Description:
This book provides a fascinating, encyclopedic antidote for the mysticism and pseudoscience surrounding well-known or highly publicized archaeological and anthropological "discoveries."
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.Brief description: Kenneth L. Feder is professor emeritus at Central Connecticut State University and has directed numerous field research projects focusing on ancient settlements of the Native People of southern New England. He has appeared on television documentaries on the National Geographic Channel, the BBC, the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, and the SyFy Channel. Additionally, he has been featured in a couple of episodes of William Shatner's the Canadian- based show Weird or What? He lives in Winchester, CT.
Review Quotes:
"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
"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