The Real Indiana Jones
Author: Bob Cornero | Filed under: Archaeology, Curiosities, Education, History, Wikipedia-Diving
Born in 1867 and disappeared in 1925 while searching for what he called “The Lost City of Z” with his son, Jack, Col. Percy Fawcett is the inspiration for the character Indiana Jones.
True to form, just like the character he inspired, Fawcett had an equal disdain for snakes. According to The Museum of Unnatural Mystery
“Though not poisonous, the giant anaconda is probably the most feared snake in the jungle. Fawcett had a run-in with one not long after he arrived in South America. In his diary he noted: “We were drifting easily along the sluggish current not far below the confluence of the Rio Negro when almost under the bow of the igarit’e [boat] there appeared a triangular head and several feet of undulating body. It was a giant anaconda. I sprang for my rifle as the creature began to make its way up the bank, and hardly waiting to aim, smashed a .44 soft-nosed bullet into its spine, ten feet below the wicked head.”
Fawcett’s expeditions were mainly limited to South America, in countries like Bolivia, a wild and lawless place at the time. For his now fabled final journey, Fawcett set out to find an ancient lost city, which he simply referred to as “Z” for simplicity.
After studying numerous manuscripts and legends, Fawcett became convinced that the lost city was located in the unexplored Mato Grosso region of the Brazilian jungles. He even went as far as to leave a note saying that if they should not return, no one should come and get them lest they suffer the same fate as he and his comrades.
The fate of Fawcett was never rightly determined. Since his disappearance there have been no less than 13 separate expeditions to find him, or his remains. No fewer than 100 individuals have died on these journeys, with the last expedition in 1996 being held hostage by Kalapalo villagers before being released.
There are theories of course. Some believe he was murdered. Still, others believe he died of natural causes. Some even believe he is still alive, living in the subterranean city “Z,” founded by the Atlanteans. According to The Guardian, there are correspondences which indicate he planned on leaving British society and forming a new one, with a new religion that even included worship of his son and an unnamed Sith, or female spirit. Still, others believe he fell into unconsciousness, and when he awoke became king of a cannibal tribe.
Simultaneously fantastical, intriguing, and mysterious, the mythology surrounding this man is endless and the riddle of his disappearance is still unsolved (or at best, unresolved). For more info check out Wikipedia, The Museum of Unnatural Mystery, Catchpenny, and The Guardian.
Via The Presurfer
Like this post? Check out some of our other cool posts! Find something new with The Best Firefox Extensions You Probably Didn’t Know About, be enlightened by The Benefits of Having an Opportunity Fund, or try to keep up with Bob on his 30 Day Fitness Challenge! Subscribe to our feed! Variety, as they say, is the spice of life, and Mumbo Jumbo Daily can help provide it!
cool, cool, cool!
I’m about to go into the un-chartered depths of wikipedia to discover more………..
If i don’t return, please don’t come looking for me as i don’t want you to suffer the same fate as me and my comrades!
Hasta nunca!!
Safe journeys, my friend.
[...] The Real Indiana Jones | Mumbo Jumbo Daily! [...]
Maybe this guy jointly inspired indiana jones with a guy called Vendyl Jones,he is still alive and is also said to be the inspiration for dr.jones,in fact this isthe only source i’ve seen to say otherwise.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/82226
look here for the Doctor Vendyl Jones.
cheers.
Yes, i agree with Toko,Vendyl Jones inspired Indiana jones.
Thanks for the interesting article guys. I’m a huge Indiana Jones fan – I have all the movies/books/most of the games, but I’d have to disagree with your assertion that Vendyl Jones is the inspiration for Indiana Jones. That doesn’t detract from Vendyl Jones at all – he’s still a fascinating character, but Indiana Jones’ name was originally Indiana Smith – Indiana coming from George Lucas’s Dog (in the extra literature, Indiana even begrudgingly admits he took his name from his dog). Spielberg changed it later to Jones because it sounded better. There’s even an in-depth paragraph on wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vendyl_Jones
Another inspiration for Indiana Jones, especially his style of dress (hat and shirt) was Roy Chapman Andrews who discovered the first dinosaur eggs in the Gobi Desert during the 20’s.
