With over eight million in ticket sales just last weekend alone, June 21-22 ($290,961,044 total to date), it is safe to say that Indiana will remain in the hearts of die-hard fans and etch his place in new ones.

All it takes is the silhouette of a man with a bullwhip and a fedora to register images of Indiana Jones. Quickly, our minds gear up toward deciphering more clues, death-defying escapes, and the perilous quest of finding yet another lost and mysteriously powerful treasure.

Although, as much as we love Indiana, it continues to be a prevailing notion that archeologists pilfer treasure from its native land only to upset the locals and retrieve it before it ends up in some other collector's mischievous hands. Disconcerting for scientists in the real world, this troubling image arouses a series of misconceptions about the purpose of true archeology.

How many leave the theater upon viewing the film and really know that Indy's antics are far from the goals and methods of a real archeologist? I didn't when I was young, and I know quite a few adults who still think some of that adventure might be true. How about you?

"A true archeologist provides information on cultural and biological history. We don't take things from people or focus on treasure. Our aim is to learn about the world around us," explains Dr. Christopher W. Schmidt, the  Associate Professor of the University of Indianapolis.

"We want to provide, rather than take away. Our goal is to work with local communities as much as possible. We get permission before we dig, follow all local and national laws and help local populations to curate and protect their cultural heritage," Dr. Schmidt affirms.

It is not to say that the Indiana Jones series shouldn't be watched. No, of course not. We love Indy! However, it's important to realize that the films do not paint an accurate portrait of an archeologist.

Dr. Schmidt very much enjoyed the film series as a child and believes the fourth film as entertaining as its prequels. Yet, he remembers never taking Indy's audacious ways to heart.

"I never imagined myself as a swashbuckling, ascot wearing, pipe-puffing, globe trotting archeologist. I like the science of archeology, I like discovery, and I like lab work. I still have a passion for understanding the ancient world, so it is always adventurous for me.

"I love the story that is told by ancient things, I love to see faces on ceramic vessels, or fingerprints in clay. I love visualizing the actual humans who lived so long ago, but who are so closely linked to all of us today biologically and culturally. You really do learn about yourself when you learn about the past."

There is no doubt that the media has a powerful influence on the public. When forensic science became a hit subject on shows like CSI, the job market saw a significant increase in the forensic field. How much influence does a film like Indiana Jones have on new students entering the field?  

"Sometimes we do lose students who have an unrealistic view of archeology, but surprisingly to me, that percentage is actually quite low. Archeology is a passion, so people who have an interest usually have a very deep interest and learning the drudgery of it rarely scares them away," he points out.

Far from the embellishment of Indiana Jones, the adventure of an archeologist is less fascinating. Students will make smarter decisions when entering any type of career if they are aware of this truth. 

"For young people who are interested in archeology, I suggest learning as much as you can about all sciences and math. Archeology is simply applying the scientific techniques we have available to questions regarding the past. So, chemistry, biology, geology, physics, and cultural anthropology are all applicable to archeology," Dr. Schmidt advises.

Dr. Schmidt is the president of the Indiana Archeology Council and director of UIndy's Indiana Prehistory Laboratory. He spends his summers leading undergraduate students on excavations at sites up to 10,000 years-old. "For the most part, it is tedious work in the hot sun," admits Dr. Schmidt.

"The excavation I am involved with right now is very interesting to me. It is a site that is in Indiana. It has produced an extinct mastodon (an elephant-like creature), a giant beaver (also extinct), as well as numerous stone artifacts and a bone tool (made from a deer ulna) that is over 10,000 years-old.

"It is located on the margin of what used to be a small lake. It is exciting because it is a community-wide effort. The entire town (the site is in a small rural town) has helped us dig to learn about some of the first people to have ever lived in Indiana.

"The research that I do focuses on diet and disease in the earliest people, and to me, one of the most interesting discoveries we have made with these earliest people is that they were remarkably healthy and fit! Again, another stereotype overturned!"

Where the true adventure begins for Dr. Schmidt is unraveling the stereotypes in both his career field and those within our world. Like everything in life, to enjoy any field, like archaeology, you have to love it and be interested in all aspects of it, so the high points overshadow even the least rewarding parts of the job.

"The most rewarding part is providing understanding to something that wasn't well known before overturning certain stereotypes. For example, in native North America we have learned that even very early on people were living complex lives making complex tools and engaging in long distance trade. That is a far cry from the stereotype of the nomadic Indian.

"It's fun to explain things like this to people who don't see Indians as scientists, engineers, physicians, business leaders, but that is exactly what they were 9,000 years ago, what they were at contact, and of course, what they continue to be today.

"The least rewarding part is the tension that can sometimes exist between native people and archeologists. Hopefully as both sides continue to share their perspectives, that tension will diminish."

Still, there will be no battling with the locals or escapes with lost treasure in roller coaster-like mine carts. Sorry, but an archeologist's journey for knowledge about the past is far greater in importance than any joy ride.

"In archeology, the context of the artifact is more important than the artifact itself - the greatest treasure is the information that is gained," Dr. Schmidt sums up. This is the type of message that we should support and instill into future generations.

Comments

Add New Search RSS

Write comment
Name:
Email:	do not notifynotify
Title:
	Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

Powered by !JoomlaComment 3.26

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

---