Exhibit showcases Indiana Jones’ quest for the sacred

The exhibit “Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology,” at the National Geographic Museum until Jan. 3, features 100 carefully crafted film props alongside real archaeological finds.

There’s the golden Ark of the Covenant from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” — the model for the container that housed the Ten Commandments, complete with two winged cherubs as described in the Old Testament.

There’s the cup representing the Holy Grail from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

And there are the oblong, translucent Sankara stones from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” an imagined artifact based on symbols of the god Shiva.

What is it about Indiana Jones and, more broadly, the quest for religious relics that captures people’s imaginations?