In Search of the Old Ones

by David Roberts

Roberts describes the culture of the Anasazi--the name means "enemy ancestors" in Navajo--who once inhabited the Colorado Plateau and whose modern descendants are the Hopi Indians of Arizona. Archaeologists, Roberts writes, have been puzzling over the Anasazi for more than a century, trying to determine the environmental and cultural stresses that caused their society to collapse 700 years ago. He guides us through controversies in the historical record, among them the haunting question of whether the Anasazi committed acts of cannibalism. Roberts's book is full of up-to-date thinking on the culture of the ancient people who lived in the harsh desert country of the Southwest.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Travel, Native American, Anthropology, Archaeology, Historical

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
See this thread for more information.

David Roberts is the award-winning author of twenty-nine books about mountaineering, exploration, and anthropology. His most recent publication, Alone on the Wall, was written with world-class rock climber Alex Honnold, whose historic feats were featured in the film Free Solo.

Reviews

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you get the book you want. Sometimes you get the book you need. That was definitely the case here.

Before my review: a confession. There are parts of me that are the worst kind of poetry loving, new-agey idiot. Examples: At times I wear an amethyst around my neck for "inspiration". I recently started eating kale for breakfast. And one of my dreams is to go on a yoga retreat in the desert. So when I saw this book in the library it shouldn't be surprising that my first thought was, "Ooooh Anasazi. They might have been taken by aliens." I was very excited.

But a hippy-dippy treatise on the Ancients this is not. Oh no. First of all, David Roberts is an amateur archaeologist and I bet he'd rather be caught dead than mention aliens. Secondly, he's oddly obsessed with the history of Southwestern archaeology, which at times is kind of dull. The first fifty pages were a definite let down.

I decided to press on however, because the subject matter was still interesting, and pretty soon something began to happen. The book stopped being about white men walking through the desert and became a story about a kind of extreme journeying and those who are driven to undertake it. Whether it be the Anasazi themselves who constructed these impossible cliff and canyon dwellings, or the first men who sought out their relics in uninhabited places, or even the author and the people he encounters still looking for them now. They're all searching for a kind of transcendent experience, and amazingly enough, they find it.

This is exactly what I'd gone to the library looking for: mythic beauty and transcendent poetic experience. I needed something to lift me out of a year long reading rut of mediocre novels that were perfectly well-written but utterly passionless. I wanted a book that would make me look at my own life, and the daily grind with a toddler and my work and trips to the grocery store, and remember that transcendent experience is still possible.

And it is, you know. Right now, for example, just a thousand miles from my Los Angeles home, is an Anasazi jar. It sits at the unreachable edge of an unreachable canyon, untouched for a millennium. Imagine standing in front of that jar without another soul in sight. Nothing but you, the hot sun, and that jar. Doesn't get more transcendent than that.

I don't know exactly what David Roberts thinks this book is about (honestly, it wants to be a lot of things), but ultimately that's what it was about for me: people searching for something bigger than they are. And if the new-agey, amethyst wearing part of myself needs to, she can even go one step farther and say that it's really a reminder to look around the corners of our own life for those unexpected mythic experiences. They're out there if we're brave enough (and perhaps, curious enough) to look for them.

So thank you, David Roberts, I'm inspired once more to seek out my own Anasazi pot. And thanks for reminding me that there's a strange mystery to life, even without the aliens.

[Annie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ughhhh this was such a disappointment. Part of it might be my fault. I read the title, "In Search of the Old Ones," as meaning "this book is exploring what might have happened to the Ancestral Puebloans/Anasazi/Old Ones."

In reality, it's more like... "David Roberts's personal and somewhat entitled search for Anasazi ruins."

Oh sure, sure, there's some actual history and theorizing sprinkled in, and that was nice. But the bulk of this book is about Roberts's personal clambering around cliff dwelling ruins, and him feeling some super special connection with the Anasazi (because they... both like climbing?), whining about how opening cliff dwellings to the public is ruining their specialness for him, but also whining about how he isn't allowed to explore certain tribally-owned cliff dwellings-- that's not fair, he whines, because unlike the lowly public, HE knows how to behave in them.

Sorry, where's your PhD in archaeology from? Right, you climb mountains and shit. You are not special. Stay in your lane.

It's just so smug and hypocritical and dismissive (and there are definitely some 90s style dismissive racism). And it's way, way lighter on the actual history than I was expecting (though again, I really should have researched this before picking it up, this is not the sort of book I was looking for).

[Socraticgadfly · Rating 5 out of 5]

No, this isn't meant to be a scholarly overview of the latest in Anasazi archaeological analysis. Instead, it's meant to be what it is:

One man's love of hiking, the Desert Southwest, and its primeval inhabitants, told in a hiker's version of a travelogue.

