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An award-winning author and veteran mountain climber takes us deep into the Southwest backcountry to uncover secrets of its ancient inhabitants.In this thrilling story of intellectual and archaeological discovery, David Roberts recounts his last 20 years of far-flung exploits in search of spectacular prehistoric ruins and rock art panels known to very few modern travelers. His adventures range across Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and southwestern Colorado, and illuminate the mysteries of the Ancestral Puebloans and their contemporary neighbors the Mogollon and Fremont, as well as of the more recent Navajo and Comanche. Read more
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Kindle
Many fascinating vignettes about the builders of Mesa Verde (whatever is PC to call them now--maybe "the Moqui"?). Detailed yet flowing writing style. A bit more 'technical' that "House of Rain" by Craig Childs, another excellent tale of the Anasazi. Minimal tut-tutting about the author's personal bugaboos, but I must say I don't see the harm of a dog going inside one of the ruins, as long as they don't poop there, but David Roberts went ballistic about it. Sure, people are slobs, agreed. My one serious criticism concerns the statements, which seem almost racist, about how Indians (in this case the Navajo) can have a "special relationship" with the Earth/Nature that White people can never understand or have themselves. This is baloney, especially for the Navajo who have lived only a few centuries in the area of their present reservation. Didn't farmers and hunters in ancient Europe have similar relationships with Nature? It's arrogant to suggest otherwise.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2022 by GKC
Format: Kindle
I heard about this book from a radio show hosted by John Batchelor. I was fascinated by the stuff Mr Roberts spoke about on the show and immediately purchased this book after the interview. This is such an interesting book! I was born in Vernal Utah. Some of the stories Mr Roberts referenced I was actually told about by my Grandfather and him by his grandfather before. Butch Cassidy and the Hole in the wall gang, local Indian legends and even some of the farmers that explored many of the ruins around Utah and Colorado. My family owns a cabin on Lake Valicito in Durango Colorado and reading about all the stuff I didn't know was around me was surprising. The climbing aspects are very intriguing as well especially considering the heights and difficulty involved. The writing style is very readable and keeps you interested. I imagine this was a hard book to write and bring all the history and personal experiences together. In addition to the other intriguing information presented the author goes over the Chaco Meridian theory developed by Archeologist Stephen H. Lekson. I recommend this book to anyone that lives in the four corners area or just anyone that loves exploring old ruins and archaeology sites.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2017 by Kindle Customer
Format: Paperback
The author gives a real sense of mystery and wonder to his descriptions of exploration for ancient Native American artifacts. Some history of the period is gained along the way, as well as an appreciation (and healthy does of skepticism) for anthroplogy.
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2019 by Rebecca K
Format: Hardcover
David Roberts books are always intelligently written and equally entertaining. This particular book serves more or less as an update to the 1990s vintage "In Search of the Old Ones." While making apologies to the readers for the unexpected success of the older book, Roberts works equally well to avoid revealing locations of specific ruins sites that he visits in the book as a way to help preserve these valuable places across the Southwest for future generations. Nevertheless, his descriptions are so alive that you almost feel you are there when he enters an alcove. Roberts is knowledgeable about the spectrum of theories on the origin and progression of the ancient cultures that occupied and disappeared from the Southwest. He has his own thoughts on which ones have the most credence. He doesn't try to disguise his writing as scientific literature but rather represents it as the adventures of a knowledgeable journalist interacting with the academics as well as the rancher-archeologists and investigating a the amazing finds in the canyons of the Southwest. It is rare to read material about such an arcane subject and feel the emotion and excitement of the hunt while realizing how much you are learning. If you read "In Search of the Old Ones," this book will be a valuable addition to your collection, but be prepared to entertained.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2015 by Ron P
Format: Paperback
Fun book with great history
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2025 by Darren
Format: Hardcover
A deeply thought provoking and masterfully written book that brings to life the broad spectrum of modern and historical archaeological research and interpretation of the Ancestral Puebloan Southwest. The margins of my copy are filled with cryptic notations, and I found myself eagerly thumbing back and rereading passages time and again. This is a truly enjoyable and important synthesis of a vast quantity of often obscure, dry, arcane and myopic scholarly papers that, unlike David Roberts book, fail to present a fathomable picture of the early agricultural societies of the American Southwest. After multiple trips to Comb Ridge, Cedar Mesa and eastward, I find myself overwhelmed with curiosity about the incredible achievements of the peoples once generally known as the Anasazi. This book goes a long way to answering many of my questions -- it is a must read for scholar and lay person alike.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2015 by Philip M. Blacet
Format: Kindle
David Roberts is an excellent story teller and writer. I was a joy reading his book. While I understand why he would want artifacts left in place so that he and other hikers of the area can revisit and discover new things about a site that they had missed previously, I question his altruism for others who can ill afford the amount of time he has to explore. Many of those who would or could only visit a museum to see these treasures may feel that after initial discovery and study more information would reach more people in museums than in an inaccessible rock outcropping. I agree with Mr. Roberts that some, if not most, visitors may have caused unintentional damage that they don't understand or care to understand. If on his fiftieth revisit of a site he discovers that the site is changed by visitors consider that removing artifacts to museums may not be that terrible if the people removing the artifacts document the site properly.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2018 by Misha
Format: Paperback
Cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, pictographs, rock art, ancient cultures, etc...truly a fascinating read. David Roberts’ noble quest for hiking, searching and probing the canyons, ravines and chasms of the American Southwest to further our knowledge of these previous civilizations is a mesmerizing trip into the past. With a dignified and gracious writing style, Roberts serves up a delicious recipe for adventure, exploring and amazement.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2020 by William J. Higgins,III