Book Description

The best-selling textbook on what archaeologists do and how they do it—completely revised and redesigned.

For the Fourth Edition, new theoretical approaches, such as agency, materiality, and engagement theory, are added and earlier approaches analyzed afresh. Field methods and scientific techniques have been updated throughout, and new emphasis is placed on climate change and its impact on human affairs. The latest information on topics as varied as the Iceman, Pleistocene extinctions, and llama domestication is included, along with the most up-to-date material on GIS and surveying technology.

New topics will be introduced to emphasize the ever-changing face of modern archaeology, and additional special box features will be included, as well as discussion of the archaeological techniques needed to study the material culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. A key component of the new edition will be the introduction of a dedicated Web site and study guide to accompany the textbook itself. Over 600 illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent catalogue of just about anything in archaeolgy
Renfrew and Bahn have set up great book, almost a catalogue, about archaeological practice. Fairly every subject they mention is laid out with great precision, and the accompanying schemes and pictures couldn't have been chosen better. If you like to dive into the subject of archaeology, whether it concerns its history, their dating methods, excavation practices, the goals archaeology pursues or whatever else, you can't go wrong here.

Archaeology as Science? The view of the Disney Professor
This is certainly one of the better general summary books on archaeological method and theory out there. To the student, the book comes with serious credentials: Colin Renfrew is the Disney Professor of Archaeology at Cambridge while his co-author is a professional writer on archaeological topics. Like many other introductory texts, there is, however, a serious agenda behind this book. Therefore, while I think the authors do a fairly good job of introducing the different aspects of archaeology to the novice, (contrary to the blurb, there is no real way in which this book could function as a serious reference for a professional archaeologist), I have a couple of comments I want to make about the book from a theoretical point of view.

While Renfrew and Bahn position themselves as heirs to all the different schools of archaeology, they do in fact, pick and choose the archaeologists (and the theoretical paradigms they support) quite specifically. Certain works and authors are praised effusively and others are presented with cautionary tags attached to them. This is of course Renfrew and Bahn's perogative. However, the overall effect of the book is the promotion of a fairly traditional positivist view of archaeology (not the radical extreme of Binford exactly, but certainly archaeology as science nonetheless except where Renfrew's own "mentalist" leanings towards specific issues such as the peopling of Europe still come into play). If you are looking for a book that seriously tries to introduce some of the real theoretical advances in archaeology over the last twenty years, this is not the book to read. Renfrew and Bahn are not really presenting a synthesis of old and new approaches to archaeology, but the old dressed up in a new party dress (one that doesn't fit too well at that).

This may seem a little nit-picky to non-archaeologists but the point I want to make is this: Archaeologists use scientific techniques and approaches but we are different kinds of scientists than say physicists or mathematicians. We deal with people (much more complex than subatomic particles) and the cultural and political contexts of the past. Many of the advocates of archaeology as science hold the view that only science and scientists are the proper and legitimate custodians of the past.

Anyone who doubts where Renfrew and Bahn's sympathies really lie should check out the section on archaeology and indigenous people. One should bear in mind that the Disney Professor did not come of age when such concerns were really prominent in people's minds. However, the apparent open-endedness of the authors' commentary, at least to my way of thinking, overlies a much more conservative stance in which indigenous people are a problem to be overcome rather than partners to be accomodated.

So here's my view: buy the book if you want a how-to manual. But please please be aware of its limitations. Renfrew and Bahn do a pretty good job presenting their point of view but it's a point of view not a law of physics.

Great Reference as well as Introduction
Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice provides a great introduction to the various aspects of archaeology. It would be a marvellous addition to the library of any archaeology enthusiast. It provides the theory and description of archaeological methods as well as many real world examples. As a result, despite a potentially very dry subject matter, this book is not a hard read.

It is especially appropriate for any amateur who tries to keep up on archaeology and encounters new words/ideas. Since the coverage is encyclopedic, you will undoubtably find the explanations you want in this book!

Archaeology: a book to inspire
This is probably one of the best books I've ever read on the subject, and although I've studied archaeology as an interest since childhood, this text rekindled an old love. It is well written and easily read and gives a good overview of the discipline with interesting archaeological sites from all over the world used to illustrate the techniques discussed. I enjoyed the volume so thoroughly I've actually read it twice and will probably read it again in the future just for the enjoyment alone.

invaluable to archaeology students
Used as a textbook for a class in Liverpool, this book was the perfect companion. Invaluable to those just starting in the subject and those who have been studying archaeology for years. Good use of illustrations and modern examples. One of the most up-to-date books on the subject. ... Read more

Book Description

This well illustrated, site-by-site survey of prehistory captures the popular interest, excitement, and visual splendor of archaeology as it provides insight into current research, innovative interpretations, and important theoretical themes in the field. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wonderful book
This is a wonderful book on archaeology from a world wide perspective.Techniques and time periods are well illustrated with examples taken from work done all over the world.Some of the most famous archeological sitesare discussed:Olduvai, Zhoukoudien, Sanidar Cave, Jericho, Cahokia,Teotihuacan, Tikal, Moche, Cuzco, Uruk, Giza, An-Yang, Great Zimbabwe,Knossos, and others possibly more familiar to those with other areas ofarchaeological interest.This would make a lovely addition to the libraryof those who have more specialized interests but who want to know moreabout other areas or who enjoy learning new things about archaeologyitself. It's definitely a book I'll re-read, and I don't generally do that. ... Read more

Book Description

A compelling, authoritative, and superbly illustrated account of the rise and eventual domination of our species.

Human domination of the earth is now so complete that it is easy to forget how recently our role in the history of the planet began: the earliest apes evolved around twenty million years ago, yet Homo sapiens has existed for a mere 150,000 years. In the intervening period, many species of early ape and human have lived and died out, leaving behind the fossilized remains that have helped to make the detailed picture of our evolution revealed here.

This exciting, up-to-the-minute account is divided into three accessible sections. "In Search of Our Ancestors" examines the contexts in which fossilized remains have been found and the techniques used to study them. "The Fossil Evidence" traces in detail the evolution of apes and humans, from Proconsul to the australopithecines, and Homo erectus to the Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. The latest fossil finds at major new sites such as Dmanisi in Georgia and Gran Dolina in Spain are appraised, and new advances in genetic studies, including the extraction of DNA from extinct human species, are evaluated. "Interpreting the Evidence" reconstructs and explains the evolution of human behavior, describing the development of tool use, the flourishing of the earliest artists, and the spread of modern humans to all corners of the world.

The book is superbly illustrated with hundreds of photographs, diagrams, and specially commissioned reconstruction drawings by the artist John Sibbick. 430 illustrations, 175 in color. ... Read more

Book Description

"[The Little Ice Age] could do for the historical study of climate what Michel Foucault's classic Madness and Civilization did for the historical study of mental illness: make it a respectable subject for scholarly inquiry." --Scientific American.

