Scene 8 Summary

The Map Room

  • Indy and Sallah infiltrate the dig disguised as Arab workers.
  • They make their way to the map room, where Sallah lowers Indy on a rope.
  • Indy starts making calculations in response to the gorgeous special effects sequence that he knows is coming.
  • Germans take Sallah's rope, forcing him to find another one if he wants to get Indy out of the map room.
  • Meanwhile, Indy sets up the staff. The sunlight strikes it and gives him a perfect X-marks-the-spot to the Ark.
  • Sallah returns with a makeshift rope tied together out of sheets, shirts, and a Nazi flag.
  • While making his way through the camp, Indy runs into Marion tied to a post. She didn't die after all.
  • That doesn't seem to mean much to him, though: He leaves her there rather than risking the Ark. Indy's name is subsequently removed from consideration for the Boyfriend of the Year award.
  • He finds the spot indicated in the map room, and with a small team of Arabs he starts a-diggin'.