ArchaeoAnimals

On this episode of ArchaeoAnimals, Simona and Alex are heading back into the world of video games - this time all about the culinary archaeology of popular video games. Learn more about what the rubbish pits of games such as The Witcher and Dragon Age would look like; also endless Skyrim quotes and Alex trying to eat everything. Links Inexplicably Preserved Dungeon Meat - TV Tropes New insights in...

On the last instalment of the ‘Time Warped’ miniseries, Alex and Simona discuss animal exploitation in the Medieval period. Also ineffective door-to-door Beaker salesmen, snail-riding cats and confusing cave site stratigraphy. Links https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/medieval/ https://www.medievalists.net/2012/08/when-were-the-middle-ages-2/ Ashby, S.P. (2002) The role of z...

In this episode of ArchaeoAnimals, Alex and Simona delve into the zooarchaeology of the post Roman period. Learn more about exquisitely carved combs, antler pottery stamps and very courageous sheep. Links JORVIK Viking Centre - a must see attraction in York Stanley West, 1985. 'West Stow, the Anglo-Saxon Village, Suffolk', East Anglian Archaeology 24 Crabtree, P. J. And Campana, D. V., 2013: Wool...

In this third instalment of the ‘Time Warped’ miniseries, Alex and Simona discuss all things Roman: follow us on a journey into the highly varied Romano-British period. Bibliography https://archaeology.co.uk/articles/features/fishbourne-at-50-celebrating-half-a-century-at-a-unique-roman-palace.htm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-28951148 https://archaeology.co.uk/articles/features/rom...

This is episode part 2 of our ‘Time Warped’ miniseries, covering the zooarchaeology of Britain across time. The instalment covers what is known as the Later Prehistoric Period, which spans from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman conquest. This episode’s case studies are Flag Fen and Carn Euny. Links Must Farm Carn Euny Ancient Village Iron Age to Roman settlement with incorporated fogou and adjacent...

This month we start a new 5 part mini series covering zooarchaeoogy through time. This episode focuses on the early prehistoric period (Palaeolithic - Early Bronze Age), where we’ll se the shift from hunting to farming and domestication. This episode’s case studies are Covesea Caves and Star Carr. Links http://www.starcarr.com/ https://coveseacavesproject.wordpress.com https://archaeology.co.uk/ar...

Following a listener’s request, this month’s episode is all about the skeletal morphology of Pokemon. Learn more about oviparous ghosts, witness Simona’s confusion at the concept, and entertain the idea that Gyrados is actually Jörmungandr. Links Bulbugarden Sword and Shield Fossil Pokemon 12 Pokemon inspired by historicla events Guardians, Gods, Or Geodudes? Pokemon And Battling Animals Piltdown...

This month’s episode focuses on the creatures of the Assassin's Creed franchise. Unlike our previous video game episodes, where we reconstruct the morphology of fantasy creatures, we will explore the depiction of extant and extinct fauna in the historical reconstructions which form the basis of this video game franchise. Links Assasins Creed Fandom Great Auk in Assasins Creed Contact Alex Fitzpatr...

Picture a world where dormice are the size of cats and hyenas roamed around Europe: welcome to the Pleistocene! Upon suggestion from one of our listeners, we explore the time period where zooarchaeology and palaeontology overlap. Bibliography Palombo, M.R. (2001). Endemic elephants of the Mediterranean Islands: knowledge, problems and perspectives. The World of Elephants, Proceedings of the 1st In...

Join us on the latest part of our imagined videogame zooarchaeology series! Following popular demand, this episode is all about Bioware’s Dragon Age and its weird and wonderful creatures. Learn more about battle nugs, gibbering horrors and the Dragon Age version of ‘ritual’: it’s magic!! Sources Galinas, B. et al. (2015) Dragon Age: The World of Thedas - Volume 2 Dark Horse Comics Dragon Age Fando...

What do the black rat and the grain weevil have in common? Learn more about the species mankind has ‘accidentally’ introduced, many now regarded as pests. Discover enchanting creatures such as the killer shrimp, and a beetle’s favourite past time. Links and References Invasive Non-Native Species Map National Wildlife Federation: Invasive Species O’Connor, T. & Sykes, N. (Eds.) (2010) Extinctio...

Space hamsters and shifty looking cows: Tristan joins Alex and Simona to discuss the zooarchaeology of Mass Effect creatures. Links BioWare (2007) Mass Effect BioWare (2010) Mass Effect 2 BioWare (2012) Mass Effect 3 BioWare (2017) Mass Effect: Andromeda Mass Effect Fandom Site Bones in Space from NASA Contact Alex FitzpatrickTwitter: @archaeologyfitz Simona FalangaTwitter: @CrazyBoneLady Alex’s B...

