Book Description

Sasquatch, Bigfoot, Yeti, and other manlike creatures have been reported in many cultures throughout history, and around the world. But is there conclusive proof of their physical reality, or is all such evidence a hoax? Are eyewitness sightings believable, or is man's perception of the world around him in doubt? Why are manlike monsters a persistent part of myth and legend? Now, for the first time, international experts attempt to answer these questions by inquiring into the Bigfoot phenomenon. "Bigfoot on Trial" explores arguments about the nature of Bigfoot's existence, as well as the psychological and mythological influences that affect our perceptions of manlike "monsters." This inquiry draws together the opinions of experts from fields as diverse as anthropology, engineering, psychotherapy, ethnology, ecology, and sociology, and looks at our European and Native American "Wild Man" traditions as expressed in myth and art, contemporary reports, and linguistic and physical evidence. In its quest for truth, this fascinating book attempts to reconcile the conflicting, sometimes acrimonious views of experts in the field. Marjorie M. Halpin, Professor of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, is Curator of Ethnology at the B.C. Museum of Anthropology Michael M. Ames, Professor of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, is Director of the B.C. Museum of Anthropology.