And Roberts does it quite well. The style isn't just of an "outdoors magazine," but reflects Roberts' assignments for National Geographic, too. You can feel Roberts' adrenaline course as he discovers a new ruin-laden alcove, let alone stumbles upon a pot or basket not seen for hundreds of years.

As for people complaining they can't figure out where Roberts went, that's the point. To riff on what Euclid said to a Ptolemaic pharoah: "There is no royal road to Anasazi hiking."

Roberts, through his journalistic background, developed the right connections to get his intimate and detailed knowledge, and it didn't happen overnight.

You and I may never see many of these places, but that's not the point.

The point is that, if you followed Roberts, and Roberts' love for his subject you'll get off the paved road, or a few paved trails, yourself, and see what you can see beyond Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon. You can hit the BLM Utah website, surf around a bit, and find some relatively easy-to-reach sites that have no marked highway turnoffs.

==

June 16, 2025: The most recent re-read finds this book feeling a bit dated, though.

It's dated in that Christy Turner has been exposed as a hypocrite on his use, or misuse, of his "six factors" to determine cannibalism. Leigh Kuwanwisiwma, formerly known as Leigh Jenkins, was able to emerge from what appears to have been a former intimidation by Turner. (Sadly, he died earlier this year.) Even an anthropologist pro like Kurt Donguske originally felt. he had to fight Turner point by point. Personally, I think that ritual or metaphysical cannibalism, as opposed to subsistence cannibalism, has been extremely rare around most of the world for most of its history.

As for the roads at Chaco? There's new thought that maybe they're watercourses adapted into roads.

Both the cannibalism and the roads issue are discussed by me here.

Second, it's interesting that throughout his Southwestern interest of the last 25-30 years of his life, Chaco, and other non-cliff dwelling Anasazi sites, simply don't hold that much interest for him. Oh, he'll touch on Lekson and other big guns talking about the Chacoan Phenomenon, as in, did it have an "empire" or something, but actually looking at the ruins? Nope.

Roberts does note his interest in "the vertical," then claims all national parks and monuments protecting Anasazi sites other than Chaco are cliff dwellings. Interesting that he "overlooks" Aztec. And Hovenweep, which I didn't originally mention. Or Canyon of the Ancients, which may be "just" a BLM national monument, but is still a national monument. And, since all of these are near Mesa Verde, my best conclusion is that he was lying to the public; I don't know whether or not he was lying to himself And, though it's not dedicated to Puebloan ruins, there are plenty of them inside Petrified Forest National Park, all of them like Aztec and Chaco. And, though not Anasazi, the Hohokam and their descendants never dwelled in cliff sites. They did, like various phases of the Anasazi, leave both petroglyphs and pictographs. Nor did Roberts see any of that around Paquime in northern Mexico. (It should be noted that much of this criticism applies to his sequel volume in at least some degree as well.

Third, contra the claims of Roberts, and many of his professional mentors of 25 or more years ago in his salad days of wandering the Southwest, per "New Mexico and the Pimería Alta" (my review), there was actually a fair degree of inequality at the time of the Spanish entradas. (David Wengrows of the world should also take note.) Yes, the Spanish may have increased that to a degree, and the Americans certainly did, but it already existed, from our latest determinations.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

An in-depth look at the archaeological history of the so-called "Anasazi". Roberts is a climber and hiker, and much of the book involves his visits to ancient archaeological sites in Colorado, Utah and elsewhere. I read this some years ago, on the recommendation of a man whom we met on a visit to the Hopi nation in Arizona. I'm re-reading it now as we're going to visit several other ancient sites later this year.

Update: this was very helpful as we visited the Four Corners region and ancient pueblo sites and ruins.

[Lukasz Pruski · Rating 4 out of 5]

"With respect to the Anasazi, at least we have begun to know just how much we do not know."

I love the general area of Four Corners, where Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico meet. My wife and I have traveled extensively there and we know many of the locations appearing in David Roberts' In Search of the Old Ones (1996), a book about explorations of the "Anasazi World of the Southwest." In fact, in one passage the author mentions the Pecos Conference that took place in 1994 in the Mesa Verde campground and we might have been on that campground at that time. This very interesting work reflects the author's quest to learn about the history of the Anasazi and to understand the Old Ones' culture.

