Tampering with the Dead

The best stories about the American West, writes New York Times bestselling author Stephen Singular, involve the clash of cultures. It often comes down to the most basic questions: Who owns the past? Who has the right to artifacts lying beneath the earth undiscovered, but about to be found? Once found, where do they belong - in a private collection or a museum? For decades, the United States has wrestled with these issues. Every now and then a story explodes into headlines that illuminate these complexities. It happened in the Four Corners region of the Southwest in 2009, when the federal government was trying to protect Native American artifacts, while collectors and dealers were attempting to preserve past treasures and make money. Both sides passionately believed they were right, but both were ensnared in an ongoing tragedy. Heres their story.