Some forty scholars examine California's prehistory and archaeology, looking at marine and terrestrial palaeoenvironments, initial human colonization, linguistic prehistory, early forms of exchange, mitochondrial DNA studies, and rock art. This work is the most extensive study of California's prehistory undertaken in the past 20 years. An essential resource for any scholar of California prehistory and archaeology!

Contributions by: Ivano Aiello, Mark W. Allen, R Scott Anderson, Mark E. Basgall, Viviana Bellefemine, David G. Bieling, Brian F. Byrd, Robert Cartier, Jim Cassidy, Joseph L. Chartkoff, Jon M. Erlandson, Jason A. Eshleman, Richard T. Fitzgerald, David A. Fredrickson, LynnH Gamble, Jill K. Gardner, Donna Gillette, Amy J. Gilreath, Michael A. Glassow, Victor Golla, Andrew Gottsfield, Randy G. Groza, William R. Hildebrandt, Richard E. Hughes, Kathleen L. Hull, Mark G. Hylkema, Deborah A. Jones, Don Laylander, Alan Leventhal, Patricia M. Masters, Kelly R. McGuire, Randall Milliken, Michael J. Moratto, Tom Origer, Jennifer E. Perry, Judith F. Porcasi, L Mark Raab, Torben C. Rick, Michael F. Rondeau, Jeffrey S. Rosenthal, Glenn S. Russell, Jerry Schaefer, David Glenn Smith, Nathan E. Stevens, Eric Strother, Mark Q. Sutton, James A. Wanket, G James West, Gregory G. White, Randy Wiberg, Wallace Woolfenden