The book is inordinately thought-provoking and inspires reflections on diverse topics. Mr. Roberts (Dr. Roberts, to be precise, as he has a PhD in English) sheds light on the Basketmaker and Pueblo phases of Anasazi culture and we read fascinating descriptions of various archaeological digs. To me perhaps the most surprising and unsettling aspect of the exploration of the Anasazis' past is its political dimension. The author feels obliged, already in the "Author's Note" that precedes the Prologue, to defend his use of the term 'Anasazi': he notes that there exists "a movement among younger archaelogists and some Pueblo people" to substitute the term 'Ancestral Puebloans' for 'Anasazi'. We learn more about this much later in the text: the Hopi - who are the descendants of the Anasazi - object to that name and prefer "Hisatsinom'. Even a sharper controversy concerns the archaeological traces of Anasazi cannibalism: many people, not only Native Americans, do not want to accept this as a proven fact. I find it sad that the identity politics and the so-called political correctness interfere with the research, which is the best tribute we can offer to the ancient ones.

Unsurprisingly, the author dedicates a lot of space to the main mystery of the Anasazis' history: why did they abandon the elaborate cliff dwellings and the territory they had occupied for so many centuries? Archaeologists even try to pinpoint the date of the final abandonment to the year 1296. Theories abound as to the causes of the event: researchers mention environmental crisis in the form of a very long period of extreme drought, warfare with unknown enemy (there is a long-standing archaeological controversy about the defensive versus non-defensive nature of the cliff dwellings), and - the most fascinating theory - the Kachina Phenomenon, a social and religious paradigm that in the present times is one of the cornerstones of social and religious life for many Puebloans:

"kachinas [...] are reincarnated ancestors who act as messengers between the people and their gods."

Many, many other fascinating topics are touched. For instance, Dr. Roberts ruminates on whether the Native American civilizations were Dionysian or rather Apollonian in nature. He writes about figuration vs. abstraction in the ancient Southwestern art, and claims that "virtually all Anasazi designs are abstract." Readers interested in linguistics will find a mention of glottochronology, a "promising science that tries to link language change with the migration, dispersion, and intermixing of peoples."

From the above it may seem that the book is a research monograph. It is not that by any means. On the contrary, one could even call it an adventure book as the author vividly describes his explorations of seemingly inaccessible canyons, rock walls - Dr. Roberts is an accomplished and rather famous mountaineer - and pourovers (waterfalls in a canyon streambed). It is precisely this pervasive "adventure component" - which will be a great attraction to many readers - that decreases my overall enthusiasm about this important book. I feel the book meanders a little and the author is, somewhat unsuccessfully, trying to combine two rather incompatible visions of his writing: adventure text versus a sociohistorical essay. Still, I highly recommend the book.

Three and three quarter stars.

[Kev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am amazed at David's extensive travels afoot the myriad ways of the Colorado Plateau. It will break your heart and fire your imagination what we have learned in the last 10-15 years about the mysterious vanished culture whose tantilizing remnants one must use guile & cretivity to unlock & appreciate.

Anyone who loves to hike & camp the great outdoors will love this one. Disturbing evidence of cannibalism due to tighening arid conditions & over population in an unforgiving environment give pause & deep reflection to our own times right now.

It's a good read.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there is information presented on the Anasazi [the ancient Native Americans] gleemed from other writings, this work comes across as a travelog of the author's exploration of Anasazi sites. It does give some information and conjecture about these ancient people whose culture disappeard from the American Southwest.

[J.D. Steens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good (dated?) overview of the Anasazi (1), a large grouping of Indians who are generally understood to have lived in the four corners area of the USA and who mysteriously left their cliff dwellings there in the 1300s, moving south, mainly along the Rio Grande.

The impressive cliff dwelling structures are located extensively throughout the four corners area. It’s hard not to wonder who these people were, and to speculate about the reasons for leaving. This is the focus of the book. Roberts covers the various theories as to why these Indians abandoned their cliff dwellings (e.g., raiding; environmental stresses - drought). In the end, the reader is left with the strong impression that we just don’t know.

Roberts discusses the idyllic picture of these people as portrayed by Ruth Benedict, who with other scholars viewed them “as peaceful Indians par excellence.” Roberts says this was not accurate, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that violence and cannibalism was a significant part of Anasazi culture. He also writes that before AD 900 “the Anasazi had always been a “fiercely individualistic and egalitarian people.” He makes a few references in this regard, but these seem to fall more into the realm of assertion based on scanty evidence - the lack of symbolic valuables in graves (which struck me as not all that abundant). This, in contrast, was not the case with Chaco Canyon where “several burials” teemed “with precious grave goods” that suggested “these dead might have been powerful rulers.” It could be, though, that some groups were egalitarian whereas others may not have been. The “non-violent” (Benedict) or the “egalitarian” (Roberts) characterizations adds a certain naturalism (humans are that way by nature) that does not account for variability in human nature and differences due to environmental-cultural influences. (2)

