The Moundbuilders by George R. Milner, Thames and Hudson, 拢28.00, ISBN 050002118X Reviewed by Nicholas Saunders
ACROSS eastern North America, from 3000 BC to the 16th century AD, native Amerindians鈥� monumental earthworks took different shapes for purposes that embraced politics, religion and burial. There can be no single explanation of these monuments, but archaeologists still identify these diverse prehistoric societies as 鈥淢oundbuilders鈥�.
George Milner is an expert guide. He describes finds such as the 鈥淕reat Mica Grave鈥� at Mound City, Ohio, a glittering resting place for its cremated dead. He corrects popular misconceptions, noting that Cahokia, the greatest site of all, had only 3000 inhabitants despite its 100 mounds and 13 square kilometre area, rather than 40,000 people as commonly assumed. Size wasn鈥檛 everything, even in prehistory.
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