Early Pottery: Technology, Function, Style, and Interaction in the Lower Southeast

Book Description

Beautifully detailed full-page pen-and-ink drawings give dimensions, decorations, and construction details on more than a hundred historic bows, scores of arrows, and two dozen quivers.

Customer Reviews:

Eye Opener.......2007-03-09

This book really opened my eyes. I couldn't put it down for days. I'm still amazed by the high level of workmanship that the Native Americans achieved with these so-called "primitive" weapons. More amazing to me, however, is the realization that there are so many poor quality reproductions on the market...and thanks to this book, I am able to see them for what they are...."ugly" reproductions lacking the artistic, technological, and even spiritual aspects of the originals.

The second book is available (but not on Amazon...for some reason) and I have purchased that one also. It is even better than the first.

Overall, I think that books like this will lead to an appreciation of the art of Native American archery....and for those who think that pictures alone cannot give insights into the construction of these weapons, think again. Anyone who has advanced experience in both woodworking and archery will immediately appreciate this book.

My only question now is why books like this are so rare. Perhaps it is because we are caught up in the "engineering" of archery and not the "art" of archery. Perhaps these weapons are considered "inferior". Perhaps we don't care.....

Excellent reference.......2006-07-24

This is a very useful book for studying tribal or regional designs of bows. Most bows on the market have incorrect or nil provenance on the origin of the bow. This book gives the ethnologist some indication of common characteristics of bow design from the regions listed. If you are looking to build your own bow, Hamm (and others) have different works specifically written for would-be bowyers.

Where is Vol. II ??

From an arrow collector.......2002-05-18

This book, thanks to the very accurate drawings and precise indications (length, diameter, type of wood and fletching, colours indications) have enabled me to duplicate native American arrows with precision. I have often counterchecked the descriptions with some information I have found in museums and found the book very reliable. First pity, there aren't enough photos or colour drawings. Second and most catastrophic pity: why has the publisher apparently given up the idea of publishing the second volume about the Great plains, Columbia and Southwest?

One of a kind, at least for now.......2002-05-17

It is true that this book is not a how-to book, but I think that was the author's intention. What it is, is a much-needed reference work, indeed, it is the first and certainly most up-to-date record of American Indian archery equipment. It's been at least 50 years since a book of this sort has been published. My only objection is that the book does not (cannot?) provide enough context or provenance; this is a minor objection. Perhaps fans of Hamm would be more satisfied with Bows and Arrows of the Native Americans. I'd say the book is directed more towards the ethnographer or anthropologist; however, the book is clearly an invaluable reference for the traditional archer/bowyer (hey, this is a "living" hobby - be creative), as it provides dimensions, materials used, colors, and closeups of designs. Fans of American Indian art in gerneral will also appreciate it. Volume II, which should be available before the end of the year, should be at least as good.

A catalog of Native American Bows.......2001-12-31

I read the two previous reviews, so before buying I exactly knew what to expect.
I received my book a couple of days ago, I really liked it, at least for what it is, a kind of catalog of bows, perfectly drawn, with explanation of wood used, dimensions, and colours.
This on Tribe by Tribe basis.
I'll wait volume 2, about western and Plains Indians.
So, if you are really intrested in Native American bows, this is a book to buy, if you prefer something like a "how to", than the traditional Bowyer's bibles are more fit to what you want. Alberto

The Cherokee Removal: A Brief History with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)

Average customer rating:

Vital Read
Good
good, but leaves important gaps
Absolutely fascinating.
History the way it should be told

The Cherokee Removal: A Brief History with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)

Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312415990

Customer Reviews:

Vital Read.......2007-10-03

This book is a vital read for anyone interested in Cherokee culture, history and the Trail of Tears. Highly documented it drives a stake into the heart of ignorance. For a soulful look at the Trail of Tears, I recommened the book by the Cherokee author, Jerry Ellis, who was the first person in modern history to WALK the 900 mile route. That book, Walking the Trail, was nominated for a Pulitzer and National Book Award. The author now lectures internationally on that journey.

