On My “Colleague” Dr. Jones and His “Publications”

In this chapter, the author summarizes and assesses Dr. Jones's contributions to our joint professional field, and revisits some of favorite moments from the Indiana Jones films. Although Indy's archaeological techniques leave something to be desired, he thinks archaeologists owe him a debt of gratitude for popularizing our profession. Archaeology enables peoples and societies to form cultural memories of who they are and where they come from. Dr. Jones's major publications are well known, and usually enthusiastically received by the public, but they are not subject to any sort of rigorous scientific peer review. Professional archaeologists should look to produce Indy-inspired “publications” by doing accessible outreach for general audiences. Although Indiana Jones is a fictional tenured professor of archaeology, actual professional archaeologists owe him a debt of gratitude. These publications may not be as pronounced as major motion pictures directed by Steven Spielberg, but they are necessary for the future of the profession.