Archeologie in het beeldverhaal

Samenvatting

Archaeology in Cartoons. Archaeology features as a major theme in comics, and this article will analyse the way(s) in which it is represented within them. From attempting to portray an archaeological period to applying archaeology as a background for a fantasy story, various representations can be seen. Stereotypical bearded pre- and protohistoric men with braids, dressed in animal skins and armed with clubs when present display rough and loud behaviour. In contrast, comics depicting the Classical World always portray Romans as extremely civilised and decadent. In some comics, archaeology is represented as a discipline. In most instances, archaeologists are portrayed as serious researchers trying to understand the past and acting as guardians of our heritage. However, this is certainly not the case for Red Rackham’s Treasure from The Adventures of Tintin (1944) where archaeology is equated to treasure hunting. This comic is a product of its time when Jacques Cousteau began his first underwater expeditions.