Good.......2006-02-28

This book was in pretty good condition. I think it was a nice deal.

good, but leaves important gaps.......2002-08-14

This book tells the story of American ethnic cleansing against the Cherokee nation through an admirable combination of primary documents and the editors' analyses. Perdue and Green begin with a short but sophisticated history of the Cherokee from their first interaction with Europeans to their expulsion from the region where Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama meet. We are then directed through a variety of documents commenting on several important themes: the "civilizing" of the Cherokee (i.e. their adoption of European culture), Georgia's leading role in pressuring the Cherokee off their land and pushing the federal government to remove them by force, the national debate between promoters and opponents of expulsion, the debate within the Cherokee nation, and a brief look at the deportation itself.

Hearing the voices of those who framed the debate and the Cherokee themselves allows the reader to appreciate exactly how complicated the situation really was. Pro-removal Americans make racist judgments of the Cherokee but cast their arguments in humanitarian rhetoric. Pro-emigration Cherokee harshly criticize the Cherokee leadership as corrupt and disdain traditional Cherokee culture. American defenders and the Cherokee leadership deploy legal and moral arguments in a futile effort to forestall American violence.

Yet the situation was even more complex than the editors convey. They ignore the very real class divisions within Cherokee society: the land- and slave-owning elite afraid of losing their property in the expulsion; the "middle class", resentful of elite privilege and hoping to seize leadership after emigration by betraying the nation and negotiating a sham treaty with the Americans; and the less Europeanized majority simply seeking to avoid forced deportation from their homes. Perdue and Green also ignore the larger political situation in the United States, namely the struggle between pro-Jackson Democrats and the emerging Whig opposition that resulted in a surprisingly close 102-97 House vote on the issue (try to imagine a vote that close over the latest example of government violence in pursuit of resources, the coming Iraq war). Particularly disappointing is a lack of any internal documents from the Jackson administration that might give insight into the motivations of the ethnic cleansers themselves.

Despite these deficiencies (and despite the editors' insistence on "modernizing" capitalization and punctuation), the book provides a good overview of the US-Cherokee conflict and a taste of what it's like to work with primary sources. It opens our eyes to how some of the most prominent Americans could embrace ethnic cleansing and revives the voices of those Americans and Cherokee who stood up against imperialism even when there was no hope of victory.

Absolutely fascinating........2001-02-18

I read this book as part of my Native American History class and I truly enjoy this book. "Cherokee Removal" brings its readers, chronologically to the inevitable "Trail of Tears" where the government brought in troops and forced the Cherokees into stockades where they walked to Oklahoma, in terrible conditions, insufficient food, and a lot of the Cherokees died during the journey.

This books gave its readers access to primary documents, such as treaties, and letters written by Cherokees themselves, and it presents both views, from Euro-Americans who supported removal, who opposed removal and likewise for the Cherokees. By examining the primary documents, we can gain insights into how leaders like Andrew Jackson thought of the removal as a crucial step for Cherokees "survival".

The state of Georgia, defying the Supreme Court's rulling in Worcester v Georgia, in favor of the Cherokees, brought in troops, seize the Cherokee's printing press, etc.

By reading this book, one can't help but feel that greed, ethoncentricity can bring people to be blinded by their own prejudice and make mistakes that bring such tragic consequences.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about the Cherokee Removal as other native american tribes suffered basically the same.

History the way it should be told.......2000-10-24

Theda Purdue is generally recognized as the pre-eminent Cherokee authority, but Ms Purdue lets the people who lived the events tell the story of the The Cherokee Removal. She, along with Michael Green, who is really more of a Creek Indian expert, uses contemporary letters, essays, and editorials to draw the reader into the plight of the Cherokee.

For example, in a chapter on United States Policy she uses Lewis Cass' justification of removal, and Andrew Jackson's State of the Union address to illustrate what the mind of the leaders of our country were like at the time of this great tragedy.

Perdue begins the book with a twenty-plus page introduction that tells the story of their civilization from the first man and woman to the removal from the Cherokee Nation in 1838.

Customer Reviews:

The only professional work on Lumbee history.......2003-03-17

Evans is the only author ever to conduct historical research on the ancestors of the present-day Lumbee tribe at a professional level of ability and accomplishment. Other authors writing on the Lumbees have been either anthropologists (such as Sider and Blu) or else amateurs in either status and/or ability. Evans researched a plethora of primary sources, and his historical fact-finding will probably never be surpassed. Evans has written a competent and well-sourced narrative.