This raises a larger question about what Roberts puts forward. Is the term “Anasazi” too confining? Does it put all of these Indians under one umbrella grouping that might mask significant differences between them. Before their move south (“abandonment”), the main thing these Indians had in common were the cliff dwellings, but maybe the building of such was dictated by what was available in this environment (overhanging cliffs and an abundance of stones). For example, the Gila Cliff Dwelling was built and occupied by the Mogollon peoples; Walnut Canyon and Montezuma Castle were built and occupied by the Sinagua people (related to the Hohokam). And, after abandonment, Indian communities grew up in the pueblos to the south, and especially along the Rio Grande. But these various settlements are, according to Dozier (3), individualistic and independent from each other. They belong to four, quite unrelated, language groups, with the language in some neighboring pueblos being unintelligible to each other.

Roberts discusses the prominence of the Kachina phenomenon, a religious movement arising around the time of abandonment and continues in some forms today. Roberts notes that this phenomenon may have arisen in the south and “pulled” the Anasazis from their cliff dwellings and that this, rather than “push” factors (drought, raids) accounts for the movement away from the four corners. Since this religious movement centered on “intercessors” dealing with good fortune (kachinas “who negotiate with the gods to bring rain, good crops and health to the people”), a question might be whether this originated from a situation of environmental stress in the north and as a reaction to it. Also, given the size and reach of the Chaco Canyon complex, and the location roughly halfway between the Four Corners and Rio Grande pueblos, it seems to me that the mystery of abandonment and Chaco have to be connected in some central way.

Roberts writes well. But there’s also something of an “attitude” - about tourists and the non-initiated who also want to know more about these Indians and see their fascinating structures - in this book that was off-putting. Not much, but some.

(1) “At the dawn of serious study of the Cliff Dwellers - the term ‘Anasazi’ did not become current until 1936 - remarkably little was known of these ancients. No one could say whether their lost cities were five hundred or three thousand years old. A prevalent assumption held that they were the work of Aztecs from Mexico: whence such place names as Montezuma Creek, Utah; Cortez, Colorado; and Aztec, New Mexico.”

(2) Roberts argues that the complexity of the Chaco Canyon complex (extending extensively northward and southward) necessitated the breakdown of egalitarianism and the creation of a hierarchical society). This is a well-repeated argument about what happens universally (world-wide), in cultural evolution, but perhaps this is a too sweeping generalization to make, which doesn’t allow for cultural variability: some non-complex groupings may be hierarchical (e.g., paternalistic - dominating head “mans”) or some complex societies (e.g., the USA generally) may be relatively democratic.

(2) Edward P. Dozier, The Pueblo Indians of North America, 1970. Roberts does not cite Dozier.

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading this book because it was recommended by the tour company with whom I will be touring the US South West (in 2012).

The author does some description of the culture of the Anasazi who once inhabited the Four Corners area and whose modern descendants are the Hopi Indians of Arizona, but spends more time on the history and the different ways archaeologists of the ages have looked at the Anasazi civilizations, and the evolving thoughts on what caused the abandonment of their homes around 1300 AD. This is interesting, though what is perhaps surprising is how the many and varied explorers / archaeologists all seems to accuse each other of despoiling the sites.

He describes and tries to sympathize with the evolving preservation rules - which now include the paradox that sightseers are kept at a distance from the things they have come to see, in order to preserve those things.

But in the end the book is primarily about the author's own treks around the South West. So we get a lot of : "I was hiking through a canyon one day, and I saw ..." . While that may be a traditional travel book, it wasn't really what I was looking for; I wanted more of the history.

I was not sure about the tone of the book. One of the author's various fellow travellers describes him as a snob, and I think I agree with that. While understanding the need for preservation, he still wants to walk through and touch all the antiquities himself. He also seems not to have too much respect for the National Park Service's preservation of Mesa Verde in particular. I will be bearing this in mind when I go there later this summer. If I remember, I will update my review based on that.

[Michelle Boyer · Rating 1 out of 5]

1) If you want to learn about the Anasazi, this is not the book to do that. This is a travel or exploration book at best. very flawed in terms of research or cultural approach of you're interested in research.

2) Super boring read, in my opinion, as it put me to sleep several times. Maybe not my kind of book. Or the writing style. Or a combination.

3) I am shocked to see the author admit he knowingly broke tradition and entered Katzimo (see pg 89). He's fully aware of the implications and the disrespect he's shown. This is largely problematic to me as a researcher and I'm distressed other "researchers" are willing to break rules then flaunt it, as if it is acceptable. It is not!

