Dr. Oscar Muscarella, outspoken critic of the antiquities trade and the plunder of artifacts from archaeological sites, sent us the following:
"Brian Rose has stated that the movie character Indiana Jones 'has played a significant role in stimulating the public's interest in archaeological exploration,' ...{but] Jones is the very antithesis of an archaeologist. In fact, he has played a significant role in stimulating the destroyers of sites, the plunderers who supply 'antiquities' to a museum.
Indeed, let me say loud and clear: the AIA President has made a serious and very unfortunate blunder. He has publicly proclaimed that he has no idea what archaeology is, what it is not, and he has thereby compromised the AIA and its membership, which includes me, and thousands of others."
Dr. Muscarella leads SAFE Tours at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Tell us what YOU think.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
"Indiana Jones is a plunderer." What do you think?
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25 comments:
Interesting take on this issue can be found:
Indiana Jones And The Plunder Of Cultural Heritage
and "Indiana Jones has no future" - plundering antiquities loses acceptability - Interview
not to mention the "Indiana Jones Plunderwatch"
The Indiana Jones thing is a barrel of bologna. The movies always show him as reluctant to be involved and forced into these actions due to a threat made to him or someone he cares about. One would hope that a scholar would look at the whole story in the script, however ridiculous or improbable, and comprehend that the character does this stuff under duress. His enjoyment of surviving is probably frowned upon, too.
I think most folks would agree that Indiana Jones is a plunderer. But, I'm still a huge fan of the movies.
BACK FROM YET ANOTHER GLOBETROTTING ADVENTURE, INDIANA JONES CHECKS HIS MAIL AND DISCOVERS THAT HIS BID FOR TENURE HAS BEEN DENIED.
BY ANDY F. BRYAN
January 22, 1939
Assistant Professor Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr.
Department of Anthropology
Chapman Hall 227B
Marshall College
Dr. Jones:
As chairman of the Committee on Promotion and Tenure, I regret to inform you that your recent application for tenure has been denied by a vote of 6 to 1. Following past policies and procedures, proceedings from the committee's deliberations that were pertinent to our decision have been summarized below according to the assessment criteria.
Demonstrates suitable experience and expertise in chosen field:
The committee concurred that Dr. Jones does seem to possess a nearly superhuman breadth of linguistic knowledge and an uncanny familiarity with the history and material culture of the occult. However, his understanding and practice of archaeology gave the committee the greatest cause for alarm. Criticisms of Dr. Jones ranged from "possessing a perceptible methodological deficiency" to "practicing archaeology with a complete lack of, disregard for, and colossal ignorance of current methodology, theory, and ethics" to "unabashed grave-robbing." Given such appraisals, perhaps it isn't surprising to learn that several Central and South American countries recently assembled to enact legislation aimed at permanently prohibiting his entry.
Moreover, no one on the committee can identify who or what instilled Dr. Jones with the belief that an archaeologist's tool kit should consist solely of a bullwhip and a revolver.
Nationally recognized for an effectual program of scholarship or research supported by publications of high quality:
Though Dr. Jones conducts "field research" far more often than anyone else in the department, he has consistently failed to report the results of his excavations, provide any credible evidence of attending the archaeological conferences he claims to attend, or produce a single published article in any peer-reviewed journal. Someone might tell Dr. Jones that in academia "publish or perish" is the rule. Shockingly, there is little evidence to date that Dr. Jones has successfully excavated even one object since he arrived at Marshall College. Marcus Brody, curator of our natural-history museum, assured me this was not so and graciously pointed out several pieces in the collection that he claimed were procured through Dr. Jones's efforts, but, quite frankly, we have not one shred of documentation that can demonstrate the provenance or legal ownership of these objects.
Meets professional standards of conduct in research and professional activities of the discipline:
The committee was particularly generous (and vociferous) in offering their opinions regarding this criterion. Permit me to list just a few of the more troubling accounts I was privy to during the committee's meeting. Far more times than I would care to mention, the name "Indiana Jones" (the adopted title Dr. Jones insists on being called) has appeared in governmental reports linking him to the Nazi Party, black-market antiquities dealers, underground cults, human sacrifice, Indian child slave labor, and the Chinese mafia. There are a plethora of international criminal charges against Dr. Jones, which include but are not limited to: bringing unregistered weapons into and out of the country; property damage; desecration of national and historical landmarks; impersonating officials; arson; grand theft (automobiles, motorcycles, aircraft, and watercraft in just a one week span last year); excavating without a permit; countless antiquities violations; public endangerment; voluntary and involuntary manslaughter; and, allegedly, murder.
