This volume uses landscape to examine space (a geographic location) and place (the lived experience of a locale) in the American West. The history of the West is bound up with myths that archaeologists and historians must wade through to get at reality. Even the definition of the West is controversial, as geological and cultural boundaries drift over time.
Sixteen historical archaeologists contribute to fourteen essays that illustrate the difficulties of defining space and place. It is divided into three thematic sections—the West as space, the West as community, and the West today. Case studies illustrate the problems these scholars face to make a complete picture of a complex collection of circumstances and people that include Native Americans, Euro-Americans, Hispanics, immigrants, and others.
This volume is an important addition to the literature of the historical archaeology of the American West. It develops sound frameworks for further advances in a field that can be both contentious and rewarding.