Author and Museum Chief Archaeologist Bruce Bourque Appears for Talk and Book Signing at October 20 Event

The Swordfish Hunters: The History and Ecology of an Ancient American Sea People, a new book by Maine State Museum Chief Archaeologist Bruce Bourque, will be spotlighted in a book launch and signing at the museum in Augusta on Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Bourque will present a talk at 11:00 a.m.; the book signing will follow from noon to 1:00 p.m. Copies of The Swordfish Hunters will be available for purchase at the Maine State Museum Store. Museum admission is free of charge all day.

Published by Bunker Hill Publishing, The Swordfish Hunters explores the story of the Red Paint People and the archaeologists who have tried to understand them over the past century. “I have been intrigued by the Red Paint People and their unusual culture throughout my career,” explains Bourque. “They lived by the sea and hunted swordfish. They buried their dead in large, orderly cemeteries that included graves filled with a brilliant red powder, known as ocher, along with stone tools and bone ornaments of exquisite beauty and craftsmanship. After about 500 years, these people mysteriously vanished.”

“Interwoven with the story of the Red Paint People is one of scientific growth and evolution,” continues Bourque. “Archaeologists have adopted new research models in collaboration with a broad range of natural sciences to flesh out the story of a remarkable prehistoric culture, centered exclusively in Maine.”

“Bruce Bourque’s The Swordfish Hun