Peter Ellis takes a wry look at archaeology in a recent blockbuster movie
Not many pieces of archaeological fieldwork reappear as a work of art, let alone become the subject of both novel and film. When one does – such as the expedition that ended up as The English Patient – it is worth taking a look at it, to see what image the wider world is being given of the way that archaeologists go about their labours.
The film recounts in flashbacks the outcome of a pre-World War II expedition to North Africa. Although a project review was not included in the film it is possible to piece together that the team broadly achieved its mapping objectives and managed to record their major find – the well-known cave filled with figurative paintings of swimmers. On the other hand they crashed a plane near the latter in what looked like attempted murder, had to bury the pilot there and then left the passenger to die in the cave although her body was later removed and immolated in a second plane under British fire. The pilot on that occasion suffered 100 per cent burns of all areas of his body shown in the film, and survived only in horrible torment. Another team member, who had a strange attachment to Dorset, committed suicide though there appeared to be no connection. There was also a nasty lorry crash caused by some fooling about between driver and passenger, as a result of which staff members could have been buried in a duststorm. In other words the health and safety aspects were poorly addressed.
Some technical aspects were very odd. Aerial photography involved two planes. What was to be photographed was indicated by one staff member in one plane miming taking a photograph to the pilot in the other plane. Working out that a photograph was required took further miming by the occupants of plane number two before finally the team photographer got his camera out, photographed a point several kilometres past the intended shot, which event the pilot celebrated with a victory roll. There were also some unprofessional moments on finding the cave involving whooping and yelling. It also needs to be mentioned that fires should not have been lit in the cave, although the particular circumstances of the sick team member might just allow this to be excused. The writing of her final note in complete darkness was an interesting achievement that might provide useful clues for future recording in similar circumstances.
The cave was located by questioning the locals – sometimes a problematic way to find a site. The team member involved in this prepared drawings which he showed to his informants in an attempt to recreate the described scenery. This was successfully managed by drawing a hill, which team member and informant thought looked like a woman’s back. This drawing was presumably periodically held up before various natural features until the right one was found. Fortunately the film skipped the intermediate stages up to the final hill.
Mention of the woman’s back brings up the whole topic of sex. It has to be said that some team members allowed this to become a dominant feature of their work to the detriment of their allegiance to the pursuit of learning. In this respect both sexes were equally at fault. One team member introduced herself by saying she had read a male team member’s monograph and thought it was very good despite being long and lacking adjectives. It was this odd and possibly nuanced introduction that led to all the trouble later on. From then on there were too many meaningful looks and not enough basic recording. Surely bringing evening dress was a mistake? And why did they have to share baths? A good director would have sorted this out rapidly but the project leader on this expedition mournfully admitted that though used to making a lot out of very little in his work he tended in real life to only manage to make a little out of rather a lot.
Just like real archaeology, I suppose.
Peter Ellis is a Field Officer with the Birmingham University Field Archaeology Unit
Return to the British Archaeology homepage
© Council for British Archaeology, 1997