The First South Americans by Danièle Lavallée, University of
Utah Press, $25, ISBN 0874806658
This is an unusual and enigmatic book, which offers a refreshing European
perspective on the prehistoric archaeology of South America. Bravely, for a book
aimed at a crossover academic-general readership, Danièle Lavallée
deals solely with the period between 20,000 and 3000 years ago. That’s long
before the great Pre-Columbian civilisations, so you won’t find the familiar
icons such as the Nazca lines or the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu.
Focusing on early prehistory emphasises the problems surrounding the first
peopling of…