But there are serious flaws. By beginning the book with the murder of the Lowry relatives, Evans contextualizes the gang's story as a revenge tale. The book's organization thus obscures the fact that the Lowrys had already committed two murders themselves, prior to their enemies' murder of their father. Obviously there is more going on than a simple revenge motive. Evans fails to make clear that the Lowry gang episode is really about Radical political terrorism in opposition to the Conservative political terrorism of the KKK. While Evans does report elements of the Lowrys' political motivations (although he missed a number of sources that would have expanded this aspect), he emphasizes the revenge motivation. Ultimately, Evans has succumbed to and is reproducing stereotypes of "Indian" violence. Evans never acknowledges that there is little to no evidence that the Lowrys saw themselves as Indian warriors. In fact, the Lowry gang was a multiracial political coalition--not an outbreak of ethnic conflict.

Book Description

The Cherokees, the most important tribe in the formative years of the American Republic, became the test case for the Founding Fathers' determination to Christianize and "civilize" all Indians and to incorporate them into the republic as full citizens. From the standpoint of the Cherokees, rather than from that of the white policymakers, William McLoughlin tells the dramatic success story of the "renascence" of the tribe. He goes on to give a full account of how the Cherokees eventually fell before the expansionism of white America and the zeal of Andrew Jackson.

Customer Reviews:

The seminal history of the pre-removal Cherokee Nation.......2004-11-13

This is THE seminal history of the Cherokee Nation prior to removal. Written by a professor of religious history at Brown University, it is easy to see how he got swept away from his area of expertise and into the amazingly interesting story of the early years of the Cherokee Nation.

McLoughlin does not romaticize the Cherokee Nation, as many other historians do, but tells a clear story of a complicated time and place. His research is impeccable, and the book is well written. As to the merit of his historical analysis, it is mind-numbingly and brilliantly ground-breaking: the sort of stuff that a historian goes his entire life looking to discover. All that I can say is that this book completely changed the direction of my personal study and when I get a PhD in early American History with a concentration on the Cherokee Nation, it will be entierly due to this book.

I also heartily recomend "Cherokees and Missionairies." McLoughlin also has a very good essay on Samuel Worcester in the book "Massachusetts and the New Nation" which is a major undiscovered gem.

30 years of Cherokee History.......2003-10-08

From 1794 until 1834 the Cherokee Nation underwent a change unlike any civilization in the world, past, present or future. It is this time period on which the book focuses. The author covers the years before and after his "Cherokee Renascence" in the first and final chapter.

When people write the history of the Cherokee in Georgia it is understandable that they concentrate on the years leading up to the "Trail of Tears." This tragic event overshadows the history of this Nation, and as William McLoughlin shows us, it is a history rich with acheivement and accomplishment, from the development of a written language by Sequoyah to the adaptation of that language by a majority of the Nation in a 6-month time frame, establishment of a government and newspaper (the Cherokee Phoenix, first American Indian newspaper) and many other accomplishments.

McLoughlin does not pull punches, as many who cover the time period and he does not have an agenda. He accurately recounts the details of the flourishing civilization while describing the evolution of a second society, those who disagreed with the decidedly nationalistic moves of its leaders to protect itself against the desires of the United States and the government of Georgia. Interestingly, Sequoyah was one of the Cherokee against the movement towards nationalism.

A compelling read, factually backed and well researched.

A gripping history.......1998-02-18

A comprehensive history of the Cherokees up to the Trail of Tears. This history covers the building of a great nation that was able to maintain its own culture while integrating with the developing America, and its subsequent downfall.

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A synthesis of major research themes and findings

The Woodland Southeast

Manufacturer: University Alabama Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0817311378

Customer Reviews:

A synthesis of major research themes and findings.......2006-09-12

"The Woodland Period ( ca. 1200 BC to AD 1000) has been the subject of a great deal of archaeological research over the past 25 years. Researchers have learned that in this 2000 year era the peoples of the South East experienced inceasing sedentism, population growth and organizational complexity. At the begining of the period, people are assumed to have been living in small groups, loosely boundby collective burial rituals. But bythe 1st melenium AD, some parts of the region had densely packed civic ceremonial centres rules by hereditary elites. maize was now the primary food crop. Perhapes most importantly, the ancient animal focused and hunting-based religion and cosmology were being replaced by solar and warfare iconography, consistent with societies dependent on agriculture, and whose elites were increasingly in competition with each other.