Dr. Jones's interpersonal skills and relationships are no better. By Dr. Jones's own admission, he has repeatedly employed an underage Asian boy as a driver and "personal assistant" during his Far East travels. I will refrain from making any insinuations as to the nature of this relationship, but my intuition insists that it is not a healthy one, nor one to be encouraged. Though the committee may have overstepped the boundaries of its evaluation, I find it pertinent to note that Dr. Jones has been romantically linked to countless women of questionable character, an attribute very unbecoming of a Marshall College professor. One of these women was identified as a notorious nightclub singer whose heart he attempted to extract with his hands, and whom he then tried, and failed, to lower into a lake of magma. Another was a Nazi scholar he was seen courting just last year who, I'm told, plummeted into a fathomless abyss at Dr. Jones's hand. And, of course, no one can forget the slow decline and eventual death of Professor Abner Ravenwood after Dr. Jones's affair with Abner's underage daughter was made public, forcing her to emigrate to Nepal to escape the debacle.
Demonstrates successful record in undergraduate and graduate teaching:
In his nine years with the department, Dr. Jones has failed to complete even one uninterrupted semester of instruction. In fact, he hasn't been in attendance for more than four consecutive weeks since he was hired. Departmental records indicate Dr. Jones has taken more sabbaticals, sick time, personal days, conference allotments, and temporary leaves than all the other members of the department combined.
The lone student representative on the committee wished to convey that, besides being an exceptional instructor, a compassionate mentor, and an unparalleled gentleman, Dr. Jones was extraordinarily receptive to the female student body during and after the transition to a coeducational system at the college. However, his timeliness in grading and returning assignments was a concern.
Establishment of an appropriate record of departmental and campus service:
Dr. Jones's behavior on campus has led not only to disciplinary action but also to concerns as to the state of his mental health. In addition to multiple instances of public drunkenness, Dr. Jones, on three separate occasions, has attempted to set fire to the herpetology wing of the biology department. Perhaps most disturbing, however, are the statements that come directly from Dr. Jones's mouth. Several faculty members maintain that Dr. Jones informed them on multiple occasions of having discovered the Ark of the Covenant, magic diamond rocks, and the Holy Grail! When asked to provide evidence for such claims, he purportedly replied that he was "kind of immortal" and/or muttered derogatory statements about the "bureaucratic fools" running the U.S. government. Given his history with the Nazi Party, I fear where his loyalty lies.
- - - -
To summarize, the committee fails to recognize any indication that Dr. Jones is even remotely proficient when it comes to archaeological scholarship and practice. His aptitude as an instructor is questionable at best, his conduct while abroad is positively deplorable, and his behavior on campus is minimally better. Marshall College has a reputation to uphold. I need not say more.
My apologies,
Prof. G.L. Stevens
Chairman
I'll tell you what I'm thinking: Good God, this is a movie; it's NOT REAL. I'm sorry but you can't get worked up over a movie. It's like when people went crazy over THE DaVINCI CODE. It was a novel; that meant f-i-c-t-i-o-n.
Looting and plundering are wrong and, of course, they must be stopped. No one is disputing that fact. However, I seriously doubt anyone who's watched an INDIANA JONES movie has been inspired to fly off to South America and loot an archealogical site.
I couldn't agree more Jennifer.
I don't think people are getting worked up about the Indiana Jones movies. The public knows that this is a just a work of fiction, like "Tomb Raider" or "The Mummy."
If anything, the movies generate a lot of interest in real archaeology.
I don't know Dr. Muscarella and I am not an archaeologist, but it seems to me that what the man is saying is that the AIA should not be endorsing someone (albeit fictitious) whose practice (albeit fictitious) is frowned upon by its own standards.
Yes, the public knows this is a work of fiction, but movie characters are known to become role models, especially for kids, who love adventure stories. If Indiana Jones does not practice archaeology the way it should be, then couldn't the AIA (an authority in the field I presume) put someone else on its board of trustees? Harrison Ford is a big name, but is that good enough to put on the board? After all, he's an actor, not even a great one at that, in my opinion.
Sounds like Muscarella is (or was) a member of the organization and its not pleased with the direction it's going. I can understand why...
Jennifer and Jonathan:
I think no one here is suggesting that anyone who's watched an INDIANA JONES movie has been inspired to fly off to South America and loot an archaeological site.
Issue here I believe is: by electing the actor who's best known for playing Indiana Jones to the board of the AIA, does it give people who loot justification that they are simply doing archaeology (since Indy calls himself an archaeologist)?
I admit I don't know much about about AIA, although I am very interested in history and preserving the past. May be someone at AIA can shed some light on this. AIA seems to do good work and I might even be interested in joining, but after looking at their Web Site, I agree with Muscarella that this is an odd decision.
