The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Rob Bozell, who served the Nebraska State Historical Society for more than three decades and retired as State Archaeologist after a career that began in the 1980’s. Rob reflects on his journey through some of the most transformative decades in American archaeology, including the passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and its...

This episode continues my conversation with Tyrel Iron Eyes (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) and Chance Ward (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe). We turn to the stories and lessons from the field—where archaeology is practiced on the ground and in real time. Tyrel and Chance reflect on the growing presence of Native archaeologists, the ways Tribally informed practices are reshaping fieldwork, and how their ow...

In the first of this two-part conversation, I’m joined again by Tyrel Iron Eyes (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) and Chance Ward (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe). Rather than revisiting their individual career paths, we dive into the shared experiences of being Plains Native archaeologists working within institutions not designed for Native voices. Tyrel and Chance reflect on the balance between profession...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover sits down with Chance Ward, NAGPRA Coordinator for the State of Colorado and enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Together they explore what it means to oversee NAGPRA implementation at the state level—what the role involves and how Colorado approaches the repatriation process. Chance also reflec...

The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast is taking a break this week, so please enjoy this episode of Heritage Voices, another excellent show on The Archaeology Podcast Network. On today’s episode, Jessica chats with Martha Only a Chief [Pawnee (Chawi) and descendant of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe; NAGPRA Coordinator for the Pawnee Nation] about her experiences working on NAGPRA and for the Cultural Reso...

In this solo episode, Carlton breaks down five of the most common misconceptions about Great Plains archaeology—from the myth of an “empty” landscape to the oversimplification of bison jumps and arrowheads. Links The Archaeology of the North American Great Plains by Douglas B. Bamforth (2021) Archaeology on the Great Plains Edited by W. Raymond Wood (1998) Carlton's KU Anthropology Faculty Bio Con...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover is joined by Dr. Madeline Mackie, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Michigan State University, to explore the archaeology of mammoth kill sites in the Northwest Plains. Dr. Mackie walks us through what makes a site a “kill site” and how archaeologists determine whether mammoths were hunted by humans or di...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover sits down with Matt Reed, Chief and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) for the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. Matt shares how his role as THPO serves as both a cultural and regulatory responsibility—protecting sacred sites, ancestral landscapes, and Pawnee heritage through a tribally driven preservation p...

So Chance and Carlton were unable to get a recording together with the Federal Funding threats to the Historic Preservation Fund keeping their schedules incredibly busy into the evening. So, instead, here’s an ENCORE episode from A Life in Ruins Podcast featuring Chance and Carlton back in graduate school. In this episode, Carlton is joined by Chance Ward, an M.A. student in Museum and Field Studi...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover is joined by Tyrel Iron Eyes, Tribal Archaeologist for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Tyrel shares what it means to serve in this role and offers listeners an in-depth look at how archaeology is practiced through a Lakota lens. From day-to-day responsibilities and the structure of Standing Rock’s Tribal Histor...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast , host Carlton Shield Chief Gover speaks with Stacie Laravie, citizen of the Northern Ponca of Nebraska and former Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. Stacie shares insights into the deep history and enduring resilience of the Ponca people, with a focus on the legacy of Chief Standing Bear—whose 1879 court case established, for the first ti...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast , host Carlton Shield Chief Gover sits down with Dr. Alex Craib, Adjunct Professor at Bluegrass Community and Technical College and recent PhD graduate from the University of Wyoming. Dr. Craib shares insights from his doctoral research at Alm Rockshelter in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming—a site that offers a rich archaeological record span...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover sits down with public archaeologist and science communicator David Ian Howe for a wide-ranging conversation on the cultural, spiritual, and archaeological significance of wolves and other canids across the Great Plains. From ancient burials of domesticated dogs to the symbolic power of the wolf in Indigenous c...

Hey everyone! KU just returned from Spring Break where Carlton gave a talk at the Chicago Field Museum and he has students defending their M.A. Theses. So he needs to focus on getting the next generation of Anthro/Museology students across the finish line! So for episode 17, we are releasing an Encore episode from the A Life in Ruins Podcast. Also! Carlton is hosting a Live Show on the APN Discord...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, we examine the shift from the Late Plains Woodland Period to the emergence of the Early Plains Village tradition in the Central Plains. We explore the changes in settlement patterns, subsistence strategies, and social organization that accompanied this transition, from increased maize agriculture to the development of more permanent villages...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, we explore the Plains Woodland Period and the vast networks that connected the Great Plains to the Midwest and Southeast. Focusing on the Kansas City Hopewell, we examine the evidence for long-distance exchange, ceremonial traditions, and social ties that linked Plains communities with broader cultural movements. We also discuss Late Woodlan...

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, we dive into the history of Indigenous representation in the Sid Meier’s Civilization series. From early portrayals to the groundbreaking collaboration with the Shawnee for Civilization 7, we explore how gaming has shaped public perceptions of Indigenous histories. Our discussion unpacks the importance of authentic representation, the role o...

In this episode of the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover unpacks the history and evolution of the Great Plains taxonomic system—the framework used by archaeologists to categorize and understand cultural periods in the region. From the early development of typologies to modern refinements, this system has shaped how researchers interpret the archaeological record of...

In this heartfelt episode of the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover pays tribute to the late Lance Foster, the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) for the Ioway Tribe. Lance was a passionate advocate for Indigenous heritage, a dedicated scholar, and a guiding voice in the preservation of Ioway history and culture. His work bridged the worlds of archaeology, h...

Happy New Year! The Archaeology Podcast Network took a break for the Holiday. So for episode 11, we are releasing an Encore episode from the A Life in Ruins Podcast. In this episode, Carlton does another solo lecture-style episode. The subject of this lecture? An introduction to Great Plains archaeology with a focus on Pawnee archaeological ancestry. The episode starts off with very introductory h...

In this episode of the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover explores the Late Archaic period, a time of significant cultural and environmental change on the Great Plains. At the heart of the discussion is the Nebo Hill Site in Missouri, a key archaeological site that sheds light on the innovations and adaptations of Late Archaic peoples. Carlton examines the technologi...

In this episode of the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover delves into the fascinating Middle Archaic period through the lens of some of its most enigmatic features: medicine wheels and cairns. Carlton explores the Bighorn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming, the Majorville Cairn and Medicine Wheel in Alberta, and the British Block Cairn and Medicine Wheel in Saskatchewan. Thes...

In this episode of the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast , host Carlton Shield Chief Gover examines the Early Archaic period, a transformative era in the history of the Great Plains. Marked by significant climatic shifts following the end of the Ice Age, this period saw dramatic adaptations in human lifeways. Carlton delves into how these environmental changes influenced hunting strategies, as comm...

In this episode of the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast , host Carlton Shield Chief Gover dives into the field of Indigenous Archaeology, exploring its roots, principles, and growing impact on the discipline. Indigenous Archaeology is more than just a methodology; it’s a movement to reclaim and represent the histories of Indigenous communities in ways that honor their perspectives and sovereignty....

In this special episode of the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast , host Carlton Shield Chief Gover shares his experiences presenting his work in Indigenous Archaeology at the 2024 Japanese-American-German Frontiers of Science Symposium cohosted by the National Academy of Sciences (U.S.), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany). This...