Archaeology on Raidercast

Craig Michaels · 12-07-22, 20:25

Heya! I'm an archaeologist and long-time Tomb Raider fan / level builder. I was just interviewed about archaeology on Raidercast. If you're interested in some of the inspiration behind the games and the perspective of an archaeologist, check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoXr...nel=Raidercast

PS - Late in the video I say "Amun" instead of "Aten" - I'll correct it if I'm ever on again.

jackali · 12-07-22, 21:04

Thanks for sharing. Was really nice to see your passion for archaeology and level building.

tlr online · 12-07-22, 22:08

Thank you for sharing.

laracroftswest · 13-07-22, 02:11

Chris, you did such a great job giving context to a lot of this stuff! Really enjoyed watching this and can't wait for part 2.

Was super intrigued by the bit about the non-Incan "calendar" and your mention of the smell of the burning still being there all those years later. I think hearing an archaeologist's take on the definition of archaeology can allow people to reimagine what it means to be a Tomb Raider and hopefully can inspire Lara's character to do the same as discussions like this continue.

_Seth · 13-07-22, 07:08

I found this insanely fascinating! I could listen about this for every classic, level-by-level, room-by-room!

Where there were inaccurate statues and decorations, I'd be curious as to what historically accurate, approximate alternatives you would suggest be there instead. For example the tiled snakes in Vilcabamba, is there a similar-ish decoration that would make more sense?

Profc · 13-07-22, 15:07

I watched it, and it was really cool! I actually wanted to ask about the Atlantis angle and the authenticity of the archaeology a bit more.

In many video games, they mix and merge multiple Meso American cultures into one. I understand that it's a bit wrong. But how accurate should the video games be? (My Avatar is from Broken Sword II the Smoking Mirror, which is a game that is kind of notorious in this regard. It mixes up the Mayans and the Aztecs multiple times, but it introduced me to these cultures)

For example, in my opinion the Mayan archaeological sites all look quite diverse. The archaeological sites of Chichen Itza,Tikal and Palenque look quite different in terms of their architecture. If a video game uses elements from all three of these sites, in a fictional setting would it be still inaccurate?

Also some of the lesser known Meso-American cultures such as the Mixtec, Huastec, Zapotec or the Olmec cultures rarely get any screen time in the popular culture. Is it wrong to use elements of these cultures, in a predominantly Aztec, or Mayan setting?

Thanks,

PallasAthene · 19-07-22, 16:05

Hello fellow archaeologist

.snake. · 20-07-22, 12:26

Great interview Craig. I always enjoy all of your insightful posts and comments. I hope you're still working on your India TRLE.

Mik9517 · 22-07-22, 19:52

Watched the first half last night - was really interesting and thank you Craig for the info as it was great to get some insights into the developers inspiration! Will definitely watch the rest this weekend for sure.

Pelagius · 10-08-22, 11:27

I was a bit surprised to hear Chris go on about the 'Lara is a colonialist oppressor' idea around 5 minutes in- anyone familiar with the franchise knows that Classic Lara is an equal-opportunity kleptomanic sociopath.

Quote:

Originally Posted by laracroftswest

Chris, you did such a great job giving context to a lot of this stuff! Really enjoyed watching this and can't wait for part 2.

Was super intrigued by the bit about the non-Incan "calendar" and your mention of the smell of the burning still being there all those years later. I think hearing an archaeologist's take on the definition of archaeology can allow people to reimagine what it means to be a Tomb Raider and hopefully can inspire Lara's character to do the same as discussions like this continue.

I do like that the classics used those photo references of ancient architecture. It does lend a certain air of authenticity to the environments.

12-07-22, 20:25	#1
Craig Michaels Archaeologist Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 1,496	Archaeology on Raidercast Heya! I'm an archaeologist and long-time Tomb Raider fan / level builder. I was just interviewed about archaeology on Raidercast. If you're interested in some of the inspiration behind the games and the perspective of an archaeologist, check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoXr...nel=Raidercast PS - Late in the video I say "Amun" instead of "Aten" - I'll correct it if I'm ever on again. __________________ Archaeologist in Irvine, California

12-07-22, 21:04	#2
jackali Super Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Surrey, England Posts: 15,547	Thanks for sharing. Was really nice to see your passion for archaeology and level building. __________________ Life tastes better with cake. 🎂

13-07-22, 02:11	#4
laracroftswest Professor Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sunnydale Posts: 4,770	Chris, you did such a great job giving context to a lot of this stuff! Really enjoyed watching this and can't wait for part 2. Was super intrigued by the bit about the non-Incan "calendar" and your mention of the smell of the burning still being there all those years later. I think hearing an archaeologist's take on the definition of archaeology can allow people to reimagine what it means to be a Tomb Raider and hopefully can inspire Lara's character to do the same as discussions like this continue. __________________ Like a moth to a flame burned by the fire...

13-07-22, 15:07	#6
Profc Archaeologist Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 2,286	I watched it, and it was really cool! I actually wanted to ask about the Atlantis angle and the authenticity of the archaeology a bit more. In many video games, they mix and merge multiple Meso American cultures into one. I understand that it's a bit wrong. But how accurate should the video games be? (My Avatar is from Broken Sword II the Smoking Mirror, which is a game that is kind of notorious in this regard. It mixes up the Mayans and the Aztecs multiple times, but it introduced me to these cultures) For example, in my opinion the Mayan archaeological sites all look quite diverse. The archaeological sites of Chichen Itza,Tikal and Palenque look quite different in terms of their architecture. If a video game uses elements from all three of these sites, in a fictional setting would it be still inaccurate? Also some of the lesser known Meso-American cultures such as the Mixtec, Huastec, Zapotec or the Olmec cultures rarely get any screen time in the popular culture. Is it wrong to use elements of these cultures, in a predominantly Aztec, or Mayan setting? Thanks, __________________ Morality is herd instinct in the individual.

19-07-22, 16:05	#7
PallasAthene Archaeologist Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: UK Posts: 2,486	Hello fellow archaeologist __________________ 'I seem to have a habit of running afoul of religious zealots.' - Lara Croft Last edited by PallasAthene; 19-07-22 at 16:28.

12-07-22, 22:08	#3
tlr online Administrator Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 60,076	Thank you for sharing.

13-07-22, 07:08	#5
_Seth Professor Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: England Posts: 3,273	I found this insanely fascinating! I could listen about this for every classic, level-by-level, room-by-room! Where there were inaccurate statues and decorations, I'd be curious as to what historically accurate, approximate alternatives you would suggest be there instead. For example the tiled snakes in Vilcabamba, is there a similar-ish decoration that would make more sense?

20-07-22, 12:26	#8
.snake. Professor Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York Posts: 2,741	Great interview Craig. I always enjoy all of your insightful posts and comments. I hope you're still working on your India TRLE.

22-07-22, 19:52	#9
Mik9517 Hobbyist Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: West Bromwich, UK Posts: 91	Watched the first half last night - was really interesting and thank you Craig for the info as it was great to get some insights into the developers inspiration! Will definitely watch the rest this weekend for sure.