ON THE TRAIL OF THE FIRST AMERICANS
Since the discovery of the New World, people have wondered about the origins of the earliest in habitants of the Americas. How did they get here? When did the arrive? Recently, archaeologists have found some intriguing pieces of the puzzle.
BY GEORGE B. WISNER
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MAIZE: THE STAFF OF LIFE
As hunter-gatherers became farmers, the Americas produced its most magnificent civilizations - the Maya, Anasazi, Mississippian, Aztec, and others. One of the crucial factors in this transition from nomad to king was a lowly plant called maize.
BY BRIAN FAGAN
page 8
LEARNING FROM THE FIERCE PEOPLE
Florida's Calusa Indians were the most feared and least understood tribes the Spanish confronted at the time of contact. From their art to their sophisticated engineering, the Calusa have fascinated archaeologists for more than 100 years.
BY ARDEN ARRINGTON
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