Long a refuge for bootleggers and hobos, Tecolote Canyon was engulfed by an industrialized oil boom for twenty years beginning in the 1930s, and endured the only Japanese attack on the contiguous U.S. during World War II. In the postindustrial era, the lower canyon was a haven for surfers, nudists, and gravediggers before being transformed into a five-star resort in the 1990s. But this beautiful area of California’s Santa Barbara coast has been occupied by humans for at least 9000 years.
Known by the Chumash Indians as Hel’apunitse (guitar fish), the canyon was a major nexus of Chumash village life from about 2000 to 500 years ago. After the arrival of Europeans, the canyon passed from Chumash hands through successive Spanish, Mexican, and American administrations.
In A Canyon through Time, the authors summarize the deep history of this beautiful canyon, which serves as a fascinating history in microcosm of the California coastal region. Using data from archaeology, ecology, geology, geography, and history, they weave an interdisciplinary tale of the natural and human prehistory and history of the Tecolote Canyon area.
Jon M. Erlandson is professor of anthropology and director of the Museum of Natural and Cultural History and the Oregon State Museum of Anthropology at the University of Oregon.
Torben C. Rick is assistant professor of anthropology at Southern Methodist University.
RenÉ L. Vellanoweth is associate professor of anthropology at Humboldt State University.
"I can’t think of any books that have attempted to synthesize at
this level of detail the entire human prehistory and history of a
particular canyon! It represents a unique and inspiring model of
cooperation between archaeologists, native peoples, and
developers."—Jack Broughton, University of Utah "The elegance of
this book is in the logic and clarity of its organization,
language, and objectives. Not only does this book emphasize the
relevance of the archaeological record of the Santa Barbara Channel
with respect to understanding complex hunter-gatherer societies,
but, just as important, its authors convey some of the reasons why
people love this dynamic landscape and what it has meant to them
through time."—Journal of Anthropological Research
"The authors beautifully convey the vitality of one special
place, Tecote Canyon, which provides the reader with a long-term
approach to understanding the connection between a place and its
people."—California Archaeology
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