Archaeology - Unearthing Our Past is a companion historical documentary that accompanies Chapter 1: My First Adventure in The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones. It appears on Disc 1 of Volume 1. It has a run-time of 19 minutes, 17 seconds.
It was uploaded on the Lucasfilm YouTube channel on June 12, 2024.[1]
Official summary[]
Man's history on Earth dates back at least tens of thousands of years, yet written records stretch back to only a fraction of that. Helping clarify the picture of humanity past is the science of archaeology. Though the cinematic escapades of Indiana Jones describe a world of globe-trotting adventure, in truth archaeologists are more like detectives, piecing together clues to mysteries of what has come before.
Summary[]
The documentary explores the history and practice of archaeology, beginning with iconic ancient sites like Stonehenge, the Egyptian pyramids and the Mayan city of Copán. It contrasts Hollywood myths with the real work of archaeologists, who carefully excavate artifacts to uncover how ancient people lived, believed, and organized their societies.
Featuring examples like Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and Allan Maca’s excavations in Copán, the film traces archaeology’s shift from treasure hunting to a modern scientific discipline. It highlights tools such as radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis, and concludes by emphasizing archaeology’s ongoing role in understanding human history.
The documentary features footage from the opening sequence of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Credits[]
- Produced and Written by Adam Sternberg
- Associate Producer: Kristin Pichaske
- Executive Producers: George Lucas and Rick McCallum
- Editor: Marta Wohl
- Narrator: Danny Shorago
- Series Producer: David Schneider
- Made by JAK Documentary, 2007
Interviewees[]
- Thomas Hoving, Former Director Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC
- Allan Maca, Archaeologist, Colgate University
- Kent Weeks, Egyptologist, American University, Cairo
Music from[]
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones – Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life by Joel McNeely
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones – Spring Break Adventure by Laurence Rosenthal
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones – Passion for Life by Laurence Rosenthal
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones – Masks of Evil by Laurence Rosenthal
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones – My First Adventure by Laurence Rosenthal
- Associated Production Music, LLC
Appearances[]
Characters[]
Real-world figures[]
- Allan Maca
- Jacques Boucher de Perthes (Mentioned only)
- Howard Carter
- Kent Weeks
- Tutankhamun (Mentioned only)
- Rameses II (Mentioned only)
Artifacts[]
Locations[]
- Temple of the Chachapoyan Warriors
- Central America
- Egypt
- Avaris (Mentioned only)
- Great Pyramids
- Sphinx
- Great Britain
- Mexico
- Calakmul
- Palenque
- United States of America
- Colorado
- Mesa Verde
- Colorado
Miscellanea[]
Notes and references[]
External links[]
Archaeology - Unearthing Our Past on the Official Lucasfilm YouTube channel
Young Indy on DVD: A Tour of Volume 1: Disc 1 on StarWars.com (backup link on Archive.org)