing journey. The figurine was won by a valiant group of women who teamed together in horrendous weather to be the new owners of this magical statuette. 5 groups of 18 people met the two quest masters atop a hill on Bodmin Moor, then made it to the beach fire on Porthtowan beach, then ending up on Trencrom hill where the winners were greeted.
The Epic saga continues as Mia blossoms into a young priestess of the Goddess religion while still trying to stave off the attacks of the evil shamans, mischievous dark forces, and elementals as she takes a Journey through the Inland Sea. In Book Three “Mallata”, Mia comes to term with her royalty and pre-destined future as she embraces a journey never to be forgotten.
If you are a publisher and are interested in Jacqui’s saga of “Cliff Dreamers”, it is available for purchase. Please contact us at [email protected]
