Object

Library Floor Tile with 'X' Design (Center Tile of Roman Numeral 'X' Pattern)

An elaborate tile floor in the Crusader-era library features Roman numerals III, VII, and X integrated into columns and tiles, forming a large 'X' pattern visible only from higher angles. The **center tile** of this 'X' design—bearing a distinct 'X' mark—is smashed by Indiana Jones to reveal a two-foot square hole dropping into a dark passage that exhales cold, rancid air. Dr. Elsa Schneider descends first through the opening, while Marcus Brody and the librarian react in surprise. The 'X' pattern and numerals serve as a visual clue to the precise location of the concealed Grail tomb passage.

3 appearances

Purpose

Conceals entrance to Grail tomb passage; provides visual clue via 'X' and numerals for precise location.

Significance

Unlocks physical quest phase, shifting from diary research to descent into peril; Indy's smash marks turning point, heightening Nazi pursuit stakes.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments

S1E3 · INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE

The Grail’s Hidden Tomb: A Revelation in Stone and Stained Glass

The tile marked with an ‘X’ is the literal and symbolic centerpiece of the event. Indy deduces its significance after climbing to the loft and spotting the ‘X’ pattern formed by the floor tiles from above. He smashes it with a brass stand, timing the strike to mask the noise with the Librarian’s book-stamping. The act reveals a cold, damp void beneath—a passage to the Grail’s tomb—marking the transition from intellectual pursuit to physical peril. The tile’s destruction is both a triumph (confirming the tomb’s location) and a threshold (committing the team to the dangers ahead).

Before: Intact, part of the library’s elaborate tile floor, its ‘X’ marking unnoticed until Indy’s vantage point from the loft.

After: Shattered, exposing a two-foot square hole leading to the hidden passage. The void emits cold, rancid air, foreshadowing the tomb’s ancient hazards.

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S1E3 · INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE

The Library’s Hidden Code: A Revelation in Stone and Glass

The elaborate tile floor, with its hidden 'X' marking the spot, is the physical key to uncovering the Grail Tomb. Indy smashes the center tile to reveal the two-foot square hole beneath, unleashing a cold, rancid draft that signals the perils of the descent. The tile’s role is both practical (a barrier to the hidden passage) and symbolic (the 'X' as a marker of discovery and danger).

Before: Intact, with the 'X' marking hidden from ground level but visible from the loft.

After: Broken and removed, revealing the hidden passage beneath the library.

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S1E3 · INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE

The Floor Breaks: Discovery, Descent, and the Threshold of Peril

The tile marked with an 'X' is the physical trigger for the event’s climax. Indy smashes it with a brass stand, revealing the hidden passage beneath. The tile’s design—part of an elaborate floor pattern visible only from the loft—serves as the final piece of the puzzle, confirming the location of the Grail’s tomb. Its destruction is a moment of irreversible action, transitioning the quest from intellectual deduction to physical peril. The cold, rancid air that escapes from the hole foreshadows the dangers awaiting below, making the tile a threshold between the known and the unknown.

Before: Intact, part of the library’s elaborate tile floor, its 'X' design unnoticed until Indy connects it to the Roman numerals.

After: Smashed and removed, revealing a two-foot square hole leading to the hidden passage beneath.

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