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Book Reviews:
One If by Land, Two if By Sea: Lost World
On the Shelf
Maps:
New geologic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey
Half-scale reproduction of The Map
Book
Reviews
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Lost World: Rewriting Prehistory —
How New Science is Tracing America’s Ice Age Mariners
by Tom Koppel. Atria Books, 2003. ISBN 0 743 45357 3. Hardcover, $26.
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One If by Land, Two If by Sea
Julie Brigham-Grette
At a recent national meeting I mentioned to a friend and geoarchaeologist that
I was reading Lost World by Tom Koppel. I showed him the book's cover with
its provocative subtitle, and his response was a quick groan, "Oh, that book!"
His response puzzled me at first. Having read the entire book, I now think I understand
the context of his disdainful tone.
In the field of archaeology, few topics have been as controversial and thorny
as the peopling of the Americas, the subject of Lost World. Few would disagree
that the vast ice-free landscapes of Pleistocene Beringia — the Bering Land Bridge
— likely provided the essential link between the Eurasian and North American continents.
However, what has been controversial for decades is exactly when the new settlers
came and how they seemed to have spread out across the Americas so quickly.
Little evidence exists for human occupation in North America before the Clovis
people about 11,000 years ago. Yet, hints have existed for years that humans perhaps
entered the New World before then, as suggested by archaeological sites such as
Bluefish Caves in the Yukon Territory and Meadowcroft Rock Shelter in Pennsylvania.
However, it was the migration of early humans into South America, especially as
far south as Monte Verde, Chile, by 12,500 radiocarbon years before present that
caused most scientists to seriously reexamine the likelihood that early people
successfully crossed the Bering Land Bridge prior to or even during the Last Ice
Age.
Even more striking are the emerging implications: These early foragers did not
follow the infamous ice-free corridor, starting with a migration out of Beringia
and down through the tundra plains of Alberta between the retreating Laurentide
and Cordilleran ice sheets. Rather, these early people more likely sought alternate,
maritime routes by boat across Beringia's southern edge, following the resource-rich
coastal zone all the way into South America. Like an unfinished puzzle, scientific
pieces are now falling into place, but there is still much we don't know.
Koppel's Lost World provides a provocative view of the bumpy scientific
road leading to the discovery and ongoing investigation of this evidence that
early people used a maritime route to migrate to the Americas. Starting with the
1920s and 1930s discovery and establishment of the Clovis and Folsom cultures,
Koppel provides a layman's view of the evolution of thought on the peopling of
the Americas. Through 18 chapters, he traces the basis of what he calls the "Clovis
First paradigm," alongside the earliest discoveries and thinking that early
Americans were adapted best to a coastal environment. He intersperses his reflections
into the history of the science with entertaining stories of visiting modern scientists
at work on archaeological sites located on the coastal islands and mainland of
southeast Alaska and British Columbia — the likely routes of coastal immigrants.
Featured prominently throughout the book are field excursions with Tim Heaton
(University of South Dakota, Vermillion), Jim Dixon (University of Colorado, Boulder)
and Heiner Josenhans (Canadian Geological Survey, Halifax), as well as many other
scientists.
Koppel delves into the rigors and logistical difficulties of working in the heavily
wooded and mountainous terrains of the Pacific Northwest, drawing from his practical
experiences and conversations with the scientists onsite. Equally well-told are
the frustrations and successes of conducting underwater archaeology and sediment
coring. Such arduous work follows the sophisticated ship-based mapping of the
seafloor, which identifies submerged coastal environments where early people may
have lived. This part of the book is particularly intriguing, providing an honest
view of the day-to-day challenges of marine scientists funded for only a few precious
days of expensive ship time. Geologists and geophysicists will have to overlook
the less-than-rigorous explanations of the interplay between post-glacial rebound
and global sea-level change.