Overall, several problematic areas, showing the author disregards research practices in pursuit of adventure. Blah. Do not recommend.

[David Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Search of the Old Ones: Exploring the Anasazi World of the Southwest by David Roberts (Simon & Shuster 1996) (976.00497). The Anasazi were a mysterious people who inhabited the high desert region of the Four Corners area in the Southwest. In the thirteenth century for reasons yet uncovered, the tribe decamped for parts unknown and abandoned their home region. Who were these people? Where did they go? Why did they leave? Who are their descendants? These issues have yet to be answered. Author David Roberts takes us with him as he explores ancient ruins. He provides the back story, and it will whet the appetites of reader / explorers everywhere. My rating: 7/10, finished 10/27/18.

[Fadillah · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE term Anasazi- a Navajo word meaning "ancestral enemies"-has been standard archaeological usage for the prehistoric people with whom this book deals since 1936, when it was proposed by Alfred V. Kidder. The term has always been offensive to the Hopi and other Pueblo Indians who are the descendants of the Anasazi. The word the Hopi use for their ancestors Hisatsinom-is, however, different from the ancestral term in use at the Pueblo town of Zuni, which in turn is different from that used at the Pueblo town of Acoma, and so on. In recent years, there has been a movement among younger archaeologists and some Pueblo people to substitute "Ancestral Puebloans" for "Anasazi." This book resists that nomenclature on several grounds. Whatever its faults, Anasazi has been a well-defined archaeological term for almost sixty years (to distinguish that cul-ture, for example, from the contemporary Hohokam to the south or Fremont to the north); Puebloan derives from the language of an oppressor who treated the indigenes of the Southwest far more brutally than the Navajo ever did; and, at book length, repeated again and again, "Ancestral Puebloans" is a cumbersome mouthful.It may be germane to point out that no term embodies a more egregious misnaming than Columbus's "Indians," yet "Native Americans" has yet to supplant it- even among American Indians them-selves, who are still more likely to call themselves Indians than
Native Americans.
- In search of the old ones : Exploring the Anasazi world of southwest by David Roberts
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“In search of the old ones : Exploring the Anasazi world of the southwest” book is about the author's explorations of Anasazi sites in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. Before everyone got excited, i have to clarify that this is a travelogue. The author jotted down the ruins of where the Anasazi lived and the artefacts left behind by these indigenous people while travelling to those sites. The book also revealed some conflicting claims between who have had found them first and also the clashes on the permit from Bureau Land Management and also the heritage issues between Management of Museums and these archaeologists. As much as i am looking forward to learn about indigenous people that i know nothing about in USA, i didn’t expect to be let down massively by this book (I learned but not much as i was led to believe). I am assuming the majority content of the book to be focused on a history discourse of Anasazi World of the southwest when its highlights more on the author’s personal insights when he went on climbing or exploring the ruins of indigenous people. No offence to the writer but this book is such a bore when he has a tendency to put himself at the center of the story, which I found really irritating. To add to my annoyance is i thought David Roberts is a PhD holder in indigenous history or at least some certified or credible archaeologist in this field but instead he was pretty much a self-taught archaeologist which found his calling in it simply because he enjoyed climbing and trekking those old ruins. What’s more laughable is he complained about 'tourists' and the possibility of damaging a fragile ancient sites but at the same time, he is indeed the same like those ‘tourists’ is a chronic irony. I don’t want to be a hater and trying so hard not to dismiss the entirety of this book because there are some actual history and theorizing being imparted in some of the chapters, and that was the only nice part of the book. For example, when he elaborated on the struggle of Hopi/ Navajo in dealing with the sites and how Navajo words have been used as a blanket term over Hopi. This approach seems problematic and contradictory specifically when certain or specific objects connected to the Hopi more than the Navajo. I wished the title would have been more clear on how this is more personal journey rather than academical that i was led to believe - his notes on clambering around cliff dwelling ruins and how he felt that some super special connection with the Anasazi somehow just comes off as pretty smug in his writing. Not only that, the book showed how the author’s research and cultural approach is very flawed. This is demonstrated in the book when he consults with quite a number of Southwestern studies and connected to the Anasazi Backcountry expert, it is hinted that he ultimately knows best in this particular area. Another things that i cannot stand with this book is there are definitely some 90s style dismissive racism. Any Puebloans (another terms for Anasazi) he meets is being praised? as that they are 'articulate’. It such an offensive stereotype especially given that he was somewhat surprised and implied they can speak so well multiple times. Besides that, he also kept on highlighting ‘Navajo’ as lazy, entitled, and unworthy of living on the land 'his' Anasazi once inhabited. This remark is uncalled for and for someone that emphasises on loving history of the ancient ruins, its just so hypocritical. As a southeast Asian that grew up listening and learning about oral and spiritual tradition despite not practicing it due to religion beliefs, seeing Robert dismissed the Anasazi Oral and spiritual traditions as irrelevant was infuriating. Overall, If you want to learn about the Anasazi, this is not the book to do that. However, if you are outdoorsy and love hiking with a penchant of history on natives tribes, then this might fits you more.
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P/S: 3 stars because i felt generous as i did mention i learned at least a handful of Anasazi, Navajo and Hopi but I would’ve give this 2 stars simply for the condescending remarks on the native custom practises and 1 star for just tiring it is to keep on going without DNF the book.

