This collection primarily documents Malcolm J. Rogers's archaeological work, mostly during his tenure at the San Diego Museum of Man. It includes excavation notes, drawings, notebooks, correspondence, and publications.

Malcolm Jennings Rogers (1890-1960) was born in New York, where he studied mining geology at Syracuse University. He moved to Escondido, California in 1919 and became a citrus farmer. He soon discovered a series of stone artifacts on his property in 1919, which he later termed the San Dieguito Complex. In 1929, he joined the San Diego Museum of Man as a curator. He was also a field archaeologist, obtaining a grant from the Smithsonian for the first systematic study of prehistoric cultures along the Southern California coast. During his time at the San Diego Museum of Man between 1929-1945 and later 1958-1960, Rogers served as field archaeologist, curator, acting director, and director of the museum. Rogers' fieldwork included extensive survey and excavation work in the coastal zone of San Diego County and northwestern Baja California, as well as throughout Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. He identified and named the San Dieguito, La Jolla, Amargosa, and Yuman archaeological complexes. He also produced one of the earliest ethnoarchaeological studies of pottery-making among the native peoples of the region.

10 linear feet

The museum can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Diego Museum of Man as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

The collection is open to on-site researchers. Research visits must be arranged with the collections department in advance. One binder containing records of a site with human remains has been restricted in accordance with museum policy. Additional permissions are required for access.