For the last 500 years, since Columbus "discovered" the New World, controversy has raged. Was he the first? Was there sustained travel and trade between Europe and North America, back at the dawn of America's history, 4500 years ago? How did the peopling of the Americas really happen? In this controversy, the ancient copper mines of Lake Superior (Kitchi-Gummi) have become an undeniable piece of hard evidence. There have been several books written about the tremendous amounts of pure copper that was set free by the glaciers in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Isle Royal. There is undeniable proof of the mining and gathering of that copper in the distant past. Some researchers have flatly stated that whatever the amount mined, some of it had to have gone elsewhere. There simply seems to be no end (destination) of a copper trade on this continent. Many of you, local history buffs, students of ancient American history, anthropology, archaeology, and Native American studies, may have never heard of the ancient copper mines on Lake Superior. But for those who do know of them, the question was always there. Who dug approximately 5,000 copper mines 4500 years ago on Lake Superior's Isle Royale and adjoining areas? Why did they do it, and where is the copper now? How could 20 to 50 million pounds of copper be removed from this area in such a fashion, that it literally seems to have vanished. Who did the work and where did the copper go? It is significant that in the solving of this ancient puzzle, if Mediterranean area traders were involved, the accepted paradigm of the peopling of America must be changed. This book weighs in on this controversy. It does this in a straight-forward fashion. A simple case study of how these ancient mines came into existence, and the repercussions of the answer. The question of Diffusionism or Parallel Invention must at last be dealt with. This book, is part of your Ancient North American History, a subject that is as yet, in my opinion, not being taught.
About the Author: Roger Jewell was born and raised in Minnesota. He graduated from the University of Minnesota, College of Natural Resources in 1962 with a BS degree in Forestry Management. He completed a 32 years career as a professional forester with the US Forest Service, most of which was in the area of Lake Superior. He was exposed to the legends and stories of the Lake Superior throughout his career. During the last twelve years, before his retirement in 1994, he was the District Ranger at the Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District of the Hiawatha National Forest. From 1994 to 2000 he was collecting information, photographing and writing about this subject. Since the first edition of this book was published he has been looking at the broader context of the Minoan Traders, especially in the New England area. During the summer of 2003 he and his wife Mary traveled to the Greek Islands of Crete and Santorini, where he examined and photographed many actual Minoan artifacts shown in this book. Mr. Jewell moved to the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania area. In 2001 Jewell produced a second book called, Riding The Wild Orb. It is about the subject of long term weather extremes on the Planet. In it he calls on his US Forest Service fire fighting experience and intuition he learned over many years in the forest to develop theories as to what causes the long term drought cycles he had observed. In 2009 Jewell published his third book, "The Sawmill River Valley War". It's a Historical Novel about The Westchester Co. Militia during the Revolutionary War. It documents the struggle of the families caught in between the British in New York City and Washington's men in the highlands. The Jewells currently live in the Historic Town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. All three of Jewell's Books, can be purchased his web site, (jewellhistories.com).