[Robert Gay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book at El Morro National Monument on a lark during the summer of 2003 and devoured it. It probably crystallized a lot of thoughts I had at the time while opening my mind to new things as well. I tend to re-read it now, though some portions do not hold up too well, especially with the current fight over Bears Ears.

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book about the author's travels and explorations of Anasazi sites in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. An ok read, though it didn't really cover the Chaco Canyon region, which I was hoping to learn more about.

[James Duncan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Second book I’ve read by David Roberts and I have had the same reaction to both…meh. I enjoyed about two chapters of this book and that was it, but mostly Roberts just comes off as pretty smug in his writing and I find a lot of his work boring.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

a really enjoyable read while waiting for my next Edward Abbey book through inter library loan. Abbey doesn’t touch on the ancient inhabitants of the Southwest too much, sometimes mentioning artifacts and rock art in passing. this book though is an exploration of the canyons and ledges of the Four Corners area. I only recently became aware of how rich in artifacts, art, and pueblos this area is. it was fascinating to read of how wild and remote it is, of artifacts found that may have been untouched for centuries. there isn’t a lot in the way of explaining these sites or artifacts and it’s not comprehensive because of the sheer number of archaeological sites, but it was fascinating and I was held rapt by Roberts’ exploration of little known canyons and a BLM ranger’s “outdoor museum”— generally, leaving artifacts untouched where they are found.

something that bothered me though was that while Roberts was fascinated by the ancient Puebloans, at times he seemed to have little regard for the present day Indians of the area. I have to say that I was really put off by his disregard of oral traditions because at the same time, he wanted answers to the questions he was asking of his guides, and seemed put out that the answers weren’t forthcoming. this book was written in the 1990s, and I know anthropology and archaeology has come a ways since then. I also found that he’s written a more recent book, and I’m curious to see how his approach may have changed in the intervening years.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I enjoyed placing myself in the authors shoes, while he explores areas of the southwest—many that I don’t believe I would be brave enough to venture out myself. He adds in history of the region with White explorers, Native American groups and archeology excavations between and mixed in with his travels; along with ethics of visiting these sites today. It was a fascinating, captivating read.

My only critique was the authors bias against modern day Native American groups and the validity of their oral traditions. He calls the new wave of archeologist as the wrong side to a “politically correct spectrum.” I don’t agree with this, especially studying anthropology myself in college. The ethics of the age we live in require archeologists to work and have healthy relationships with Native American groups. The author argues that the native today are not the natives he explores of while hiking. He argues that their spoken traditions have lost the Anasazi truth over the generations—whether it be about myths or any history. I would like to remind the author that many Americans today believe every word of the Bible as truth. While many things may be fables, there are most likely a fair amount of true historical events mixed in. The job of the anthropologist is to listen and respect natives while navigating the archeology with the reports by current Native American dependents—that is if they ever trust Angols again with such secret information. We have not respected the very people we were trying to learn about with ethics and respect. Now we must, as new laws have made way to protect Native American, like NAGPRA introduced in the 1990s. Just like doctors must walk ethical lines, so must anthropologists if we ever expect to move forward and gain new information. The author views archeology to be better than oral tradition. I find that aspect of him arrogant. I want to add that BOTH fields are a valuable and fall under the umbrella of anthropology. It is the use of all avenues to which we get the greatest understanding.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book prior to our trip to the Southwest. It provided some good background about the Anasazi Indians, and gave me a lot of context for the area we would be traveling in, and the types of information that we would hear on the various tours. It was written by someone who is clearly passionate about what he does. At times, it made me feel like an uncultured, unappreciative, typical tourist. On the other hand......maybe that is why I like to visit other areas, to learn something new, and hopefully appreciate other people and cultures more.

