The Magnesia Litera Award for popular science literature in 2026 was won by the publication Hinterland: Archaeology of North Bohemian Sandstone Landscapes by Petr Pokorný and Petr Šída. The book combines archaeology, ecology and, for example, geology, and is an example of research results in the field of environmental archaeology, which the University of South Bohemia develops at the Faculty of Science. The reconstruction of the distant past resembles "detective" work with indirect data, such as various types of sediments from lakes, peatlands, and rock overhangs. These sources provide valuable records of vegetation development, fires and climate change. At the same time, the book conveys a message that is very current even today: Our landscape has been co-shaped by people for a long time, and its stability depends on diversity. It is precisely the varied mosaic of environments, where individual parts function differently and fulfill different roles, that is key to maintaining biodiversity. The book thus reminds us that, in caring for the landscape, it makes no sense to seek a single universal solution. What is more important is to understand the specific place, its history and variability. This exceptionally well-edited work thus offers not only a glimpse into the past, but also important guidance on how to think about the landscape today.
