Into the Dust Archaeology

In this week's Archaeology Porn, we visit the Nazca Lines in Peru, a series of hundreds of geoglyphs that likely constitute the largest archaeology site on the planet. We document how and when they were made, and by whom as well as how they survived until today, awaiting our visit! In this week's Archaeology News, we cover 3 exciting stories: 1) West African DNA confirmed in Early Mediev...

In this episode of Archaeology Crime, we are going on a wild goose chase to recover a pair of stolen cultural treasures which were literally ripped off a small early Medieval church in rural Spain. The case was taken up by the leading art detective, who located the stone carvings in an unlikely place: a garden in England! Along the way, we'll learn a bit about the Visigoths, little known toda...

In today's site visit, we go to Kilmartin Glen County Argyll in Scotland, where thousands of years of archaeology are jam packed into a small glen between the hills. When it comes to stone, they've got it all - Neolithic stone circles, cairns, cist graves, Celtic crosses ... you name it! The indoor museum combined with the outdoor walk among the monuments creates a sublime archaeological...

In today's episode, we are going to delve into the Etruscan society. Whenever you hear about Antiquity, it's all GREECE, GREECE, GREECE, ROME, ROME, ROME. Well what if I told you before Rome was a powerhouse, the Italian peninsula and indeed the western Mediterranean was dominated by the Etruscan civilisation. Though their language has not been fully decoded, the archaeology they left be...

In this week's episode of Archaeology Porn, we explore the Derveni Krater, an ancient Greek - or more accurately, Macedonian - drinking vessel, which would have been the center of a symposium...basically a raging keg party to our ancient ancestors. However, contrary to its sheen, this krater is actually made of Bronze, not gold. However, its incredible imagery, with inlaid metals and reliefs...

In this week's episode of Archaeology Crime, Jason takes you through the looting of the Iraq Museum in the wake of the US-led invasion of 2003. As Saddam Hussein's Baathist regime was crumbling, international antiquities traffickers were already at work selecting their targets from among the Iraq Museum's many treasures. Though many of the looters were just normal Iraqis looking to...

Episode Summary In this episode, Jason finishes his list of the (now Top 15) most Underrated Archaeological Sites. We visit: 1) Merv, Turkmenistan 2) Çatalhöyük, Turkey 3) Sanxingdui, Sichuan, China 4) Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe 5) Hegra, Saudi Arabia Then, we do a rundown of recent archaeology news. The stories featured are: 1) Ancient footprint patterns and drag marks in New Mexico's White Sa...

Episode Summary  In this episode, Jason continues taking you to some seriously underrated sites where you can nevertheless make some amazing archaeological discoveries. We cover sites in South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania: 1) Timgad, Algeria  2) Caral, Peru  3) Meroë, Sudan  4) Plain of Jars, Laos  5) Nan Madol, Micronesia Next, Archaeology News delves into the intriguing findings from North...

Episode Summary  In this episode, Jason takes you on a tour of top 10 most underrated archaeological sites in the world, or at least that he knows about! Because there is so much to get to, it’s broken down into two parts, with this first segment focusing on North America and Europe. The sites to be featured are: 1) Herculaneum, Italy 2) Carnac, France 3) Skara Brae, Scotland 4) Poverty Point, Lou...

An update from your host...

The episode begins with the gripping tale of Giacomo Medici, one of history’s most infamous antiquities traffickers. Known as the kingpin of looted artifacts, Medici masterminded a vast smuggling network involving tomb raiders, Swiss Freeport warehouses, and high-profile museums. Host Jason Cohen unravels how these looted treasures, like the famed Euphronios Krater, were laundered through polished...

Episode Summary  Episode 46 of Into the Dust dives straight into an essential guide for visiting archaeological sites and preserving their historical integrity. Host Jason Cohen alternates between "do's" and "don'ts," offering practical advice infused with humor and insight. From sticking to marked trails and avoiding the temptation to pocket small souvenirs, to study...

Get ready to dig deep into one of the greatest archaeological finds in British history! This episode explores the legendary Sutton Hoo Helmet, from its discovery in a 1939 ship burial to its painstaking restoration and fascinating design. Learn about how this intricate piece of Anglo-Saxon artistry was pieced together from fragments, what its stunning carvings and face mask reveal, and the theorie...

