`Indiana Jones': Real archaeologists don't have whips

[Viggen]

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.

 

"If you asked these people why they were becoming archaeologists, it always starts off with Indiana Jones. It actually converted a number of people. They got their initial interest in archaeology from Indiana Jones," Zimansky said.

 

...interesting article at the Herald Tribune

[Gaius Octavius]

Indiana Jones isn't the real thing? I am totally disfracted!

[Melvadius]

Indiana Jones isn't the real thing? I am totally disfracted!

 

Indiana Jones may not be the 'real' thing although there was a programme on here recently claiming to have identified the genesis of the character I think that a 'truer' genesis would be in any number of archaeologists who worked in remote parts of the world during the 1920s and 30s be they British, German American or any other nationality. Often working in remorte areas with limited back-uip and in some cases with one hand permanenetly near a gun in case of local bandit attacks.

 

We had another programme on, about a month ago, under the Timeshift stream called "Digging the Past". Amongst the clips they showed were several featuring the late great Sir Mortimer Wheeler who very much fit the bill of a rakish, devil may care, adventurous, although by then not so young, archaeologist in the early days of TV.

 

"http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/14/2244618.htm?section=entertainment"

[Nephele]

It appears that site has changed the URL on you Melvadius, and that URL you gave now goes to a story titled "'Oldest' Julius Caesar bust discovered". (Which has been posted on the forum from a different news source here.)

 

I did a search of the site, but couldn't find the original Mortimer Wheeler article. However, I did turn up this snippet at abc.net.au, in which '60s television journalist Joan Bakewell was discussing her interview experience with Mortimer Wheeler:

 

"Well in the earlier years on television in the 60s, there was no such thing as a ban on sexual harassment. It was part of life in those days, it was something you could expect", says Joan.

 

"I wasn't disappointed, they just pawed you if they got the chance. I mean even while I was conducting an interview, Sir Mortimer Wheeler had his hand on my knee," she says.

 

Oh mercy! But, somehow, I just can't picture our intense Indiana Jones putting his hand on a lady interviewer's knee... Unless she had a small golden Aztec idol tucked in her panties.

 

-- Nephele

[Faustus]

Oh mercy! But, somehow, I just can't picture our intense Indiana Jones putting his hand on a lady interviewer's knee... Unless she had a small golden Aztec idol tucked in her panties.

 

-- Nephele

 

To some of the seniors among us THE KNEE is as good as it gets. in 1960 he was 70, not that that should matter much

[Melvadius]

It appears that site has changed the URL on you Melvadius, and that URL you gave now goes to a story titled "'Oldest' Julius Caesar bust discovered". (Which has been posted on the forum from a different news source here.)

 

I did a search of the site, but couldn't find the original Mortimer Wheeler article. However, I did turn up this snippet at abc.net.au, in which '60s television journalist Joan Bakewell was discussing her interview experience with Mortimer Wheeler:

 

"Well in the earlier years on television in the 60s, there was no such thing as a ban on sexual harassment. It was part of life in those days, it was something you could expect", says Joan.

 

"I wasn't disappointed, they just pawed you if they got the chance. I mean even while I was conducting an interview, Sir Mortimer Wheeler had his hand on my knee," she says.

 

Oh mercy! But, somehow, I just can't picture our intense Indiana Jones putting his hand on a lady interviewer's knee... Unless she had a small golden Aztec idol tucked in her panties.

 

-- Nephele

 

Sorry I was posting on two messages one after the other and didn't double check the link

 

The correct one, which unfortunately only really gives a brief summary and dates when the programme was aired, is here:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0084l02

 

As to Joan's experiences with Sir M in the pre-PC era I suspect from things I have heard elsewhere that they may not have been that uncommon an experience for any female in close contact with him (or indeed many aged 'experts' of his era).

[Gaius Octavius]

How is it known that she was/is a 'Lady'? That term is flung around much too gratuitously these days. He might have been treating her as he would a child. If she were properly dressed for the time, she would have had a dress and nylons between her knee and his hand. Or, maybe her knee was a treasure.

 

Come on F., you did get a shoulder when you took the 'wheel of your brand new Oldsmobile'.

[longshotgene]

You mean Indiana Jones does not really exist? Like Santa Claus? Dang it! What can I believe in that actually exists any more?

[Gaius Octavius]

You mean Indiana Jones does not really exist? Like Santa Claus? Dang it! What can I believe in that actually exists any more?

 

The Holy Roman Catholic Church?

 

[Melvadius]

How is it known that she was/is a 'Lady'? That term is flung around much too gratuitously these days. He might have been treating her as he would a child. If she were properly dressed for the time, she would have had a dress and nylons between her knee and his hand. Or, maybe her knee was a treasure.

 

Come on F., you did get a shoulder when you took the 'wheel of your brand new Oldsmobile'.

 

 

Oh dear GO you really have no idea what 'properly dressed for the times meant do you?

 

http://www.jamd.com/search?assettype=g&amp...n+bakewell%2522

 

Now from my perspective all I can say is

Edited May 14, 2008 by Melvadius

[Maladict]

Real archaeologists don't have whips

 

Not entirely true.

[Gaius Octavius]

How is it known that she was/is a 'Lady'? That term is flung around much too gratuitously these days. He might have been treating her as he would a child. If she were properly dressed for the time, she would have had a dress and nylons between her knee and his hand. Or, maybe her knee was a treasure.

 

Come on F., you did get a shoulder when you took the 'wheel of your brand new Oldsmobile'.

 

 

Oh dear GO you really have no idea what 'properly dressed for the times meant do you?

 

http://www.jamd.com/search?assettype=g&amp...n+bakewell%2522

 

Now from my perspective all I can say is

 

I might be going back a little more.

London, si; Wall St., no. But, then there was that babe with the tremendous bazooms who used to hang out on the Sub-Treasury steps.

Anyway, my Illegitimate Mother had to ask the Old Man for PERMISSION to wear slacks in the office! Phelps, Fenn imported British knockouts as receptionists. These babes didn't have to wear anything above the knees.

While I'm at it, my Illegitimate Father, when giving me a substantial dressing down for some minor indiscretion, would put his arm over my shoulders. If I knew what was in my best interests, I had to go to Trinity Church with him after meetings on Wednesdays. Neither of us belonged to the Episky operation.

 

Gaius the Damned

[DecimusCaesar]

I saw a documentary about Sir Mortimer Wheeler sometime last year. It was a terrific look into his eccentric personality and his influence on generations of British archaeologists. A few of his books on Ancient Rome are still available on Amazon to this day, and I have been planning on getting his book on Roman architecture. The man himself though was apparently not a big fan of the Romans. He said:

 

"I suffered from a surfeit of things Roman. I felt disgusted by the mechanistic quality of their art and by the nearness of their civilisation at all times to cruelty and corruption."

Edited May 15, 2008 by DecimusCaesar

[Kosmo]

Real archaeologists don't have whips

 

Not entirely true.

 

You want to tell us something?

[Maladict]

You want to tell us something?

 

Just pointing out an inaccuracy

 

Actually, I was going to comment on the article, wondering who the authors were trying to 'educate', only in rather more colourful language. Then I thought the better of it.