Will the Real Indiana Jones Please Stand Up?
Indiana Jones is the charming, adventurous archaeologist we all secretly wish we could be. The idea of going on adventures and discovering ancient artifacts sounds like something out of the movies, but it was a reality for some people back in the day. Indiana Jones was loosely modeled after Hiram Bingham III, a famous explorer and academic.
Hiram Bingham III is best known today for bringing wide-scale attention to the existence of the Inca city of Machu Picchu, which he was able to reach with the help of local indigenous guides. This event happened way back in 1911, so not many people recognize Bingham’s influence on Harrison Ford’s charismatic character. There’s a definite nod to Bingham in the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark. That scene takes place in the Andes, near Machu Picchu.