Episode 44 Summary  Welcome to this episode of Into the Dust! This week, we’re covering two topics from the world of archaeology. First, we’ll deep-dive into swashbucklimg pirate archaeology, uncovering artifacts and shipwrecks from the Barbary corsairs and legendary pirate Blackbeard. Then, we’ll explore groundbreaking finds made possible through LIDAR technology, revealing ancient civilizations...

This week’s episode features previous segments about two iconic groups in history— Neanderthals and Vikings. We uncover fascinating discoveries about their lives, cultures, and legacies through groundbreaking archaeological research. From understanding Neanderthal DNA’s impact on modern humans to unraveling the secrets of Viking exploration and burial practices, this episode is packed with insight...

Segment 1 - Latchford's Looting of Cambodia' Cultural Heritage A deep dive into the looting of Cambodia's cultural heritage by a 'respectable' collector, Douglas Latchford Sometimes even the most respected people have a dark side... And one of those people would be Douglas Latchford, a renowned collector and amateur scholar of Khmer antiquities. At the same time, he was ac...

Episode Summary This episode covers one of the ultimate archaeology site visits: the Terracotta Warriors, just outside of Xi'an, China. Created to guard the tomb of the infamous Emperor Qin Shi Huang, builder of the Great Wall of China, this veritable archaeological army was among the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century. In this episode, we discover its history, its unli...

In this episode, we delve into one of the biggest antiquities heists of the last few decades based on how long it lasted, how much stuff was looted and how many different places it all wound up...everywhere from local flea markets to the most venerable museums in the world. This is a story of the wholesale looting of India's cultural heritage and the fight for justice and to bring back the st...

In this episode, we take an archaeological tour of the largest single Buddhist temple on earth, Borobudur in Central Java. Rediscovered by outsiders in 1814, the enormity and intricacy of this temple tells us a lot about the advanced civilization that constructed it, but also leave a lot of open questions. We then do an archaeology news update, featuring royal treasures of Lithuania which were rec...

In this episode of Into the Dust, Jason reveals the history and secrets of the Rosetta Stone and how it allowed archaeologists and historians to access Ancient Egypt like never before.  We also review some exciting archaeology news from the holidays and early January: 1) Discovery of a sorcerer-doctor-dentist at the pharaoh's court in Ancient Egypt 2) A Bronze Age site in Georgia - Dmanisis G...

In this episode, Jason breaks down his version of the Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries of 2024 (the final 5). Among these:  6) A pot of gold (literally) found in Turkey 7) Cleopatra's real face? 8) Deciphering a Herculaneum scroll  9) Bread at Çatalhöyük  10) Ancient Australian Aboriginal cultural practices confirmed at Clogg's Cave We also investigate the murders at Lindow Moss, where...

In this episode, Jason breaks down his version of the Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries of 2024 (the first 5 anyway!). Among these:  1) Lost cities in the Amazon 2) Oldest cave art ever discovered confirmed in Indonesia 3) Neanderthal-human mixing 4) Newly recognized geoglyphs in Peru 5) Reindeer hunting wall We also take a site visit to Bergen, founded by the early Norwegian kingdom in 1070 - the...

In this episode, Jason describes and amazing, one-of-a-kind artefact, The Bronze Hand of Prêles. This is an archaeology crime even though the detectorists who found it were not traffickers. In fact, they reported it as required, but apparently they were illegally metal detecting, so they were slapped with a fine. In honor of the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), we also feature the top t...

In this episode, we delve into Zooarchaeology, the archaeology of animals. As they can be peoples' best friend, animals do tell a lot about society and how humans live. We also investigate another archaeology crime, this time the theft of a US$1.8M Celtic gold coin hoard in Manching, southern Germany. A sophisticated heist which involved cutting electricity to the entire city, it's diffi...

Following his site visits to the Outer Banks, Jason visited with Scott Dawson, head of the Croatoan Archaeological Society, whose passion for the history of his Croatoan ancestors led to a lifelong passion to find set the history of the Outer Banks - and hence the United States of America as a nation - right. At the center of this story is the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke myth, in which colo...