Includes bibliographical references (pages 295-306) and index.

"[L]avishly illustrated guide to more than 400 of the most important Indian archaeological sites in the United States and Canada."--Cover. [This book] describes in words and pictures the development of the numerous Indian civilizations from those in the Southwest and Great Plains to the mound-building societies in the east and south. Thoughtful analysis of archaeological remains, new scientific data, and information on tribal ways of life unravel the mystery of how these civilizations evolved and trace their development from the arrival of the first Americans in 10,000 B.C. through their fateful encounters with sixteenth-century European explorers. The author pieces together the history of these societies through their burial mounds, petroglyphs, artifacts, celestial observatories, and other evidence, illuminating each tribe's amazing accomplishments and everyday life. -- Dust jacket.