Author : Kenneth L. Feder
Category : Archaeology
Publisher : Mayfield Publishing Company
ISBN : UOM:39015027496986
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book : 310

The ancient rock art on the cover decorates the walks of Indian Creek Canyon in Newspaper Rock State Park, Utah, near Canyonlands National Park. What could its symbols and horned figures represent? Are they a Native American observer's depiction of space-suited extraterrestrials who once explored the American continent? Or do the images reflect the human imagination, blending, human and animal elements into new mythical beings? Ken Feder addresses questions such as these in this entertaining and informative exploration of fascinating frauds and genuine mysteries. Through well-chosen examples, he demonstrates what is - and what is not - the scientific method; in the process, he clearly conveys why the veritable past is as exciting and intriguing as the fantasies concocted by the purveyors of pseudoscience. New to this Edition: 25% more illustrations, including side by side photographic comparisons in Chapter 6, 8, and 9; additional topics, including tabloid anthropology, the deconstructionist challenge to science, tracing the source of skeletal populations through mitochondrial DNA analysis, the so-called Mars face, the New Age use of Native American beliefsand Native Americans' reactions, the Ice Man, Chauvet Cave and our understanding of cave painting, and more.

Author : Feder
Category :
Publisher :
ISBN : 1559347341
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book :

Author : Kenneth Feder
Category : Social Science
Publisher : McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ISBN : 0073405299
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book : 0

Ancient astronauts? Atlantis? Psychic archaeology? Pharaoh's curses? Committed to the scientific investigation of human antiquity, this indispensable supplementary text uses interesting archaeological hoaxes, myths, and mysteries to show how we can truly know things about the past through science. Examples of fantastic findings support the carefully, logically, and entertainingly described flaws in the purported evidence.

Author : Trevor Palmer
Category : Science
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN : 0521819288
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book : 560

A readable account of the history of natural disasters throughout history.

Author : Michael Shermer
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Publisher : ABC-CLIO
ISBN : 9781576076538
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book : 903

Examines supernatural controversies such as crop circles, the Shroud of Turin, and cold fusion, and provides evidence for and against each phenomenon.

Author : Edward Steers
Category : True Crime
Publisher : University Press of Kentucky
ISBN : 9780813141602
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book : 244

A “lively yet thoroughly researched” look at persistent myths and stubborn scams, and how historians try to combat them (The Courier-Journal). Did a collector with a knack for making sensational discoveries really find the first document ever printed in America? Did Hitler actually pen a revealing set of diaries? Has Jesus’ burial cloth survived the ages? Can the shocking true account of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination be found in lost pages from his murderer’s diary? Napoleon famously observed that “history is a set of lies agreed upon,” and Edward Steers Jr. investigates six of the most amazing frauds ever to gain wide acceptance in this engrossing book. Hoax examines the legitimacy of the Shroud of Turin, perhaps the most hotly debated relic in all of Christianity, and the fossils purported to confirm humanity’s “missing link,” the Piltdown Man. Steers also discusses two remarkable forgeries, the Hitler diaries and the “Oath of a Freeman,” and famous conspiracy theories alleging that Franklin D. Roosevelt had prior knowledge of the planned attack on Pearl Harbor and that the details of Lincoln’s assassination are recorded in missing pages from John Wilkes Booth’s journal. The controversies that Steers presents show that there are two major factors involved in the success of a hoax or forgery—greed and the desire to believe. Though all of the counterfeits and conspiracies featured in Hoax have been scientifically debunked, some remain fixed in many people’s minds as truth. As Steers points out, the success of these frauds highlights a disturbing fact: If true history fails to entertain the public, it is likely to be ignored or forgotten.

