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In Research Of


Sep 19, 2021

Jeb and Blake continue their coverage of the influential film Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Part two of this session is exclusive to our wonderful Patrons.  

Full show notes includes additional images and material with background on the science and nonsense behind this movie.


Quftis: "men from the Upper Egyptian town of Qift who were trained and became skilled excavators and foremen who went on to work for other foreign missions in Egypt, as well as in Palestine"

From OxfordHandbook article on Egyptian Archaeology and the Museum.

Building the Ark today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGcdE5RllG0+

https://youtu.be/enbdsdKfhFo?t=2611 - featuring "scientist" John Hutchison of Canada. (Creator of "The Hutchison Effect" fiasco…)

Archaeoastronomy - how the sky is tied to ancient sites (Map Room)

The art of the Ark:

https://www.thepropgallery.com/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-ralph-mcquarrie-the-power-of-god

Jacques James Tissot's ark of the covenant

Errors Removed in Digital Versions?
According to this site the Cobra reflection was removed - which matches Jeb's recollection.  But after famously negative responses to guns being replaced with mobile phones in digital releases of E.T., Spielberg claimed he wasn't going to be tinkering with his films.  Well… people certainly change their minds.

Movies knocked off from Raiders:
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-indy-ripoffs-2008-pg-photogallery.html

Video Games based on Indy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ojbvhbqOI

The idea that the Templars worshipped the mummified head of Jesus?  Source: The Head of Godby Keith Laidler.

The Dorade Box (Indy's hiding locale on freighter)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorade_box

Kiss Me Deadly (McGuffin style copied in Pulp Fiction)