I'm with Jennifer on this one. Indiana Jones is not a plunderer. He's a fictional movie character. Has the world gone mad? This is like getting your knickers in a twist about Thomas Crown being an art thief.
That said, if Harrison Ford is encouraged to use his high profile to speak out against the tombaroli and the illicit antiquities dealers (not to mention the Shelby Whites and other high-profile collectors who encourage the illicit trade), then all well and good. But he might start with voicing his objection to the rantings of James Cuno et al for their "nationalist retentionist cultural property law" conspiracy theories.
Tom Flynn (www.artknows.co.uk)
Hi Tom:
Glad you brought up the parallel. What if Steve McQueen or Pierce Brosnan were elected to the board of Scotland Yard or an organization that tells people not to steal art? Isn't that what we're talking about it here?
This is fascinating discussions, glad you guys at SAFECORNER are doing this. Thanks.
I'm sorry, but as much as I hate all this blogging business, I must add my comments here.
I must admit I find some of these comments along the lines of “oh it’s just a movie” a little disturbing. On the one hand you laugh and say “it’s not real, we’re just having some fun”; on the other hand you get all serious and tell us your rules and regulations while bringing some actor who plays someone who breaks these rules and regulations to your board of trustees!
It’s one thing for an actor to play a role and get paid a lot of money for it (after all, this is Hollywood) but it’s a totally different story when you make someone a trustee of a non-profit organization. I know, because I sit on several boards myself. If we brought on a big named movie actor the same time his movie coming out, you better believe our members will ask: “What’s he going to do for us in return?”
If you want to draw people to archaeology and need to use a movie character you don’t need to make the actor a trustee! For good PR, I’m sure the producers and Harrison Ford would be happy to make donations and give out free tickets. Making someone a trustee is another story. I agree with David Ian.
Now, please correct me if I’m wrong, if Harrison Ford is really going to do some good for archaeology, that’s great. When he attends a board meeting at the AIA, I’m sure he’ll draw big crowds. And please let me know, I happen to love Harrison Ford and my 13 year-old son is a real fan of Indy movies.
I'm an archaeologist and I enjoy the Indiana Jones films, even though the space aliens and flying saucer in the last movie were a little much for me! It is true that the Indiana Jones character does not practice real archaeology and would be dubbed a looter by modern scientific and academic standards. By the same token, however, we rarely see realistic depictions of law enforcement professions or anything else for that matter in Hollywood films. The Indiana Jones films probably do give the general public a false impression as to what archaeology is, but it seems to me that this new partnership between Harrison Ford and the AIA might allow for the two educate the public about real archaeology and the problem of looting. I cannot believe that the AIA would put him on the Board simply because of his popularity in the films and expect nothing from the partnership.
In fact, I saw today that Harrison Ford has teamed up with a wildlife advocacy group and the State Department to help raise awareness about the
trafficking of endangered wildlife. Is this a sign that we can expect Harrison Ford to lend his star-power to advocacy efforts on the illicit trade in antiquities? Perhaps. Indeed, that is precisely what the current president of the ancient coin dealer lobby (Ancient Coin Collectors Guild), which lobbies against protective legislation, seems to fear in his recent
blog post.
Oscar Muscarella has done more to speak out against plunder of archaeological sites than any single individual, not with talk but with action. Read his writings, and take a look at what he has done over the decades and the sacrifices he has made over the years. For a quick review, read pages xviii-xx of The Medic Conspiracy by Peter Watson and Cecilia Todeschini.
Instead of snickers, Oscar Muscarella deserves respect for his scholarship and integrity. If his is upset, pay attention to the reasons behind the objections. We can all learn something from him.
I have read his writings, including the wonderful The Lie Became Great, and I have attended his lectures and a tour at the Met. The tour was most eye-opening, fun, entertaining and educational.
Folks: save your adoration for a movie character or an actor, Oscar Muscarella IS REAL.
It's one thing for Hollywood to feed us nonsense, it's irresponsible for the AIA to perpetuate the nonsense with this thoughtless "publicity stint". Plunder is no laughing matter.
Let me be more clear. There's nothing wrong with fun, adventure and fantasy. Heck, Oscar Muscarella enjoyed the movies himself (Did you all hear him say so?) but as Ray Burns said, you don't have to put the movie actor on the board. It sends the WRONG message UNLESS Harrison Ford actually uses his celebrity to speak out against what he does in the movies. Call me a cynic, but I don't see that happening any time soon. But prove me wrong please.
By the way, is anyone from the AIA reading this? If not, they should. Their comments would be enlightening.
Obviously, I am not an archaeologist, though I was for several years a member of the AIA - in their pre-collector bashing days. The question begging an answer here is not whether the fictional Indy Jones is a plunder, but rather why was Harrison Ford elected a trustee of the AIA in the first place? Is the AIA that desperate for publicity?
