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Who are the Native Americans? When and how did they colonize the New World? What proportion of the biological variation in contemporary Amerindian populations was 'made in America' and what was brought from Siberia? This book is a unique synthesis of the genetic, archaeological and demographic evidence concerning the native peoples of the Americas, using case studies from contemporary Amerindian and Siberian indigenous groups to unravel the mysteries. It culminates in an examination of the devastating collision between European and Native American cultures following contact, and the legacy of increased incidence of chronic diseases that still accompanies the acculturation of native peoples today. This compelling account will be required reading for all those interested in the anthropology of Native Americans, past, present and future.