Recent archaeological research on California includes a greater diversity of models and approaches to the regions past, as older literature on the subject struggles to stay relevant. This comprehensive volume offers an in-depth look at the most recent theoretical and empirical developments in the field including key controversies relevant to the Golden State: coastal colonization, impacts of comets and drought cycles, systems of power, Polynesian contacts, and the role of indigenous peoples in the research process, among others. With a specific emphasis on those aspects of Californias past that resonate with the states modern cultural identity, the editors and contributorsall leading figures in California archaeologyseek a new understanding of the myth and mystique of the Golden State.
