Idaho Archaeology
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From the dinosaurs who roamed prehistoric Idaho over 100 million years ago, to the Hagerman Horse who galloped across the plains of Idaho 3.5 million years ago during the Pliocene Epoch, to the Native Americans who have inhabited this region for thousands of years—Idaho has a rich and diverse archeological history. Recent excavations have also uncovered information and relics from the Chinese miners who worked the placer mines of the Boise Basin in the 1800s. Look inside to find a list of books about Idaho’s past and links to archeology web sites.
Idaho Archaeology
An Introduction to the Archaeology of Southern Idaho, by Mark G. Plew 917.9603 Plew
The Archaeology of the Snake River Plain, by Mark G. Plew RNW 979.61 Plew
Backtracking: Ancient Art of Southern Idaho, by Max Pavesic and William Studebaker 979.61 Pavisic
Contains info on petroglyphs and archeological sites of southwestern Idaho.
The Catastrophic Late Pleistocene Bonneville Flood in the Snake River Plain Idaho, by Harold E. Malde GOV DOC I.19.16: 596 Discover the history behind the boulders (known as “melon gravel”) found along the banks of the Snake River near Swan Falls Dam.
Equus Evolves: The Story of the Hagerman Horse, by the Hagerman Fossil Council 569.62 Equus E
The First Idahoans: A Paleoindian Context for Idaho, by Robert M. Yohe and Jame C. Woods 979.601 Yohe 2002
Indian Rock Writing in Idaho, by Richard P. Erwin RNW 419.2 ER9 LOC
Secrets of the Magic Valley and Hagerman’s Remarkable Horse, edited by Todd Shallat 569.62 Secrets
Uncovering a Chinese Legacy: Historical Archeology at Centerville, Idaho, Once the “Handsomest Town in the Basin” by Priscilla Wegars 979.674 Wegars
Want to learn more about the Chinese mining history in Boise County?
The Wees Bar Petroglyph Field, Southwestern Idaho, by Nelle Tobias RNW 979.601 Tobias 1981
Books on archaeology and archaeologists:
Archaeology, The Basics, by Clive Gamble 930.1 Gamble
Arrowheads and Stone Artifacts: A Practical Guide for the Amateur Archeologist, By C.G.Yeager 930.1Yeager 2000
Atlas of Archaeology, by Mick Aston OV 930.1 Aston
Doorways Through Time: The Romance of Archaeology, by Stephen Bertman 930.1 Bertman
Making Faces: Using Forensic and Archeological Evidence, by John Prag 930.101 Prag
The Practical Archeologist: How We Know What We Know About the Past, by Jane McIntosh 930.1 McIntos 1999
Skeletons in Our Closet: Revealing Our Past Through Bioarchaeology, by Clark S. Larsen 930.1 Larsen
Submerged: Adventures of America’s Most Elite Archeology Team, by Daniel Leniham 930.1028 Leniham
Time Detectives: How Archaeologists Use Technology to Recapture the Past, by Brian Fagan 930.1 Fagan
Archeology web sites:
www.archaeology.org Affiliated with the Archaeological Institute of America. Has links to many different archaeological web sites.
www.nps.gov/hafo Hagerman Fossil National Monument Learn about Hagerman’s 3.5 million year old horse.
http://imnh.isu.edu Idaho Museum of Natural History Located on the campus of Idaho State University in Pocatello. Read about their upcoming exhibit entitled “Dinosaur Times in Idaho.”
http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas Digital Atlas of Idaho ISU’s great site has extensive info about the prehistory of Idaho, as well as info on Idaho geology, climatology, biology, and geography.
Compiled by Ellen Druckenbrod, Boise Public Library
7/29/03 jj


