Archaeological Landscapes on the High Plains

The High Plains of this study is the short grass prairie between the Rocky Mountains and the better-watered tall grass prairies to the east. Water and trees are scarce, and the elevation rises gently from about 2,500 to 6,000 feet. Occupied by the earliest Americans, this rather harsh environment never supported high concentrations of people or even much in the way of permanent settlements. The land was dominated by bison and prairie dogs. Using history, anthropology, archaeology, and geography, eleven scholars examine the changing ways people interacted with place over a period of 13,000 years. Contemporary, historic, and prehistoric studies make this study particularly interesting.
Compared to much of North America, the High Plains has received little attention from archaeologists. Archaeological Landscapes on the High Plains is an important contribution that focuses on an important place from many perspectives.