Jane, it remains to be seen what Harrison Ford may or may not do for the AIA.
But let's not kid ourselves, Wayne, many people would be so happy to have Harrison Ford on their board, you don't need to be desperate.
Great discussion. I think that the character is ethically flawed, but so also are other archaeologists portrayed in novels and on film. Harrison Ford is a talented actor whose talents can only be an asset to the archaeological profession.
Lucille Roussin said
I just saw the movie and, as much as I respect Oscar, I beg to differ. For anyone of "a certain age" it is an hysterical spoof of 1950's political neuroses (Commies), TV shows (Howdy Doody, Kookie), films (Marlon Brando and Jimmy Dean) and any number of Japanese "monster movies" and Hitchcock's "The Birds."
The only reference to "real" archaeology is where he teaches at a university and get dismissed due to unorthodox theories (1950"s Commie hunts). The rest of it is a crazy quest to beat the "commies" to return the crystal skull to its proper place, led by a former colleague who has been brainwashed by the Commies.
Add in some hysterical scenes and references to 1950's TV sitcoms. The ONLY reference in the adventure part is when they discover a room full of antiquities from all corners of the world and Indy says something like "Where should they be? Museums? some other remark, and then with emphasis "Archaeologists!"
Maybe "real" cowboys objected to Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, but they became part of the culture and led to a much more sophisticated view of the "Wild West." I think with an educational push from "real" archaeologists, this movie can do the same.
Lucille, I see your point. As someone of "a certain age" myself, I can't agree with you more. But it's the kids we're more concerned about here.
Again, for an organization that sets the standards for the profession, it would have been better to ask Harrison Ford to do some publicity work telling people not to loot instead of putting him on the board. I am sure everyone would be happy then.
It's normal to question board appointment when such a high profile person is involved. Members want to know that the board is not simply "buying in" to some Hollywood publicity campaign. Again, I don't know AIA and am not suggesting anything, but I think Dr. Muscarella's concerns should be addressed.
Anyway, thanks everyone for the discussion. This is great stuff!
Some interesting thoughts by Kris Hirst can be found
here
After you commented on my bulletin board, I blogged and have gotten a couple of other comments, found here:
http://archaeology.about.com/b/2008/06/17/should-indiana-jones-be-in-the-aia.htm
thanks for bringing this issue up, Nathan.
Dr. Oscar Muscarella should stop worrying about the plundering Indiana Jones, and instead, direct his critique at his own institution (the MET) and colleagues who continue to support the looting of archaeological sites and the illicit trade of antiquities.
Ahh, Christa, you haven't read my earlier comment. Listen to him, his worry is NOT with Indiana Jones! Clearly you don't know Oscar Muscarella and his work. Read the 3 pages I recommended, Google his name and you'll see.
No other individual is more strident, vocal, consistent, and brave than Oscar Muscarella in the fight against the looting of archaeological sites and the illicit trade of antiquities. You should listen to him on a tour at the Met, about the Met.
This is why when Oscar Muscarella voices an opinion, people should take a moment and listen to him and thank him for the opportunity to rethink, not recoil.
Hi Scribalist,
Thanks for reading and blogging about SAFECORNER.
I just wanted to clarify that SAFECORNER is not my blog and the post in question was not mine. I am simply one of the team members of SAFECORNER and I sometimes post there. The user "SAFECORNER," the organization's 'neutral collective voice' posted the discussion about Oscar Muscarella's comments. My own post on SAFECORNER, pertinent to this discussion, was "Harrison Ford and the AIA"
The only blog I am currently operating on my own is
Numismatics and Archaeology.
Nice blog, btw.
All best,
Nathan
I agree with Oscar Muscarella. Yes, Indiana Jones is just Hollywood fantasy and we should not confuse that with reality. But people DO learn from movies, and the message they get from these films is not one that is good for the future of the archaeological record. As someone working at a site that has been the target of informal looting for over a century, I know the damage that is caused, not by professional looters, but by the general public, including tourists and visitors to the site (who buy objects dug up by locals). Public education about archaeological heritage is essential, and this takes place on many levels and in many venues. I am sure that people get a stronger and more vivid message from Indiana Jones on the big screen than they do from my rather meager school lectures and appearances on local public radio and TV.
Kris Hirst
has a good point – Harrison Ford could do an enormous amount of good if he were to promote responsible archaeology and a positive attitude toward sites and antiquities. Is that what he is doing at the AIA, or is he there mainly to give more publicity to the AIA?
I have followed up my previous comment with a post on my blog, Has Indiana Jones Been to Calixtlahuaca?
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