In this groundbreaking work of science, history and archaeology, this book radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492. Contrary to what many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influrenced the land around them. The astonishing Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had running water and immaculately clean streets, and was larger than any contimporary European city. Mexican cultures created corn in a specialized breeding process that has been called man's first feat of genetic engineering. Indeed, Indians were not living lightly on the land but were landscaping and manipulating their world in ways that we are only now beginning to understand. Challenging and surprising, this is a transformative new look at a rich and fascinating world we only thought we knew.
Publication Details
- Publisher: Vintage Books
- ISBN-13: 978-1400032051
- Dewey Decimal: 970.011
- ECHO Library: 970.011 MAN