--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was like archeology. There was digging…" description: "\"“It was like archeology. There was digging and there was dirt. And there was broken things.”\" — Louise Penny" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/louise-penny-1059_broken-things_it-was-like-archeology-there-was-digging_2880992.png" --- # It was like archeology. There was digging and there was… ![“It was like archeology. There was digging and there was dirt. And there was broken things.” quote by Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/louise-penny-1059_broken-things_it-was-like-archeology-there-was-digging_2880992.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/louise-penny-1059_broken-things_it-was-like-archeology-there-was-digging_2880992.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/louise-penny-1059_broken-things_it-was-like-archeology-there-was-digging_2880992.png) > ““It was like archeology. There was digging and there was dirt. And there was broken things.”” [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Investigations resemble archaeology: digging through layers of dirt and broken pieces. **In simple terms:** Investigation is like digging. Key Takeaway Embrace messy discovery. Themes investigation truth process Mood mysterious curious Type literary reflective When to use this quote - crime solving - personal introspection - research Key Concepts archaeology forensics Questions to Reflect On - What hidden layers do you overlook? - How to reconcile broken pieces? A Different Perspective Focus on details can miss the bigger picture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broken things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken-things/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) ## Related quotes > [I have very interesting hobbies like archeology and photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-wyman/i-have-very-interesting-hobbies-like-archeology-and-photography/) [Bill Wyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-wyman/) > [“The analytical mind, made from shattered pieces. The illogical soul, found in a junk drawer. The optimistic heart, a stray taken in. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/the-analytical-mind-made-from-shattered-pieces-the-illogical-soul/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [She has broken things where her heart should be, she has tears where her eyes should be, its tough but she still goes on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teady/she-has-broken-things-where-her-heart-should-be-she-has-tears-where/) $Teady > [“A street turned off at right angles, descending, and became a dirt road. On either hand the land dropped more sharply; a broad flat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/a-street-turned-off-at-right-angles-descending-and-became-a-dirt-road/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“I know all about broken things. I came from a broken house, and a broken land full of broken people. I have a broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-thalassa/i-know-all-about-broken-things-i-came-from-a-broken-house-and-a/) [Laura Thalassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-thalassa/) > [“God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/god-uses-broken-things-it-takes-broken-soil-to-produce-a-crop-broken/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) > [Broken things are powerful."Things about to break are stronger still.The last shot from the brittle bow is truest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mccarthy/broken-things-are-powerful-things-about-to-break-are-stronger-still/) [Eugene McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mccarthy/) > [“So endgames are naturally messy. They may not be very dynamic, but when an active war is shutting down, there is still a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venkatesh-g-rao/so-endgames-are-naturally-messy-they-may-not-be-very-dynamic-but-when/) [Venkatesh G. Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venkatesh-g-rao/) > [The same sun that rises over castles and welcomes the day Spills over buildings into the streets where orphans play And only You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-dillon/the-same-sun-that-rises-over-castles-and-welcomes-the-day-spills-over/) Bethany Dillon > [I see a broken shell and I remind myself that something might have needed setting free. See, broken things always have a story, don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-pennypacker/i-see-a-broken-shell-and-i-remind-myself-that-something-might-have/) [Sara Pennypacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-pennypacker/) > [I don’t know why I ever helped you.” “Because you like broken things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-don-t-know-why-i-ever-helped-you-because-you-like-broken-things/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Some broken things stay broken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/some-broken-things-stay-broken/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Shes got broken things where her heart should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayday-parade/shes-got-broken-things-where-her-heart-should-be/) Mayday Parade > [“But this is what ... people are so often and disastrously wrong in doing: they (who by their very nature are impatient) fling themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/but-this-is-what-people-are-so-often-and-disastrously-wrong-in-doing/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) ## More by Louise Penny > [“Whale oil beef hooked,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/whale-oil-beef-hooked/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“I am tired,” Gamache murmured as he walked into the gentle little village. “But I am at peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/i-am-tired-gamache-murmured-as-he-walked-into-the-gentle-little/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“The reason “belonging” was so potent, so attractive, so much a part of the human yearning, was that it also meant safety, and loyalty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-reason-belonging-was-so-potent-so-attractive-so-much-a-part-of/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“She picked up her book and tried to read but it was heavy in her hands. She struggled to hold it, wanting to finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/she-picked-up-her-book-and-tried-to-read-but-it-was-heavy-in-her/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“We’re used to the film versions of psychopaths. The clearly crazies. But most psychopaths are clever. They have to be. They know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/we-re-used-to-the-film-versions-of-psychopaths-the-clearly-crazies/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Instead