Customer Reviews

Riddle of the Bones: Politics, Science, Race, and the Story of Kennewick Man

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Every so often you read a book that is so much better than you thought it was going to be, you are stunned. Riddle of the Bones was such a book for me. With "Bones," author Roger Downey has given us a significant piece of work. And like one of the archeological treasures he describes in his book, it is a real find. This is a book that will withstand the test of time--maybe not geologic time, but regular time.

What's remarkable about this book is that it takes on the challenge of telling the story of humankind's long and controversial search for its origins while at the same time chronicling the tangled story of Kennewick Man, with all of its legal maneuvering, back-stabbing, mumbo-jumbo science, and media saturation.

This book is good enough to launch a few careers, because it provides a valuable lesson in the scientific disciplines seeking to answer the multitude of questions regarding human origin. To read this book is to gain an understanding of how "what came before" links with the modern-day Kennewick case. You will also learn about hard science from reading this book--about the latest advances in radiocarbon-dating, blood group typing, statistical analysis, molecular biology, genetic drift, and the like. In an easy style, the author explains the latest scientific breakthroughs in studies of early humans, and keeps this information in context with the Kennewick Man case.

Throughout the book, interspersed with the K-Man story, the author relates "case histories" of previous significant archeological finds in the Americas--from the finds of the Folsom and Clovis peoples in New Mexico to the flooded-out Marmes remains along the Palouse River in Washington state. In another case, he explains how the Monte Verde dig in Chile, South America, is revolutionizing much of today's thinking on the arrival of the first peoples on this continent. The author's first-hand descriptions of his visits to several of these sites not only make for fascinating reading, they help us understand why Kennewick Man has become such a sensational story in relation to the other finds. For example, had the Kennewick Man remains been handled in the same manner as those from the Buhl site in Idaho--that is, returned to the indigenous Indian tribes in accordance with federal law, then, in all likelihood, the sensational story of Kennewick Man would have never happened.

And, oh, what a cast of characters, living and dead, the author parades before us in this book-Indians, reporters, rogue scientists, mainstream scientists, politicians, lawyers, judges, feds, Asatrus warriors (Viking wannabes), civilians-on and on they have been drawn into the K-Man case. From the very beginning they've been stonewalling, bickering, sensationalizing, breaking the law, and otherwise turning the case upside down. Don't look too hard for hero figures in this book, for they are hard to find.

Most certainly, the best things to come out of the Kennewick Man case to this point is this book. The author tackles the tough issues and makes his arguments in convincing fashion, backing his contentions with sound, well-substantiated facts, not dogma. He's helped convince me that Kennewick Man deserves to be back in the earth, not stuck away in some moldy museum in Seattle. White Man's law may have prevailed over Indian law to this point. But the story of Kennewick Man is a long way from over--and many people believe, myself included, that "The Ancient One" will have the last laugh in the end.

As a great fan of this book, I highly recommend it. It is top-notch reading. I hope that Roger Downey writes the final chapter of the Kennewick Man story, when it finally unfolds. I will be among the first to read it.

Downey's review of the Kennewick Man mess is a refreshingly balanced treatment of the difficult issues involved. Properly, it surveys not just the sins of the past, but the promise of present and future archaeological methods and paradigms. The definitive Kennewick book has not yet been written, but this is a good start.

I read this book because I knew Mr. Downey's writing through his work as a critic, journalist and playwright, not because of any special interest in or knowledge of archeology. What a delight to find a book about a totally alien subject that is such a fine and informative read! The same strengths that inform Downey's arts journalism bring what could be an arcane subject to vibrant life. In THE RIDDLE OF THE BONES, he tells a compelling story complete with rich characters, an eye for the offbeat detail, provocative ideas and a plot that is constructed like a thriller. I have no idea what feathers he's ruffled in the apparently insular world of archeology (and the comic opera world of "Asutru"!), but he's written a concise book that is a satisfying and compelling look at "the bones" for the person with little previous knowledge of the subject. If you've wondered about all the fuss over Kennewick Man, this is the book to read.

After years of reading misinformation and misleading statements in the press accounts regarding Kennewick Man, finally someone has written the true account. The author interviewed Dr. Chatters, Mr. Van Pelt, as well as other characters in the story and professionals in the field. He read the court transcripts. He pursued the truth when conflicting statements were made. What I like best is his style of writing, like a mystery novel. He also does well developing the characters. And, he does more than tell the Kennewick Man story, he puts it in context with Clovis, Folsom, and physical anthropology. This is a real winner.

