Review by Choice Review
In an important anthropological work, Perry reconstructs the prehistoric past of the Apaches of the American Southwest. In hundreds of instances Perry finds similar cultural practices shared by diverse Athapaskan peoples throughout western North America. Implements, shelters, and even the physical evidence of belief systems--whether discovered in prehistoric periods or recorded in the modern era--illustrate a widespread convergence and argue convincingly for a common core heritage in the not-so-distant past. The author offers tentative dates for Proto-Apachean movement out of the Alaskan region into the Southwest, and few scholars will challenge his conclusions. Particularly valuable for advanced students and specialists are the book's appendixes, which catalog hundreds of convergence points between various native peoples. When dealing with Athapaskans from the period after European contact a more complete examination of the historical record might have provided additional information on such questions as when modern Apaches separated from Navajos. The study is highly technical and filled with ethnographic jargon that will be disconcerting for nonacademic readers. Nevertheless it is a valuable addition to the classic works of Keith H. Basso, Grenville G. Goodwin, and Morris E. Opler. For research libraries.
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
