History Main / AdventurerArchaeologist

* Armando Catalano, the central character of ''ComicBook/LeScorpion'', is an adventurer ''tomb robber'' as the comic is set in the 18th century and the science of archaeology doesn't exist yet.

* Abbey Chase of ''ComicBook/DangerGirl'', at least before she joined the titular team of spies. She's actually wanted in several countries for graverobbing, among other things.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Champion Cynthia]]. The focus of her study is the historical (and prehistoric) interactions and relationships between humans and Pokemon, and she seems to have a special interest in the mythology of [[OlympusMons legendary Pokemon]], which explains her involvement in the events of ''Platinum''.
** [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Gym Leader Lenora]] is hinted to be a retired one.

* ''VideoGame/DungeonsOfDredmor'' - The Archeology skill tree is chock full of shout outs to ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' (you even start the game with a familiar NiceHat), but the only exploration and taking of valuable ancient artifacts you do is for your own survival, and anything you're not currently equipped with is probably getting sold.

* Zahi Hawass, currently one of the most famous archaeologists in Egypt, is well aware of this trope and plays it up. (That [[NiceHat brown fedora]] is [[Franchise/IndianaJones not a coincidence]].) This has made him very popular with TV crews, incidentally helping popularize Egyptology itself and get it proper funding, but because his methods can be a bit sloppy he's alternately loved and hated by "proper" archaeologists.

%% * Franchise/DocSavage

* In a rare science-fictional example, Lucinda Carlyle from Creator/{{Ken MacLeod}}'s ''Newton's Wake'' is a self-described "combat archaeologist." This involves mostly jumping through wormholes and gunning down post-singularity alien robots.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' series: The main characters in the most technical sense. They're Vault Hunters, searching for ancient Eridian Vaults hidden in Pandora and in the process finding tremendous power, loot, and knowledge.

** ''VideoGame/Borderlands1''
** ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'': Maya from ''2'' is a more specific example, as she is traveling the galaxy to learn more about Sirens like herself, and Pandora has close connections to Sirens and their powers.

A soap ad from the 1980s had such a character finding his way into ancient baths, which still have perfectly fresh water, sufficient for him to actually use them, along with the advertised product.

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* ''{{Franchise/Extrapower}}'': Professor Ace, allegedly a professor of archaeology but spends his time as the LovableCoward following Zophy around. It's certainly a good source of adventure, and sometimes riches. Like the time in ''[[VideoGame/ExtrapowerGiantFist Giant Fist]]'' when he steals a large jewel from Blackberry's pyramid, prompting Ogonmushi to brain them robbers and attack. Though always the first to run from a fight, he nonetheless follows Zophy into the heart of danger, and surprises everyone when his archaeological expertise means he actually has insight in the adventure at hand. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking He's even got the hat]].

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In RealLife, archeology, or modern archeology to be specific, is ''not'' the most fast-paced of careers. It can involve a lot of research, dirt, and going over small details like diet and theorizing on them. A real archaeologist can make her or his career by the meticulous analysis of the contents of a garbage dump and indeed, they (well, a few) would ''prefer'' to find the dump rather than a king's tomb, since the dump can tell them far more about the way ordinary people lived, with far fewer legal and ethical ramifications. Additionally, a dump will have items of low or underestimated value, reducing the allure for tomb robbers who might have broken into tombs and ruined the information.

Adventurer Archaeologists are capable of dressing up very well for more intellectual appearances, but forays into studying usually occur off-screen, and it's never implied to take very long. (Compare BadassBookworm.) An Adventurer Archaeologist has an interesting morality. Ruins are rarely really "abandoned" as the descendants of the {{Precursors}}, or their ghosts, or even their mystically preserved selves are [[ChasedByAngryNatives very upset]] when outsiders intrude, and especially when they take the focal points of their culture with them. It's not imperialism if the people who are guarding them aren't even human after all. Of course, real imperialists didn't believe the people around ancient sites were worth considering either. Most people call this "theft", few others would call this "imperialism". In ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'', it's noted that the title character has been called a "{{grave robb|ing}}er" (although real archaeologists were once considered that [[UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans and some still are]]). However, to an Adventurer Archaeologist, it's okay as long as it [[ItBelongsInAMuseum goes into a museum]]. To keep the audience rooting for the Adventurer Archaeologist, he or she is often pitted against an EvilCounterpart who wants the same treasure for themselves to hoard in a private collection, or to give it to the bad guys/sell to the highest bidder, use it to TakeOverTheWorld, etc.

