Sharman Apt Russell skillfully weaves together the stories of our land—from the ancient burial site of a gentle people who lived in eastern Florida seven to eight thousand years ago, to the Hopewell Indians in Ohio—with the personalities and techniques of present-day archaeology.As Russell explains, American archaeology has reached a crossroads. In a discipline that is caught between science and humanities, ancient sites can be seen as sources of data—or as nonrenewable resources that must be conserved. Moreover, many Native Americans consider excavation to be a form of desecration. Who owns the past?American archaeology is full of such intense questions, controversies, and emotional debates—from when humans first entered North America to the angst inherent in the field—can we ever really know the past? A lyrical tale of flesh and blood as well as dust and bones, When the Land Was Young brings to life as never before the study of the past.
Russell (Kill the Cowboy: A Battle of Mythology in the New West, LJ 5/15/93) moves from personal observations of petroglyphs near her home in southwestern New Mexico to a consideration of various issues in American archaeology today, based on her travels to sites and interviews with specialists in the field. What is most appealing about her book is her ability to convey a sense of immediacy as well as awe at the presence of the past at historic sites: "Holding my sherd, I feel the substance of time, a place I can travel to while standing still. I heft its weight. This moment is a thousand years ago and a thousand years ago is this moment." Excellent, too, is Russell's presentation of the shift that has occurred with the 1990 passage of a law that gives Native Americans the right to reappropriate skeletal remains and sacred artifacts, the impact of more Native Americans entering archaeology as a profession, and the urgent need for archaeologists to work out a relationship with Native American leaders who are opposed to excavations of their cultural sites. Russell's work is thoughtful, beautifully written, and well documented. A good way for lay readers to become more informed. Joan W. Gartland, Detroit P.L. Copyright 1998 Library Journal Reviews
At one time, American archeologists were insensitive, racist and sexist, says the author. Only after WWII did they begin to explore social behavior, settlement patterns and site ecology, showing an interest in living people in order to understand the past. Russell (Kill the Cowboy) finds this shift in perspective the most significant change in the field. Her lively conversations with present-day archeologists present a wide range of opinions on such topics as earliest settlement, mammalian extinction and feminist views of archeology. Russell discusses the American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which enabled Indian skeletons and sacred artifacts to be returned to their tribes. Finally, Russell describes cultural resource management, a program for historical preservation. She offers an exciting portrait of archeology today. (June) Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information.
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