Not to be overlooked are the book's references to a number of contentious pre-Clovis sites known throughout the Americas, such as the Pedra Furada Stone Shelter
in Brazil and Taima-Taima in Venezuela. Although not as widely accepted as Monte
Verde for having firm evidence of human occupation, these sites provide important
clues that much remains to be uncovered concerning possible earlier migrations
of humans into the Americas.
Controversies in science almost always involve an imbalance of academic reputations
and personal ego. Koppel does not shy away from this dogfight, but provides an
interpretation of the personalities and issues pitting the Clovis First paradigm
supporters against those researching the likelihood of coastal migrations into
the Americas. No doubt this aspect of the book is why my colleague first gave
me his less-than-enthusiastic response; it is also the only aspect I found to
be less-than-flattering, especially to some of the interviewed scientists.
While it is unfortunate that several comments made it into the book as if taken
from informal conversations off the record, I believe Lost World at least
attempts to convey the human drama that so often plays out around controversial
ideas in the scientific community. Like it or not, controversy has always driven
science in positive directions, but it should never get personal. Comments in
the book referring to well-known individuals as "pompous" and accusing
them of "flimsy reasoning and cavalier treatment of scientific facts"
left me feeling like I had eaten some bad food.
Nevertheless, I strongly encourage you to read the book and form your own opinions
about the issues and controversies. Personally I find the coastal migration evidence
an exciting new direction in archaeology and geoarchaeology, one that will necessarily
require stronger ties to marine and coastal geologists interested in sea-level
change. Having nearly sold out recently, this book received a five-star rating
from reporting readers at Amazon.com. Leave it to the rest of us to get the public
as enthusiastic about books concerning other aspects of the earth sciences.
Brigham-Grette is a professor
of geosciences at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She has been conducting
research on the paleoenvironmental and sea-level history of Beringia for more
than 20 years.
Back to top
On the
Shelf
The
Early Settlement of North America, by Gary Haynes. Cambridge University Press,
2002. ISBN 0 521 52463 6. Paperback, $29.00.
As the debate rages over who the first Americans were, and when and how they arrived,
anthropologist and paleoecologist Gary Haynes provides a thorough examination
of the Clovis people, thought to be among the first Americans. Haynes begins his
discussion with background on the fluted spear points that have come to represent
Clovis culture and a history of the latest research on the peopling of the Americas.
He then delves much further into the archaeological record of the settlers and
their society, based on the artifacts left behind by this migrating culture, and
incorporates biological, ecological and archaeological data to present a comprehensive
history of the Clovis people.
Maps
U.S.
Geological Survey Maps
MF-2416.
NEW MEXICO. Geologic map of the La Mesita Negra Se quadrangle, Bernalillo
County, New Mexico, by R.R. Shroba, R.A. Thompson, D.L. Schmidt, S.F. Personius,
Florian Maldonado, and T.R. Brandt. 2003. Scale 1:24,000. Two color sheets 53
X 33 inches with 12-page text. Available for $40.00 from USGS Information or
free online.
MF-2420.
WASHINGTON. Maps and data from a trench investigation of the Utsalady Point
fault, Whidbey Island, Washington, by S.Y. Johnson, A.R. Nelson, S.F. Personius,
R.E. Wells, H.M. Kelsey, B.L. Sherrod, Koji Okumura, Rich Koehler, Robert Witter,
Lee-Ann Bradley, and D.J. Harding. 2003. One color sheet 83 X 36 inches. Available
for $20.00 from USGS Information Services or free online.
MF-2424.
ALASKA. Map of glacial limits and possible refugia in the southern Alexander
Archipelago, Alaska, during the late Wisconsin glaciation, by P.E. Carrara,
T.A. Ager, J.F. Baichtal, and D.P. VanSistine. 2003. Scale 1:500,000. One color
sheet 53 X 33 inches. Available for $20.00 from USGS Information Services or
free online.