The Little Ice Age tells the story of the turbulent, unpredictable, and often very cold years of modern European history, how this altered climate affected historical events, and what it means for today's global warming. Building on research that has only recently confirmed that the world endured a 500year cold snap, renowned archaeologist Brian Fagan shows how the increasing cold influenced familiar events from Norse exploration to the settlement of North America to the Industrial Revolution. This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in history, climate, and how they interact. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Pertinent even to our own times.
Since I had found Brian Fagan's book Floods, Famines and Emperors very thought provoking, I decided to read his more recent book The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850. I was not disappointed.

Professor Fagan carries on a tradition (which he freely admits was discredited in the past but is now enjoying a renaissance because of newer information) of viewing history through the eyes of a paleoclimatologist. Much of what he had said in the earlier text, namely that many of mankind's major social and cultural transitions have been climate and weather driven, made a good deal of sense to me. Episodes such as the Sea People's invasion of the ancient Levant with the ultimate collapse of the Hittite empire and the reduction of the Egyptian during the late second millennium B.C.E. have long been thought to have been the result of droughts experienced in northern Europe. Similarly the demise of the Moche in Peru, of the Mayan civilizations in Middle America, and of the pueblo cultures in the Southwestern US are believed to have been the result of el Nino/la Nina weather changes, massive rains in the case of the Moche and severe drought in the latter two cases. Although no one would say that any of these historic human changes occurred purely in response to climate, it is abundantly apparent that the economic impact of especially prolonged climate changes on large subsistence level populations tend to leave the more inflexible social systems at great risk.

The earlier book described the probable role of el Nino/ la Nina cycles on world climate, while more briefly discussing the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and it's effects. It was also concerned with much earlier cultures. The current book discusses the North Atlantic Oscillation in much greater detail and outlines it's specific effects on the climate and social environment of Europe and North America during more recent times. The material is dealt with in a very clear manner and was not difficult to understand even with my average person's more casual understanding of weather and climate.

Because the history is of events in more recent time, especially in the last half of the book, the narrative clearly has greater implications for the modern reader than the earlier book does. The Irish potato famine, for instance, was an event of great social significance whose impact on the modern politics in the United Kingdom and on the population demographics of the United States and Australia continues to this day. Certainly pertinent is the lesson of the political upheavals suffered by European governments in the 18th and 19th centuries. Those that ignored the precariousness of the lives experienced by the bulk of their population, choosing to do little or nothing to alleviate their suffering during famines, did so at their own peril. Those that refused to improve their management of their agricultural and natural environment also suffered more acutely. Even now as over half of the world's population suffers from hunger, poor sanitation, little or no health care, and a growing sense of hopelessness, the governments and people of the developed world face similar challenges and choices. Dealing with the inequities and injustices has now grown from a national to a global scale, but ignoring them could easily have the same consequences as it did for the upper and lower classes of the nascent nations. Similarly, the degeneration of the environment through overpopulation and mismanagement is looming large on our international horizon and can not be ignored for much longer.

My only complaint is that the last half of the book is riddled with dates to the point of distraction. I realize that accuracy is much to be appreciated when it comes to historic events, but in this case "before" and "after," "earlier" or "later" might have been perfectly adequate. I found that as long as I was aware of the general character of the times, its historic personalities and events, I could ignore the dates without being too misled as to time frame. I am aware that individuals like Eric the Red and Lief Erickson were not contemporary with Louis the XVI or Napoleon but that Thomas Jefferson was, etc. Someone less familiar with the events of history might find the dates more helpful.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in climatology, paleoclimatology, social change, and early modern history. For those with an interest in earlier cultures, I'd suggest Fagin's previous book Floods, Famines and Emperors

Interesting history with a loose scientific connection
This book describes the climatic hardships experienced by the Western world during the period 1300 to 1850, known informally as The Little Ice Age. Fagan, an experienced writer of books on archeology and history, does a fine job of conveying the past impacts of climate shifts on societies. He writes that "climate change is the ignored player on the historical stage." He extrapolates forward, warning us of the potential for major climatic changes in the future caused at least in part by human activity. He is less successful in drawing linkages between the scientific findings of climatology and historical events, leaving those connections implied rather than stated. More description of the science would have been helpful, as well as an acknowledgement that the degree of scientific certainty still is under debate.

Drought, discontent and decapitation
A few years ago historians proposing history was driven by climate aroused a squall of controversy. Global warming, so clearly impacted, if not driven, by humanity is leading to greater acceptance of the interaction of weather and society. Fagan's history of a period of mildly cooler conditions shows how a little change can have immense impact on the human situation. It takes little variation in "temperature", he shows, to change patterns of rainfall, crop success or failure and resulting social disruption. A phase of the Little Ice Age may not have brought the downfall of the French monarchy, he notes. Crop failures compounded with a selfish aristocracy demonstrates capped a long period of discontent with decapitation.

Reading Fagan's account of the impact of climate over half a millennium can be a daunting task. Although the focus on the period from 1300 to 1850 is largely European, that's merely due to the extensive written records kept there. The variations in climate were global and Fagan rushes you from place to place to demonstrate the impact of trends and "weather events". Scampering about the planet in time and space can be disconcerting, but there's a reason for his peripatetic approach. He wants you to avoid falling into the trap our ancestors did - thinking that a few freak storms or dry years will smooth out over time. If these events impinge on a weak social framework, disaster can, as it has before, follow. In modern times, with our huge global population, he reminds us, "smoothing out" is unlikely. Without the means to counter the effects on society of global warming, the result will be far more serious than ridding the world of another monarch.

Fagan's challenge to the reader is far greater than tripping about the globe. He wants you to understand the wide variety of subtle changes inherent in global weather patterns. A small change here means the loss of a whole fishery industry. Small drops in temperature there result in widespread drought, population dislocation or deprivation. Governments, and their supporting societies, need to instill programmes that can adjust to these changes. Social adjustments that modify lifestyle or inhibit vague promises of prosperity in order to provide survival mechanisms must be implemented. Short-term benefit programmes must be viewed with suspicion, he reminds us. Too many have already been proven illusory, and must not be repeated. And wholly unanticipated events, such as volcanoes, must be factored into the planning. The book's cap, "The Year Without A Summer", has been shown to be a significant time in the history of North America. When an eruption half-way around the world leads to crop failure in New England, the need for planning becomes starkly evident. Today's global warming suggests many little volcanoes are compromising climate stability. All those little volcanoes are called "automobiles".

