Earlier today, I just added a tome to my to-read list: The Biggest Estate on Earth (2011) by Bill Gammage. It takes a look at aboriginal land management practices in pre-colonial Australia, based on more than a decade of research by Gammage, who is an academic historian. I believe the book explains the complexity of the people's practices so as to help debunk the "simple hunters and gatherers" myth. Your quote reminded me of it. :)
You might also like 1491, Marian -- it takes a look at intensive agriculture and land management practices of the natives of the Americas before disease swept the places and allowed nature to start reclaiming them.
Yes -- as I remember de Soto and other explorers accidentally spread smallpox while they were traveling around and the native population plummeted. One author wrote that Europeans found North America "a widow, not a virgin". I think syphilis came our way via the 'new world'..
6 comments:
Earlier today, I just added a tome to my to-read list: The Biggest Estate on Earth (2011) by Bill Gammage. It takes a look at aboriginal land management practices in pre-colonial Australia, based on more than a decade of research by Gammage, who is an academic historian. I believe the book explains the complexity of the people's practices so as to help debunk the "simple hunters and gatherers" myth. Your quote reminded me of it. :)
You might also like 1491, Marian -- it takes a look at intensive agriculture and land management practices of the natives of the Americas before disease swept the places and allowed nature to start reclaiming them.
Sounds interesting. So called 'Primitive' peoples are anything but!
Would that be diseases spread/introduced by Europeans, Stephen? Although I understand we did get a few going the other way....
Yes -- as I remember de Soto and other explorers accidentally spread smallpox while they were traveling around and the native population plummeted. One author wrote that Europeans found North America "a widow, not a virgin". I think syphilis came our way via the 'new world'..
It looks I have 1491 on my TBR already XD
Clearly my historical TBR is not getting enough attention!!
Post a Comment