Alison Chiu

Film Commentary
Introduction The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient biblical texts first discovered by two members of the Taamireh Bedouin tribe in winter of 1946 1947 near a site known as Khirbet Qumran (Silberman, 2012). Texts as ancient as the Dead Sea Scrolls are able to give insight on the development of language, religion and culture (The Century). In the film, the scrolls are presented as dangerous artifacts, capable of giving individuals infinite knowledge. In the film, the Dead Sea Scrolls threaten to become a danger to society at the hands of a thief, and once recovered, the American and Israeli archaeologist argue over what should be done with the artifacts in order to protect society from the past. Themes Similar to Lara Croft and Indiana Jones, objects from the past arise to threaten the future of humanity. The Triangle of Light had the power to change time, changing the past and therefore the future, while the Covenant of the Lost Ark proved deadly to those who opened it. In our group film, an artifact known as the Glass Eye is needed if the reader wishes to obtain infinite knowledge. At the end, the American and Israeli archaeologists are confronted with the problem or whether to preserve or destroy the object. Lara Croft chooses to destroy the Triangle of Light, while the Covenant of the Lost Ark is put into storage for safety. Artifacts Artifacts are important in order to understand the human past. The human past is a story, and artifacts are the storytellers (Tuan, 1980). Artwork connects the present to the past by recording significant or emotional events. By understanding the scene depicted, people are able to understand cultural values within the time period. An artifact is not limited to diaries and artwork. When examining an artifact, its material can also express importance. A wooden chair and an aluminum chair, or a china cup to a plastic cup (Tuan, 1980), their meanings are different. The wooden chair and china cup are made of natural materials, while the aluminum chair and plastic cup are both processed. Time and effort is needed to create from natural materials, while processed objects show an era that might be focused on production and materialism. Archaeologists Myths are developed through history and culture, and realities may be influenced by ideologies inherited from the myths. Archaeologists interpret the past through historical and cultural knowledge and separate the myths from the truth (Hines). In medieval Scandinavian literature, the myths develop and change according to each period. The tales of Vinland and the exploration of the Atlantic locate and define the bounds of the Scandinavian North Atlantic zone, while Old Norse mythology are derived from Christian Scandinavia (Hines). Through the analysis of these myths, archaeologists are capable of cultural values and how they change due to outside influences such as religion.

Alison Chiu Conclusion Artifacts are tools necessary for archaeologists to understand the past. Each has an importance. The Dead Sea Scrolls are not simply ancient paper, but show the earliest beginnings of Judaism and Christianity. Archaeologists might ask questions such as why they were hidden in the caves. Every answer gives the public insight into the past, because archaeologists are the storytellers. Myths are created in order to understand the unknown, and as a result, the more archaeologists know about the unknown, the more truth or facts can be discovered. Word Count: 554 Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiFlyo2RExs Group Participation Relative to my group members, I believe we put in equal efforts. While I did not have as many lines as Trisha or Ashwathi, I was responsible for editing and processing the video. During the filming process, each of us were given important acting roles influential to the plot, and gave input on how to film and what lines should be spoken. Ashwathi did research, and Trisha did planning.

References The century of the manuscript discoveries. (n.d.) The Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Associated Literature. Retrieved March 6, 2014, from http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il/educate/educate.shtml Hines, J. (2000). Myth and reality: the contribution of archaeology. Retrieved March 6, 2014, from http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/fcurta/hines.pdf Scrolls from the dead sea. (n.d.) The Library of Congress. Retrieved March 6, 2014, from http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/scrolls/index.html Silberman, N. A. (2012). The Oxford companion to archaeology. New York: Oxford University Press. Tuan, Y. (1980). The significance of the artifact. Geographical Review, 70(4), 462-474.