Charles C. Mann challenges the traditional view of the pre-Columbian Americas as a sparsely populated wilderness. He presents evidence that indigenous civilizations were older, more numerous, and more technologically sophisticated than previously taught. The text details how the Olmecs and Maya built massive urban centers, while the Inca engineered sophisticated terraced agriculture in the Andes. Mann explains that many Amazonian forests are actually anthropogenic landscapes, shaped by intentional planting and enriched soil called terra preta. He further examines scientific debates regarding how massive population collapses, triggered by European diseases, fundamentally altered the ecology and appearance of the continents.
This book serves readers interested in archaeological science and historical revision. It attracts those who want to examine carbon dating, linguistics, and landscape engineering to understand human history. Readers gain a specific understanding of how early Americans actively managed their environments through controlled burning and irrigation. By the final chapter, the reader understands that the Western Hemisphere was a densely settled, modified landscape long before 1492. The work provides a detailed framework for viewing American history as a story of complex societies rather than untouched nature.
Outward-looking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Evidence Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2005
- Language
- EN
