Archaeological Narratives of the North American Great Plains, by Sarah Trabert and Kacy Hollenback, dives into recent and established research on the archaeology from Canada to Texas. Written in an accessible tone, the book presents a thorough understanding of the Indigenous history of the region, from first settlement of the continent to the establishment of the reservation system that shapes cultural resource management today. The authors take an explicitly Indigenous-focused approach in the volume, with special attention paid to emphasize the diversity of Plains peoples and lifeways. The book meets the stated goal of providing up-to-date perspectives on some common debates and interpretations of Plains archaeology while acknowledging Indigenous knowledges. Scholars looking to expand their understanding of the region will appreciate this book, in particular for its accessible prose, its consideration of Indigenous perspectives on archaeology and the past, and its extensive bibliography.

The first chapter provides a background in the history of archaeology in the Plains, which is especially useful in regard to the theoretical shifts in archaeological interpretation. This chapter would be very valuable for graduate students looking for an in-depth perspective on why the processual/postprocessual debate and divide was not as intense in Plains archaeology as it was in other world areas, although reference to that debate is probably outside the scope of what would be necessary for undergraduates. Chapters 2–4 follow a basic culture history of the Plains from the Paleoindian to the Plains Villager periods, with section headers dividing up the geography into familiar subregions, such as the Northern, Central, and Southern Plains. The Central and Southern Plains get slightly more attention than the far Northern Plains. Each chapter also highlights one or two common debates about each respective period, such as the proposed mobility strategies of Clovis peoples. The fifth chapter is devoted solely to debates surrounding the impact and implications of the Plains Villager tradition, from AD 1300 to approximately 1600. This is a very juicy chapter, but the complexity of the descriptions of all of the variations and changes that occurred in this short period of time is daunting for readers. A whole book could be devoted to what Trabert and Hollenback impressively squeeze into one chapter (Douglas Bamforth covers this period in three chapters in The Archaeology of the North American Great Plains, published by Cambridge University Press in 2021, nearly half of his manuscript on the region!). The last three chapters by Trabert and Hollenback focus on the colonial and modern experiences of Indigenous peoples of the Plains. The authors insightfully emphasize the concept of pericolonialism to characterize developments during the early contact period, although this term is not widely applied in Plains archaeology at present. The term “protohistoric” may be more familiar to Plains archaeologists, but the term “pericolonialism” highlights the long-term exchanges and reciprocal effects for both Indigenous and Euro-American experiences throughout the period. Archaeologists may find this term and concept useful, considering the dramatic cultural and demographic revolutions that occur even before direct contact between Indigenous and foreign peoples on the Plains, especially as relationships between various Indigenous groups fundamentally changed from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. These chapters are the strongest in the book in showcasing current perspectives, with a majority of the citations within the current millennium and a particular emphasis on highlighting Indigenous and collaborative research. With the Plains as the current home to many displaced tribal groups, these last chapters are crucial in understanding how the current cultural geography and legal statutes related to archaeology of the Plains came to be.

The only small concerns to note with the volume pertain to formatting. I wish that the chapters had their respective bibliographies separated so that it would be easier to extract individual chapters for use in the classroom. In the print version, several of the chapters (but not all) include a “box” similar to a focus piece seen in textbooks. These boxes—which include interesting considerations about selected aspects of Indigenous culture as related to archaeology, such as medicine bundles or eagle feathers—are certainly engaging but seem disconnected to the main text, and their placement at the end of chapters seem like a weak attempt to make the work more similar to an entry-level undergraduate textbook. The volume would serve well as a primary text for an upper-level undergraduate course on the region.

This volume provides an excellent complement to other regional syntheses. Over 20 years have passed since Archaeology on the Great Plains (edited by W. Raymond Wood, 1998) was published, and the organization of that volume is regionally focused within the Plains, in contrast to Trabert and Hollenback's chronological organization and more recent focus. Bamforth's The Archaeology of the North American Great Plains will certainly earn a place on most Plains archaeologists’ bookshelf, and the depth of his arguments and data will contrast well with the breadth provided by Trabert and Hollenback. Archaeological Narratives of the North American Great Plains: From Ancient Pasts to Historic Resettlement would be a superb resource for professional archaeologists, graduate students, or anyone wishing to expand their regional knowledge. The bibliography alone is a vital research tool. At its relatively low price, I recommend the volume as an addition to any Plains archaeology library and as a primary text within courses focused on Plains archaeology.