Lakes, Lizards, Linton and Leverett: The Ohio Valley’s Antiquarians and What They Discovered

The Grave Creek Mound is a well known remnant of West Virginia' Native American prehistory. However, for most people interested in prehistory,they may not realize that fossil specimens from the Northern Panhandle and Upper Ohio River Valley laid the foundation for the study of America's Deep Antiquity. Many of the 19th Century scientists were employed by the emerging fossil fuel industries when they made their discoveries of the Permian animals and plants. While the Valley's geology kept the scientists returning, they made other discoveries related to the Ice Age. For example, they arrived at the conclusion that the Ohio River had been an evolving geographical feature. It was covered by an ocean, was a swamp, then a series of independent lakes, then a massive lake until a mysterious, catastrophic event caused a sudden drainage, which created the "unified" river we know today. As we move forward in time, we find that the Upper Ohio Valley has been forgotten about, mischaracterized, and we do not have a solid understanding of the Valley's Native inhabitants. Modern researchers write about what was found in each state bordering the Ohio River at the expense of a more holistic view of both shores of the river. Did the Ancients observe such a boundary? The second half of the book examines what we do not know about the Valley's prehistoric cultures and what we will try to answer over this series. Mr. Eddy includes many photographs of Permian and Pleistocene specimens, curated artifacts and panoramas of where the scientists developed their theories of the evolution of the Ohio Valley. Mark Eddy’s interweaving of anthropology and fluvial geomorphology provides a welcome break from typical Mesopotamian fare! - Ken Goudsward, author of the Atrahasis Epic: “Enuma ilu awilum”: the Time of Men “Long before the rise of cities and skyscrapers, ancient people in the Ohio River Valley were shaping the land with monumental earthworks that still command awe today. In Lakes, Lizards, Linton and Leverett, author Mark Eddy uncovers the untold story of West Virginia’s prehistoric past—where Adena burial mounds loom over forgotten ceremonial grounds, and ancient legacies linger in the soil. From the towering Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville to the quiet corners of the Upper Ohio River Valley, this book traces the footsteps of 19th-century antiquarians and the enigmatic clues they uncovered. But the mystery doesn’t end with the past—Eddy also explores the region’s strange present, from the legendary Mothman to unexplained phenomena that blur the line between history and the unknown. An archaeological deep-dive, Lakes, Lizards, Linton and Leverett is a journey through the myths, mounds, and mysteries that make Ohio River Valley one of America's most overlooked ancient frontiers.” - Tyrone Ellington, author of Journey Through the Origins of History: Exploring the Mysteries of Humanity's Earliest Civilizations “Mark Eddy is one of those rare combinations of individuals—a passionate and professional researcher, a tireless podcast host and networker, a top-notch writer, and, above all, one of the kindest and funniest people you will ever meet. Whether it is Mothman or lakes, lizards, linton and leveret, Mark’s love of the Ohio Valley shines through in all of his work—most especially in this must-read book.” - Joey Madia, author of Every Day Is a Story All Its Own and Roommates from Beyond: How to Live in a Haunted Home, and host of Into the Outer Realms
ASIN: 1998395170
VSKU: BVV.1998395170.A
Condition: Acceptable
Author/Artist:Eddy, Mark|Wagner Jr., W. Wallace
Binding: Paperback