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There are many characteristics that make up exactly what cult archaeology is. First, ambiguity is  used by the author or producer in order
to obtain a reaction from the audience. If people can see a slight
possibility for the impossible, then they will lean towards believing
it. Take, for example, the Loch Ness Monster. There have
been hundreds of supposed “documented” photos and sightings
and yet the monster has never been captured on a video or in a clear
picture. For an animal that lives in a small lagoon this seems
very peculiar. Authors and creators of this mystery have created
ambiguity by fabricating pictures of the monster that leave the imagination
to run wild. |
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C
ult archaeology is not all based in a fantasy world. Much of cult archaeology
is based on real archaeological evidence. The fault lies in the approach
to interpreting the data. Pseudoscientific researchers often leave
out major sections of data when interpreting phenomena, most of which conflicts
with the conclusion the researcher is hoping to find. By using real
data in their interpretations, cult archaeologists develop legitimacy in
their research. Real archaeologists familiar with the data can see
right through these people’s conclusions, but the target audience of cult
archaeology, the general public, often does not have the scientific training
to spot the error in deduction. |
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Another characteristic of cult archaeology is that it desires
to appear very official and formal. In society today, legitimacy allows
scientists to spread their findings and to profligate their messages.
Cult or pseudoscientific authors attempt to replicate this legitimacy in their
own work. As seen in popular news periodicals like the Weekly World
News, articles and pictures are always followed with references to famous
“archaeological” works. Also, the newspaper (if it can be called news)
alludes to famous doctors, archaeologists, explorers, and anthropological
experts as backing up their ludicrous claims. When a reader who has
doubts about a phenomena and they hear an extravagant explanation from a PhD,
then they may believe the tale that the author is weaving.
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While it is easy to spot cult archaeology in such periodicals as Weekly World
News, which are primarily known for their inaccuracy, a more dangerous form
of cult archaeology is that from documentaries on legitimate broadcast stations
such as The Discovery Channel or NBC and from published books. There
are many good documentaries in the media today but there are also some documentaries
that are prototypical cult archaeology. An idea or an individual seen
in association with a legitimate news agency, or a legitimate television
program, is very hard to easily label as cult archaeology. |
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There are a few positive
aspects to cult archaeology. Entertainment is aided due to the wild
stories and ideas that it encourages, and so is the creative thinking process.
First and foremost, cult archaeology has lent itself to the creation of many
very good films 
and books that are popular across society. “Stargate” the movie was an exceptionally
successful and arguably entertaining film produced in the mid-1990’s.
The movie depicts a group of archaeologists and adventurers traveling through
a portal into another place in the universe. Surprisingly, despite
not being in Cairo or Alexandria, there are Egyptian-style pyramids present
in this realm. These structures were built by the alien inhabitants
of the planet or dimension, and they lead the viewer to believe that perhaps,
these aliens had something to do with the pyramids on Earth. Not likely,
but interesting and entertaining for some. This entertainment factor
is a great reason for having cult archaeology, because it shakes up what
kinds of movies are being made. |
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No one can argue that the authors of cult archaeology lack creative thinking
abilities. Some of the ideas that they introduce are unbelievable when
they are thought of in terms of their imagination. That is another
good thing about pseudoscientific archaeology; it stimulates creativity.
This is a good thing for movies, books, magazines, and newspaper, but it
is also excellent for a child’s imagination. The world would be a very
boring place if everyone thought in the same rational and straight-laced
manner. Thus a healthy imagination is essential for our own diversity.
Cult archaeology encourages this kind of thinking and variety and is excellent
in this respect. However, when the realization of entertainment fades,
cult archaeology can lead to misconceptions of the world and its people.
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| The negatives far outweigh
the positives with regards to cult archaeology. For one, it is usually
better for people to know the truth and not to be deceived. This is
not the case with pseudoscientific archaeology. People are being misled
for a multitude of reasons, namely profit. Authors and producers of
this type of information are usually doing so not for the good of spreading
the truth, but for the good of their own personal bank accounts. Secondly,
cult archaeology really hurts the people that believe it. In our society,
followers of these beliefs are not revered for their bold dissension, but
they are chastised for their incredible gullibility. When the spreaders
of false news encourage people to believe their lies, the believers are the
ones that suffer, not only in the pocket book, but also in how society views
them. |
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Works Cited: Feder, Kenneth L. American Antiquity, Vol. 49, No. 3. (Jul., 1984), pp. 525-541. Freeman, W.H. “Archaeology: Myth and Reality.” Scientific American. San Francisco. 1982 Image Credits http://cgi.sfu.ca/~museum/landarch/index.cgi?pyramids http://www.myspace.co.uk/nessie/nessie/anon.html http://www.crystalinks.com/nasca.html http://www.epinions.com/content_121411505796 http://www.epinions.com/content_134851038852# http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6304490119/103-7560531-4305467?v=glance http://cgi.sfu.ca/~museum/landarch/index.cgi?atlantis |
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You can email the authors at cquinn@nd.edu and jleising@nd.edu Last updated 04/25/2004 |
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