California Maritime Archaeology: A San Clemente Island Perspective

by Raab, Cassidy

Overview

San Clemente Island is a microcosm of California coastal archaeology from prehistoric through historic times—not only because of the extensiveness of its archaeological remains but because those remains have been so well preserved. In California Maritime Archaeology, the authors use the island as a platform to explore evidence of early seafaring, colonization, paleoenvironmental change, and cultural interaction along the California coast. They make a strong case that San Clemente island should be seen as a kind of "California archaeological Galapagos," offering an extraordinary variety of ancient life as well as surprising information about prehistoric hunter-gatherers of the northern Pacific. The authors' two decades of research have resulted in this rich cultural history that defies widespread assumptions about California's ancient maritime history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780759113183
Publisher:	AltaMira Press
Publication date:	08/16/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	236
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

L. Mark Raab is emeritus professor of anthropology, California State University, Northridge. He has written scores of scholarly articles and several books, including editing California Prehistory, Archaeology, and the Myth of Paradise with Terry L.Jones, pub. University of Utah Press 2004. Jim Cassidy is an environmental specialist with the United States Marine Corps. Andrew Yatsko is a staff archaeologist with the U.S. Navy. William Howard is a research associate at the Center for Public Archaeology at California State University, Northridge.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables ix

Foreword xiii

Acknowledgments xix

Part I Introduction

1 California Galapagos L. Mark Raab Andrew Yatsko 3

2 San Clemente Island Andrew Yatsko L. Mark Raab 23

3 San Clemente Island Archaeology and the Island Gabrielino L. Mark Raab 41

Part II Early Holocene

4 The Ancient Mariners of Eel Point L. Mark Raab Jim Cassidy 67

5 The Dolphin Hunters L. Mark Raab 93

Part III Middle Holocene

6 This Old House L. Mark Raab 109

7 Beads and the Great Basin Connection L. Mark Raab William J. Howard 123

Part IV Late Holocene

8 Tragedy of the Commons L. Mark Raab 145

9 Medieval Climatic Crisis Andrew Yatsko L. Mark Raab 163

10 In the Shadow of Chiefdoms L. Mark Raab 179

11 Vectors of Death and Native Messiahs L. Mark Raab 197

Part V Toward a New Paradigm of Maritime Prehistory

12 Perspectives from an Island Laboratory L. Mark Raab Jim Cassidy Andrew Yatsko William J. Howard 215

References 241

Index 261

About the Authors 269