Contemporary Issues in California Archaeology

Description

Recent archaeological research on California includes a greater diversity of models and approaches to the region’s past| as older literature on the subject struggles to stay relevant. This comprehensive volume offers an in-depth look at the most recent theoretical and empirical developments in the field including key controversies relevant to the Golden State: coastal colonization| impacts of comets and drought cycles| systems of power| Polynesian contacts| and the role of indigenous peoples in the research process| among others. With a specific emphasis on those aspects of California’s past that resonate with the state’s modern cultural identity| the editors and contributors–all leading figures in California archaeology–seek a new understanding of the myth and mystique of the Golden State.