Interested in becoming a zooarchaeologist? Alex and Simona discuss how to get into zooarchaeology and their personal experiences within the discipline. Links New Evidence of Early Horse Domestication Albarella, U., Rizzetto, M., and Russ. H. (2017) The Oxford Handbook of Zooarchaeology. Oxford University Press. Gifford-Gonzalez, D. (2018) An Introduction to Zooarchaeology. Springer. O'Conner, T. (...

On this month’s episode, Alex and Simona were meant to discuss non-native species in the archaeological record. What actually happened is a mix of exotic pets, headphone-wearing animals and helpful ancient Roman advice. Links https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/05/150525-ancient-egypt-zoo-pets-hierakonpolis-baboons-archaeology/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2014/04/exotic-pe...

Alex and Simona go back into archaeogaming with a new episode focusing on bioarchaeology in the popular video game franchise The Witcher (originally a book series and now also a tv show). They will follow the story’s protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, and his ability to carry out osteological analyses of skeletal remains in his monster hunting quests. Sources https://animalarchaeology.com/2020/02/08/th...

In this episode, Alex and Simona will be tackling culinary zooarchaeology. Listen on to find out more about how to identify food preparation in the archaeological record, ancient BBQs and interpreting archaeological rubbish. Links Besherer Metheny, K. and Beaudry, M.C. (2015) Archaeology of Food: An Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield. Binford, L. (1981) Bones: Ancient Men and Modern Myths. Pav...

On this episode of ArchaeoAnimals, Alex and Simona delve back into the world of cryptids, with three new case studies on unicorns, mermaids and sasquatches. Links https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/mar/29/siberian-unicorn-extinct-humans-fossil-kazakhstan https://www.wired.com/2015/02/fantastically-wrong-unicorn/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/scientist-grover-krantz-r...

In this episode, Alex and Simona tackle the field of applied zooarchaeology. Learn more about how zooarchaeological data sets can be applied to conservation science, as well as discovering a range of (incredibly cute) archaic breeds of domesticates still around today. Links http://soaysheep.biology.ed.ac.uk/ https://rewildingeurope.com/rewilding-in-action/wildlife-comeback/tauros/ https://www.scie...

In this episode, Simona and Alex tackle palaeopathology. Listen on for how to identify signs of injury and disease in archaeological skeletal remains and what these can tell us about human-animal interactions in the past. Also Roman Pugs. Links Bartosiewicz, L. and Gal, E. (2013) "Shuffling Nags and Lame Ducks: The Archaeology of Animal Disease". Oxbow Books. Gaastra, J.S., Greenfield, H.J., and L...

It is ‘the season’ so this month’s episode of ArchaeoAnimals is all about rabbits and hares! Join us to find out more about self-explanatory taxonomy, medieval rabbit hutches and what does all this have to do with Easter. Bibliography Hillson, S (2005) Teeth, 2nd ed. Cambridge Manuals in Archaeology Cambridge University Press Toynbee, J.M.C. (2013) Animals in Roman Life & Art, Barnsley: Pen &a...

In this months episode, Alex and Simona talk about all things birds. Find out more about identifying avian remains, how we can use birds to reconstruct past environments and how humans have lived alongside them for millennia. Links Cohen, A. and Serjeantson, D. (1986) "A Manual for the Identification of Bird Bones from Archaeological Sites". Archetype Books. Serjeantson, D. (2010) "17 Ravens and c...

While Simona is away, Alex will play...and spend an entire episode flaunting her Star Wars knowledge. Does zooarchaeology exist in the Star Wars universe? And how can we somehow involve Baby Yoda in this conversation? Tune in to find out! Further Reading Wookiepedia: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Creatures_by_planet Sith Archaeology & Propaganda: https://animalarchaeology.com/2017/...

On this month’s episode, Alex and Simona take a trip across the pond to explore the ancient lives of Llamas and Alpacas. Links https://shadyufo.tumblr.com/post/165100306068/what-are-the-differences-between-llama-and-alpaca http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/bolivia/calacala.php http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/archaeology/2015/12/05/research-seminar-10-5000-years-of-camelid-herding-in-the-andes-by-dr-penn...

On this ‘holiday special’, Alex and Simona once again push their endurance to the limit by talking about food before dinner-time. Tune in to learn more about feasting in the archaeological record, and why it is not all that different from present day feasting. To demonstrate this, our hosts describe some of their favourite holiday feasts (in addition to some listeners’ suggestions) and the reasoni...

This episode, Alex and Simona take the road less traveled and explore two staple desert pack animals: donkeys and camels! From extravagant pets to Sicilian carts, learn more about these two beasts of burden in the archaeological record and present day. Sources Fagan, B. (2015) The Intimate Bond: How Animals Shaped Human History. London: Bloomsbury Press http://www.berksarch.co.uk/index.php/the-don...