He explored the wilds in Model T Fords.
Some even believe he is still alive, living in the subterranean city “Z,” founded by the Atlanteans.
wouldnt that make him 140 odd?
Indeed it would. I’m not saying I endorse this perspective, but stranger things have been reported, such as the case of 256 Year Old Li Ching Yuen. Check him out!
http://www.mumbojumbodaily.com/li-ching-yuen-256-years-old/
@ John Edward, you are indeed correct. I just had a moment where I wondered what it would be like to explore the world in a Model T. It must have been an unreal experience, and one that required a great amount of inner fortitude and resourcefulness. Thanks for the info!
Great article! Wish there was more on this man.
“Fawcett became convinced that the lost city was located in the unexplored Mato Grasso region of the Brazilian jungles”
The correct spell is “Mato Grosso”, with an “o”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mato_Grosso
Anyway, Mato Grosso isn’t a jungle-area; Neither the “Pantanal” nor the “Cerrado” are tree-intensive.
It wasn’t also the first expedition to the place; but maybe it was the first one with a non-brazilian member.
But yet, the similarities are astonishing
@Donald Lynch:
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I’ve never traveled there, so I wouldn’t have firsthand knowledge. I can only go by what I read! XD
[...] for the character Indiana Jones…Since his disappearance there have been no less than 13 separatehttp://www.mumbojumbodaily.com/the-real-indiana-jones/New York City Guide – Recommendations and Reviews by CitysearchYour comprehensive guide to New York. [...]
I can’t believe people still believe that Atlantis ever existed. How stupid are those who think it is a lost city, more over that Fawcett would be living in City Z among the Atlanteans. Atlantis is a myth created by Socrates and Plato likely in the Parmenides, though this is probably the wrong dialog. The man was probably killed by the Kalapalo villagers. So to those of you who do actually do believe in Atlantis wake up and read the facts. Look at some history.
@thefish:
Haha, take it easy there! I didn’t say that *I* believed in Atlantis – just that some folks thought Fawcett ended up there. I just think it’s a fascinating myth that probably grew over time, perhaps based on a small people group whose island did undergo some catastrophic event. At the very least, it’s fantastic fodder for Indiana Jones games: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Fate_of_Atlantis
(Seriously, it’s a fantastic and engaging game. I haven’t seen the new movie yet, but this game is supposedly better from everything I’ve been hearing…)
[...] The Real Indiana Jones The Real Indiana Jones [...]
Sorry, but Mato Grosso isn´t more a region of the Brazilian jungle. It´s now a rich and amazing region with great cities and a vibrant economy.
Well, we’re talking nearly 100 years ago… Surely things have changed since then.
