The Archaeology of Star Wars

I never expected to become a specialist in the archaeology of Star Wars, but when I was finishing up my Ph.D in archaeology in 1995, I learned that the desert filming locations of the original Star Wars movie had become lost. I set out for North Africa to find them—and succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. As the very first person to revisit all these sites, I discovered set pieces still in place and movie props abandoned in the Sahara sands. 

The ultimate reward for my treasure hunt was an unexpected job with Lucasfilm. I was hired as a location scout for the Star Wars prequels and asked to write a pioneering series of official Star Wars guide books. I became Lucasfilm's house expert on the archaeology of Star Wars, delving as deep as my imagination wanted to go.

In my octagonal office at Skywalker Ranch I created backstory, devised spaceship mechanics, and designed the inside of the lightsaber, among many other colorful projects. George Lucas himself approved my work, which became "canon" Star Wars reference.

I have since worked with NASA's Apollo astronauts, boarded the stealth vessel Sea Shadow, and pursued many other science and media adventures, but the archaeology of Star Wars remains my most popular work. I share the story through popular lecture presentations and a new DVD documentary.