Native Americans used acorns as a major food source, but how did they get rid of the tannic acid which is toxic to humans?

How does radiocarbon dating work and how accurate is it?

How was the myth of the vanished "Mound Builders" laid to rest?

A rich tapestry of data, descriptions, speculations, facts, and theories, the Encyclopedia is the story of terrain-carrying glaciers, vast herds of bisons and wooly mammoths, mummified remains rich in archaeological lore, intricate stone tools, sacred burial grounds, and spectacular dwelling sites. It is the story of hunter-gatherers and nomads who lived in harmony with nature and sometimes left a record of their lives and beliefs in colorful pictograms. And it is the story of tantalizing traces of early cultures and the scientists who do painstaking detective work to give us a fascinating look at our long-vanished predecessors.

Organized by major cultural areas, the Encyclopedia offers a comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to the cultures of continental North America and its early inhabitants, from Clovis big-game hunters of the Far West to the Thule sea mammal-hunting culture in Alaska. Written by experts, more than 800 entries explore each cultural area, its major social complexes, important archaeological sites, food resources, and pioneering archaeologists. Almost a fourth of the entries cover such special topics as tool types, archaeoastronomy, charmstones, shell money, fire use, nutting stone, bow and arrow, burial mounds, rock art, and much more.
-- Comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the early cultures of North America
-- More than 800 entries by regionaland topical specialists
-- Maps and pictures illustrate culture areas, sites, and artifacts
-- A comprehensive index offers immediate access to every subject