"Denver: An Archaeological History is an account of the prehistory and history of the area as it is revealed in the archaeological record. The authors set the scene with a detailed description of the natural environment, outlining the changes that have taken place in geological features, climate, and plant and animal life over the last five hundred thousand years. Summaries of the area's major prehistoric sites, as well as what archaeologists have learned about the lives of Denver's early inhabitants, also provide essential background material for this journey through the region's past. Nelson's synthesis of interpretations of data from archaeological sites and documentary evidence brings the region to life, including Denver's prehistory, Coronado's expedition in 1540, the discovery of gold in the region in the 1850s, and up to the present."--BOOK JACKET.