Fantastic Archaeology: The Wild Side of North American Prehistory
Williams uncovers the fraud and fantasy interspersed throughout the American popular view of North American archaeology and the continent's connections with distant civilizations. Williams asserts in this volume, as in his Harvard University course of the same name, that when an American site is uncovered or artifact discovered, conclusions are often too easily drawn where not enough evidence has been revealed to hypothesize. Wild, amateurish declarations historically have been quickly and easily published, whereas counterarguments seldom reach the same massive audience. With the competition for public attention from the plethora of fantastic claims, the documented discoveries and amazing achievements of the past become hidden from public understanding. This is an important guide for the student or layperson interested in sifting through the myth to find the verified facts of America's fascinating past.- Paula I. Nielson, Loyola Marymount Univ. Lib., Los AngelesCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.