Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries : Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology / Kenneth L. Feder, Central Connecticut State University.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Feder, Kenneth L., author.

Contributor:

George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Forgery of antiquities.

Archaeology.

Physical Description:

xxii, 325 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm

Edition:

Ninth edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Oxford University Press, [2017]

Summary:

"Frauds, myths, and supposed mysteries about humanity's past are moving targets for anyone committed to the scientific investigation of human antiquity. It is important for anyone interested in the human past to know, for example, that there is no evidence for a race of giant human beings in antiquity and no broken shards of laser guns under Egyptian pyramids. Debunking such nonsense is fun and useful in its own way, but more important is the process by which we determine that such claims are bunk. This uses interesting--and often humorous--archaeological hoaxes, myths, and mysteries to show how we can truly know things about the past through science."--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Science and pseudoscience

Epistemology: how you know what you know

Giants! Anatomy of an archaeological hoax

Dawson's Dawn Man: The hoax at Piltdown

Who discovered America?

Who's next? After the Indians, before Columbus

The myth of the Moundbuilders

Lost: One content-reward

Prehistoric E.T.: The fantasy of ancient astronauts

The mystery of ancient civilizations: how did people get so smart?

Good vibrations: psychics and archaeology

Old-time religion, New Age visions, and paranormal predictions

Epilogue: A past we deserve.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 293-308) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

ISBN:

9780190629656

0190629657

OCLC:

952943089