In my opinion, the debate is a good one to have.   What is archaeology 
and what is treasure hunting, that is.  Whether or not Harrison Ford 
should have been appointed to the AIA board is really not that big of 
deal. Yes Indiana Jones didn't use proper archaeological methods or 
ethics, however, he is a movie character.  An archaeologist operating in 
the 40s and 50s.  I can think of a number of real archaeologists that 
were far less professional/ethical.  Yet because they weren't excavating 
in Giza or Bangkor Wat, nobody gave a squat.

The fact is Harrison Ford is an individual, not Indiana Jones.  The 
language they use is unfortunate but as Mark has already suggested, the 
definition of a "real" archaeologist varies depending on the time, 
place, and circumstances; the context. Ford is an interested, 
knowledgeable, high-profile, wealthy individual; exactly the type of 
individual you want on your board, even better if they are passionate 
and assumed to have more wealthy friends.  Not only did Indiana Jones 
spark a lot of people's interest in archaeology (including mine) but it 
also made Harrison a good chunk of change.  To protest his appointment 
is really much ado about nothing.  It makes perfect business sense for 
the Non-profit to bring in a high-profile individual, such as Harrison 
to increase the visibility of their organization.  Its not like he's 
re-writing ethics policy or voting to ignore all import/export laws. 

On a lighter note, nobody has mentioned his shady past as a smuggler and 
a scoundrel or what he did to poor Greedo in the Cantina.
c

Cindy Ho wrote:
> And is there a difference?
>
> This May, the Archaeological Institute of America announced that actor 
> Harrison Ford, who plays the title character in the Indiana Jones 
> trilogy-plus-one, will serve on its Board of Directors.  
>
> The Indy films have brought archaeology into the public eye, true. And 
> no doubt his adventures have drawn many students to the discipline 
> (who then realize archaeology isn't exactly like "Raiders of the Lost 
> Ark").  But let's take a moment to consider the consequences of this 
> appointment.
>
> Archaeologist Dr. Oscar Muscarella, outspoken critic of the 
> antiquities trade and the plunder of archaeological sites, objects to 
> the appointment of Harrison Ford. AIA is North America's oldest and 
> largest non-profit organization devoted to archaeology, and according 
> to the AIA website, "the legendary archaeologist Indiana Jones ... 
> shows his commitment to real archaeology."  However, according to Dr. 
> Muscarella, Indiana Jones is not an archaeologist, but a plunderer.  
> See Dr. Muscarella's video and read his statement at the SAFECorner 
> blog: http://safecorner.savingantiquities.org 
> <http://safecorner.savingantiquities.org/>/ 
>
> Is the AIA, one of the first places to which we turn for guidelines 
> and counsel in archaeological ethics, sending conflicting messages?  
> Have they made a mistake in recognizing a character (or rather, the 
> actor behind him) that Mark Rose, online editorial director for the 
> AIA, doesn't "think would be a member [of the profession]. Not in good 
> standing, anyway"?
>
> Vote in the poll and join the discussion at 
> http://safecorner.savingantiquities.org 
> <http://safecorner.savingantiquities.org/>/ or share your thoughts in 
> the discussion boards of the SAFE Facebook group!
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