Indiana Jones: Myth, Reality And 21st Century Archaeology

Two years ago Indiana Jones Myth, Reality, and 21st Century Archaeology interviewed Dr. Tom King about the famed Amelia Earhart. We discussed the ongoing and long-standing research to solve the historically captivating mystery of her disappearance over the Pacific in 1937. This fall it was made known that a piece of aluminum aircraft debris found on a remote, uninhabited South Pacific atoll came from Earhart’s Lockheed Electra aircraft. We take off with her story again with Mr. Richard Gillespie, Executive Director of International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), and discuss the newest developments in her saga. Amelia’s story is gaining altitude thanks to the ongoing interdisciplinary efforts of TIGHAR and revitalized attention from the media. In addition to sharing new data, we touch on role of the media and the use of famous tales in archaeology, and how that colors the public’s understanding and appreciation of archaeology.