Arrowheads, Spears, and Buffalo Jumps

Prehistoric Hunter-Gatherers of the Great Plains

Lauri Travis
Illustrated by Eric Carlson

I would recommend this book as a resource for young adult readers from fourth to ninth grades....Give its engaging nature, general readers interested in either Great Plains prehistory or archaeological research would also find this an effective introductory text on the topic.–Jaclyn Nadeau, North Dakota History

Beautifully illustrated and impressively informative, Arrowheads, Spears, and Buffalo Jumps is a thoroughly engaging read from cover to cover and one that is unreservedly recommended for personal, school, and community library American Archaeology collections in general, and Native American History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.—Jack Mason, The Bookwatch

Ancestors of today’s Native Americans populated the Great Plains about 14,000 years ago, about the time glaciers of the last Ice Age began melting back to the north. Prehistoric people living on the dry plains east of the Rocky Mountains were hunter-gatherers–they moved from place to place in search of animals to hunt and seeds, roots, and berries to gather. Archaeologists have reconstructed the history of these hunter-gatherers by studying old camp sites and tools made of stone and antler. Author Lauri Travis introduces readers to the science of archaeology, shedding light on how field scientists find evidence of people who did not build permanent houses and how researchers determine the age of an arrowhead and what it was used to kill.  Archaeological illustrator Eric Carlson brings to life the day-to-day activities of these early people, such as how they used drive lines to funnel animals over buffalo jumps, how sinew was used to attach points to spears, and how grinding stones were used to mash seeds into flour. The book also includes photographs of artifacts and excavation sites, as well as a list of archaeological sites you can visit while exploring the vast plains where mammoths used to roam.

92 pages, 10 x 8.5, paperback
Item #648, $15.00
ISBN 978-0-87842-692-8

For Young Adults