DU professor in "Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest"

History Channel looks at comparisons between movie and real archaeologists

DENVER- When "Indiana Jones" debuts in movie theaters May 22, audiences will wonder if real-life archaeologists come close to the adventures of Dr. Jones. It's a question the producers of an upcoming special on the History Channel try to answer. During the 2-hour documentary, "Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest," producers interview Lawrence Conyers, associate professor of archaeology at the University of Denver.

"Archaeologists aren't in the business of raiding tombs or taking artifacts," says Conyers. "But, every time we go someplace, we learn exciting things about the past. We are all products of our histories and learning about past peoples is very important."

Conyers says every time an Indiana Jones movie comes out, there are a surge of archaeology majors and it's the department's responsibility to educate the students about how archaeologists are perceived and show them what archeologists really do.

"We get them out in the field and get them digging and dirty," he says. "They will know very early on if they really like the work or not."

"Indiana Jones and the Ultimate Quest" debuts Sunday, May 18 at 6 p.m. MST on the History Channel.