Roger Downey is an excellent reporter -- we get a clear idea of the people involved in the case, and the story moves along. Much of the material is clearly (assuming it's true!) the result of interviewing and ferreting, for example he seems to have found out that a principal researcher wasn't completely open about the methodology of Kennewick Man's first analysis. Note, however, that this praise is for the political story -- not the science.

The main scientific question, I thought, is whether Kennewick Man really has features that are present among "caucasoids" or perhaps Asian groups but rare among North American Indians. Downey almost ignores this. He mentions that some researchers see significance in the sockets, the tooth roots, the cheek bones, the lack of an inca bone, etc.; however, he doesn't go on to discuss whether the researchers are right or wrong. In fact, I have the impression that Downey simply doesn't care.

More important, to him, is the process of science (so he covers anthropological meetings and looks for signs of personal conflict), or the right way to interact with affected parties (so he devotes a chapter to an unrelated dig in Buhl Idaho). The history of other finds (Folsom, Clovis, Monte Verde) rates a large amount of space. The included layman's guide to carbon-14 dating is one of the best I've seen. But these are not part of the specific problem of Kennewick Man, they are part of the more general paroblem of North American anthropology.

Roger Downey mentions (p.146) that "the European Mesolithic [was] the period of greatest flourishing of our relatives and perhaps ancestors the Neanderthals" (actually the Neanderthals died out before the European Mesolithic began). He says that some migration theories involved "Homeric Atlantis" (actually Homer never mentioned Atlantis). Nobody should carp at a book's minor errors, but I note them to show that some cautious reading is needed.

The competion to "Riddle Of the Bones" appears to be Thomas's "Skull Wars" -- which is even more concerned about the politics and contemporary issues. People interested solely in Kennewick Man and what we might glean about history from this or similar finds, will have to wait for a book by someone who cares.

He makes no attempt to be impartial and obviously has a bone to pick with Dr. Chatters. Mr. Downey seems quite suspect of all scientists and scientific institutions, to the point of coming off as bitter. I also must second those who have said that questioned Mr. Downey's research. He briefly discussed the Smithsonian Institution's interest in NAGPRA, but he failed to mention (maybe because he was unaware of it) the National Museum of the American Indian Act. SI is governed by the NMAI Act (1989), not NAGPRA (1990). This is just one of a number of omissions and misrepresentations. I would recommend Dr. Chatters' book Ancient Encounters instead of or to balance out this bookd. At least you know Dr. Chatters' stake in the Kennewick case.

Sloppy writing and sloppy research make this an embarrassingly bad book. The issues raised by the discovery of Kennewick Man are better described in other current books, and complete copies of the most recent studies relating to Kennewick Man as well as many of the legal briefs filed in the continuing legal dispute over the remains may be read on the web site maintained by the National Parks Service Archaeology and Ethnography Program.

Author Downey seems more interested in making sarcastic remarks about everyone involved in the history of the legal dispute than in providing insight into the historical and cultural issues underlying their positions. His ignorance of science is appalling. When Downey doesn't understand something - statistics, for example - he dismisses it with phrases such as "statistical prestidigitations," implying that it's a slick trick instead of a sophisticated and useful method of analysis. His generalizations are silly: "Archaeologists are not, on the whole, highly sociable human beings." I can vouch for the hundred or so archaeologists that I know: they have families, friends, strong community ties and good table manners. Downey consistently uses the phrase "scientific myth" when he means "scientific hypothesis," betraying the fact that he doesn't understand that science progresses by developing, testing and often discarding hypotheses. His lack of interest and insight about widespread Native American beliefs and feelings about repatriation and reburial of human remains are disrespectful, to say the least. Typographical and grammatical errors begin on page one and continue throughout the book. I suspect the proofreader couldn't stay awake through this useless volume.

I generally reserve one stars for books I can't finish, but it was tempting to give this only one. This book is poorly documented and the author is so obviously biased that I am unwilling to accept his unsupported word, and most of his words are unsupported. I would recommend this only to people who want to read absolutely everything written on the Kennewick controversy. Otherwise, there are plenty of better books. David Hurst Thomas' superb and profound Skull Wars: Kennewick Man, Archaeology, and the Battle for Native American Identity is much better than this, especially for the social/historical/political aspects that are its main focus. It has at least as much information about theories of populating the Americas as well. One might also read Elaine Dewar's Bones: Discovering the First Americans, which is seriously flawed, but still much better than this. She focuses more on various theories and archaeological evidence.