With a captivating theme and an expressive prose style, this book is an excellent read. Fagan's use of graphics and maps enhances an already fine volume. Although the title gives the impression that it's a work of history, Fagan demonstrates clearly that conditions long ago are exemplary for modern times. We may have mechanised farming, for example, but the world exists on conditions no less marginal than they were in Medieval times. The same triggers, volcanic eruptions and, most importantly, the North Atlantic Oscillation controlling Europe's rainfall, El Nino and other anomalies, are set to invoke unpredictable conditions. He explains these forces with skill and clarity. You will learn much more than some historical pedantry from this book. If you fail to read it, your children, huddled around a weak fire, may ask you why. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Climatic shifts and the course of history
Brian Fagan claims that "we can now track the Little Ice Age as an intricate tapestry of short-term climatic shifts that rippled through European society during times of remarkable change - seven centuries that saw Europe emerge from medieval fiefdom and pass by stages through the Renaissance, the Age of Discovery, the Enlightenment, the French and Industrial revolutions, and the making of modern Europe."

The interesting question is to what extent did these climatic shifts alter the course of European history?

In some distinct cases, in my opinion, the answer is quite clear-cut. Norse settlement in Greenland, for example, became impossible because of the cooler temperatures after the 13th century. Famine in rural areas throughout the Middle Ages was also an undisputed consequence of sudden weather shifts. The damage done to the Spanish Armada in 1588 by two savage storms is patently climatic in origin, too.

In most cases, however, the climate is just one - mostly minor - factor out of many that contributed to the occurrence of major historical events like the French Revolution, for example. Fagan rightly calls climatic change "a subtle catalyst." Finally, if we look at historical developments that unfolded over centuries - like the Renaissance or the making of modern Europe - the influence of the climate does not explain anything.

A book like Fagan's "The Little Ice Age" is most interesting for historians who examine grass roots history, such as the daily lives of farmers and fishermen in the Middle Ages. At first I thought the climate would provide answers for economic historians, too. But as Fagan shows, the human response to deteriorating weather differs widely from region to region. The conservative French farmers stuck to growing wheat, which is notably intolerant of heavy rainfall, whereas English and Dutch farmers diversified their crop (and became much less vulnerable to bad weather). The weather alone does not explain this development. Obviously, an economic historian who is interested in the question "why are people better off in this country (or region, society, etc.) than elsewhere?" has to look to other factors than the weather when he seeks for answers.

So far, the climate has been a footnote in World History. Nonetheless, this footnote can be quite interesting, as "The Little Ice Age" shows. The book is divided into four parts. Part One describes the Medieval Warm Period, roughly from 900 to 1200. Parts Two and Three describe how people reacted to the cooling weather, and how devastating climatic changes are for societies whose agriculture is at subsistence level. Part Four covers the end of the Little Ice Age and the sustained warming of modern times. All four parts make for fascinating, sometimes even disturbing reading; and for the reader new to the field Fagan offers the basic explanations of the effects of oceanic currents and air pressure on the climate in Europe.

Bottom line: A good introduction to the subject aimed at the general reading public. It largely exploits earlier literature on the subject, however. And while asking very broad questions, the book bases its answers on a narrow range of data mostly pertaining to northern Europe.

A Different Historical Perspective
The Little Ice Age is an examination of the effects of the five hundred year long period from 1300 to 1800, when Europe suffered through a period of intense and unstable weather. Fagan does not blame every historical incident on the NAO, or North Atlantic Oscillation, but does make a good case that fluctuations in the NAO have intensified the effects of such disparate incidents as the Black Death epidemic, the Irish potato famine, the Great Fire of London, and many other events. Fagan also does a good job of pointing out that we are presently living in an apparent warm spell, intensified by the greenhouse effect, and helps us recognize the potential for sudden, perhaps catastrophic change in our weather systems. I'm amazed by the amount of research Fagan did in tracking the rise and fall of glaciers and the paths of five hundred year old storms. A great read which will help you recognize the delicate balance of our global weather systems. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

More knowledge has been forgotten than we realize
The discovery of an ancient map in Turkey, upon which Christopher Columbus was said to have relied, turns out to show the coastlines of Antarctica and Greenland in such exact detail that the maps must have been created (1) thousands of years ago, at least 5000 or more, before the two island continents were covered with ice, (2) by a sea-faring people with the ability to measure longitude, which was recently "discovered" in the 1700s, trigonometric skills, and other non-obvious mathematical know-how. In short, proof that there were ancient peoples that knew a great deal more than was passed down through the ages. A straightforward telling of how Hapgood and his students pieced together the evidence for the existence of ancient civilization, based on the ancient maps they could locate.

one of the greatest books of the 20th century!
There is little doubt that MAPS OF THE ANCIENT SEA KINGS will remembered as one of the greatest books of the 20th century. It reveals information about the beingings of western civilization. One example is Dr. Hapgood's study of the Piri Reis Map. Sometimes referred to as "the lost map of Columbus,' hundreds of biographies of this explorer ignored its existence inspite of the fact that the Turkish Government and the U.S. State Department validated this map's long history in the 1930's. Hapgood shows how Colubmus used this map to "discover" America. His books has complete documentation from the State Department concerning this conclusion. However, the academic establishment along with the mass media has deliberately tried to supress knowledge of this 1519 map. Discovered in 1930 in Turkey,it was written by Admiral Piri Reis of the Turkish navy. The Admiral wrote on this map that he got it from one of Columbus' navigators who he captured in a naval battle. The naviagtor had his map on his person and he told the admiral the truth about Columbus and his so-called discovery. The original map,which showed Central and South jAmerica, was seen by Alexander the Great (360 B.C.)and was at least 10,000 years old. At any rate, it is a shame that historians continue to give credit for Columbus' discovery when the Piri Reis Map showed he was a complete fraud and his story has been fooling people for 500 years,

Recommended--for the Critical Thinker
It's hard to find a richly detailed and respectably scholarly work of counter-establishment ancient history. This is one.

Hapgood leaves me behind at the end by lapsing into the discredited 'pole shift' theory (and he plugs his other book on that topic). But the bulk of his book sticks closely to the maps, and Hapgood's scholarly and detailed analysis of them. He argues that maps ranging from Ptolemy's to some made during the Renaissance are actually compilations of far more ancient maps. Much of the evidence is compelling, especially the Renaissance maps of Antarctica, which wasn't officially discovered by Europeans until much much later.

At least in this book, Hapgood's work should not be lumped in with other psuedo-crypto-historians like Graham Hancock. Modern historians would do well to reexamine their beliefs about ancient explorers and their knowledge of world geography. The fact is, the maps passed down to classical civilizations cannot be explained with the established history of human civilizations.

There is a good deal of cartographical science to wade through, but it is not overwhelming for the interested reader. Many of Hapgood's references are to material that is clearly quite outdated by now (the book was published in 1966). One of the least gassy books on lost history for the critical thinker.

