by Morton Mcinvale

Created on: June 23, 2009   Last Updated: July 19, 2009

As avid an Indiana Jones fan as they come (I still wear his brown fedora- courtesy of Disney world -, and listen to the John Williams theme song whenever my cell phone rings), nevertheless, I must reluctantly admit: Indiana Jones is bad for archaeology. As a historian, I have worked closely with a number of archaeologists and based on what I have learned, Indiana Jones gives a skewed perception of the practice if not entirely the philosophy of archaeology.

Our State Archaeologist once commented to me that any archaeologist worth his salt would actually seek to prevent archaeological excavation of a site. Why? No matter what it may unearth, excavation destroys the site. In the future technology may permit non-invasive excavation, preserving rather than destroying the resource.

BUT . . .Said State Archaeologist once confessed to me that HE himself had conducted a number of personal excavations on Native American sites on the Southeastern coast!. Is there an Indiana Jones complex among archaeologists? A Jekyll and Hyde dilemma of "to dig or not to dig, that is the question.'?

Then again, physical digging is what archaeologists seldom do. Perhaps 95% of archaeology takes place in the library where archaeologists dig through records and research to identify every shred of possible information before ever setting a spade into the earth. Why? Of course, there is the concern to preserve the site for future generations. More practically, it is a matter of money. Like everything else in this country except opinions, archaeology costs. Actual excavation - even philanthropically and copiously funded, which most is not is limited severely by time and money.

But Heaven forbid that we should ever take the mystery and adventure out of archaeology! No Howard Carter and the supposed mummy's curse? No Troy and Mycenae without the better than life adventures of Heinrich Schliemann? No Agatha Christie's archaeology-based mysteries? No Michael Crichton's Timeline? No more of Clive Cussler's archaeologist adventurers wandering from the sands of Sahara to sunset searching for. . .Or does it matter what they are seeking - or what we are seeking - just so long as we are?

Let's be honest. As a young college student, would you rather take Archaeology 101 under Indiana Jones or his academically-correct father (never mind that it's Sean Connery inside the tweed suit)? I suspected so. Sorry. Students entering the profession expecting Nazi/Soviet/terrorist villains,

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