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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherSmithsonian Institution Scholarly Press
ISBN-101560988983
ISBN-139781560988984
eBay Product ID (ePID)394718
Product Key Features
Edition150
Book TitleAncient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley
Number of Pages544 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicArchaeology, United States / State & Local / South (Al, Ar, Fl, Ga, Ky, La, ms, Nc, SC, Tn, VA, WV), Ethnic Studies / Native American Studies
Publication Year1998
IllustratorYes
GenreSocial Science, History
AuthorEdwin H. Davis, Ephraim G. Squier
FormatTrade Paperback
Dimensions
Item Height1.1 in
Item Weight45.7 Oz
Item Length11 in
Item Width8.5 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
LCCN98-024831
Edition DescriptionAnniversary
SynopsisOriginally published in 1848 as the first major work in the nascent discipline as well as the first publication of the newly established Smithsonian Institution, Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley remains today not only a key document in the history of American archaeology but also the primary source of information on hundreds of mounds and earthworks in the eastern United States, most of which have now vanished. Despite adhering to the popular assumption that the moundbuilders could not have been the ancestors of the supposedly savage Native American groups still living in the region, the authors set high standards for their time. Their work provides insight into some of the conceptual, methodological, and substantive issues that archaeologists still confront. Long out of print, this 150th anniversary edition includes David J. Meltzer's lively introduction, which describes the controversies surrounding the book's original publication, from a bitter, decades-long feud between Squier and Davis to widespread debates about the links between race, religion, and human origins. Complete with a new index and bibliography, and illustrated with the original maps, plates, and engravings, Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley provides a new generation with a first-hand view of this pioneer era in American archaeology.
Living in Ohio I have visited many of the mound sites listed in the book, but there are so many more I haven't seen. This book is an excellent reference for the mounds still existing and those that are no longer here.