Contemporary Issues in California Archaeology (eBook)

Recent archaeological research on California includes a greater diversity of models and approaches to the region´s past, as older literature on the subject struggles to stay relevant. This comprehensive volume offers an in-depth look at the most recent theoretical and empirical developments in the field including key controversies relevant to the Golden State: coastal colonization, impacts of comets and drought cycles, systems of power, Polynesian contacts, and the role of indigenous peoples in the research process, among others. With a specific emphasis on those aspects of California´s past that resonate with the state´s modern cultural identity, the editors and contributors-all leading figures in California archaeology-seek a new understanding of the myth and mystique of the Golden State.