Some good and some bad
All too often, people who write about alternate theories about history advance fanciful theories, and use any evidence, no matter how flimsy, to support their beliefs. Hapgood flirts with this, but does not go as far as some.

How he flirts with this is glossing over the inaccuracies in maps that support his views. However, even in doing this, he does show some interesting maps - accurate maps of the African coast before Europeans explored them, maps showing Antarctica before it's "discovery", maps of the Mediterranean that show a greater degree of map-making skill than what was available to Europeans at the time.

He does convince me that somebody in ancient times had good map-making skills, but on other points, he does not convince. He does not show the Chinese maps could not have been made by them. I have seen some very good debunking of the accuracy of the Antarctic maps.

Several of the maps show a lower water level leading to his theory the maps were made in the Ice Age. But several of the same maps he shows also show higher water levels. It's far easier to believe they were simply inaccurate, than to believe they were spliced together from maps made with two different sea levels.

He raises some good questions, but ultimately does not prove all his ideas. However, the book seems more aimed at showing a lack in our knowledge of the ancient world and their map-making. At this, the book does succeed.

Scholarly and Challenging
Charles Hapgood's Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings is a much needed scholarly examination of the large number of maps dating from the Renaissance period which seem to show an ice-free Antarctica and accurate depictions of areas thought to have been unknown at the time the maps were drawn. Since the maps in question were based on older maps which are now lost, the inevitable question is: How in the world could they have been created? Hapgood does not draw fantastic conclusions about ancient astronauts or magical powers, he simply sets forth compelling evidence that civilization is far older than orthodox science thinks. His work deserves to be taken seriously,not ignored. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first comprehensive manual on stone artifact analysis. Logically ordered, clearly written and well illustrated, it is designed for students and professional archaeologists. It introduces the reader to lithic raw materials, and the classification of stone artifacts, basic terminology and concepts, and explains the various methods and techniques of analysis. The final section illustrates their application through detailed case studies of lithic analysis from different parts of the world. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

one of the best for lithic analysis
This is a must have primer for anyone learning about stone tool manufacture. Andrefsky adeptly informs the reader of all the major aspects of non-micro lithic analysis, and I plan to require this book if when I teach lithics in the future.

Simply the Best
The best book on the authentication and dating of stone items I have ever seen. A complete guide suitable for study or browsing. I even read mine in bed!!!

Essential reader for any archaeologist
Andrefsky, pulls together great narration and drawings that make complex physics look easy. This book will help any one understand what is involved in lithic tool production, and shed some light and interesting insight for those that consider themselves advanced in lithic tool study. This is a great addition to the cambridge books on archaeology. ... Read more

Book Description

The Third Edition of David Hurst Thomas's ARCHAEOLOGY reflects the fascinating combination of traditional, formal scientific technique and the postmodern humanistic approach that defines archaeology today. Offering a dynamic account of history and theory, Thomas also emphasizes the importance of ideology and cognition. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Awsome Book
Absolutely wonderful book, pages chock full of useful information, it's hard to put down. After your done reading it the charts and graphs are the type of concise information useful to anyone in the field.

Excellent Field Book!
A must have for those interested in the field aspects of archaeology. Covers everything from surveying, mapping,sampling, soil stratigraphy, and even about finding a job! If you are new to archaeology, you definately will like this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When a millionaire adventurer goes in search of the true Mount Sinai, he gets more than he bargained for. Spies, missiles, and secret military installations are just some of the obstacles that Larry Williams and his sidekick Bob Cornuke must confront in their unprecedented journey to find the lost treasures of Moses.In The Gold of Exodus, award-winning journalist Howard Blum records a page-turning story of an adventure that makes history. While risking their necks by sneaking into the xenophobic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, amateur archaeologists Williams and Cornuke become pawns in a game of international espionage that eventually leads them to the top of the most sacred mountain in the world, and into the hands of shotgun-wielding Bedouins. The Gold of Exodus is a true story that is too unbelievable to be fiction, too suspenseful to be put down, and too significant to soon be forgotten. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Fast-Paced but Factually Deficient
Action-packed and fast-paced, Howard Blum not only keeps you on the edge of your seat, but he makes this book a hard one to put down. I read it in two sittings, and I do not regret the hours of sleep I sacrificed on its behalf.

However, this story is rather sensationalistic, and the scope of its narrative is perhaps a bit too grandiose for the central theme of the book - which is that Mt. Sinai exists, has been found, and measures up to the Biblical description. Too, considering that everyone from the CIA to the Mossad to the Chinese was darkly and mysteriously involved, some of the conclusions and resolutions are just a bit too pat.

In essence, the Gold of Exodus traces the daring, and sometimes foolhardy, adventures of a colorful millionaire and his friend, burly ex-SWAT Bob Cornuke, as they embark on a secret quest to discover the gold that tradition holds the Children of Israel left at Mt. Sinai in penance for their sins. They eventually make it to the site as their unabashed treasure hunt for gold gradually becomes a spiritual quest for God.

As far as geographic/Biblical lore is concerned, this is indeed a fascinating read. The sense of adventure also makes the time spent reading it worthwhile. However, although not impossible, the narrative is rather flimsy (due to the author's compression of certain facts to heighten readability), and an objective reading in search of hard, cold facts will leave you rather disappointed by its end. In my case, it made for a good one-time read, but it's not one I'll be picking up to re-read in the near future.

- Benamin Gene Gardner

An Indiana Jones Type of Adventure
The Gold of Exodus is about the archeological adventures of two men, Larry Williams and Bob Cornuke who believe that Mount Sinai is not in the Sinai Peninsula as many scholars have thought, but in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The real Mount Sinai is a mountain known as Jabal al Lawz and is now a top secret Saudi military base. The two men make some interesting discoveries and whether you believe their theories or not, The Gold of Exodux was a book I couldn't put down. There are many things in this world that are not what we think they are and it is best to keep an open mind. I won't give away any more details as I truly hate it when reviewers tell so much about the books that there is no reason to read them.

Unlikely tale with no research content
I have the hardest time getting rid of books, and every purge of the family library ends up being a long series of painful decisions. Yet I had no trouble giving away this book after the first reading.

I would like to give at least some praise before discussing the weaknesses of this book - but I have the hardest time finding any. The idea is entertaining and some of the travel scenes are exotic and unusual.

That said, the book as a whole is poor in many respects. The writing is, at most, unremarkable. The chapters of the book are poorly architected, and it is sometimes difficult to understand why one follows the other. The thesis in the story is both unlikely and unbelievable, and there is not an iota of proof to any of the many rather incredible assumptions. Finally, some of the "facts" in the story (i.e. what the authors say they actually did and saw) are somewhat difficult to believe.

I thought that this was about the narrative of a new set of biblical archeology finds along with some controversial analysis. What the book really is, is a poorly written travelogue along with the expose of a thesis whose theme is about as well proven as the idea that aliens built the pyramids.

