Archaeological Mysteries/Discoveries To Spark INDIANA JONES’ Next Adventure
It was recently announced that Lucasfilm would once again be teaming up with Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford for Indiana Jones 5. During his cinematic adventures thus far, Indy has gone after the Ark of the Covenant, tracked down a stolen sacred stone, found the Holy Grail, and uncovered an alien UFO.
The last Indiana Jones movie was set in 1957. I imagine Indiana Jones 5 will be set either in the '60s or '70s. There are a number of adventures that Indy could find himself in, but what’s next for the adventurous archeologist? Officially, we’ll have to wait and see — but in the meantime, here’s a list of mysterious archeological discoveries and legends that could spark Indiana Jones on his next adventure.
I will say that a lot of these are in North America because I think it would be cool to see Dr. Jones uncover and go on an adventurous journey in the United States.
Terracotta Army
This is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, who was the first Emperor of China. It’s a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE and whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife. They were discovered in 1974 by local Chinese farmers and it would be cool if Indy was one of the first archeologists on the scene. This is probably the most obvious, but who knows what could be discovered by the iconic archeologist and where the road it could take him leads. More info.
Montezuma’s Treasure
It’s a legendary buried treasure that has never been found. It is said to be located in the Casa Grande ruins or elsewhere in the southwest United States and Mexico. There has also been evidence that it resides in Kanab, Utah, where Aztec petroglyphs have been discovered. There are also a lot of awesome legends about spirits who protect the treasure, giant Aztec skeleton remains, water traps, and more. The Last Crusade started out with a young Indiana Jones in Utah. It would be fun to see this next chapter lead him back there for Montezuma’s Treasure. More info.
The Screaming Mummies
In 1886, Gaston Masparo was unwrapping the mummies of the 40 kings and queens found in an astonishing hidden cache near Egypt's Valley of the Kings. Rameses the Great, Seti I, and Tuthmosis III were among these mummies, but there were others buried alongside them and it suddenly became a terrifying find. As he was unwrapping them, he found some of the mummies had died while horrifically screaming. These are spine-tingling to look at. Were they buried alive? If so, why? What is the true story behind these people? What could be discovered that takes Jones on his next journey? More Info.
Lost Underground City Of The Grand Canyon
I like the thought of Indiana Jones having an adventure in America. There are a lot of cool archeological discoveries and legends that would make for a great film. One of them is the lost underground city of the Grand Canyon. In 1909, there was a story that appeared in the Arizona Gazette that an ancient underground citadel had been discovered. There have been discoveries which could prove that the race which inhabited this mysterious cavern was possibly from Egypt, tracing back to Ramses. There are also pyramids that have been discovered along with war weapons and copper instruments, and rumors of a tomb full of mummies. Why wouldn’t Indy want in on this action!? More info.
The Emerald Tablets
What I like about this is that it doesn’t exist anymore. There’s no information on the author, origin, or location of the Emerald tablets. The first known appearance of the tablets are in an Arabic book written between the sixth and eighth centuries. The original text was ancient Syriac and it was first translated into Latin in the twelfth century. This tablet is considered to be the most important document in the field of alchemy. Supposedly it presents information regarding the philosopher’s stone, which is a substance that is able to turn base metals into gold. More info.
The Golden Plates
If you are familiar with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, then you know about the Book of Mormon, which was translated from a collection of golden plates discovered by Joseph Smith in Manchester, New York in 1823. He was led to the location by an angel named Moroni and along with the plates, he found a sword and other artifacts. The text was written in “reformed Egyptian,” and Smith only showed the plates to a handful of people. Even if you don’t believe in the religion, the book still contains a ton of incredible stories about the people who inhabited the continent, and there are a lot of legends and mysteries revolving around the plates, which the angel took back when Smith was finished translating them. These Golden Plates could take Jones on one hell of a great expedition. More info.
Judaculla Rock
This is apparently one of the greatest archeological mysteries of the North America. It was discovered in Cullowhee, North Carolina in the 1800s. The rock has all kinds of markings, writings, drawings, and spidery lines. The mysterious symbols could be more than 10,000 years old, but no one has been able to decipher it and they don’t know its true origin or purpose. The Cherokee Indians regard the boulder as having spiritual significance. Is it some kind of prehistoric code of a secret message for future generations of humanity? Maybe Indiana Jones can find out! More info.
The Spider Rock Treasure
In 1902 and 1910, three mysterious stones were discovered in three different parts of central Texas. They were discovered by a man named Dave M. Arnold along with some other local landowners. The stones each had hieroglyphic symbols that have never been deciphered, but they are believed to be a map that leads to the legendary “Spider Rock” Spanish treasure. It’s lead many explorers on a journey to find lost gold, but if anyone has the ability and know-how to find it, it’s Indiana Jones. More info.
Shin-Au-Av, The Ancient Underground City Beneath Death Valley
I had no idea there was a secret hidden city under the Death Valley desert, but apparently it’s there! It’s a 5,000-year-old underground city that was apparently once inhabited by an unknown race. They were discovered in 1920 by the grandfather of a man named Tom Wilson, and when he found it, there were supposedly people living there who spoke an unknown language. Visitors of this city have claimed to have seen strange mummies and old ancient artifacts. There are a lot of strange stories revolving around the city that were passed down by the Paiute Indians. There’s a lot of incredibly fascinating stuff regarding this underground city, and it would be fun to see Jones try and uncover the mysteries of it. More info.
Skinwalker Ranch
I’d love to see an Indiana Jones movie in which he explores the legends of Native American culture. There is so much supernatural mythology and so many stories out there that could take Jones on one of his most insane adventures yet. One of the myths I’d love to see him encounter surrounds the Skinwalkers, which are a branch of Navajo witches who have the ability to turn themselves into an animal. As for Skinwalker Ranch, it borders the Ute Indian Reservation, and is a hotspot for not only these Skinwalkers, but also other paranormal activity such as UFOs, crop circles, and poltergeist activity. There’s just so much going on there, and so much mystery surrounding it, that it might be cool to see Dr. Jones trying to solve them. More info.