Old mistake in "Raiders"

[Indy's Fist]

I'm aware that in "Raiders" that the part of the Staff of Ra being too long is a factual error. But I don't think that's the error at all. When Indy goes into the Well of the Souls he sees where the Nazis first put the staff. Indy then runs his finger from that hole to another hole several inches away from the first one. Then the location of the ark is revealed. Was there a missing scene or dialog that explained that the staff was placed in the wrong hole causing the Nazis not finding the ark?

[ClintonHammond]

It's not a missing scene... It's basic physics....

From day to day, you'd have to use a different hole because the sun would be in a different place in the sky.... Would be shining in from a slightly different angle each day.

And well, from the standpoint of telling fiction, it helps create tension, and anticipation leading up to the big "light show' reveal....

[Indy's Fist]

I think the physics would be that the placement of the staff would not matter. What would matter is the time of day that the staff is used. In the scene with man who interpreted the head peice he turned it over and said, "To honor the Hebrew God take back one _____". Then Indy and Sallah state that the staff if too long. Later when Indy uses the staff it is taller than himself. It should have been shorter. That's why I think that Indy figured out that the staff was placed in the wrong hole, not that the staff was too long.

[fortuneandglory]

It might be that you need it in a specific place to catch the light properly. He used the notebook as a reference to help with the hieroglyphs, and locate the proper slot for the staff.

As for the height of the staff, I noticed that too. It's much too tall! But...

It looks REALLY cool.