I normally see some redeeming value, or a potential audience, for most of the books I read. In this case, I would say: by any means stay away, even shipping costs only would be too high a price for this book.

A very Odd account
I'm not sure what to say here. THis is a very odd book from someone who has written two other great books. Blum's account of the Jewish Brigade in WWI and hisa account of the Yom Kippur War(Eve of Destruction) are both marvelous and TRUE accounts of the events. Having done extensive research on te Yom Kippur war I can vouch for 'Eve of Destruction's' authenticity. Yet this book seems oddly out there.

First of all the two men this book chronicles Larry Williams and Robert Cornuke have both written books on the subject detailing their adventure. Now the problem is that the books are in conflict. WIliams book details two trips while Cornukes book is ambivlent on whether he has found Mt. Sinai and he does not mention Israeli Mossad. So this deminishes the books credibility.

The Saudi archeological service cannot be trusted. Many people claim that the book must be wrong because the Kingdom of Saudi has destributed some pictures of the painting described in this book and these painting look more european then biblical. Well who trusts the Saudi internal government, which is a dictatorship and has no reason to release evidence about this mountain, especially if such evidence will bring millions of non-Mulsims to the kingdom for pilgrimage. Saudi already has one holy cty, it doesnt want another.

THis book is not racism as some claim nor is it 'offensive' it is merely an exploration of the Biblical site of Mt. Sinai. THose that accuse this book of being offfensive because these guys had to sneak into Saudi should instead accuse the Saudis of offense for not allowing international research teams to search their country for non-muslim archeology.

The Kingdom of Saudi does have a lax intelligence service if your an ex-SWAT member and this is clear from the many terrorist attacks on U.S installations in the kingdom so those that say this cant be true because oft he vaunted Saudi intelligence service are also wrong. Saudi, as the book shows, is a fuedal state that lives in the modrn world.

Those that say the discovery, if true, has ramifactions for the worlds religions are wrong. It has no ramification for any of the religions. Mt Sinai is where god gave the commandments and the laws to Moses.

An interesting book

Truth is Funner than Fiction
This book reads like the best of the best spy novels. It flows. It has suspense. It has shady characters and heroes. Espionage,danger, intrigue, exotic locations. Biblical artifacts. And it is all true! Makes the adventure come alive and reads like a ride on a roller coaster. I have put down works of fiction half read and implausible. I raced through this book. I gave it all the free time I could spare. It was simply wonderful. And I keep seeing evidence that a movie is on the way. Step aside, Indiana. These guys are real! And they are messing around in your playground. ... Read more

Book Description

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and related spatial technologies have a new powerful role to play in archaeological analysis and interpretation, particularly as a tool for the management of archaeological resources. There is also a discussion of leading-edge issues, including three-dimensional GIS, object-oriented GIS, the relationship between GIS and 'Vitual Reality' technologies, and the integration of GIS with Distributed systems and the Internet. ... Read more

Book Description

Over the millennia, the legend of a great deluge has endured in the biblical story of Noah and in such Middle Eastern myths as the epic of Gilgamesh. Now two distinguished geophysicists have discovered a catastrophic event that changed history, a gigantic flood 7,600 years ago in what is today the Black Sea.

Using sound waves and coring devices to probe the sea floor, William Ryan and Walter Pitman revealed clear evidence that this inland body of water had once been a vast freshwater lake lying hundreds of feet below the level of the world's rising oceans. Sophisticated dating techniques confirmed that 7,600 years ago the mounting seas had burst through the narrow Bosporus valley, and the salt water of the Mediterranean had poured into the lake with unimaginable force, racing over beaches and up rivers, destroying or chasing all life before it. The rim of the lake, which had served as an oasis, a Garden of Eden for farms and villages in a vast region of semi-desert, became a sea of death. The people fled, dispersing their languages, genes, and memories. ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Appears as if a flood happened
It appears as if a flood of the Black Sea region happened. Robert Ballard, the discoverer of the Titanic, recently found evidence of habitation 300? feet under the Black Sea.

This book provides the interesting story of the theory that a former lake under the Black Sea was flooded by the Mediterranean Sea. This flood could have provide the basis for the flood mythology in many cultures including the Deluge in the Bible.

While likely, the Deluge will be difficult or impossible to prove without a doubt. I believe this book is best used from a scientific standpoint and not as proof for a religion. Yet, many parts of the Bible appear to be supported by recent archaeology.

The section of the book that describes a diaspora of the peoples that lived on the shore of the former lake is more difficult to prove. I read this book in conjunction with the Mummies of Urumchi by E. J. W. Barber, Elizabeth Wayland Barber. I found them complementary on the subject of the Indo- European language group in Western China. To ever prove something such as this diaspora requires the combination of linguistics with archaeology among many other disciplines. While the authors are not experts in those fields, I applaud them for attempting this study. Science more and more requires a consilience of disciplines. I recommend this book as a thought provoking book.

Noah, Move Over!
What has fascinated me since childhood about the story of Noah's Ark is how similar it is to other (older) flood myths from the near east. A popular trend among Old Testament scholars has been to highlight the differences between the biblical account and earlier near eastern flood stories. (Yet, I would argue that while there are differences in the number of gods involved, the results for the human race were pretty much the same, regardless of the provocation). Ryan and Pitman do an outstanding job of gathering and presenting evidence from a number of scientific disciplines that bolsters the case for a major and memorable cataclysmic event in our distant past giving rise to the flood mythology in that part of the world. What I found particularly fascinating was their discussion of the origins of agriculture and its spread outward from the Black Sea region some 7,000 years ago. That the catastrophic Black Sea flood happened is now beyond question, and the fact that it happened at the dawn of human civilization would make it a ripe candidate for the origins mythology of any people. A fascinating and scholarly, yet very accessible, synthesis of science and cultural history. Highly recommended.

Good research but faulty conclusion
Ryan and Pitman do a terrific job of developing and presenting the evidence for the flood of the Black Sea region about 7000-7500 years ago. However, it's a stretch for them to extrapolate evidence for the flood of the Black Sea into the Great Flood. Evidence for the latter as a world wide event reaches far beyond the shores of the Black Sea.

As the 'Ice Age' ended, during several thousand years the ocean level rose 400-600 feet. Recent submarine archaeological finds off the coast of India and in the Caribbean indicate that the Black Sea was not the only vicinity whose population became displaced. There are in excess of 200 megalithic sites under the Mediterranean, and roads leading away from sites on Malta go straight under the sea. Other undersea sites include those off the coast of Denmark and Germany. Like the Black Sea, the Baltic was also once a fresh water lake, and likely flooded in much the same way and at the same time.

