[MARCEL]

So I will just make an educated guess and say that I believe that the Antikythera mechanism will be important part of the plot.

Clues:

Happens in the late 1950s

This Chapter has something to do in NEW MEXICO (could it be Nuclear testing OR Aliens)

Dr. Jones visits Yale University

For the ones who dont know: Tha Antikythera mechanism was a machine that was found in 1901 in Greece. The machine contains a mechanism with something like 32 gears...a sort of analog computer dated from BEFORE 150BC. Still today there is no definitive answer to what is it for, but many believe it was a star and planets positioning device.

In the 50s, Professor Derek de Solla Price, of Yale University, started a deep study on this artifact (making a breakthrough in the 70s). Tons of speculation has been written that this artifact was made with alien technology or is a leftover of alien technology.

It is an interesting plot if used as the McGuffin.




I dont believe it will be the main item but it would be like Doctor Abner Ravenwood's 'Medallion' to FIND the Ark of the Covenant or something of that style. So Indy will have to steal information (or borrow a model copy made by the real Professor Price at Yale University, and we know how Lucas like to mix it up with real characters from history)

Also I do not believe that the plot will involve aliens but Alien history covered by the government or something like that. Many archaeologists do believe that our origin could be traced to visitors (like Atlantis, etc.) and that our faiths could be based on what aborigines saw from 'weird' visitors. There are even tons of theories that talk about the possibility that the Ark of the Covenant was just a nuclear reactor (Spielberg's film says: are those rays? cities were destroyed by the 'power' of god) and the real bible talks about how people would get sick and vomit around the ark, etc.

Anyways, interesting stuff.

[Kung Fu Jawa]

I think that would be cool. I've heard about the mechanism before and it's really pretty interesting. It would fit well in the scenerio you describe. I hope they don't go in an alien direction, though. Keep it religious or historical.