I have read Chatters' book, Ancient Encounters: Kennewick Man and the First Americans and Jeff Benedict's admiring account of Douglas Owsley, No Bone Unturned: The Adventures of a Top Smithsonian Forensic Scientist and the Legal Battle for America's Oldest Skeletons, and I specifically wanted a book to present the other side. Although Downey opposes both men, he utterly fails to articulate a coherent case for the opposite position. His rather random snipings at the plaintiffs' case don't qualify as a meaningful rebuttal. He relies on innuendo, broad generalizations and the implication that any right thinking person will agree with him, presumably even before opening the book. He doesn't appear to want to waste time convincing wrong-thinking people. He seems to regard it as a shocking abuse of the system that people who disagree with him use the usual venues of the courts, the press and the legislature to present their case. This reminds me of the many people I know of, from arch conservative to knee-jerk liberal who are loud in their praise of freedom of speech, until someone says something that they don't like.

Consider his contrasting treatment of Jeff Van Pelt of the Umatilla and James Chatters (the first anthropologist to examine the bones). Van Pelt presents his triumph over adversity mostly in the first person (I presume that the occasional third person insertions are paraphrases, although Downey doesn't tell us). There are no questions, factchecking or comments from Downey. Fine, as far as it goes, but Chatters' life is recounted in the third person, carefully written to present him as a loser, with no source for most of the facts. Maybe Chatters is a loser, but I wouldn't take Downey's very biased word for it.

Downey presents disingenuous arguments that the Kennewick bones are insignificant or that all conflict is the result of Chatters' bungling. First he argues that there are at least a half dozen other sets of very old bones, as if this was a large number. As I understand it, there would be ten or twelve sets of bones, but others has been buried. Presumably if the Kennewick bones should be given to the Native Americans for reburial, so should the rest. He presents the case of a partial skeleton known as "Beulah" - Native Americans in Idaho gave permission for the remains to be studied before reburial. This, he argues shows that there is no problem finding an amicable solution. The "Beulah" case actually ended in a certain amount of acrimony, making it a dubious example for future cooperation. Whether or not Chatters handled the situation badly, it is also true that the 5 tribes made little effort to defuse the situation, perhaps by offering cooperation for concessions of their authority that might have created useful precedents in the future. A zero-sum game is always hazardous. If their religion absolutely forbids such compromises, then there is no basis at all for cooperation with their antagonists. Actually, Thomas' Skull Wars offers numerous hopeful examples Native Americans and scientists, some of them Native Americans, working together.

Still, these have-our-cake and eat-it-too solutions probably won't eliminate all conflict. Downey ought to know from his studies of the subject that new tests and new questions cause remains to be re-examined. If we rebury the bones, even after intensive study, we will lose some of what we might have known. BUT MAYBE THAT'S O.K. After all, we don't allow researchers to go to any extreme in the search of knowledge. (We wouldn't allow neurosurgeons to cut off people's hands just to let them practice reattachment.) Fascinating though all this is, do we really need to know it - would human culture crumble if Kennewick had never been found? The problem is, since Downey doesn't acknowledge the situation, he can't defend restraints on research.

Downey's inadequate considerations of the issues make me all the more impatient with his "novelistic" touches. In a book of 189 pages, do we really need four and a half to describe the events leading up to the teenagers wading in the river where they found the bones? I don't really care if they meant to get up early but slept in after a night of drinking. A paragraph or two would have sufficed.

The index is the best part of the book. With the exception of very famous entries, such as the FBI, most references to people places and things and followed by a brief annotation that is often enough to refresh one's memory, and in some cases supplies information that is not in the text.

Other than that, since this is short, if you insist on reading it, you won't waste much time.

Roger Downey's comments about the heathen religious movement Asatru are such gross mispresentations that the whole book is tainted by the apparent lack of proper research. If he can't be bothered to get his facts straight in this matter, why should we believe anything he has to say? 0 Stars- not recommended

This book, or rather essay of populist sensaltionism, desperately tries to promote the scientific community as an alien group of dimwitted subversives. Fortunately I read this book after reading a more accurate and realistic account of the Kennewick Man,"No Bone Unturned". Looking back from the end of the year 2003 it is obvious that this book "Riddle of the Bones", is an unfair and ultimately falsely orchestrated piece by an obviously very biased journalist.