To be sure, refugees from the Black Sea region resettled in what is now Turkey, as well as in every other direction from its former shores. From what is now Turkey, elements of that culture migrated southeastward into Mesopotamia to found the civilization of Sumer. The archaeological record demonstrates that. In Ancient times, Phrygia (north central Anatolia, now Turkey) vied with Egypt for the distinction of being the oldest civilization, and Phrygia eventually won the argument (on flimsy grounds). Geographic evidence embedded in the Bible's Garden of Eden story points to the Zagros Mountains in the same region for its origin.

As for the Great Flood, its likelier cause was a comet or asteroid impact about 11,200 years ago. The physical evidence all over the planet suggests that. If we look at ice core samples from Greenland and Antarctica, for example, the Younger Dryas demonstrates a warming spike at that point in time, then a re-freeze from the nuclear winter wrought by the impact event and then gradual warming and melting over several thousand years to produce the rising sea levels that flooded coastlines worldwide, including that of the Black Sea.

(A lot more evidence points to 11,200 years ago as well. It also coincides with a mass extinction, including more than half of the large mammal species in North America, for instance. DNA research shows a genetic bottleneck at this point among the human species, indicative of a vast temporary diminishment of the human population worldwide. There are a dearth of archaeological human occupation sites around the world at this point and for several hundred years following. Geophysical evidence in North America, India and Egypt demonstrates sand superheated into glass in a fashion normally unknown in nature. A large crater 600 mi. x 750 mi. lies at the bottom of the western North Atlantic, the remnant of the primary impact site(s). The Carolina Bays comprise over half a million smaller crater remains scattered all over North America, in a pattern from Alaska to the southeast U.S., with greatest concentration in the latter region. Erosion analysis dates them to that point in time as well.)

Read the book. It contains a lot of valuable information. Bear in mind, though, that it is just one part of a much bigger story.

Good Research
The research involved in this theory is quite excellent and intriguing. I quite enjoyed reading of how they came to this theory of the Great Flood actually being the result of the Black Sea being flooded from the Mediterranean. As the story of the flood is to be found in many different cultures -- including Navajo culture -- there must be some basis to the flood story. This is quite plausible.

Authors changed their mind about the sudden flood
I have not checked the many previous reviews but for the record need to point out that, drawing on new evidence, the authors retracted their concept of a "catastrophic flood" for the Black Sea. Newer evidence showed that the intrusion of Mediterranean sea water into the Black Sea took place over a longer time frame from about 10,000 years before the present. Nevertheless, the authors provide a lot of good background, both scientific, archeological, and scriptural. I would have given the book 5 stars earlier. ... Read more

Book Description

The burnt-red badlands of Montana's Hell Creek are a vast graveyard of the Cretaceous dinosaurs that lived 68 million years ago. Those hills were, much later, also home to the Sioux, the Crows, and the Blackfeet, the first people to encounter the dinosaur fossils exposed by the elements. What did Native Americans make of these stone skeletons, and how did they explain the teeth and claws of gargantuan animals no one had seen alive? Did they speculate about their deaths? Did they collect fossils?

Beginning in the East, with its Ice Age monsters, and ending in the West, where dinosaurs lived and died, this richly illustrated and elegantly written book examines the discoveries of enormous bones and uses of fossils for medicine, hunting magic, and spells. Well before Columbus, Native Americans observed the mysterious petrified remains of extinct creatures and sought to understand their transformation to stone. In perceptive creation stories, they visualized the remains of extinct mammoths, dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and marine creatures as Monster Bears, Giant Lizards, Thunder Birds, and Water Monsters. Their insights, some so sophisticated that they anticipate modern scientific theories, were passed down in oral histories over many centuries.

Drawing on historical sources, archaeology, traditional accounts, and extensive personal interviews, Adrienne Mayor takes us from Aztec and Inca fossil tales to the traditions of the Iroquois, Navajos, Apaches, Cheyennes, and Pawnees. Fossil Legends of the First Americans represents a major step forward in our understanding of how humans made sense of fossils before evolutionary theory developed.

Reviews (1)

Pioneering and Fun
Long before Europeans rediscovered the dinosaur, Native Americans knew about fossils. They collected and tried to explain them, and fossils remain part of the living legacy of Native culture today. Always fascinating and often passionate, this book traces the story of Amerindian fossil-collecting from the Aztecs to the Iroquois and from the pre-Columbian era to the politics of the American West. Adrienne Mayor has written a groundbreaking and scholarly book that is also a pleasure to read. The illustrations are beautiful. Mayor does for Native-American culture what she did for the Greeks and Romans in an earlier book about unknown fossil hunters. Her new volume has many strands, from paleontology to history to Hollywood, and they come together seamlessly. ... Read more

Book Description

Examines the early history of the excavations at three important sites of classical antiquity, which came to light in 1738 through the life and work of Karl Jakob Weber, who supervised these investigations from 1750 to 1765. While many of his contemporaries sought only the recovery of precious antiquities to the exclusion of the architectural remains, Weber sought to retrieve evidence of the ancient urban fabric and to relate his discoveries to their archaeological context, thereby establishing the first systematic approach for the excavations. He also proposed a revolutionary manner for publishing his findings, in which all of the works of art from an individual site would appear together with detailed plans, drawings, and commentary drawn from classical and modern sources. His methods were to influence all subsequent publications of contemporary rediscoveries throughout Europe. Based on original excavation documents and plans, contemporary correspondence and the extant archeological remains. ... Read more

Book Description

Popular Lost Cities author David Childress opens the door to the amazing world of ancient technology, from the computers of the ancient world to the "flying machines of the gods." Technology of the Gods explores the technology that was allegedly used in Atlantis and the theory that the Great Pyramid of Egypt was originally a gigantic power station. Childress also uncovers many other mysteries, including: *

the technology of ancient flight *

how the ancients used electricity *

megalithic building techniques *

the use of crystal lenses and the fire from the gods *

ancient evidence of high-tech weapons, including atomic weapons *

the role of modern inventors, such as Nikola Tesla, in bringing ancient technology into modern use *

impossible artifacts, and more, much more. Childress has done it again! From beginning to end, Technology of the Gods is filled with facts, keen observations and tales that challenge modern assumptions in a humorous, intelligent and compelling way that is quintessential Childress. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Fascinating
This book is filled with incredible and plausible descriptions of technology that has been ignored or explained away by traditional science. A MUST read for anyone that believes there are many secrets hidden in the past.

Very Interesting
Even if you do not agree with everything in this book, this author does a great job of discussing technology that ancient people had. The text is highlighted by pictures that enhance many of this statements he makes. The author does a great job of taking information from a variety of sources to prove his points and clarify his writing.

My two complaints are that some of the pictures are so small that they are frustrating because you can't see much of the detail. Second, the assumption is made that you know about many of the places in this book and I don't. I had never heard of many of these places until reading this book. I would have appreciated a few maps to help clarify where some of these places are.

