The Sandal and the Cave: The Indians of Oregon
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Luther S. Cressman
Introduction by Dennis L. Jenkins
2005. 176 pages. Northwest Reprints Series. Maps. Illustrations. Bibliography.
ISBN 0-87071-059-1. Paperback, $14.95.
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Luther Cressman's 1938 discovery of a 9,000-year-old sandal in Fort Rock Cave
revolutionized accepted theories of western prehistory. The recovery of the woven
sagebrush-bark sandal, found buried under a layer of volcanic ash from the eruption
of Mount Mazama, established a human presence in the Oregon Country much earlier
than previously thought.
Through six decades of scientific investigation, Cressman worked to uncover the
history of the first Oregonians. In
The Sandal and the Cave, he offers a brief,
lucid introduction to the prehistory of Oregon Indians. Cressman describes their
diverse cultures, highlighting similarities and differences between the peoples
of various regions: the Oregon Coast, the Klamath Highland, the Northern Great
Basin, and the Columbia Plateau.
In a new introduction to Cressman's classic work, Dennis Jenkins provides a short
biographical profile of the "father of Oregon archaeology" and discusses the importance
of Cressman's excavation results and interpretations. Jenkins also offers a concise
summary of recent archaeological research in the Northern Great Basin, bringing readers
the most up-to-date information about the oldest known sites in Oregon.
About the Author
Luther S. Cressman (1897-1994) joined the University of Oregon faculty in 1929 and,
in addition to his pioneering work as a field archaeologist, was instrumental in
establishing the Department of Anthropology and the UO Museum of Natural History.
His other books are
Prehistory of the Far West: Homes of Vanished Peoples and
A Golden Journey: Memoirs of an Archaeologist.
Dennis L. Jenkins is the director of the Northern Great Basin Prehistory Project
at the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
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