This volume synthesises the research on what happened during this era and how these changes came about, while analyzing the periods archaeological record. In gathering the latest research available on the Woodland period, the editors have highlighted major themes and given primary sources".

Eighteen of the papers were presented at the 55th annual meeting of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference in Greenville, South Carolina on November 12 1998.

The 25 chapters are: (WP= Woodland Period)
-An Introduction to Woodland Archaeology in the Southeast
-WP archaeology of the Central Mississippi Valley
-Plum Bayou Culture of the Arkansas-White River Basin
-WP archaeology of the Lower Mississippi Valley
-Fourche Maline: A WP culture of the Trans-Mississippi South
-The WP in the Northern Ozarks of Missouri
-WP archeaology in the American Bottom
-Deconstructing the Woodland sequence from the Heartland: A Review of recent research directions in the Upper Ohio Valley
-Woodland Cultures of the Elk and Duck River Valleys, Tennessee: Continuity and Change
-WP settlement patterning in the Northern Gulf Coastal plain of Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee
-Woodland Culture and Chronological Trends on the Southern Gulf Coastal Plain: Recent Research in the Pine Hills of Southern Mississippi
-The WP in the Appalachian Summit of Western North Carolina and the ridge and valley province of Eastern Tennessee
-The WP in the Middle Atlantic: Ranking and Dynamic Political stability
-A WP prehistory of North Carolina
-Aspects of Deptford and Swift Creek of the South Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains
-Weeden Island Cultures
-The Woodland Archaeology of South Florida
-Woodland Ceramic Beginings
-Culture-Historical Units and the Woodland Southeast: A case study from Southeastern Missouri
-Shellfish use during the WP in the Middle South
-Woodland Faunal Exploitation in the Midsouth
-The Development and Dispersal of Agricultural Systems in the WP Southeast
-Woodland Cave Archeaology in eastern North America
-Domesticating Self and Society in the Woodland Southeast
-Epilogue: Future Directions for Woodland Archaeology in the Southeast

David G Anderson is an archaeologist with the National Park Service's Southeast Archaeological Centre in Tallahassee, Florida and co-editor of "The Paleoindian and early Archaic Southeast"
Robert C Mainfort Jr is an archaeologist at the University of Tennessee Department of Anthropology

This is a book for professional and amateur archaeologists. The other earlier volume in the series is "The Archaeology of the Mid-Holocene Southeast" 1996.

Antiquities of the Southern Indians, Particularly of the Georgia Tribes (Classics Southeast Archaeology)

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Antiquities of the Southern Indians, Particularly of the Georgia Tribes (Classics Southeast Archaeology)
Charles C., Jr. Jones
Manufacturer: University Alabama Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0817310045

The Sac and Fox Indians (Civilization of the American Indian Series)

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The Sac and Fox Indians (Civilization of the American Indian Series)
William Thomas Hagan
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0806121386

A History of Daoism and the Yao People of South China

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A History of Daoism and the Yao People of South China
Eli Alberts
Manufacturer: Cambria Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1934043141

Book Description

The term Yao refers to a non-sinitic speaking, southern "Chinese" people who originated in central China, south of the Yangzi River. Despite categorization by Chinese and Western scholars of Yao as an ethnic minority with a primitive culture, it is now recognized that not only are certain strains of religious Daoism prominent in Yao ritual traditions, but the Yao culture also shares many elements with pre-modern official and mainstream Chinese culture. This book is the first to furnish a history-part cultural, part political, and part religious-of contacts between the Chinese state and autochthonous peoples (identified since the 11th century as Yao people) in what is now South China. It vividly details the influence of Daoism on the rich history and culture of the Yao people. The book also includes an examination of the specific terminology, narratives, and symbols (Daoist/ imperial) that represent and mediate these contacts. "This is an important piece of work on a little studied, but very interesting subject, namely, Taoism among the non-Sinitic peoples of South China and adjoining areas." - Professor Victor Mair, University of Pennsylvania "This brilliant study by Eli Alberts has now cleared away much of the cloud that has been caused by previous, mostly impressionistic scholarship on the "Dao of the Yao". - Professor Barend J.ter Haar, Leiden University

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