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Describes some of the United States' most interesting archeological sites, such as Mystery Hill in New Hampshire, Mesa Verde in Colorado, and Serpent Mound in southwestern Ohio, and discusses the mysteries they present us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Fascinating Vision of the Past in an Archaeological Classic
This book was written in the 1940's about archaeological digs which took place on the Gulf Coast of Florida between 1920 - 1945 or so.Gordon Willey, the book's author, was trying to create a "grand synthesis" of what had been discovered to date about the Native American cultures of Florida's Gulf Coast.

For the archaeologist, this book is fascinating because Willey literally created several of the "culture types" still used to define several of Florida's Native peoples, such as the Fort Walton culture, the Weeden Island culture, and the Safety Harbor culture.Since many of these sites were destroyed either during excavations or thereafter through development, Willey's detailed accounts of the sites and their excavation, as well the artifacts and features found therein, are our only source for understanding site patterns, cultural processes, and the nature and form of these sites.

For an ordinary reader - particularly a reader who lives in Florida, especially in the region around Tampa Bay or the Panhandle - Willey's accounts give us a picture of a region before its destruction by development, as well as a picture of the past.The modern resident of Sarasota or Bradenton, of Largo or Clearwater, of Pasco, may be astonished to learn that, before Parrish was a series of "upscale developments" surrounded by orange groves, there was a series of mound complexes there which were thriving communities when De Soto arrived in 1539; that the great mound at Safety Harbor was likely the principal town of the Tocobaga, and that many other such mounds once existed nearby; and that, before Tampa Bay was an endless series of subdivisions, it was the heartland of several great cultures which were both among the first to feel the storm of European contact, and among the first to disappear thereafter.

This is a very good and interesting book, and I highly recommend it to both archaeologists and the general public alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

My tough to please dad loved this book
I bought this for my dad who is a retired schoolteacher and very tough to please, especially when it comes to anything history-related.He loves learning about American Indians, especially those on the east coast.He mentioned that it's so difficult to find good, interesting, and factual information on these cultures because they were wiped out much earlier than the western indians, and also left much less of a written record.I even took him to the American Indian museum in DC and he had a lukewarm reception - he said there was too much focus on the western indians and even the gift shop didn't have any books of interest. I went online and did a search for scholarly publications on the subject and this book came up.I was elated when I found a copy on Amazon and took a chance - he's never happy.To my surprise, the text book format was just his style and he studied it night after night.Years later, he still rereads chapters.It's actually still sitting on his bookshelf in his living room for easy reference --- it was a hit.If you're into this niche or know someone who is, I say go for it! ... Read more

Product Description
From the prehistoric peoples who inhabited the Americas at the end of the last Ice Age to the American Indian of the 20th century, this book encompasses the whole historical and cultural range of Indian life in Corth, Central, and South America. 32 pages of black-and-whitephotographs. ... Read more

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In an absorbing account of the archaeology and culture of Indian tribes in the Great Lakes region from 1600 to 1820, George Quimby recounts the results of decades of careful study of archaeological sites in this 1966 classic. ... Read more

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In this fascinating guide to the archaeology of Texas,Robert Marcom covers the entire story of the peoples and cultures ofTexas, from hunter-gatherers chasing bison into arroyos over 10,000years ago, to the Caddo establishing villages across East Texas duringthe last millenium, and the the relatively recent immigration of peskyEuropeans and Americans. Few books attempt to integrate the completehistory of the state in one place - but seen through the eyes of anarchaeologist and pulled together here - the past comes alive as avivid and exciting story, 500 generations in the making. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

read it in one day
This is a great book for the novice and directs the reader in the field of historical and present archaeology, Texas field research, and in my opinion...Texas history- from ancient to present times. I thought the drawings, even though primitive, were helpful and interesting and did not degrade the subject matter at all. I've driven by many of the spots mentioned in the book all my life and never knew what awesome things lie beyond the barbed wire fences. This is a book that I will take with me on long road trips traveling across the highways in the great state of Texas that I call home!

Comprehensive Guide!
Texas has had a great and colorful history!This book tells about this history from an archeologist's point of view.From PaleoIndian to the simply historic,great digs and their importance are described in the state of Texas.

Houston Area Library System comments:
Probably the most comprehensive look at archaeology in Texas that is targeted to non-professionals and still in print, this book is properly described as a "first step" into the sometimes inscrutable world of archaeology, with its arcane jargon. Well illustrated and up to date, with information about many recent and highly important discoveries.

Poorly done
Disappointed in this book.Poorly done drawings of points and of other things.Subject matter jumps around too much, reads like a "People Magazine" version of archaeology.

An exciting and practical resource for archaeology buffs
Digging Up Texas: A Guide To The Archaeology Of The State by archaeologist Robert Marcom is a solid and thoroughly "reader friendly" archaeology guide to over 15,000 years of history, researched and discovered in the archaeological endowed state of Texas. Ranging from the remains of ancient proto-historical Native American cultures, to the contemporary and diverse resources available for avocational archaeology, Digging Up Texas is an exciting and practical resource for archaeology buffs of all experience levels, from the amateur enthusiast to the trained professional. ... Read more

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Product Description
Durango, Colorado, situated in the four corners region of southwest Colorado, has long been an area of interest to professional archaeologists and non-professional enthusiasts alike. In addition to its natural beauty, the area has been host to a number of ancestral Pueblo Indian groups dating back to prehistoric times. In the 1930s, archeological professionals made up a small, growing group while the ranks of amateur enthusiasts and pothunters, those who dug ancient sites for artifacts out of curiosity or for monetary gain, swelled. Prehistory in Peril is the first accurate account of the early period of archeological study of the Durango area. The area, still rife with unexplored sites, drew many self-trained amateurs and pothunters. As more and more historically significant artifacts were found, bitter confrontation and animosity developed between professionals and enthusiasts. Prehistory in Peril follows the fascinating drama and re-evaluates data from two prominent archeologists of that time, and takes into account more recent research to draw new conclusions about the prehistoric cultural patterns revealed in the southern Colorado area of Durango. ... Read more