'Indiana Jones' would make a bad archaeologist

May 13, 2008

"Indiana Jones managed to retrieve the trinket he was after in the opening moments of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.' He pretty much wrecked everything else in the ancient South American temple where the little gold idol had rested for millennia.

Though he preaches research and good science in the classroom, the world's most famous archaeologist often is an acquisitive tomb raider in the field with a scorched-earth policy about what he leaves behind. While actual archaeologists like the guy and his movies, they wouldn't necessarily want to work alongside him on a dig..."

(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24595365)

Christie Anna says: In honor of the release of Indy 4, which came out today and I'm extremely excited to see. Not necessarily a "news" article, but interesting nonetheless. Indiana Jones has always been one of my heroes, but after actually taking some archaeology classes and participating on a dig, I've realized that, well, Indy doesn't make much of an archaeologist. As the article says, most archaeologists would not want to work with him. In actuality, I think if he tried pulling some of his usual stunts on a real dig, he would probably be beaten by his co-workers. Tomb-robbing has always been one of the main problems facing archaeologists, and Indy isn't much more than just that - he just knows what it is he's stealing and wants it for academic purposes rather than monetary. If we were trying to do this today, he would probably be locked in a prison somewhere at this point - laws have gotten a little more strict in the last few decades. If you try taking a tiny sherd of pottery out of Greece, they'll arrest you. Major finds like what Indy takes? That wouldn't go over well.

...But I love him anyway. I'm pretty sure it's impossible not to.

And on a similar note, a short parody letter to Indiana Jones fom his employers that I enjoy:

Back from yet another globetrotting adventure, Indiana Jones checks his mail and discovers that his bid for tenure has been denied.