I-2600-G. ANTARCTICA. Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Saunders
Coast area, Antarctica: 1972-1997, by Charles Swithinbank, R.S. Williams,
J.G. Ferrigno, K.M. Foley, C.A. Hallam, and C.E. Rosanova. Prepared in cooperation
with the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
2003. Scale 1:1,000,000. One color sheet 43 X 37 inches with 9-page text. Available
for $7.00 from USGS Information Services.
I-2676-A. MASSACHUSETTS. Sea floor topography of the Stellwagen Bank National
Marine Sanctuary off Boston, Massachusetts, by P.C. Valentine, J.L. Baker,
and T.S. Unger. Prepared in cooperation with NOAA. 2003. Scale 1:60,000. One
color sheet 33 X 57.5 inches. Available for $7.00 from USGS Information Services.
I-2676-B. MASSACHUSETTS. Sun-illuminated sea floor topography of the Stellwagen
Bank National Marine Sanctuary off Boston, Massachusetts, by P.C. Valentine,
T.S. Unger, and J.L. Baker. Prepared in cooperation with NOAA. 2003. Scale 1:60,000.
One color sheet 33 X 57.5 inches. Available for $7.00 from USGS Information
Services.
I-2676-C. MASSACHUSETTS. Backscatter intensity and sun-illuminated sea floor
topography of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off Boston, Massachusetts,
by P.C. Valentine, J.L. Baker, and T.S. Unger. Prepared in cooperation with
NOAA. 2003. Scale 1:60,000. One color sheet 38 X 57.5 inches. Available for
$7.00 from USGS Information Services.
I-2731-A.
MASSACHUSETTS. Sea floor topography of quadrangle 1 in western Massachusetts
Bay offshore of Boston, Massachusetts, by Bradford Butman, Laura Hayes,
W.W. Danforth, and P.C. Valentine. 2003. Scale 1:25,000. One color sheet 28
X 34 inches. Available for $7.00 from USGS Information Services or free online.
I-2731-B. MASSACHUSETTS. Shaded relief and sea floor topography of quadrangle
1 in western Massachusetts Bay offshore of Boston, Massachusetts, by Bradford
Butman, Laura Hayes, W.W. Danforth, and P.C. Valentine. 2003. Scale 1:25,000.
One color sheet 28 X 35 inches. Available for $7.00 from USGS Information Services.
I-2731-C. MASSACHUSETTS. Backscatter intensity, shaded relief, and sea floor
topography of quadrangle 1 in western Massachusetts Bay offshore of Boston,
Massachusetts, by Bradford Butman, Laura Hayes, W.W. Danforth, and P.C.
Valentine. 2003. Scale 1:25,000. One color sheet 28 X 35 inches. Available for
$7.00 from USGS Information Services.
I-2732-A. MASSACHUSETTS. Seafloor topography of quadrangle 2 in western Massachusetts
Bay offshore of Boston, Massachusetts, by Bradford Butman, Laura Hayes,
W.W. Danforth, and P.C. Valentine. 2003. Scale 1:25,000. One color sheet 40
X 33 inches. Available for $7.00 from USGS Information Services.
To order USGS maps: Contact USGS Information Services, P.O. Box 25286,
Denver, Colo. 80225. Phone: 888-ASK-USGS (888/275-8747).
Randall Orndorff compiles
the Maps section and is the Associate Program Coordinator for the USGS National
Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. Email: rorndorf@usgs.gov.
Back to top
 Half-scale
reproduction of The Map
The British Geological Survey has just published a reproduction of William
Smith's 1815 "map that changed the world," as described by Simon
Winchester. At its original scale of 5 miles to the inch, the map would
have been 8 feet long by 6 feet wide if it had ever been published as a
single sheet. Due to this large size and the size of the printing presses
in the early 19th century, the original map was published in 15 sections,
each folded into six panels. The survey has scanned the original panels
held in its library and digitally removed the joins. The new reproduction
is at half scale — 10 miles to the inch — and is color-matched
to the original. To order the reproduction, visit www.geologyshop.com.
And to read about visiting Smith's original map, visit our online travel
feature, Travels in Geology: www.geotimes.org/Travels.html.
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