Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W Michael Gear, Author Blog

DNA Search for First Americans…

Jul 21, 2015 8:43 pm

More evidence that contradicts the theory that prehistoric native peoples came to the Americas in a single wave. This new DNA study of Amazonian peoples indicates they are related to Australian aboriginal peoples and New Guineans, and while the DNA evidence is new, this is not a new hypothesis. Archaeologists studying the remains of Luzia and her people in Brazil (which dates to over 12,000 B.P.) have long said that the physical characteristics of Luzia most closely match those of Australoids or Africans. The new study suggests there were at least two very early migrations into the Americas, but hang onto your hats, folks. We suspect when the dust finally settles, the genetics will suggest many more migrations.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dna-search-first-americans-links-amazon-indigenous-australians-180955976/?no-ist

Tor Books blog post on the 25 year anniversary of PEOPLE OF THE WOLF!

Jul 20, 2015 11:46 am

Hi Everyone,

We did a special blog post for our publisher on the history of PEOPLE OF THE WOLF. It was great fun to write down our memories. Hope you enjoy it! http://torforgeblog.com/2015/07/20/25-years-of-people-books/

Sunday Creamy Bison Au Grain Potatoes…

Jul 19, 2015 9:18 am

One of our favorite weekend dishes! We serve with a tomato and cucumber salad.

CREAMY BISON AU GRATIN POTATOES ALA GEAR

1 LB BISON BURGER, browned in olive oil with 2 cloves of diced garlic

2 RUSSET POTATOES, sliced thinly

1/2 onion, cut into rings

1 TBL butter

2 TBL flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese (optional)

Cook the bison burger and set aside. Grease a casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of potato slices in bottom of dish, top with onion slices, 1/2 browned bison burger, salt and pepper to taste. Repeat.

In saucepan, melt butter, add flour, stir unti blended, add milk and cook until thick and bubbly. If you like cheese, a great addition is 1/2 cup of grated pepper jack. Pour over potatoes in dish, cook at 325 for 30-40 minutes, until bubbly. Eat!

At least 3,201 indigenous children died in Canada’s “boarding schools.”

Jul 19, 2015 7:21 am

Bringing the past into the present where we can all take a good hard look at it is the greatest hope of humanity. “This is a moment to reflect upon our history, our relationships and our responsibilities towards each other.”

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2015/0607/Canada-s-moment-to-right-past-wrongs

Vikings and magical swords…

Jul 18, 2015 4:10 pm

The literary motif of Vikings and magical swords goes back over one thousand years, but it was J.R.R. Tolkien who made it part of the identity of modern peoples. This is a great article…

http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-last-viking-and-his-magical-sword.html#.VaqHXPmMQU4.twitter

A macaw skull tells us a lot about early trade in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.

Jul 17, 2015 10:43 am

For those of you who would like to see an Anasazi scarlet macaw cloak, we recommend the Edge of the Cedars museum in Blanding, Utah. Even after centuries, the colors are still stunning. Scarlet macaw feathers unquestionably had a religious significance. That’s what makes this latest study so fascinating.

http://westerndigs.org/exotic-macaws-found-at-chaco-canyon-reveal-trade-hierarchy-ancestral-pueblo/

Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico…

Jul 16, 2015 12:47 pm

Pueblo Bonito as it appeared in 1930 (left) and in 1970 (right). In our opinions, this is one of the grand moments in Native American prehistory. The Ancestral Puebloans, better known as the Anasazi, were master astronomers, architects, engineers and artists. Chaco is one of our favorite places in North America.