Sam Dellinger: Raiders of the Lost Arkansas

Old State House Museum

Dellinger on Pot Hunting
Dellinger tried to educate Arkansans about the damage to the state’s heritage caused by untrained individuals digging in prehistoric sites. The Arkansas Gazette published this list of “Dr. Dellinger’s ‘Don’ts’ for Diggers” in May 1934.
  • “Don’t disturb any mound. To do so, you may be destroying a pre-historic house.”
  • “Don’t dig in any place where you have ploughed up human bones or pottery until you have consulted with someone who understands how to excavate these sites scientifically.”
  • “Don’t engage in buying and selling old pottery. In doing this you are tearing the pages from Arkansas history.”
  • “Don’t accept the word of a digger when he tells you that he represents a museum. All such representatives have letters of introduction with the official seals of their institution stamped on them. In no instance are these letters more than 30 days old. This caution is given to avoid someone using a letter they may have found.”

© Copyright 2006, Old State House Museum. All right reserved.
The Old State House is a museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

Web Services by Aristotle Web Design.