# Reality of Indiana Jones-type booby traps **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 25, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963 "2007-10-25T15:02:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/41 "2007-10-26T13:17:32Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Ou-bli-ette… Ou-bli- **deee** … \ Fa-lal-la-la Life goes on!\ 😃 [/QUOTE] “By royal appointment, another fine oubliette from the Ancient and Honorable Guild of Murderous Device Fabricators. To view our full line of fine goods, visit our Mechanicsburg showroom in your next life.” ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/42 "2007-10-26T13:42:01Z")
[QUOTE=cmyk] Except, that last feat (the Leap of Faith) that Indy had to perform make no sense to people with [two eyes.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8prg6z75lGg) Which is just about everybody, and you probably wouldn’t be an adventurer if you only had one eye. It wowed everyone in the theater, except me. I was indignant and incredulous because of it. A trap or feat that depends on having no depth of field when everyone is born with two eyes? Still a good movie, though. [/QUOTE] I never even understood the scene. What exactly is happening there? All I can think is that it’s a magic bridge that’s only there if you believe in it. Not a trick of perspective at all. And Indy did [lose an eye](http://www.icommag.com/july-2005/images/july-page-1-frank-rogers-old-age-indy.jpg) eventually. BTW, remember in the first movie that the jungle had a tribe who worshiped the idol. One may presume that they kept the traps oiled, and loaded with fresh poison darts. Which would explain everything except the photoelectric cell, which actually works by magic. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/43 "2007-10-26T13:58:43Z")
[QUOTE=Peter Morris] I never even understood the scene. What exactly is happening there? All I can think is that it’s a magic bridge that’s only there if you believe in it. Not a trick of perspective at all. [/QUOTE] It’s supposedly a solid bridge that is painted using [Trompe-l’œil](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trompe-l%27%C5%93il) techniques so as to perfectly blend with the backdrop (the chasm wall). Impractical for many, many reasons: -Parallax (as mentioned by others above) -Lighting - if Indy shone a lantern on it, the painted surface would appear different to the real background it was supposed to match -Dust - it’s been there for how many years? And hasn’t acquired a film of dust and debris, making it visible? (until Indy scatters some on it). Also, in the first couple of shots, it’s just not there at all(I think we see a side view, and it’s still not there) ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/44 "2007-10-26T14:40:26Z")
[QUOTE=Peter Morris] BTW, remember in the first movie that the jungle had a tribe who worshiped the idol. One may presume that they kept the traps oiled, and loaded with fresh poison darts. Which would explain everything except the photoelectric cell, which actually works by magic. [/QUOTE] We already solved that one. Teenage Jovitos pushing it through the wall, as their minimum-wage summer job. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/45 "2007-10-26T15:15:34Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s supposedly a solid bridge that is painted using Trompe-l’œil techniques I see what you mean. Now I think of it,there are caves in Lanzarotte where … ( spoilered because it’s quite impressive, and you should see it for yourself without knowing about it first.) At one point there’s what seems to be a deep chasm. Actually it’s a shallow pool that reflects the high roof of the cave. An amazing optical illusion. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/46 "2007-10-26T15:22:35Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] -Dust - it’s been there for how many years? And hasn’t acquired a film of dust and debris, making it visible? (until Indy scatters some on it). [/QUOTE] The old Knight must have a Shop-Vac. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/47 "2007-10-26T15:26:00Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] The old Knight must have a Shop-Vac. [/QUOTE] Or a Dyson, if he chose… poorly. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/48 "2007-10-26T16:06:50Z")
I seem to remember reading something about a real trap in an Egyptian tomb. Essentially the trap was an air tight U shaped tunnel forming a bowl that people would have to walk down into to get to the other side. IIRC the Egyptians filled the bowl with some kind of plant material that was supposed to rot and decompose and leave a heavier than air gas behind that would cause the unwary to fall unconscious and eventually die from lack of oxygen. Come to think of it, I’m probably remembering a book I read and not anything actually historical. 🙂 -XT ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/49 "2007-10-26T16:35:39Z")
Well what always perplexed me is that in _The Temple of Doom_, when they are stuck in the room with the spikes descending from the ceiling, some of the spikes have skulls on them, presumably belonging to those who did not escape said spikes previously. But there are holes around the spikes in the ceiling to allow the skulls to go up and down! So, what, are they just spooky decoration? I know there is so, so much to find fault with in this movie, but that’s always been the big one for me. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/50 "2007-10-26T16:40:58Z")
[QUOTE=NailBunny] …But there are holes around the spikes in the ceiling to allow the skulls to go up and down! So, what, are they just spooky decoration? … [/QUOTE] IIRC, the spikes are retractable and they’re big enough around at the base that the holes to hold them are big enough to allow the stuck skulls inside. This doesn’t preculde the skulls from being placed there purposefully. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/51 "2007-10-26T17:52:33Z")
[QUOTE=MikeS] “By royal appointment, another fine oubliette from the Ancient and Honorable Guild of Murderous Device Fabricators. To view our full line of fine goods, visit our Mechanicsburg showroom in your next life.” [/QUOTE] And a great big “All hail the House of Heterodyne” right back atcha. 🆒😉🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/52 "2007-10-26T17:55:38Z")
> [@](#): > > I seem to remember reading something about a real trap in an Egyptian tomb. Essentially the trap was an air tight U shaped tunnel forming a bowl that people would have to walk down into to get to the other side. IIRC the Egyptians filled the bowl with some kind of plant material that was supposed to rot and decompose and leave a heavier than air gas behind that would cause the unwary to fall unconscious and eventually die from lack of oxygen. > > Come to think of it, I’m probably remembering a book I read and not anything actually historical. > > -XT That’s okay. You;re giving me some GREAT ideas for my own tomb, when it comes time to build it. i don’t want tomb robbers breaking in and getting the DVDs, video games, and Classic Coke I’ve set aside for the Afterlife. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963/53 "2007-10-26T18:04:40Z")
My favorite trap would be like the one on Oak Island - namely, fabricate a faked-up (but convincing) treasue story, and then have the Indy wannabes _trap themselves_ by digging dangerous shafts and excavations to reach it. 😃 That one would be pretty future-proof, I think. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reality-of-indiana-jones-type-booby-traps/423963.md?page=2)