"The story of the land that became Scotland is one of dramatic geological events and impressive human endeavour. Alistair Moffat's narrative begins 10,000 years ago, when the power of icebreak and meltwater at the close of the Ice Age produced the familiar Scottish geography of mountains, glens, flatlands and coasts. Bands of hunters moved north, many of whom probably crossed from the lost peninsula of Doggerland, so vividly evoked by the author. Modern DNA studies show that almost 80 per cent of the present population of Britain are the direct descendants of these first hunter-gatherer-fishers." "The author displays his knowledge, interweaving the narrative with numerous special features on topics such as cave drawings of dancing girls, natural birth control, the myth of Atlantis and the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence - all of them valuable, sometimes quirky, additions to the whole picture."--Jacket.