Bones, Boats, and Bison: Archeology and the First Colonization of Western North America [Paperback]

E. James Dixon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2000

This revolutionary archeological synthesis argues an alternative model of the earliest human population of North America. E. James Dixon dispels the stereotype of big-game hunters following mammoths across the Bering Land Bridge and paints a vivid picture of marine mammal hunters, fishers, and general foragers colonizing the New World. Applying contemporary scientific methods and drawing on new archeological discoveries, he advances evidence indicating that humans first reached the Americas using water craft along the deglaciated Northwest Coast about 13,500 years ago, some 2,000 years before the first Clovis hunters. Dixon's rigorous evaluation of the oldest North American archeological sites and human remains offers well-reasoned hypotheses about the physical characteristics, lives, and relationships of the First Americans. His crisply written analysis of scientific exploration is essential reading for scholars, students, and general readers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

This revolutionary synthesis dispels the stereotype of big game hunters following mammoths across the Bering Land Bridge, while painting a vivid picture of marine mammal hunters, fishers, and general foragers colonizing the New World.

About the Author

E. James Dixon is curator of Museum and Field Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: University of New Mexico Press (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826321380
• ISBN-13: 978-0826321381
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #232,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Thorough but dry, March 18, 2001

By 

A. van Gelderen "Anna van Gelderen" (the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bones, Boats, and Bison: Archeology and the First Colonization of Western North America (Paperback)

Although the subject matter of this book is very exciting, this is not (as the blurb text has it) a "vivid picture of early marine mammal hunters". Instead it is a fairly dry survey of archeological sites relevant for the first peopling of North-America, with lots and lots of attention paid to stone projectile points. Certainly, the book is sound and thorough, but it only becomes really interesting in the last 12 pages or so, where we finally get the promised "revolutionary archeological synthesis". Dixon argues that the first inhabitants of the Americas where not - as orthodox archeology has it - big game hunters who came across the Bering land bridge but people dependent on a marine economy, who navigated along the coast (probably as early as 13,500 BP) and from there on gradually and at different times moved landinward along river courses. Unfortunately the book stops there. Still, if you are looking for a thorough outline of current archeoligical research in the subject matter at hand plus a tentative new insight, this book is allright.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Boans, Boats and Bison Review, December 3, 2001

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Archaeology Professor "Arch Prof" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bones, Boats, and Bison: Archeology and the First Colonization of Western North America (Paperback)

Bones, Boats and Bison provides an excellent overview of current thinking about the peopling and occupation of western North America to ca. 8,000 years ago. The book synthesizes a broad array of literature, making it a valuable resource for professional archaeologists. However, the book's greatest strength may be its accessible writing style. Avocational archaeologists, interested members of the public, and students will find this text both highly informative and refreshingly judicious in its use of jargon. The book would make a good text for a "Peopling of the New World" or "Paleoindian Archaeology" course, and it could also be profitably excerpted for various regional archaeology classes (e.g. "Plains Archaeology" or "Alaskan Archaeology.")

Nine of Dixon's ten chapters are straightforward data-oriented chapters on key "peopling" topics and regional Paleoindian prehistory. These data are important, and synthetic texts like this one are helpful to those unable to keep up with the ever-expanding "peopling" literature. In Dixon's final chapter, he presents his model for the peopling of the New World (ca. 13,500 years ago and via watercraft). Certainly some will disagree with Dixon's interpretation, but (a) Dixon is careful to point out that his interpretations are speculative, and (b) after painstakingly outlining the data in the preceding chapters, Dixon earns the right to propose whatever model he likes.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gushing review of a landmark book!, June 3, 2009

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Rough Customer (on your six) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bones, Boats, and Bison: Archeology and the First Colonization of Western North America (Paperback)

Strangely enough I had purchased and read Dr. Dixon's later book Quest for the Origins of the First Americans, before purchasing this earlier book. Let me state flatly that I much prefer this earlier book, as it is an overview, of the Paleo American archaeology scene mostly in N. America! Let me state also that Dr. Dixon in the preface to his later book (noted above) stated his philosophy on writing books, that his book is "directed to a broad and diverse audience including the lay reader, interested students, and professional archaeologists".....this is obvious in both "Bones, Boats and Bison", as well as the later book! I am an interested "student", a "lay reader" but have studied archaeology all of my adult life, and I am so thankful for Dr. Dixon's approach, because it made the reading of this book an Extreme PLEASURE and delight!! Dr. Dixon, I humbly kiss your feet for this approach. Anyone with an interest in North American archaeology, especially amateur archaeologists and armchair archys, will LOVE this book.
It provides a framework for North American Paleo American archaeology.
Dr. Dixon was kind enough to use both the technical and immediately in parenthesis give the lay definition of the technical term, each time. This saves the poor soul like myself from having to either google or look every technical term up in a dictionary.
I consider myself an empty vessel, willing to learn and look at new theories, and I have learned a lot of very important and new theories and ideas, from this book, including proof of the use of boats of early man here, and the small time frame between Clovis and Folsom to name only two. Dr. Dixon explains clearly physical descriptions of the way atlatl darts were built, the proof of the use of atlatls by Clovis peoples, the economy of Clovis peoples, and the variety of foods of Clovis people. Also discuseed in interesting detail are the physical characteristics of various pre 8000 B.P. skeletons and mummies found in North America, including many little known facts (Spirit Cave mummy, long headedness, etc). The use of sewing, making fiber sandals, moccasins, fiber mats, etc by Paleo Americans, as well as hair color, and genetic defects.
I can highly recommend this book and if there were ten stars, I would award all ten to this book....I only wish I had bought the hardback when it first came out!