Customer Reviews

Paleoamerican Origins: Beyond Clovis (Peopling of the Americas Publication)

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I call myself an amateur paleo anthropologist. My education is from reading a number of books like this one over many years and making my own stone, bone and antler tools. The editors produced a very "forward" looking group of papers that cover a wide range of sites and studies. I know that at least one editor, Dr. Dennis Stanford, is a flint knapper and clearly understands what it means to follow "the way of the rock" to make points, scrappers, etc.
Yes, there is a lot of "techno-speak" used, but please don't be intimidated by it. It is worthwhile for us "wantabe" paleo archeologists/anthropologists to try to understand the technical studies on how humans survived, migrated and flourished. There are some sections that are hard to get through, but with patience you can understand the important issues. This is an important work, well written and a solid reference that I use when reading other books on the subject.
The possibility of long travel over the ocean on primitive craft is fully explored in this work. I spent a number of years at sea, including commanding a nuclear powered attack submarine during the Cold War. I bring a unique perspective to this study as I closely observed the ocean easily overcome technology when seafarers overlook seamanship. I believe that there were a small number of special craft and crews that could do the Atlantic and Pacific voyages. Some experts don't take this seriously. Finding the proof these experts demand of these voyages is left to the traces of genes and technology that is slowly being brought together.

One of the great mysteries of archaeology and anthropology is where the American Indians came from. The overwhelming evidence is now and has been that they came from the area of Siberia, but the evidence of when has shifted back about another 3,000 years. New evidence on timing is given in the compilation, tantalizing evidence of European Solutrean is given, as well as the latest in DNA studies, and a well written look at sea travel in that timeframe.

All in all, this scientific book is the best look yet at Amerind origins.