This book provides a fascinating, encyclopedic antidote for the mysticism and pseudoscience surrounding well-known or highly publicized archaeological and anthropological "discoveries."
What was the significance of the elaborate monument at Stonehenge and the Moai, the enormous humanoid stone sculptures on Easter Island? Was King Tut's tomb really cursed? And have extraterrestrials ever left tangible proof of a visit to our planet—or played a role in the amazing achievements of ancient human civilizations?
Archaeology attempts to answer the question "where do we come from?" in the broadest sense possible; as a result, it is a highly interesting topic for all mankind. When did human beings first walk the earth? How did civilization develop? What compelled our human ancestors to build things like the pyramids, the Great Sphinx, or Monk's Mound?
This book presents the widely unknown scientific facts behind the most popular and enthralling "mysteries" of our world from an expert archaeological perspective—and lays out the information and research in a manner that is approachable, engaging, and entertaining for any reader. Encyclopedia of Dubious Archaeology: From Atlantis to the Walam Olum contains detailed and highly descriptive definitions for—and explanations of—terms related to extraordinary claims about human antiquity and its study. Some of the terms in this extensive list of topics relate to archaeological hoaxes. Many of the entries relate to dubious interpretations of the human past; some of the terms relate to far-fetched arguments that actually have produced evidence in support of their veracity.
Features
• 134 alphabetical entries of terms related to extraordinary archaeological claims, many related to popular frauds, misinterpretations, and misrepresentations of the human past
• Contains 50 illustrations, including depictions of the Maya calendar day and month glyphs, ancient astronomical alignments, the sarcophagus lid of the Maya ruler Pacal, and the Ica Stones
• Photographs of such monuments and artifacts as the pyramids at Giza, Serpent Mound, Nazca ground drawings, Tucson artifacts, Michigan Relics, and Easter Island Moai bring the topics to life
• A comprehensive bibliography and further reading suggestions at the end of each entry feed further investigation
Highlights
• Contains accurate information on topics that excite the general public, as demonstrated by the popularity of archeological cable television documentary shows on the History, National Geographic, and Discovery channels
• Provides unique, invaluable revelations about a vast range of dubious claims made about the human past
• Both skeptics and believers in the popular claims regarding archeological artifacts and "evidence" will find this book useful and of interest
Kenneth L. Feder, PhD, is professor of anthropology at Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT. His published works include Human Antiquity: An Introduction to Physical Anthropology and Archaeology; Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology; The Past In Perspective: An Introduction to Human Prehistory; and A Village of Outcasts: Historical Archaeology and Documentary Research at the Lighthouse Site.
Reviews
"... This is a fascinating book to read, and one that could help to answer trivia questions on the Cardiff Giant or the Ica Stones. ... many of the topics will be familiar to fans of cable shows that focus on the extraordinary and the unusual." —Booklist
"This well-organized one-volume reference tool is recommended for high school and public libraries. It could also prove valuable for archaeology and prehistory students, as well as casual readers with an interest in historical mysteries."—Library Journal
