A Time Before New Hampshire: The Story of a Land and Native Peoples
“A wonderful book that sensitively conveys the culture of the Abenaki and their ancestors. Our traditional senses of responsibility and respect have been well reflected in this volume.” — Charlie True, Tribal Council, Abenaki Nation of New Hampshire
by Michael J. Caduto, Illustrated by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol
University Press of New England/Brandeis University/University of Chicago Press, 2003.
288 pages, 6 x 9, over 100 photographs and illustrations.
Paperback
A Time Before New Hampshire begins with the formation of Earth 4.6 billion years ago and continues with the evolution of the natural environment up until the colonial period. Caduto takes the reader on a journey through the ancient worlds of New Hampshire’s past, including first-hand recreations of natural and human environments, journeys through historic landscapes and visits with families of the Alnôbak (Abenaki): New Hampshire’s indigenous peoples and their ancestors. Beautiful photographs and stunning illustrations depict past peoples and environments. Detailed maps show the historic trails and traditional ranges of indigenous cultures. Everything presented in the book is grounded in existing research, including geology, glaciology, botany, climatology, ecology, zoology and paleobotany, as well as cultural findings drawn from archaeology and anthropology, written and oral history and current practices among surviving Native peoples.
REVIEWS
• This is an excellent book, brilliantly written and masterfully organized so as to provide the grand context for our time and place. It offers an engaging, life-like and empathetic account of the ancient peoples of New Hampshire…There is something in it for all readers. —Gary W. Hume, former New Hampshire State Archeologist
• Caduto has completed a “mammoth” task with great success. He has provided a balanced mix of cosmology, ethnology, archeology and natural history to create these stories of New Hampshire’s past. —Victoria Bunker, Archeological Consultant and former editor for New Hampshire Archeologist.