Bears

“This engaging survey draws upon archaeological, ecological, ethnographic, ethnohistorical, and artistic materials to offer a regional perspective on bears in the Eastern Woodlands. The volume is a timely synthesis rich in details about the multiple roles of bears as pests, pets, food, commodities, venerated icons, and mythical figures.”—Elizabeth J. Reitz, coauthor of Charleston: An Archaeology of Life in a Coastal Community

“A critical work that explores the human-animal dynamic via the most iconic of other-than-human creatures, the bear. A must read for anyone interested in the Indigenous relationship with the natural world.”—Matthew Betts, author of Place-Making in the Pretty Harbour: The Archaeology of Port Joli, Nova Scotia

“Now, everything you wanted to know about bears, from archaeological and ethnohistorical perspectives in eastern North America and beyond, can be found in one exceptional, high-quality package.”—American Antiquity

“This volume is a welcome addition to any zooarchaeologist’s library but has much to offer beyond that. The focus may be on bears, but the research presented demonstrates the significant results that can be obtained through detailed study of archaeological resources that expand our understanding of human-animal interactions.”—Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology

“A compelling collection of essays and perspectives that shed light on what is a fascinating and underappreciated topic. . . . Well worth integrating into any research about humans, animals, foodways, and ecologies of eastern North America in the precontact and colonial periods.”—H-Net

“[Contains] a lot of information ranging from ethnohistorical accounts and ethnographic interviews to details on the archaeological contexts in which bears have been found regionally. . . . Anyone with an interest in bears will find much that is intriguing in this volume.”—Pennsylvania Archaeologist