STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - After an Inside Out story profiling Andrew Ostrowski and headlined “A tip of the fedora to Island’s very own Jones” appeared back in March, independent filmmaker and director Paul Vlachos of New York was so impressed by Ostrowski’s unique talents that he asked him to appear in an upcoming documentary about collectors.
Ostrowski, a 43-year-old freelance writer from West Brighton who has come to be known as “The Indiana Jones of Staten Island” because of his unique artifact-collecting hobby and his brave approach to relic-hunting, has somewhat taken on the persona of the Harrison Ford character, replete with fatigue jacket, bullwhip and signature fedora.
“This will definitely be a new adventure for me,” says Ostrowski of his first-ever moviemaking attempt. “Hunting down an ancient treasure in a dimly lit cave is one thing. Now I’ll be in front of a 1,000-watt Tinseltown spotlight,” says he, before adding, “Let’s hope I don’t fall to pieces!”
The film will be a documentary about various collectors across the country. Ostrowski, who seeks out rare antiquities and artifacts all over the world, will offer an in-depth survey of his own collection and will talk about the history, approach and charm of his artifact-collecting skill. “Each relic has its own tale to tell,” he adds. “It is the artifact that defines the collector, not the other way around.”
After he dusts off his fedora, the Indy-like solo adventurer will feature an on-screen sampling of items, dating to roughly 400 B.C. His oldest piece is a Phoenician trinket from the ancient city of Byblos, from which the word “Bible” derives.
Ostrowski notes that Mr. Ford invariably has a ravishing actress for his sidekick.
“The rumor is already out that I’m looking for a ‘leading lady’ to join me,” says Ostrowski, a bachelor. “Hey, all I can say is, if there’s a clone of the 6-foot, sleek and slender blond-bombshell actress Alison Doody hiding on Staten Island somewhere, just ring my doorbell. How can I ever refuse?”
For all of you treasure enthusiast, the History Channel has just premiered a show called Chasing Mummies. After the premier episode on Wednesday, July 14th at 10/9c, this show turned out to be a hit and it is evident why it is going to be such a popular documentary series.
Archaeologist and passionate explorer Dr. Zahi Hawass is the lead of the series and shows his passion for excavation of mummies in his documentary. In this documentary, Dr. Hawass takes you through many of his adventures and engages the audience as he uncovers the mystery of mummies and history from over 3,000 years ago. This show is more than your regular historical documentary, its a movie-like view into the past.
“It’s a whirlwind tour, led by the man who holds the keys to Egypt’s greatest antiquities and rules his world like a modern-day pharaoh. Unfiltered, entertaining, exciting and suspenseful.” Said by History Channels Producer
Watch a preview of the adventures Dr. Zahi Hawass takes you through on Chasing Mummies:
Want to follow this engaging series? Tune in to the History Channel, Wednesday nights at 10, Eastern and Pacific times; 9, Central time.
Since 1994 a television show about professional archaeologists has been gaining popularity in the United Kingdom, and this weeks episode caught my attention!
Time Team is a show that focuses on a team of archaeologists and is usually hosted by either Mick Aston or Francis Pryor. These archaeologists convene at a site with a team of trained professionals, usually in the U.K., that is locally known for an unsolved archaeological mystery or is personal property that has never been excavated and may have interesting items buried underneath. The Time Team uncovers as much as they can about the history of the site in three days and excavates any promising signals, often in conjunction with the local archaeological unit.
This week’s episode of Time Team caught my eye because the issue of “Archaeologists vs. Metal Detectorists” is address. Hosted by Tony Robinson, the show is focused on a possible Viking boat burial in Yorkshire, England. Metal detectorists made the initial discovery of coins, silver and swords and now a team of archaeologists is set to find the source of the objects.
But as Robinson follows the dig he discovers an uneasy relationship between archaeologists and the country’s 50,000 metal detectorists.
The episode is listed on My Park Mag.uk with the description: “For some, the hobby of detecting is all about learning more about the past, but for others it’s the lure of making money by selling what they find on the open market. At a time when the government scheme designed to promote better understanding between these two factions is under serious threat from budget cuts, the programme reveals just how precarious the relationship can be.”
This episode aired yesterday and is certainly worth a look. I’ll keep you folks posted on when it will air on the Discovery Channel UK, or maybe it will pop up on YouTube. Either way - this is one I don’t wanna miss!
Click here to see the Time Team’s page on the Discovery Channel UK’s website. Or click here to check out their Wikipedia page.
