Archaeological Findings

Today is the 22nd birthday of the Indiana Jones Adventure – Temple of the Forbidden Eye attraction opening in Disneyland. This certificate was presented to guests during the opening on the attraction, which includes an Eye of Mara watermark just below the attraction name, as well as Maraglyphics around the border, both of which are invisible in the scan, and for that I owe you an apology. Another piece that was create at this time was the archaeological finding document from Dr. Jones himself. I thought we’d review this today, as it is filled with great information and a few tidbits you may not be aware of!

Archaeological Finding

Research: Dr. Indiana Jones

Initial Findings: I have unearthed an ancient temple. Many a soul has lost his life within the eerie corridors and caverns. Appears to be a massive shrine to the might deity Mara. Hieroglyphics along the temple corridor walls indicate that Mara can “look into your very soul” and grant the “pure of heart” one of three magical gifts – earthly riches, eternal youth, or future knowledge. Other wall carvings and unsavory finding also indicate that few have escaped the temple with Mara’s gifts. Warning indicate that no one must gaze upon the eyes of Mara.

Have witness fiery, bubbling lava pits; swarms of rodents, snakes (I hate snakes!), and wretched insects; poisonous darts; and mummies. Records indicate that those who have been tempted to look into the eyes of Mara must deal with these and other terrible fates. Findings even indicate that entire exploration parties have been eliminated by powerful, explosive beams of light that shoot directly from the eye of Mara. Have not witnessed such… yet. –Indy

Beginning of dig: August 1993

Temple unveiled: March 3, 1995

Design: Walt Disney Imagineering

Location: Deep within the Adventureland jungles

Temple cubic footage: 2,200,000 cu. ft.

Temple Chambers: Chamber of Destiny, Hall of Promise, Tunnel of Torment, Gates of Doom, Cavern of Bubbling Death, Mummy Chamber, Bug Room, Snake Temple, Rat Cave, Dart Corridor, Rolling Boulder finale

Ride track: 1,975 linear feet

Total track: 2,500 linear feet

Number of vehicles: 15 cycling + 1 spare

Vehicle Weight: Approximately 12,800 pounds

Vehicle Capacity: 12 Guests per vehicle

Maximum velocity: 20 feet per second (13.6 mph)

Ride Technology:

• Utilizes a state-of-the-art enhanced motion system developed and patented by Walt Disney Imagineering.
• Each on-bard ride control system contains a myriad of programmed cues. The adventure will never be the same twice, with nearly 160,000 possible combinations of show programming.

Trip time: 3 minutes, 20 seconds

Cycle time: 4 minutes, 30 seconds

Maximum theoretical hourly capacity: 2,400 Guests

The queue: 50 minutes of permanent queue, 1,400 linear feet

Additional Findings:

• More than 168,000 square feet of hand-carved surfaces adorn the caverns, with 55 hand-painted murals throughout.
• More than 2,000 replicated human skulls found within the temple chambers.
• Wind speed inside the Mummy Chamber rush up to 60 mph.
• The vehicle displayed in the base camp was the actual vehicle used for the chase scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
• More than 600 strobes are used to simulate lightning in the Tunnel of Torment.
• By the power of Mara’s wrath, 60 pounds of rubble can fall inside the temple every 18 seconds.
• The exterior temple structure towers four stories above the excavation site.
• The temple contain 2,129 representations of snakes.