The Real-Life Indiana Jones

The movie character Indiana Jones is one of the most iconic and adventurous characters in history. While Harrison Ford carried out his impressive acting as Indy, Dr. Richard Hansen has carried out similar adventures in real life – with a few major differences.

“Before he crashed in the airplane, he always jumps out and saves himself. We stay on the airplanes until after they crash,” Hansen said. “Indiana Jones was out plundering archeological sites to get the famed treasure. Our objectives aren’t the artifacts. Our objective is to tell the story. The artifact is a consequence, not the objective.”

Hansen is a world-renowned archeologist who has mapped and excavated 56 ancient cities in Central America, as part of the Mirador Basin Project.

He has spent 42 years working in the jungle, with jaguars, poisonous snakes and drug runners nearby. The Idaho native also has a long farming history, and supports learning from past civilizations for brighter, more sustainable future for our food and natural resources.