Book REVIEWS 267

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those interested in the history of anthropological theory in the
USA, there are Cushing’s cultural evolutionary inferences and
his comparative approach to the artifacts excavated. But the
most important contribution of these publications is Cushing’s
superb descriptions of sites, burials, and artifacts -- his excite-
ment is palpable when he describes the excavations.

These publications open up avenues for further investigations
into the Pre-Columbian period, as well as for studies of the
physical environment of Florida when the west coast was
mainly unsettled, and of the intellectual trajectory of the
excavators who started the archaeological study of southwestern
Florida. The editors practically solicit exploration of the
cryptic messages in Cushing’s journals: they provide back-
ground on late 19" century cryptic messages and organized
Cushing’s handwritten messages in Appendix B to aid the
researcher. Across the volumes, there are opportunities to
engage in investigations on Cushing, the complexities of the
culture history phrase of archaeology, and on landscape
changes across the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Does Cushing speak to the archaeology of the region today?
Cushing was an ethnographer as well as archaeologist. He
sought grand theories on human cultural evolution and linkages
among regions (specifically, a theory to connect Florida, the
Mississippian Delta, and Yucatan). The ethnographically
informed archaeological framework foreshadowed the four field
approach in Anthropology, which is being specialized today
into separate spheres. Cushing’s writings illustrate the potential
of combining keen observational skills with concerns for
contemporary peoples and their customs, cross-cultural
comparisons, explicit theorizing, and the archaeological record.
The results, except for the Victorian cultural evolutionary
theories, stand up well to the past century. The volumes allow
the reader to make their own evaluation by reading these
interesting manuscripts.

Readers interested in the exploration of Florida, the adven-
tures and contributions ofa significant anthropological thinker,
and the insights into the changes in the Gulf Coast cultural
landscape will find the volumes to be engaging and enjoyable.
The volumes belong in the libraries of colleges, universities,
and archaeological research centers around the state. The index
should have been more extensive and the critiques of Cushing’s
contributions could have received broader consideration. But
these are minor critiques compared to the contribution of
making these primary documents available to scholars and the
public. Kolianos and Weisman have uncovered and explained
key artifacts for an ancestor of Florida archaeologists, one
whose research and experiences are relevant for contemporary
anthropologists.