Petr Pokorný – Petr Šída (eds.): Hinterland. Archeologie severočeských pískovcových krajin. Kodudek, Praha 2025.

If we regard the book as an artefact, Hinterland is remarkable in its physical presence.The soft impression of an enlarged microscopic spruce pollen grain image invites the first touch, and the linen cover pleasantly rewards that impulse, drawing the reader in.Yet the book is not merely a technical account of research projects; it tells an engaging story of the sandstone landscapes of northern Bohemia and their prehistoric inhabitants.It can genuinely be read as a grand narrative in which the lives of people and the life of the land and nature interweave with the transdisciplinary perspectives of ecologists, archaeologists, environmental archaeologists, and conservationists.The depth and coherence of its questions and interpretations testify to a truly cross-disciplinary treatment: this is neither an archaeological monograph with environmental data tacked on, nor an ecological survey that only nominally acknowledges human agency, but a single, integrated account of the development of a particular landscape and its living communities.The main title of the book, Hinterland, was adopted from German to British archaeology specifically for the territories outside of the main settled areas, simply backcountry or if we were in Australia then one would say outback.In Czech, the word zapa dákov has a clearly pejorative meaning and that is not what the authors referred to; thus, Hinterland is just right.Indeed, it is a scientific book, but the language in which the scientific story is told is very natural and engaging.Fascinating artistic original photographs show very atmospheric views of sites and finds but also very lively scenes documenting researchers working in the field and in labs.Throughout the work there is a clear positive spirit among the research team and a deep dedication to the subject.Well, judge for yourself.