Award-winning journalist Elaine Dewar explores new terrain with Bones, uncovering evidence that challenges the conventional wisdom on how the Americas were peopled in early history
In her probing investigation, Dewar travels from Canada''s Mackenzie River to the Brazilian state of Piaui, from the offices of the Smithsonian Institution to the Washington state riverbank where the remains of Kennewick man were found. Dewar captures a tale of hard science and human folly where the high stakes include professional reputations, lucrative grants, fame, and the resting places of wandering spirits.
When I spotted _Bones_ I was thrilled. The subject--the peopling of the Americas--is one I am fascinated by. The author is an investigative journalist who spent years tracking down the archaeological sites, the scientists, and the artifacts that promise to reveal when, how and by whom the Americas were first populated.
Given that Canadian First Peoples have traditions and creation stories that say they come from right here in North America and have been here for Eons; journalist Elaine Dewar wants to know why the tale that passes as history - about arrival by way of the Bering Strait some 11,000 years ago - still remains such a widely held belief. BONES: DISCOVERING THE FIRST AMERICANS is her investigative journey into this subject.
Like many others, I have something of an interest in the origins of people, and take some notice of the findings of the scientists whose job it is to gather and interpret hard data. The peopling of the Americas has some special interest, of course, not the least because it is so controversial. The central dogma, found in all the textbooks and encyclopedias of our day, is that the earliest Americans arrived at about 11,000 BC or so ago, and the route was over the Beringian land bridge from Siberia to Alask..