He raises some interesting questions about what it means to appreciate and preserve history. Do we open things up for people to visit, at the risk of us ruining them? Or hid them away, to preserve for future generations, when perhaps they can figure out how to visit with destroying the very things they are trying to preserve?

Ultimately, I learned a lot, and am glad I had this introduction before visiting such a beautiful part of the US.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Anasazi and Fremont peoples have long been an interest of mine. Those interests--and a lifeling acquaintance with the wilderness of the south-west--led me to pick up this book.

Compulsively readable, this book is an able blend of history, travelogue, and meditation. Well-balanced, each element supports the other, leading one to think about the purposes and uses of ancient sites, and ponder our attitudes towards the sites and their former inhabitants.

Highly recommended.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging prose that is full of stunning first-hand discoveries and a respect both for the ancient past as well as for the more recent past efforts of scholars to unearth Anasazi culture.

[Angrboda Lyndasdottir · Rating 2 out of 5]

Roberts is a travel writer, and a good one: his lyrical evocations of the Southwest are a pure pleasure to read.

However, Roberts also fancies himself an archaeologist, and like many self-proclaimed experts, he is obnoxious and overbearing. Though he consults with luminaries of Southwestern studies, and spends significant time with people who have spent their professional lives exploring and protecting the Anasazi backcountry, Roberts repeatedly avers to his readers that he knows best. He bemoans 'tourists' and their impact on the fragile ancient sites, while insisting that he, of course, is different. He sanctimoniously preaches about the need to leave relics in situ, and in the same breath speaks fondly about hunting for pot sherds and arrowheads, claiming that 'everyone does it, really'.

The real failing of this book is Roberts's absolute disrespect to all the Indigenous people he speaks with. He acknowledges the reticence of many Natives around whites, but once again seems to feel that HE is the exception. He begrudges any Native who won't answer his prying questions, even though he works with several white people who have spent years slowly embedding themselves in Native communities and who ALL advise Roberts to tread lightly and carefully in these matters. Roberts ignores them and gets annoyed when people don't immediately serve up all their tribal lore.

The oral and spiritual traditions of various tribes, Roberts dismisses as irrelevant. He claims to want to know the Anasazi but he treats their descendants like only-marginally-useful idiots. The best thing he can say about any Puebloan he meets is that they are 'articulate', a word that's so loaded with patronising racism I can't believe he used it - multiple times!! As for the Navajo, Roberts writes them off completely as lazy, entitled, and unworthy of living on the land 'his' Anasazi once inhabited.

This book is a good travelogue and an easy introduction to Southwestern archaeology, but David Roberts is a smug, self-satisfied hobbyist whose interest in the Southwest is painfully reminiscent of colonial attitudes towards 'lost' civilizations.

[Corinne Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must first note that I purchased this book in a gift shop tourist site out there somewhere probably a decade ago. Longer? Yes, it took me until now to read it. But I was intrigued enough by the ideas that were maybe inside that I never could bring myself to get rid of it.

So, it's dated, for sure, both the information about the historic record and the writing itself. And the author is not actually a scientist - he's an explorer. He's curious and knowledgable but he spends a lot of time in the book sharing the theories that other scientists and researchers have about those ancient inhabitants in the southwest that we call the Anasazi. It's a fluid study because there are always new theories about them - how they lived, how they interacted with other peoples and, overarchingly - why did they suddenly leave the area in one fell swoop hundreds of years ago?

It's a travelogue of his explorations around the environments where the Anazasi lived. The ruins he describes, the artifacts left behind in such a pristine state due to the climate - it's astonishing. The cliff dwelling and pueblo ruins part of all of this is what has fascinated me since I was a girl and I'm sure that's why I bought the book in the first place. He goes into that, both what historians conjecture and again, about his own observations. Do we get lots of answers? No, but I don't think that's the point, really. It's more of a "look at what we think we know! It's so much less than what we want to know!"

It took me a while to read because it's not super gripping and because every time I'd read about a new place I'd have to look it up to see it with my eyes :). It makes me want to explore this amazing part of the world again and certainly gives me even greater respect for culture and capabilities of these ancient inhabitants of the Four Corners region.

[Steven Howes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated by the Four Corners Area of the United States and the history of its indigenous peoples. I have been fortunate to have visited Mesa Verde and other historic cultural sites in the Southwest and often wondered what life was like for those who inhabited them; and how those who "discovered" them must felt when they first laid eyes upon them after being abandoned for so many years.

The author, while not a professionally trained archaeologist, developed a keen interest in the Anasazi and their relationship to the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni peoples that currently inhabit the area. He spent many years searching for undiscovered cultural sites, visiting known sites, and learning from those who have researched the subject in great detail.

