Picture the Past

In cooperation with the Arkansas Archeological Survey, the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute presents Picture the Past, an Archeology Film and Lecture Series.

Now in its second year, Picture the Past aims to broaden the public’s interest in archeology through films and guest lecturers. This free film and lecture series at the Rockefeller Institute generally takes place the second Thursday of every other month at 7 p.m.

A North American archeology study guide CD is available at no charge to Picture the Past participants or by request. This study guide is made available in part by a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

View a flyer about the 2009-2010 series (PDF) or scroll down to view a list of the films and lectures in this installment of Picture the Past.

Nanook of the North (1922)
October 8, 2009

The first full-length, anthropological documentary in cinematographic history, this film follows an Eskimo family for one year and explores hunting, gathering and migrations of a way of life barely touched by the industrialized world. Dr. George Sabo of the Arkansas Archeological Survey (AAS) will discuss the film and detail research he has conducted associated with its content.


Caveman (1981)
December 10, 2009

This parody of pre-historic man movies follows misfits Atouk (Ringo Starr) and Lar as they learn the secrets of fire, how to cook meat and how to defend themselves from the vicious, yet unintelligent, dinosaurs. Dr. Marvin Kay, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, will lead the discussion following the film with accounts of his work analyzing Neanderthal stone tools.


The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)
February 11, 2010

This picture chronicles the fictional life story of Jane Pittman (Cicely Tyson), a black woman born into slavery in the American South at the end of the Civil War. The film culminates with her joining the American civil rights movement in 1962 at age 110. While there are many unpleasant and painful moments throughout her life, Pittman’s story is one of hope and inspiration. Dr. Jamie Brandon of the Arkansas Archeological Survey Station at Southern Arkansas University will talk about his extensive work in African-American archeology.


Man of Aran (1934)
April 8, 2010

This film intended to portray 20th-century contemporary life on the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland, but it transformed into a dramatized account of what life was like there almost 100 years before. The hostile, harsh conditions that the people had to endure are documented. Daily activities, such as shark hunting, are also detailed in this cinematic piece. Dr. Skip Stewart-Abernathy of the Arkansas Archeological Survey Station at Winthrop Rockefeller Institute will discuss his research related to the expansion and transformations of cultures across the British Isles.


Reap the Wild Wind (1942)
July 8, 2010

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille and staring John Wayne as a hard-hat salvage diver, Wild Wind was released during the advent of America’s entry into World War II. The film was set along the Florida coast during the 1840s and tells the story of love, deception and the wreckage of the ship, Southern Cross. Steve James, a professional underwater archeologist for nearly 30 years, will lead the discussion following the film.


The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
August 12, 2010

In the third installment of the Mummy trilogy, the son of the series’ protagonist (Brendan Fraser) discovers the tomb of the first Emperor of China, Emperor Han (Jet Li). This discovery leads to the resurrection of Han and his famous “Terra Cotta Warriors.” Due to the length of the theatrical film, only key excerpts will be shown. Dr. Skip Stewart-Abernathy of the Arkansas Archeological Survey Station at Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, who has seen both the “mountain” that is the Emperor’s tomb and the pits containing the warriors, will serve as host and lecturer to wrap up the third season of Picture the Past.