Great book. Very interesting. Enjoy.

Incredible
Some of the pictures really make you think, what did the ancients really know. The theories on the pyramids is very original. This whole book is original.Filled with interesting stuff, you'll learn many new ideas from this book.

A rehash
Everything in this book has been written about already by authors like Erich von Daniken, Charles Berlitz, Alan Landsburg, Andrew Tomas, and countless others. And still nobody has come up with a satisfactory explanation in 30 years...

Very enlightening
this is a great book for introductory, the author tries his best to cram as much as possible in little space, thus leaving out a lot of detail, also the author starts over exaggerating towards page 334, over all it is a good book..brings a lot of stuff to light.... ... Read more

Book Description

The myths and beliefs of the great pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica have baffled and fascinated outsiders ever since the Spanish Conquest. Yet, until now, no single-volume introduction has existed to act as a guide to this labyrinthine symbolic world. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya is the first-ever English-language dictionary of Mesoamerican mythology and religion. Nearly 300 entries, from accession to yoke, describe the main gods and symbols of the Olmecs, Zapotecs, Maya, Teotihuacanos, Mixtecs, Toltecs, and Aztecs. Topics range from jaguar and jester gods to reptile eye and rubber, from creation accounts and sacred places to ritual practices such as bloodletting, confession, dance, and pilgrimage. In addition, two introductory essays provide succinct accounts of Mesoamerican history and religion, while a substantial bibliographical survey directs the reader to original sources and recent discussions. Dictionary entries are illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned line drawings. Mary Miller and Karl Taube draw on their research in the fast-changing field of Maya studies, and on the latest Mexican discoveries, to produce an authoritative work that will serve as a standard reference for students, scholars, and travelers. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great book for the amature Mayanist!
This is a great refereance book for the amature Mayanist. "Gods and Symbols" is filled with specialized facts, covering subjects from Olmec to Aztec times in good detail. It is readable for both beginners and experts. The amount of information can be overwhelming at times; it therefore is useful to have some background knowledge beforehand to be able to place facts in a larger contextual framework. However, the book's intent is to be a refereance work so this should be expected.

Late Delivery
I ordered this book on November 18, 2001 and it is now November 26, 2001, and I still have not received this book. Also, the sample pages are all text, yet the title says an Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods.... I am looking for a book with good illustrations of the Aztec Gods.

Already a classic
One of THE definitive reference works for everyone even remotely interested in the cultures of ancient Mesoamerica, "Gods and Symbols" well comprises the most important as well as more specialized facts, covering all its subjects from Olmec to Aztec times in the same amount of detail. It's written to be accessible to both beginners and people more firm with the subjects, and certainly offers more than enough for both groups. However, although the cross-references are fine, the encyclopaedic, culture-jumping approach makes for a somewhat fractured read, and the sheer amount of information can prove overwhelming at times; it therefore could be useful to have some background knowledge beforehand that can help you place facts in a larger contextual framework when you need to. However, this hardly is a reason for criticism given the book's intent, and it doesn't stop it from being a highly readable standard work I can unhesitatingly recommend to just about anyone.

Gift from the Gods
I am not a seven year grad student of the authors but a curious amateur anthropologist, former history teacher who loves art. That said this is the perfect book for the average layman, not too technical or with an overabundance of esoteric jargon. ... This book is filled with just about everything you need to know about the fabulous cultures that existed in Meso-America. All the famous cultures are covered including the Toltecs, Olmecs, Zapotecs and every other "tec" or "mec" you could imagine. Although the focus is the Gods, it is nearly impossible to cover the Gods without adressing the issue of culture. Some very fascinating information that even the most knowledgeable of readers will find captivating. Upon first getting the book I went through half the book in one sitting!! No matter your base of understanding there is something to learn here. A reference book but yet very readable as it is well written and full of great illustrations and photgraphs. The good thing is that if you don't feel like reading page after page, some drawing will catch your fancy and the next thing you know you are reading about it. So whatever the mood there is something here for the reader at all times. The paper is of thick stock and the size is handy enough to put in your backpack to take anywhere. Since I am not a scholar and have a limited understanding of the subjects, much clarification was given to issues I knew about but didn't fully understand. ... So the book is full of information that clarifies and breaks down all aspects of ancient Mexico, even those that have somehow been lost in the shuffle of modern times. Arranged as any dictionary alphabetically, it is a valuable source of information for all interested in Meso-American Gods and symbols and their meanings. There is a brief introduction that gives an overview of the time periods covered and the cultures that is very concise and informative. This is followed by an index that has the subjects covered in an easy to find format if you are looking for a particular subject. The end includes a guide to sources and a bibliography for furhter study. Especially recommended for students, artists or history buffs this is a book that compliments any library that features books about Mexico prior to the conquest. Truly a gift of the Gods, the ancient symbols are preserved and explained here in this compendium by way of the east coast to the Pacific rim. I'll learn much from this book for years to come.

The Quintessential Guide to the Gods of Ancient Mesoamerica!
I am a seven-year graduate student of Dr. Karl Taube, at the University of California, Riverside. I highly recommend this text to anyone interested in the gods, religion, or iconography of ancient Mesoamerica. There exists no book in English comparable to this one. This book is concise, yet packed with a plethora of hand-drawn illustrations by the authors and laden with inumerable useful tidbits of interest to scholars, lay-men, art historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and historians. Quite honestly, this book is perfect for anyone needing a quick but poignant and on-the-mark "dictionary" type reference from two of the best cutting-edge scholars in ancient Mesoamerican studies today. You will definately get your money's worth with this choice - buy it today! By-the-way, this is an unpaid advertisement; strictly a humble review by a graduate student who worships the ground Drs. Taube and Miller walk on - tanslated, not biased in the least. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this intriguing work of scholarly detection, forensic anthropologist James Chatters relates the story of a fossil discovery that has challenged received wisdom about the peopling of the Americas--and that has touched off a storm of controversy.

On July 28, 1996, two students happened on a skull that peeked from the mud of a Washington riverbank. When police officers arrived at the site, they called in Chatters, a deputy coroner and scientist. At first glance, Chatters guessed that the skull was that of a white pioneer, perhaps a hundred or so years old, but on examining other skeletal remains, he began to suspect that the human eventually dubbed "Kennewick Man" was much older indeed. Various scientific tests proved him right: the skeleton was around 9,500 years old. But Kennewick Man, he announced, was also "Caucasoid" in appearance, a revelation that triggered charges of racism and tomb-robbing by local Native Americans, who claimed the remains as part of their cultural heritage. The announcement also drew in white supremacists, who seized on Chatters's discovery to argue that their forebears were the first to arrive in North America.

