Combines literary anecdotes with recommendations for hands-on discovery to introduce natural-world excavations in Arizona and New Mexico, where dinosaurs used to roam during the Mesozoic era.

A simple exploration in straight forward language of the events and geologic processes responsible for the stunning beauty of the deserts, plateaus and mountains in the American Southwest.

Most people today, including many archaeologists, view the Pueblo people of the Southwest as historically peaceful, sedentary corn farmers. In Prehistoric Warfare in the American Southwest Steven LeBlanc demonstrates how the prevailing picture of the ancient Puebloans is highly romanticized. Taking a pan-Southwestern view of the entire prehistoric and early historic time range and considering archaeological and ethnohistorical evidence and oral traditions, he presents a different picture. Objectively sought, evidence of war and its consequences is abundant. The people of the region fought for their survival and evolved their societies to meet the demands of conflict.

This book explores how and why prehistoric Southwestern societies changed in complexity, and offers important new perspectives on evolution of culture. It discusses the factors that made prehistoric Southwesterners vulnerable to an arid environment, and their strategies to lessen risk and stress.

CD-ROM contains: Introductory text, maps, and geologically labeled photographs of all the parks.