The burnt-red badlands of Montana's Hell Creek are a vast graveyard of the Cretaceous dinosaurs that lived 68 million years ago. Those hills were, much later, also home to the Sioux, the Crows, and the Blackfeet, the first people to encounter the dinosaur fossils exposed by the elements. What did Native Americans make of these stone skeletons, and how did they explain the teeth and claws of gargantuan animals no one had seen alive? Did they speculate about their deaths? Did they collect fossils?

Beginning in the East, with its Ice Age monsters, and ending in the West, where dinosaurs lived and died, this richly illustrated and elegantly written book examines the discoveries of enormous bones and uses of fossils for medicine, hunting magic, and spells. Well before Columbus, Native Americans observed the mysterious petrified remains of extinct creatures and sought to understand their transformation to stone. In perceptive creation stories, they visualized the remains of extinct mammoths, dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and marine creatures as Monster Bears, Giant Lizards, Thunder Birds, and Water Monsters. Their insights, some so sophisticated that they anticipate modern scientific theories, were passed down in oral histories over many centuries.

Drawing on historical sources, archaeology, traditional accounts, and extensive personal interviews, Adrienne Mayor takes us from Aztec and Inca fossil tales to the traditions of the Iroquois, Navajos, Apaches, Cheyennes, and Pawnees. Fossil Legends of the First Americans represents a major step forward in our understanding of how humans made sense of fossils before evolutionary theory developed.

About the Author

Adrienne Mayor’s books include The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome’s Deadliest Enemy, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, and The First Fossil Hunters: Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times. She is a research scholar in classics and the history of science at Stanford University.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

The Old Sage Bookshop specializes in quality used books for the Collector, the Seeker, and the Avid Reader. "The wise man reads both books and life itself." Lin Yutang

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

The Old Sage Bookshop
AZ, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We guarantee the condition of every book as it's described on the Abebooks web
sites. If you're dissatisfied with your purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as
Described/Damaged) or if the order hasn't arrived, you're eligible for a refund
within 30 days of the estimated delivery date. If you've changed your mind about
a
book that you've ordered, please use the Ask bookseller a question link to
contact
us and we'll respond within 2 business days. No return on international orders.
The Old Sage Bookshop, ...

More Information

Shipping Terms

Orders usually ship within 2 business days. Shipping costs are based on books
weighing 2.2 LB. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to
let you know extra shipping is required. INTERNATIONAL ORDERS VALUED $50 AND ABOVE
WILL ONLY SHIP BY PRIORITY MAIL,SO YOU WILL BE ASKED TO GO TO PRIORITY RATE IF YOU
REQUEST STANDARD SHIPPING FOR SUCH ORDERS.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	7 to 14 business days	3 to 6 business days
First item	US$ 5.98	US$ 12.47

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.