Colleen O'Connor Olson. 2004. 22 photos. 64 pp. pb. Four thousand years ago, long before modern people set foot in Kentucky, Native Americans ventured into Mammoth Cave's dark passages, lighting the way with reed torches. Who were these ancient people, and why did they risk their lives to enter such a foreboding place? Artifacts such as torch fragments, slippers, baskets, drawings, and even mummified remains of these brave explorers reveal some answers about the prehistoric people who were the ancient world’s greatest cavers. This book takes us into the lives of these ancient people who lived near Mammoth Cave and unravels some of the mysteries of their journeys through the dark passages of the world’s longest cave. Since 1993, Colleen O’Connor Olson has been an interpretive ranger at Mammoth Cave National Park. “A much-needed summary of pre-Columbian exploration in the world’s longest cave: written expressly for the general public . . .” —Patty Jo Watson, author of Archeology of the Mammoth Cave Area
 "Prehistoric Cavers of Mammoth Cave")