he stood erect, the snow insinuating itself down his collar and up his sleeves, plastering against his face and into his unblinking eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/instead-he-stood-erect-the-snow-insinuating-itself-down-his-collar/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“He was an emotional communist. Everyone counted equally, but none too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/he-was-an-emotional-communist-everyone-counted-equally-but-none-too/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [I turned down all the requests for the rights to the books, for years, mostly because they wanted the rights to the characters, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/i-turned-down-all-the-requests-for-the-rights-to-the-books-for-years/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Chief Superintendent Arnot might hold power, but Armand Gamache was the more powerful man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/chief-superintendent-arnot-might-hold-power-but-armand-gamache-was/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Henri kept everything important in his heart. He mostly kept cookies in his head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/henri-kept-everything-important-in-his-heart-he-mostly-kept-cookies/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [A good journalist, as you know, is a great listener. And so's a good writer. And I got to listen to people for almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/a-good-journalist-as-you-know-is-a-great-listener-and-so-s-a-good/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [The question that haunted every investigation was 'why'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-question-that-haunted-every-investigation-was-why/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [But, like peace, comfort didn't come from hiding away or running away. Comfort first demanded courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/but-like-peace-comfort-didn-t-come-from-hiding-away-or-running-away/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“He did not suggest that she sit quietly and get to know herself so she could be all the company she needed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/he-did-not-suggest-that-she-sit-quietly-and-get-to-know-herself-so/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Come hither, all ye empty things,/Ye bubbles raised by breath of kings;/Who float upon the tide of state,/Come hither, and behold your fate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/come-hither-all-ye-empty-things-ye-bubbles-raised-by-breath-of-kings/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) [Explore all 295 Louise Penny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) ## More Broken things quotes > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [“But this is what ... people are so often and disastrously wrong in doing: they (who by their very nature are impatient) fling themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/but-this-is-what-people-are-so-often-and-disastrously-wrong-in-doing/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Shes got broken things where her heart should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayday-parade/shes-got-broken-things-where-her-heart-should-be/) Mayday Parade > [“Some broken things stay broken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/some-broken-things-stay-broken/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [I don’t know why I ever helped you.” “Because you like broken things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-don-t-know-why-i-ever-helped-you-because-you-like-broken-things/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I see a broken shell and I remind myself that something might have needed setting free. See, broken things always have a story, don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-pennypacker/i-see-a-broken-shell-and-i-remind-myself-that-something-might-have/) [Sara Pennypacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-pennypacker/) > [The same sun that rises over castles and welcomes the day Spills over buildings into the streets where orphans play And only You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-dillon/the-same-sun-that-rises-over-castles-and-welcomes-the-day-spills-over/) Bethany Dillon > [“So endgames are naturally messy. They may not be very dynamic, but when an active war is shutting down, there is still a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venkatesh-g-rao/so-endgames-are-naturally-messy-they-may-not-be-very-dynamic-but-when/) [Venkatesh G. Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venkatesh-g-rao/) > [Broken things are powerful."Things about to break are stronger still.The last shot from the brittle bow is truest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-mccarthy/broken-things-are-powerful-things-about-to-break-are-stronger-still/) [Eugene McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-mccarthy/) > [“God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/god-uses-broken-things-it-takes-broken-soil-to-produce-a-crop-broken/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) > [“I know all about broken things. I came from a broken house, and a broken land full of broken people. I have a broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-thalassa/i-know-all-about-broken-things-i-came-from-a-broken-house-and-a/) [Laura Thalassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-thalassa/) > [“A street turned off at right angles, descending, and became a dirt road. On either hand the land dropped more sharply; a broad flat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/a-street-turned-off-at-right-angles-descending-and-became-a-dirt-road/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [She has broken things where her heart should be, she has tears where her eyes should be, its tough but she still goes on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teady/she-has-broken-things-where-her-heart-should-be-she-has-tears-where/) $Teady > [“The analytical mind, made from shattered pieces. The illogical soul, found in a junk drawer. The optimistic heart, a stray taken in. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/the-analytical-mind-made-from-shattered-pieces-the-illogical-soul/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [All things uncomely and broken, all things worn out and old, The cry of a child by the roadway, the creak of a lumbering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-things-uncomely-and-broken-all-things-worn-out-and-old-the-cry-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 71 Broken things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was like archeology. There was digging and there was dirt. 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