The twelve essays in this book examine the pre- and post-Columbian Americas, pitting Columbus the icon against Columbus the symbol of new world genocide and environmental destruction.  These themes include: Pre-Columbian population densities, environmental impact, and the myth of the Indian as ecologist; The labour intensity and technological sophistication of pre-Columbian agriculture in many areas; The human implications and landscape impact of catastrophic indigenous depopulation; The process of Spanish settlement and landscape transformation; and the different perceptions, cartographies, and geographies of the explorers, the indigenous peoples, and European scholars.  Illustrated with location maps, photographs of ancient indigenous sites and illustrations of historic manuscripts.  Paperback.  227 pages.  Good clean condition.  Cat No 4455