Book Reviews Perceptions Magazine, November 2024
Native American Mound & Earthwork Field Journal #1
by Gregory L. Little
Archetype Books
Memphis, Tennessee
2024, 108 pages, hardcover, U.S. $19.95
ISBN: 978-1-7331459-6-1
Reviewed by Brent Raynes
This book's author, Dr. Gregory Little, has previously written quite a number of other unique, informative, and insightful books on Native American mounds and spirituality including The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Native American Indian Mounds & Earthworks (2009; 2016), Path of Souls (2014), Native American Mounds in Alabama (2017), Forgotten History: 5-Day Mound Tour (2023), People of the Web (1990; 2022), and Mound Builders (2001). He has also co-authored Denisovan Origins (2019) and Origins of the Gods (2022), with British author Andrew Collins. In addition, Greg has a B.A. and M.S. in psychology and an Ed.D. in counseling and educational psychology from Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis.
As a longtime friend and colleague of Greg's going back to 1985, I can assure everyone reading this review that he is one of the most dedicated and knowledgeable authors on Native American mounds, earthworks, and spirituality out there. The reader is in very capable hands when relying on and processing his informative books, articles, podcast interviews, and being a part of their Indian Mound tours sponsored by the Association for Research and Enlightenment. My wife Joan and I have participated in all of their mound tours in states like Ohio, West Virginia, and Georgia, learning so much ourselves, and we've been honored to have been asked to facilitate meditational events at a number of major sites along the way. Going back to 1983, Greg and his wife Lora have crisscrossed America nonstop visiting more ancient Native sites than quite possibly any archeologist out there, amassing a huge collection of photographs and relevant archeological data, visiting many museums and libraries along the way. In addition, they've also visited ancient sites in Central America, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Egypt.
Their extensive travels and research tell you much about the seriousness and determination behind their over four decades journey into what Greg calls "forgotten history," which as usual he does an exemplary, extraordinary job of detailing for his readers. Knowing so much history front and back, Greg can give you the latest findings and background information on the ancient mound builders, who they were, the different kinds of mounds and earthworks that were built, the different types of mound cultures that existed, estimates on how many Natives flourished here in the past, and much more.
This book also has professional illustrations and photographs of various sites, photos of pottery, and a list of a number of major sites and museums readers might like to visit. And on that note, it also provides pages of blank field journal entries for the interested reader to begin his or her very own journey to such historic sites and museums. Greg even provides an actual sample page illustrating one of his own field notes from a site visit. He also suggests things that one might consider including in their journal entries.
Then there is a section entitled "How To mentally Connect." Greg recommends when visiting one of these ancient sacred sites that you should do so respectfully and "honor the site" with good intentions and consider leaving a small offering of tobacco which is a common Native practice. He also suggests relaxing, closing your eyes, taking a few deep breaths, connecting with your natural surroundings, with Nature. Lots of great suggestions here, but I won't go any further. After all, I'm simply the book reviewer.