Both the term "Caucasoid" and its racially charged interpretations were off the mark, Chatters writes, for Kennewick Man should be seen as an ancestor to us all. Some of his features, and those of other ancient remains found elsewhere in the Americas, suggest a kinship with peoples as various as Polynesians, Ainu, medieval Icelanders, and Australian aborigines. More important than bloodline is the revision that Kennewick Man and his cousins force in our account of the arrival of humans in the Americas, which, Chatters argues, happened in waves over long periods of time and involved people of widely varied features and genetic traits.

Writing evenly of a controversy that continues to rage, Chatters provides a behind-the-scenes view of physical anthropology, as well as a fascinating revision of the human past. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Who Were the First Americans?
The story of the fight over Kennewick Man begins in 1996, with the discovery of a mystery skeleton in the mud of the Columbia River, near Kennewick, Washington, and, by its end, tells us more about our own strange modern world than it does about the K-man's long lost one.

Chatters recounts the struggle over K-man's remains in fascinating detail.His is a nonfiction work that also provides some of the satisfactions of a mystery and a thriller (so might want to jump over parts of this), as well as an absurdist tragicomedy. The last, thanks mostly to a US Army Corps of Engineers that exhibits all the serious scientific integrity and commitment to due process one might expect if a mad political scientist had managed to join Monty Python's Ministry of Silly Walks to the Spanish Inquisition.

Chatters' first reaction is that the skeleton belongs to some early colonial-era white pioneer; however, upon closer inspection, the remains prove to be much older.The initial examination is barely complete when the federal government, having jurisdiction over the excavation site, begins to seize K-man's remains to turn them over to local Indians.

The government declares that it is carrying out the provisions of the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a law, according to Chatters, which is "being used by the Indian tribes to reclaim all ancient human skeletons, regardless of their age and often with little or no opportunity allowed for scientific investigation."

As the government begins to close in on K-man, Chatters hurriedly consults another anthropologist, a highly respected forensic competitor, in order to obtain an unbiased second opinion: `Male Caucasian,' she said.`You sure?' I asked.`Easy call,' was the firm response.`The face?' I probed.`White guy.' `Mandible?' `White guy.' ..."

On the day that lawmen were on their way, Chatters carefully arranges, describes and videotapes the bones, in hopes of saving as much scientific information as possible before K-man's ancient story would be boxed up, carried off, and forever buried in a secret location.Chatters stresses the gravity of the archaeological find, being only one of two complete early skeletons from the entire continent.

Chatters' emergency videotaping proves wise, since the government's level of stewardship turns out to be something less than Smithsonian.People, mostly Indians, pay visits to the remains, now kept in an unpadded box, after which some bones are found damaged, others destroyed, others go missing.The invaluable remains are also adulterated with newly introduced bones and various ceremonial materials.And, to obtain radiocarbon samples, the government employs a rotary saw on K-man's leg and foot bones with a feathery lightness of touch that might be more appropriate for hydroelectric damn demolition.

Fortunately, thanks to Chatters and allies, the courts begin holding hearings.But this doesn't stop the Interior Department from plunging ahead, making the determination that, yes, these completely non-Indian-looking bones most certainly must be surrendered to the Indians.On what evidence?Apparently, says Chatters: "geography" and "folklore."

Finally, incredibly, the Corps goes to the fragile archaeological site and dumps upon it 500 tons of rockfill.What possible explanation could they provide?`Protection.' (Bureaucratic Freudian Slip of the Year Award?)

Historically, what finally happened to these Paleo-Americans?Sketchy evidence points to a fertility rate that was only slightly above replacement, which would have made them "extremely vulnerable" to higher-fertility competing groups.(Hmmm, why does this sound familiar?)

This book provides a wonderful case study of a society--o harmonious Mecca of joyous "diversity"--that has become mired in a system of officially enforced racial victimhood, here, Indian division.Scientifically questioning any aspect of it is taboo, although the results can be pretty darn entertaining.

When the press latches onto Chatters' initial comment, that after surveying many faces he found K-man's face to most resemble that of "Star Trek" actor Patrick Stewart, Chatters goes out of his way to tamp down the resulting furor by disabusing anyone of the unscientific notion that K-man could possibly be considered `white.'(Long story short: K-man may predate modern races and represent only one of several waves of earliest migrations from hither and yon.)But after Chatters' sculptor friend, to create a K-man bust, pours over countless worldwide photographs, he finally finds "especially useful a movie that featured Clint Eastwood and Ed Harris ... the same narrow chins, square jaws and hollow cheeks of Kennewick Man."

Okay, think I got it: Cross between actors Patrick Stewart, Clint Eastwood and Ed Harris--but NOT WHITE!

The important thing, of course, is determining the scientific facts.Obviously, European Americans don't need to play a game of Who Got Here First? to know that America is their home, but it is amusing to see how threatened the media and others become when some whites express any racial affinity with Kennewick Man.Of course white people are the only group for whom any expression of ancestral or group pride is automatically considered "hate," "supremacy," or a sure sign that they are feverishly plotting world domination.

The truth about Paleo-Americans will be of special interest to some of European heritage, you know, those who "took the land away from the Indians."Obviously, what happened to the Indians, and whomever they replaced, was tragic, but this piously expressed refrain from liberals would be much more believable if I could find just one who is planning to return his property to the Indians and move back to Europe.

Under a growing barrage of criticism for decades, European Americans can be forgiven if they want to feel some measure of group pride.Pride, not just for possibly sharing some closer kinship with these ancient pioneers, but for the fact that the very concept of bold and unfettered scientific inquiry--in Chatters' case, standing up to legally enforce mythology and bumbling bureaucratic tyranny--is in itself an invention of Europeans.

In short: Fine book, outstanding scientist, brave man.

fair and balanced
This is one of the best books I've read. ever. Chatters not only shares his own theories, but he also gives the reader a complete picture of what theories are out there regarding the first Americans. When he recounts the details of the Kennewick man hearings, he doesn't slander those on the other side of the debate, but rather tries to give the reader the best view of what occured, though you can tell that the destructive actions of the corps sadden him. This is one of the easiest and most interesting reads. From the introduction where he theorizes about Kennewick man's death in story format, to the lawsuit over his remains, to the very detailed and great information about the morphology of the skull, and how it is similar to each group that is existent now and how it differs. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in archaeology.

Riveting and well written
James Chatters is a professional forensic anthropologist, paleoecologist, and archeologist working in Washington state.As such he became involved in the recent finding of the so-called Kennewick Man and the political furor over the disposition of the remains. The book is an in-depth discussion of almost every aspect of the discovery:the initial find, the socio-political conflict over it, the brief analysis of the remains, and the overall enlightment that it casts on human migrations.

For Native American activists the issuewas one of yet another example of dispossession of by those of European descent, this timein the name of science