Sins of the Shovel: Looting, Murder, and the Evolution of American Archaeology

by Rachel Morgan

An incisive history of early American archaeology—from reckless looting to professional science—and the field’s unfinished efforts to make amends today.

American archaeology was forever scarred by an 1893 business proposition between cowboy-turned-excavator Richard Wetherill and socialites-turned-antiquarians Fred and Talbot Hyde. Wetherill had stumbled upon Mesa Verde’s spectacular cliff dwellings and started selling artifacts, but with the Hydes’ money behind him, well—there’s no telling what they might discover. Thus begins the Hyde Exploring Expedition, a nine-year venture into Utah’s Grand Gulch and New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon that—coupled with other less-restrained looters—so devastates Indigenous cultural sites across the American Southwest that Congress passes first-of-their-kind regulations to stop the carnage. As the money dries up, tensions rise, and a once-profitable enterprise disintegrates, setting the stage for a tragic murder.

Sins of the Shovel is a story of adventure and business gone wrong and how archaeologists today grapple with this complex heritage. Through the story of the Hyde Exploring Expedition, practicing archaeologist Rachel Morgan uncovers the uncomfortable links between commodity culture, contemporary ethics, and the broader political forces that perpetuate destructive behavior today. The result is an unsparing and even-handed assessment of American archaeology’s sins, past and present, and how the field is working toward atonement.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Archaeology, Science, Anthropology, American History, True Crime

328 pages, Hardcover

Published November 6, 2023

About the author

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Reviews

[Paleoanthro · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and informative look at the beginnings of American Archaeology with a focus on the American Southwest. We meet interesting characters, whose looting began the beginnings of the study of archaeology and we follow those characters, and are introduced to new ones, as archaeology moves to a more scientific discipline. While not an overarching look at American Archaeology, it is an adventure in how American Archaeology has to grapple with it's heritage.

[Peyton Deal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more because the topics covered are very important. A basic intro into archaeology in (most notably) the Southwest and the lasting impacts of it. Unfortunately, this book was difficult to get through - I found the way the information was presented to be very dense and difficult to follow.

[LAB · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rachel Morgan's book reveals the seamy side of American archaeology and archaeologists. Most of the incidents were known to me but her rendering of them left me wanting. Wanting not the completion of the tales, but wishing for smooth segues and cogent narratives. Nonetheless, the book does help the reader understand where much of today's anti-archaeology stance originated and the role both religion and race played in setting the stage for science to disrespect the past.

[Todd Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book on the history of modern archaeology, centered on the American Southwest. Rachel Morgan did an amazing amount of research for this, and she shows us the receipts; the last third of the book is all bibliography and footnotes.

I knew some of the names of people involved in the early Four Corners expeditions, but this book brings them to life. For example, I've been to Richard Wetherill's gravesite in Chaco Canyon, but had no idea he remodeled the ruins of Pueblo Bonita into a personal home, and burned some of the thousand-year-old beams for firewood.

Wow, how times have changed. And this book tracks that meandering line from the early pot hunter archaeologists to modern scientists and protective legislation.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting account of early “archaeology” and what it has become - basically from looting to a bureaucratic nightmare. It raises interesting thoughts about balancing the interests of Indigenous cultures and science and who should do the balancing. I think it underrepresents the potential role of states and well-intended private organizations and leans too much toward the idea that there’s a federal answer to everything, provided directives are in the hands of the right people.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

About 2/3 of the book presents the early White explorations of Chaco Canyon, told with an arch "oh those stupid people" tone. I suppose it's not a suprise considering the title. There is then a leap to 1970's and then 2020's general political responses to the interaction between archaeology, development, and indigenous interests.

[Charles Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting subject, but a poorly written and edited book.. Too many disjointed, underdeveloped ideas, and too much unexplained terminology. It feels like two books - the first a history of early exploration and looting in one remote corner of the USA, the second a tour d'horizon of national movements towards legislative protection for American heritage.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

The one good thing about this book is that it directs people to look to the various indigenous tribe to have them express their particular desires regarding remains. Most of the rest is bad for blowing the horn of "science" regarding archeology and looking to the federal government for leadership.

[Carla Lo Coco · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had some interesting history, especially if you’ve been to any of the parts of the Southwest where the detailed plunder took place, but I really expected a broader review of the “sins of the shovel” rather than such a deep dive of one or two families in Chaco Canyon, etc. I expected to be more outraged but it was all pretty well-tread information. More like 2.5 stars.

[Daniel Farabaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good examination of early American archeology in the southwest. The author does a very good job of showing how the prevailing racial ideas diminished the Native Americans role in the their own ancestors' excavations. The author relates this well to the modern day issues of the display of Native remains.

[Caroline Knowlton · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think i’d give this 3.5 stars - interesting and informative, but the writing style made it a bit difficult to really get into at times. and i had mixed feelings about the narrative style used at the beginnings of some chapters (which i assume was an interpretation of first hand accounts of the events discussed).

[Gordon Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the history of archaeology in the US - highlights many issues with respect to indigenous cultures, looting, lack of regulation, and the loss of antiquities abroad and to the very rich. Focuses primarily on Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.

[John Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-1/2 ⭐️! History of the development of the science of Archeology from looting of sites to the careful and documented excavation of archeological sites. Sites like Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon are featured as part of historical story!

[SueSue · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a biography of a single family and their collecting practices at historic sites in Colorado.
Some mention toward the end on how this affected today's regulations and views of collecting. I could've done with a bit more of that present-day info.

[meep · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like it more but it was just really hard to get through at times and very dense. I enjoyed learning more about the origins of archeology as a discipline & the events that led to this, but it just wasn’t as engaging as I hoped for.

[Lisa Stanovski · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the writing style in the first half, i wish the rest of the book had similar engaging language.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a lot of repentance/accountability for something with this title - chronological information, interesting but a little dry

[ReadingForFun · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dry, academic (not a knock) and uneven - suffering most from its marketing as exciting, narrative nonfiction.

[Ronald Mann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Depressing account of the reprehensible development of American archeology, focusing on the decades of desecration of the Anasazi cliff dwellings in western New Mexico.

[Jackson rabbit Warrener · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great title and interesting history of a diabolical southwestern Quaker family

[Georgia Schafer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of important info about the origins of archaeology in the US. Unfortunately this is just not very well written.