Author : Christopher R. Fee
Category : Social Science
Publisher : ABC-CLIO
ISBN : 9781610695688
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book : 1265

Folklore has been a part of American culture for as long as humans have inhabited North America, and increasingly formed an intrinsic part of American culture as diverse peoples from Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania arrived. In modern times, folklore and tall tales experienced a rejuvenation with the emergence of urban legends and the growing popularity of science fiction and conspiracy theories, with mass media such as comic books, television, and films contributing to the retelling of old myths. This multi-volume encyclopedia will teach readers the central myths and legends that have formed American culture since its earliest years of settlement. Its entries provide a fascinating glimpse into the collective American imagination over the past 400 years through the stories that have shaped it. Organized alphabetically, the coverage includes Native American creation myths, "tall tales" like George Washington chopping down his father's cherry tree and the adventures of "King of the Wild Frontier" Davy Crockett, through to today's "urban myths." Each entry explains the myth or legend and its importance and provides detailed information about the people and events involved. Each entry also includes a short bibliography that will direct students or interested general readers toward other sources for further investigation. Special attention is paid to African American folklore, Asian American folklore, and the folklore of other traditions that are often overlooked or marginalized in other studies of the topic.

Author : Gabriel Moshenska
Category : Religion
Publisher : UCL Press
ISBN : 9781911576433
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book : 254

This book provides a broad overview of the key concepts in public archaeology, a research field that examines the relationship between archaeology and the public, in both theoretical and practical terms. While based on the long-standing programme of undergraduate and graduate teaching in public archaeology at UCL’s renowned Institute of Archaeology, the book also takes into account the growth of scholarship from around the world and seeks to clarify what exactly ‘public archaeology’ is by promoting an inclusive, socially and politically engaged vision of the discipline. Written for students and practitioners, the individual chapters provide textbook-level introductions to the themes, theories and controversies that connect archaeology to wider society, from the trade in illicit antiquities to the use of digital media in public engagement, and point readers to the most relevant case studies and learning resources to aid their further study. This book was produced as part of JISC's Institution as e-Textbook Publisher project. Find out more at https://www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/projects/institution-as-e-textbook-publisher Praise for Key Concepts in Archaeology 'Littered throughout with concise and well-chosen case studies, Key Concepts in Public Archaeology could become essential reading for undergraduates and is a welcome reminder of where archaeology sits in UK society today.' British Archaeology

Author : Brian Regal
Category : History
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN : 9783030995386
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book : 328

This book examines the legends of who ‘really’ discovered America. It argues that histories of America's origins were always based less on empirical evidence and more on social, political, and cultural wish fulfillment. Influenced by a complex interplay of Nativist hatred of immigrants and Aboriginal people, as well as distrust of academic scholarship, these legends ebbed and flowed with changing conditions in wider American society. The book focuses on the actions of a collection of quirky, obsessed amateur investigators who spent their lives trying to prove their various theories by promoting Welsh princes, Vikings, Chinese admirals, Neo-lithic Europeans, African explorers, and others who they say arrived centuries before Columbus. These myths acted as mitigating agencies for those who embraced them. Along with recent scholarship, this book makes extensive use of archival materials—some of which have never been employed before. It covers the period from the sixteenth century to the present. It brings together separate historiographic ideas to create a unified history rather than focusing on one particular legend as most books on the subject do. It shows how questions of who discovered America helped create the field of historical scholarship in this country. This book does not attempt to prove who discovered America, rather it tells the story of those who think they did.

Author : Donald R. Prothero
Category : Science
Publisher : Red Lightning Books
ISBN : 9781684351367
Type book : PDF & Epub
Page book : 314

Aliens. Ley lines. Water dowsing. Conspiracies and myths captivate imaginations and promise mystery and magic. Whether it's arguing about the moon landing hoax or a Frisbee-like Earth drifting through space, when held up to science and critical thinking, these ideas fall flat. In Weird Earth: Debunking Strange Ideas About Our Planet, Donald R. Prothero demystifies these conspiracies and offers answers to some of humanity's most outlandish questions. Applying his extensive scientific knowledge, Prothero corrects misinformation that con artists and quacks use to hoodwink others about geology—hollow earth, expanding earth, and bizarre earthquakes—and mystical and paranormal happenings—healing crystals, alien landings, and the gates of hell. By deconstructing wild claims such as prophesies of imminent natural disasters, Prothero provides a way for everyone to recognize dubious assertions. Prothero answers these claims with facts, offering historical and scientific context in a light-hearted manner that is accessible to everyone, no matter their background. With a careful layering of evidence in geology, archaeology, and biblical and historical records, Prothero's Weird Earth examines each conspiracy and myth and leaves no question unanswered.