The Archaeologist Was a Spy: Sylvanus G. Morley and the Office of Naval Intelligence

Sylvanus G. Morley (1883-1948) has been highly regarded for over a century for his archaeological work among the Maya pyramids. As director of the Carnegie Archaeological Program, he supervised the reconstruction of Chichén Itzá, one of today's most visited sites in Central America. Harris and Sadler present information showing Morley used his archaeological skills and contacts to covertly spy for the U. S. Office of Naval Intelligence during World War I. His primary charge was to detect and report German activity along the more than 1200 miles of eastern Central American and Mexican coastlines. To aid him in this special "fieldwork," Morley recruited other archaeologists, assigned them specific territories in which to work, and, together, they maintained a constant vigil. "In this remarkable story of a remarkable man and his colorful associates, Harris and Sadler bring to vivid life an unknown story of early American intelligence. They illuminate the start of today's vast spy apparatus. A lively, scholarly, and useful job."--David Kahn, author of The Codebreakers and Hitler's Spies. "This is superior scholarship. Rumors and allegations existed about anthropologists acting as spies, but this is the first credible account. Sadler and Harris have written the most significant book available on U.S. intelligence during World War I in Latin America. For historians of intelligence agencies, this is a must read volume."--William H. Beezley, University of Arizona "[Charles Harris and Ray Sadler] have written the most significant book available on U.S. intelligence during World War I in Latin America. For historians of intelligence agencies, this is a must read volume."--William H. Beezley, professor of history, University of Arizona, and director of the Oaxaca (Mexico) Graduate Field School in Modern Mexican History