The following conversation was once caught on an undercover wiretap.
“Have you ever dug at Mesa Verde Park?”
“No, that’s my bank for the future.”
Site looter. Grave robber. Privy pillager. Twigger.
Strong words describing something many perceive as little more than picking up a stray pot or stone for extra income.
One person claims it’s how he pays the increasingly high college tuition costs for his children. Others say it’s how they’re surviving the economic downturn. Some shrug, wondering why there’s such a fuss as it’s been a family tradition for generations.
An increasing number say it’s the only way to feed an escalating drug habit.
Whatever the terminology, however the perception, artifact theft in the southwestern United States has been increasing in ways never before seen or expected.
For those living in other parts of the country, the American Southwest conjures up images of Monument Valley, illegal immigrants, Anasazi cliff ruins and Indian reservations. In short, there’s nothing out there – just a wide open, Wizard of Oz desert that must be bravely traversed in order to get from one civilized area to the next.
Yet looks can be deceiving.
Scattered throughout four states are literal treasure troves of ancient dwellings and relics dating from the earliest Indian settlements to 15th century Spanish conquistadors. Thanks to the perpetually dry climate, it really is possible to stumble over old pots and clothing. And thanks to a roaring antiquities market, it’s quite possible to make a living selling them.
In 2006, the Arizona Republic reported that the commercial value of a find was based on its uniqueness, artistry and preservation. At the time, a plain Navajo bowl brought $100 while a good polychrome pot from the Salado people fetched $5,000. Ancient Hopi yellow-ware pottery rang up an $80,000 payday.
But since when did mucking around in graves for some grubby pottery in a godforsaken area burned by the hot desert sun, overrun with gila monsters and rattlesnakes, ever become a way to make a living?
Better yet, how did a highly addictive drug become involved in “site hoovering?”
This is the first in a series of six articles attempting to answer these questions while also exploring innovative solutions to this very old problem.
Tomorrow, Part I: In Search of the Old Ones
Resources:
• New York Times: Threat to Archeology – The Privy Diggers
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