Although this book contains much technical information about the cultural history of the Anasazi, their way of life, and the reasons behind the abandonment of their villages many years ago, it is written more like an adventure story documenting the author's journeys into many difficult to reach sites in search of previously undiscovered ruins and artifacts. This book reminded me in many ways of "Desert Solitaire" by Edward Abbey.

As one might might expect, there is a much discussion about the many pieces of Anasazi culture that have been lost over the years to unscrupulous artifact hunters, unrefined and untested archaeological techniques, vandalism, and dam building. The author does, however, gives kudos to those who have fought hard to preserve what currently exists and who work hard to expand our knowledge base of this interesting part of American history.

[Dace Znotiņa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pēc kalnu grāmatām sanāca pievērsties kaut kam citādākam - grāmatai par kanjoniem dienvidos. Sekojot autora bibliogrāfijai, nonācu pie šī darba, kur viņš meklē Amerikas dienvidu kanjonos mitušo indiāņu mītnes klintīs. Uzzināju daudz ko tādu, ko amerikāņi droši vien apgūst skolā, bet līdz mums tas neatnāk kā pietiekami svarīga detaļa, lai to izvērstu starp actekiem, inkiem un maijiem. Lai arī šī nav tā tēma, par ko es interesētos visvairāk, sekojot autora aprakstītajiem izpētes gājieniem kanjonos, es labi varēju iedomāties un izbaudīt to sajūtu, kad atrodi kaut ko pats, nevis tiec aizvests kā tūrists un nostādīts eksponāta priekšā. Tā kā šim autoram ir vēl grāmatas par indiāņu tēmu, ja sanāks tās dabūt, ļoti iespējams, ka lasīšu tās arī.

[Tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, which in some part is due to my fascination with the subject matter. That aside, David Roberts demonstrates his prowess as both a writer and explorer as he takes us on his journeys through the canyons of the Southwest in search of the Anasazi, or Ancient Pueblo people. Into his personal stories, he weaves the rich history of the Old Ones as understood by their descendants and over a hundred years of archaeological exploration. He relays the accounts of other enthusiasts, many of whom have made it their mission to preserve and protect the precious sites that remain largely hidden from the world even today. I'm already planning my next trip to the mesas of the Southwest.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled on this book in the Visitor's Center of the Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument in Escalante, Utah. Goodness me, this is exactly what I wanted it to be. David Roberts writes of understanding the great mystery of the Anasazi through personal travels into Grand Gulch, Cedar Mesa, Mocqui Canyon and numerous unnamed terrain in Southeastern Utah, and the Four Corners area. His obsession mirrors mine, and I envy his opportunities and adventures. Fascinating book.

Next spring, my son, William, and I plan to trudge through this country. I have been guided by this book on where to explore and how to go about it in a way that respects the "Outdoor Museum".

[Kate Atonic · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I was looking for more of a scholarly discussion about the Anasazi people of New Mexico but this was more of a hiker’s travel diary. He talked about the terrain, the sites, some of the theories about their practices, but very frequently complained about providing access for “tourists” to see (and subsequently damage) ancient sites. He’s also a tourist, showing that smug self-righteousness that the rules are for OTHER people, not him. “People shouldn’t display artifacts they’ve found, they should leave them in-situ for archaeologists,” he said, examining the pieces with his bare hands.

[Amanda Farina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a mix of personal tales of ancient puebloan ruin explorations as well as information from archeologists over the years. It is truly astounding how little is still known about these populations. I would have loved pictures in this book and sometimes I found the lack of facts frustrating as I didn't learn too much new information here. As someone who has spent a good deal of time exploring these ruins myself, I was hoping to gain more knowledge but alas we really don't know much about these civilizations.

[Dacky2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book right after reading House of Rain by Craig Childs.
Same themes. Same areas. Same mysteries.
Different conclusions.
This book is easier than House of Rain, and is a good companion to Roberts other 4 corners book: Finding Everett Ruess.
As it goes with Roberts, he has an easy narrative style, and his sense of wonderment is a joy to immerse oneself in. But there are not any really hard questions, as is the case with House of Rain. But it's a great introduction to exploring the Anasazi ruins, or at least, what it was like to explore them in the 90's.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this before and during a trip to "Anasazi" country in southwest Colorado in early June. Reading about places we travel helps me appreciate and enjoy them more. I envy the author getting to see some of the ancient sites virtually unchanged from when they were abandoned about 750 years ago. Visiting now is still a great experience, but so much of "the ancients" has been taken away, with sites scrubbed and "preserved" to make them accessible.

Really enjoyed this book and plan to read more of what Roberts has written about ancient peoples of the American southwest.