Prehistory of the Americas [Paperback]

An analysis of the development of the prehistoric cultures of North, Central and South America from c.10,000 BCAD 1530.This exploration of the development of the prehistoric cultures of North, Central and South America has been updated to reveal how different regions of the New World evolved, affected by factors ranging from population growth to climatic change.This exploration of the development of the prehistoric cultures of North, Central and South America has been updated to reveal how different regions of the New World evolved, affected by factors ranging from population growth to climatic change.Fiedel's book, exploring the development of the prehistoric cultures of North, Central and South America from about 10,000 BC to AD 1530, has been updated to include discussion of recent discoveries and analyses of their implications. The author describes how different regions of the New World evolved, affected by a variety of factors ranging from population growth to climate change. He compares the evolution of the New World with that of the cultures of the Old World. Discussion of the development of American archaeology from the early European encounters with native Americans to the new archaeology is also included.1. The development of American archaeology: a brief review; 2. From Africa to Siberia: early human migrations in the old world; 3. The Paleo-Indians; 4. The archaic: post-Pleistocene foragers; 5. The origins of agriculture and village life; 6. Chiefdoms and states: the emergence of complex societies; 7. Parallel worlds. Concise, clear...what he does so well is offer an explicit account of key issues... Scientific American ...writes clearly and mentions almost all the important finds and theories that lie behind our present understanding of pre-Hispanic cultures. Times Literary Supplement