** Pretty much the main draw of the 5th edition ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' adventure ''Tomb of Annihilation'' (a spiritual successor to ''TabletopGame/TombOfHorrors'', tropes for [=ToA=] are kept on that page). A mystical curse is ravaging the world, and the players will have to delve into the jungles of Chult to find the forgotten city of Omu, where a cure can hopefully be found. The book even includes an Archeologist background clearly inspired by the man himself pictured above (the one to the right).

* In ''[[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]'' it's revealed that Janet and Jack Drake shared a hobby of recreational archeology and spent more time at exciting archeological sites and at business meetings than at home with their son. After Janet's death Jack also indulges in his love for archeology when he travels for his wedding to Dana Winters.

* Literature/{{Dirk Pitt|Adventures}}'s day job is to be one of these [[RecycledInSpace OFF THE COAST!]]

** The futuristic version of Pathfinder, ''TabletopGame/{{Starfinder}}'', has the Starfinder Society, which is the Pathfinder Society [[RecycledInSpace IN SPAAAAACE!]].

* The ''Podcast/TwilightHistories'' episodes “The Isle of the Lost” and “The Drowned City” have you in this role.

* ''LightNovel/ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedAsASlime'': One of the possible jobs members of the AdventurersGuild can take involve exploring and mapping out ancient ruins for lost and rare treasures. Considering these ruins tend to be filled with ancient traps and infested/guarded by monsters, these are considered high-risk/high-reward missions. One of the most notable adventurers who prefers these types of missions is Kagali, an elf who acts as guild master Yuuki Kagurazaka's secretary in her free time and has made a name for herself exploring and mapping out the ancient ruins of the destroyed elven nation of Soma. Rimuru is impressed enough that with Yuuki's recommendation he allows her to lead an expedition into exploring the dark elf ruins located in the deceased Demon Lord Clayman's domain. [[spoiler:Of course, it turns out Kagali is well-equipped for this sort of mission because not only did she [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld live in Soma as elven royalty]], she was the one [[BeenThereShapedHistory who made the very fortress in Clayman's domain that became ruins because it was once her own domain]].]]

* ''VideoGame/DungeonsOfDredmor'' - The Archeology skill tree is chock full of shout outs to ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' (you even start the game with a familiar NiceHat), but the only exploration and taking of valuable ancient artifacts you do is for your own survival, and anything you're not currently equipped with is probably getting sold as VendorTrash.

* ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' re-popularized this. The movies are basically {{Genre Throwback}}s.
** This is probably why [[https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/back-from-yet-another-globetrotting-adventure-indiana-jones-checks-his-mail-and-discovers-that-his-bid-for-tenure-has-been-denied he was denied tenure]]. Although what we see is only a very small portion of what he actually does and certain supplemental materials make it clear that he does spend a lot of time teaching, as well as identifying and cataloging artifacts for museums as well as the college he works for.
** {{Lampshaded}} heavily in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'' where Indy is briefly seen lecturing a class emphasizing that "70% of all archeology is done in the library" and that it isn't about uncovering [[LostCity lost cities]] or finding BuriedTreasure by following a [[TreasureMap map]] to [[XMarksTheSpot a big "X"]]. He then promptly ditches the class to go on an action-packed adventure that involves everything he just spent class period dismissing. [[ThoseWackyNazis And some Nazis.]]
*** Another lampshade comes courtesy of a line from his father:
--->'''Henry Jones Sr.''': ''(while escaping from Nazis)'' You call this archaeology?!
*** Of course, the first lampshade leads to a BrickJoke later in the movie when Indy and co. figure out that the clue's answer is to look for the number 10 and they realize that the letters in the room are Roman Numerals. They can't find the number in question until Indy goes to the second floor and looks down from the railing to see a giant X marking the spot they are looking for. For bonus points, the building in question was already established as being a library. [[MetaphoricallyTrue Seems like he was taking some lessons from his Jedi friend.]] Becomes a bit more subtle when they actually do have to follow a map to a marked location (this time with a crescent, not an X) to find a lost city with treasure inside ([[TempleOfDoom though it wasn't buried until they came along]]).
** What little we see of his students in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull'' ''does'' indicate that they are rather desensitized to his adventuring habit, to the extent that they see him sliding under their table in the library ''on a motorcycle'' as an opportunity to ask a question about the homework and [[UnusuallyUninterestingSight not something unusual in the slightest.]]

* The Website/SCPFoundation has several anomalous objects and containment sites that were originally found by these sorts, many of whom came to a bad end as a direct result. [[http://www.scpwiki.com/scp-557 SCP-557]] is a fairly typical example, although [[AmbiguousSituation nobody knows exactly what happened]] or what [[SealedEvilInACan "the bastard son of Apep"]] really was.

* ''Barbie Explorer'', an action/adventure game from the ''Franchise/{{Barbie}} Software'' line.