[...] in Brazil. There’s plenty of mythology you could have messed with in that area anyways like lost cities and whatnot. With Soviets who look and behave exactly like Nazis, you’re sort of ruining it for the [...]
BORN IN 1867 AND DISAPEAERD IN 1925 WHIEL SAARCHNG FOR WUT HE CAL3D “TH3 LOST CITY OF Z” WIT HIS SON JAK COL!!!!111!1 P3RCY FAWC3T SI TEH INSPIRATION FOR DA CHARACT3R INDIANA JON3S
TRUA!11111 LOL 2 FORM JUST LIEK TEH CHARACTER HE INSPIERD FAWCET HAD AN EQUAL DISDANE FOR SNAEKS!!1!!11 WTF ACORDNG 2 DA MUESUM OF UNATURAL MYST3RY
“THOUGH NOT POISONOS DA GIANT ANACONDA SI PROBABLEY TEH MOST FEAERD SNAEK IN TEH JUNGLE!!!111 WTF FAWC3T HAD A RUN-IN WIT ONE NOT LONG AFTER H3 ARIEVD IN SOUTH MERICA!!!!!1! OMG IN HIS DIARY HA NOTED “W3 WERE DRIFTNG 3ASILEY ALONG TEH SLUGISH CURANT NOT FAR BLOW DA CONFLUENCA OF DA RIO N3GRO WHAN ALMOST UNDER TEH BOW OF TEH IGARIT’E [BOAT] THEYRE APEAERD A TRIANGULAR H3AD AND SEV3RAL FET OF UNDULATNG BODY!!1!1!1! OMG LOL IT WAS A GIANT ANACONDA!1!1!!!!! WTF LOL I SPRANG FOR MAH RIFL3 AS DA CREATUR3 BGAN 2 MAEK ITS WAY UP TEH BANK AND HARDLEY WATENG 2 AME SMASH3D A 4!!1!111 SOFT-NOS3D BULAT IN2 ITS SPIEN T3N FET BLOW DA WIK3D HAAD”
FAWC3T’S!1!!! OMG AXPADITIONS WARE MANELEY LIMIETD 2 SOUTH M3RICA IN COUNTREIS LIEK BOLIVIA A WILD AND LAWLES PLAEC AT TEH TIEM!1!!!! OMG FOR HIS NOW FABL3D FINAL JOURNAY FAWC3T SAT OUT 2 FIND AN ANCEINT LOST CITY WHICH HE SIMPLEY REFARAD 2 AS “Z” FOR SIMPLICITY
AFT3R!!11!1 OMG STUDYNG NUM3ROS MANUSCRIPTS AND LEGENDS FAWC3T BCME CONVINCAD TAHT DA LOST CITY WAS LOCAETD IN TEH UNAXPLORAD MA2 GROSO REGION OF TEH BRAZILIAN JUNGL3S!111!11! LOL HA EVAN WENT AS FAR AS 2 L3AEV A NOTE SAYNG TAHT IF THAY SHUD NOT RETURN NO ONE SHUD COMA AND G3T THEM LEST THEY SUF3R DA SME FAET AS HE AND HIS COMRAEDS
THE!1!1!1! WTF FAET OF FAWCET WAS N3VER RIGHTLEY DATERMIEND!1111 LOL SINC3 HIS DISAPAARANC3 THEIR HAEV B3N NO LAS THAN 13 S3PARAET AXP3DITIONS 2 FIND HIM OR HIS RAMANES!1!!!11 OMG WTF LOL NO FAWAR THAN 10 INDIVIDUALS HAEV DEID ON THESE JOURN3YS WIT DA LAST EXP3DITION IN 196 BNG H3LD HOSTAEG BY KALAPALO VILAEGRS BFORA BNG R3LEAESD
THARE!1!!111!! WTF R THAOREIS OF COURSE!!!!!11 LOL SOME BLEIVE H3 WAS MURDARED!!!!11 OMG WTF STIL OTHERS BLEIVE HE DEID OF NATURAL CAUESS!!11!1!11 WTF LOL SOME EVAN BLEIVE H3 SI STIL ALIEV LIVNG IN TEH SUBTERAENAN CITY “Z” FOUNDED BY TEH ATLANTEANS!!!!!11! OMG WTF ACORDNG 2 TEH GUARDIAN THEYRE R CORESPOND3NC3S WHICH INDICAET H3 PLANAD ON LEAVNG BRITISH SOCEITY AND FORMNG A NU ONE WIT A NU RALIGION TAHT 3VEN INCLUDED WORSHIP OF HIS SON AND AN UNM3D SITH OR F3MAEL SPIRIT!!!!1! WTF LOL STIL OTH3RS BLEIVE HE FEL IN2 UNCONSCIOSNES AND WH3N HA AWOKE BCME KNG OF A CANIBAL TRIEB
SIMULTAENOSLEY!1!!111!! LOL FANTASTICAL INTRIGUNG AND MYSTERIOS TEH MYTHOLOGY SUROUNDNG THES MAN SI ENDLES AND TEH RIDLA OF HIS DISAPEARANCE SI STIL UNSOLVAD (OR AT BST UNRASOLVAD)!!!11!1! OMG FOR MOR3 INFO CHEK OUT WIKIEPDIA TEH MUESUM OF UNATURAL MYSTERY CATCHPANY AND TEH GUARDIAN
Great article! I didn’t know the Indi’s origin, thank you from Spain!
@Jose:
Thanks for the visit! Please come back soon!
[...] The Real Indiana Jones | Mumbo Jumbo Daily! [...]