Woodward and Hunter (both archaeology and antiquity, U. of Birmingham) examine in detail all of the prehistoric stone artifacts that are shaped to have served as wrist guards for archers, but appear as grave goods and in other contexts that lead archaeologists to believe that they were components of ritual costumes. Of the 90 that have been reported from England, Scotland, and Wales, 16 have been lost, and of the 74 remaining, they have personally examined 70. They provide an illustrated database, classify the bracers by various features, characterize the raw material, determine possible functions, assess incidence and significance, and analyze patterns of change through time and space. A compact disk accompanies the text. Distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)