The Cross of Coronado: A Boy’s First Stand Against Plunder

The Bejeweled Cross of Coronado is the catalyst for the entire event. Discovered by Roscoe in a box unearthed by the grave robbers, its jewels catch the lantern light, revealing its historical and monetary value. Fedora admires it with aloof detachment, while the gang salivates at the thought of wealth. Indy recognizes its significance as an artifact of history, not a commodity, and steals it to preserve it for a museum. The Cross’s theft triggers the chase, making it the object of pursuit and the symbolic heart of the conflict. Its discovery and theft mark the moment Indy’s moral compass fully engages, setting the stage for his lifelong crusade against those who exploit history for profit.

The shovels and pick-axes are the tools of the grave robbers’ trade, used to break into the Pueblo’s secret kiva and unearth the Bejeweled Cross of Coronado. Their rhythmic clanging against stone and soil creates a sense of urgency and violation, underscoring the sacrilege of the dig. When the Cross is discovered, the tools are cast aside in favor of hand-digging, symbolizing the shift from labor to celebration. Indy’s theft of the Cross renders these tools useless—the robbers abandon them in their frenzied pursuit, leaving them scattered in the kiva as evidence of their crime.

Fedora’s kerosene lantern is the sole light source in the kiva, casting eerie shadows on the walls and illuminating the Bejeweled Cross of Coronado as it’s uncovered. The lantern’s glow turns the artifact into a dazzling prize, amplifying the gang’s greed and Indy’s outrage. It also serves a practical role: without it, the kiva would be pitch black, making the theft and chase impossible. The lantern’s flickering light adds to the scene’s tension, symbolizing the fragile balance between discovery and destruction, history and plunder.

Herman’s scout scarf is a mundane object that takes on symbolic weight in Indy’s hands. He grabs it to pull Herman close, emphasizing the urgency of his instructions to fetch Havelock and the sheriff. The scarf becomes a physical anchor for their brief, tense exchange—a reminder of the Boy Scouts’ structure and the adult world Indy is trying to summon. When Indy releases the scarf, it marks the moment he acts alone, shedding the last vestige of childhood dependence. The scarf’s red fabric (implied by its association with scouting) contrasts with the kiva’s shadows, symbolizing the clash between order (the Scouts) and chaos (the robbers’ looting). Its presence is a fleeting connection to the world Indy is about to leave behind.

The thick spider webs draping the kiva passageway serve as a sensory and symbolic barrier between the boys and the robbers. They snag in Herman’s and Indy’s hair as they navigate the tight space, creating a tactile obstacle that heightens the tension. The webs are a natural extension of the kiva’s untouched, sacred atmosphere—they’ve been undisturbed for years, much like the Cross. When Indy brushes through them to steal the artifact, it’s an act of violation, mirroring the robbers’ own desecration. The webs also slow the chase, forcing the robbers to grapple with the kiva’s defenses as they pursue Indy. Their presence reinforces the idea that history (like the webs) is fragile and easily torn, but also resilient—it leaves traces of itself on those who disturb it.

The rope hanging in the kiva passageway is Indy’s sole means of escape after stealing the Cross. He grabs it and pulls himself up, but his foot snaps a wooden beam, alerting the robbers to his theft. The rope becomes a symbol of his resourcefulness—he uses whatever tools are available to outmaneuver his pursuers—but also a reminder of his limitations. The rope’s frayed condition (implied by the snapped beam) foreshadows the precariousness of his adult adventures, where even his best-laid plans can unravel. Its presence in the kiva is no accident; it’s a lifeline left by previous explorers, hinting at the site’s long history of discovery and exploitation.

The brittle wooden beam in the kiva passageway is the unwitting trigger for the chase. When Indy’s foot snaps it during his ascent, the sharp crack echoes through the chamber, drawing the robbers’ attention to his theft. The beam’s fragility symbolizes the tenuousness of Indy’s position—his plan is bold, but the slightest misstep (or a rotted beam) can undo it. It also serves as a metaphor for the moral and physical obstacles Indy will face in his adult life: some challenges are invisible until you’re already committed, and the consequences of failure are immediate and loud. The beam’s collapse is a microcosm of the larger conflict: history (the kiva, the beam) is fragile, and those who exploit it (the robbers) or protect it (Indy) must act carefully.

The snake is a harbinger of danger and a tactical tool for Indy. It slithers across Herman’s lap, freezing him in terror, but Indy handles it with casual indifference, tossing it aside as if it were nothing. Later, the snake re-emerges from Indy’s sleeve during the chase, coiling around Roscoe’s hand and causing him to drop the Cross. The snake’s dual role—distraction and weapon—highlights Indy’s adaptability and his connection to the natural world. It’s a living metaphor for the unpredictability of his adventures: danger can strike at any moment, but it can also be turned to his advantage. The snake’s presence also underscores the kiva’s untamed, sacred nature, a space where history and wilderness intersect.

The Pueblo kiva passageway is the claustrophobic, spider-webbed heart of the event. Its narrow walls, dim lantern light, and slithering snakes create a sense of primal danger, amplifying the stakes of Indy’s theft and the robbers’ pursuit. The passageway functions as a battleground, a hiding place, and a symbolic space where history (the Cross) and greed (the robbers) collide. Its confined dimensions force the characters into close proximity, turning the chase into a physical and psychological struggle. The kiva’s sacredness is violated by the robbers’ dig, and Indy’s theft—while morally justified—is itself an act of disruption. The passageway’s role as a liminal space (between the surface world and the buried past) mirrors Indy’s own transition from boyhood to his adult identity as a guardian of history.

The Boy Scouts of America is invoked but not physically present in this event. Indy’s instructions to Herman to fetch ‘Mister Havelock’ and ‘the sheriff’ frame the Scouts as a symbol of order and authority, a counterbalance to the robbers’ chaos. The organization’s absence underscores the boys’ isolation and the robbers’ impunity—no one is coming to stop them except Indy himself. The Scouts’ values (discipline, respect for nature, civic duty) are directly challenged by the robbers’ looting, and Indy’s actions can be seen as an extension of those values, even if his methods (sending Herman away, acting alone) are unorthodox. The organization’s influence is indirect but potent: it’s the backdrop against which Indy’s moral rebellion plays out.