Indiana Jones in History: From Pompeii to the Moon

by Justin M. Jacobs, Bob McLain (Editor)

Long before Steven Spielberg filmed the exploits of everyone's favorite fedora-wearing action hero, Indiana Jones' real-life counterparts had ventured across the world in search of archaelogical treasure. Following in their footsteps leads to that most unlikely of all Hollywood. Heroes and rogues like Egyptologist Howard Carter, the Great Belzoni, Central Asian treasure hunter Aurel Stein, and others like them form the historical genesis of Indiana Jones. Their stories are told here in rich detail, and their lives examined for the cinematic elements that led to the creation of a pop culture icon. With his concluding chapter on the Indiana Jones films, Professor Justin Jacobs comes full circle, examining how history is morphed into our escapist entertainment, and how that entertainment reshapes our view of the past. ombining erudition and a real knack for storytelling, Justin Jacobs's new book appeals both to scholars and general readers. Like its eponymous Hollywood hero, Indiana Jones in History crosses continents and defies conventions, providing an important and original perspective on the geopolitics of the modern obsession with historical artifacts. —Lisa Leff, The Archive Thief This lively little book will provoke students and general readers to think in new ways about some of the most famous (and some lesser known) classics of archaeological discovery and, one would hope, re-visit and ponder the museum exhibits which display the results. Much of what Jacobs paints here in broad and vigorous strokes is informed by current political and academic sensibilities about cultural hegemony and heritage. While the Indiana Jones film franchise may seem to be just a hook to catch unwary moderns, in fact, what we learn from his analysis of the way those films were conceived is one of the most stimulating parts of the whole. Historians should be inspired by this example to consider ways to integrate their professional concerns into the mainstream by taking advantage of the educational value of modern media. Not the least of this project's appeals is the attractive set of complementary documentary episodes, available on line, which may be viewed independently and considerably enhance the reading of the text. —Daniel C. Waugh, Professor Emeritus of History, University of Washington

Genres: History

357 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 25, 2017

About the author

Justin M. Jacobs is associate professor of history at American University in Washington, DC.

Reviews

[Sicofonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining story that looks back at history to explain the beginnings and development of Archaeology to show why the Indiana Jones characters is a hopeless fiction model. Thankfully, professor Jacobs has made available a series of podcasts and the book itself, for free, in YouTube. I recommend listening to the podcast which goes to the same level of details as the book.