Ancient Peoples of the American Southwest

by Stephen Plog

On This Page

Description

Most people are familiar with the famous pre-Columbian civilizations of the Aztecs and Maya of Mexico, but few realize just how advanced were contemporary cultures in the American Southwest. Here lie some of the monuments of America's prehistoric past, such as Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde. Ten thousand years ago, humans first colonized this seemingly inhospitable landscape with its scorching hot deserts and upland areas that drop below freezing even during the early summer months. The initial show more hunter-gatherer bands gradually adapted to become sedentary village groups. The high point of Southwestern civilization was reached with the emergence of cultures known as Anasazi, Hohokam, and Mogollon in the first millennium AD. Interweaving the latest archaeological evidence with early first-person accounts, Stephen Plog explains the rise and mysterious fall of Southwestern cultures. For this revised edition, he discusses new research and its implications for our understanding of the prehistoric Southwest. As he concludes, the Southwest is still home to vibrant Native American communities who carry on many of the old traditions. 150 illustrations, 17 in color. --From publisher's description. show less

Tags

Recommendations

Member Reviews

2 reviews
This is a clear description of the cultures usually called Anasazi, Mogollon, and Hohokom, as well as the previous peoples who lived in the same region (the American southwest) and brief accounts of the people who followed them into historical (post-European-contact) times. The author had experience as a field archaeologist in the area from his teens onward and does well at conveying the landscapes in which these cultures developed and their interaction wit their environments.
Good. This is just a basic history of the Prehistoric Indians of the Southwest. Lots of pictures. Nice format. It was an introductroy book for me, so i can't really give a good review. Talks about paleo, archaic and village indians. Breaks village indians down into the three bigger cultural groups of Anasazi, Mogollon, and Hohokam.

Members

Recently Added By

Author Information

14 Works 242 Members
Stephen Plog is Professor of Anthropology and Associate Dean for Academic Programs at the University of Virginia.

Awards and Honors

Series

Belongs to Publisher Series

Common Knowledge

Canonical title
Ancient Peoples of the American Southwest
Important places
American Southwest
Original language
English

Classifications

Genres
Anthropology, Nonfiction, History, General Nonfiction, Art & Design
DDC/MDS
979.01History & geographyHistory of North AmericaGreat Basin and Pacific Slope region of United States
LCC
E78 .S7 .P556History of the United StatesAmericaIndians of North America
BISAC

Statistics

Members
211
Popularity
154,218
Reviews
2
Rating
(3.93)
Languages
English
Media
Paper
ISBNs
3
ASINs
1