As a youngster in the 50's and 60's, Ron Bogg grew up in an area rich in archaeological resources. His home town, Jefferson City, Missouri, sat on a south bluff, close to several important rivers and creeks which emptied into the Missouri River. He walked a few blocks from his home and found three-to-five-thousand-year-old tools in a cow pasture overlooking a creek bottom. While still a child, he developed a desire to learn more about the people who created the artifacts he found.

His quest for understanding brought him to his first meeting of the Central States Archaeological...

The lavishly illustrated Cat Serpents: Underwater Spirits in Mississippian Pottery is a fascinating look at the unique combinations of animal, bird, reptilian, and human characteristics created 1500 years ago by mound building people living in the Mississippi River Valley of Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas. Hundreds of full color photographs illustrate the varied forms and are accompanied by detailed descriptions. Thoughtful articles interpreting the mythology and traditions of the Dhegihan people of the Mississippian Culture bring a new understanding to the symbolism of...