Motel of the Mysteries (Paperback, None)

Reviews

Reviewed by Alan H. - 18 August 2022

Motel of the Mysteries is a hilarious send-up of archaeology. It is some time in the very distant future, and archaeologist Howard Carson has made the archaeological discovery of the century or, perhaps, the millennium (and no, it is not a coincidence that Howard Carter was the actual discoverer of the tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Tut-ankh-amun). As you read this excerpt from Macaulay's book, it will become clear that Carson is excavating nothing more than a sleazy twentieth-century motel, though he manages to construe the place as an ancient, sacred necropolis. The book is especially hilarious if you know a bit about the history of archaeology. Some of the lines achieve their humour (at least for archaeologists) by being actual quotes from Howard Carter (he's the real archaeologist, and he really did reply in response to the question, "Can you see anything?" as he first gazed into Tut's Tomb, "Yes, wonderful things.") Reading Motel of the Mysteries can be a humbling experience for an archaeologist. But it also is a valuable reminder of the mistakes we can make when we impose a preconceived perspective on the archaeological record. And besides, it's very funny.