NADAILLAC (Jean-François-Albert du Pouget, marquis de). Prehistoric America. Paris: G. Masson, 1883. - Large in-8, green half parchment à la Bradel, smooth spine, untrimmed, cover preserved (Lemardeley). First edition illustrated with over 200 figures in the text. In this work, prehistorian Jean-François-Albert du Pouget, Marquis de Nadaillac, explores the earliest traces of mankind on the American continent, revealed by the archaeological discoveries of his time. He describes a pre-Columbian civilization as complex as it is little-known: from nomadic hunter-gatherers to builders of pyramids and mounds, perched villages and enigmatic temples. Drawing on the most recent American research, he shows how these societies, starting from a common Asian trunk, developed techniques, art and social organization comparable to those of prehistoric Europe, despite their isolation. The book traces this evolution over millennia, from the first stone tools to the monumental achievements that testify to an astonishing architectural mastery. Nadaillac underlines the universality of the stages of human development, but insists on the gaps in our knowledge: who were these peoples? When did they live? The remains - tumuli, cliff-houses, shell mounds - provide clues to their customs and beliefs, but leave many questions unanswered. ONE OF 12 EXEMPLIES ON JAPANESE PAPER, not commercially available. This one, number 7, is enriched with a signed autograph letter from the author: "Hommage de la plus // sincère admiration et du // plus respectueux attachement // Nadaillac." Spine slightly faded. Some spotting and soiling to cover. Printing error on page 50.