The Archaeology Show

This week we tackle one of our favorite topics - controversy! Last summer, the team working on the Rising Star Cave site in South Africa released a series of pre-prints making some incredible claims about the pre-human species, Homo Naledi. They were closely followed by the Netflix documentary, Cave of Bones which captured the attention of the public. However, other researchers are pushing back, c...

The Archaeology Podcast Network is taking a break for the holiday season. In the meantime, please enjoy this encore episode. It’s a favorite of ours! Happy holidays! This week we have 3 fascinating archaeology news stories. First, experimental research has helped researchers determine the function of an ivory baton. Then, we take a look at a newly discovered Roman villa that may have belonged to P...

Recently, we went to see the movie Moana 2 with our little nieces and we ended up enjoying it so much more than we expected! But, of course, we had to ask the question, how accurate is the story and characters behind the Moana franchise? In this episode we deep dive the history, archaeology, myths, and Polynesian culture on which these movies are based. Links The World Of Moana Explained The Long...

We’ve got a partial theme today but we start with 9000 year old bread making in the near east! We then go to Maya country for a double header. We start with 4000 year old fishing canals build buy the predecessors to the Maya and then talk about a possible solution to the Maya long count calendar. Links Focaccia: A Neolithic culinary tradition dating back 9,000 years ago (Apple) Archaeologists disc...

We get back to the news this week! We start with a cool site from Sweden where…it’s all ritual! Next we go to the Iberian Peninsula and learn about a Neanderthal glue factory, sort of. Finally, we talk about what Hollywood gets wrong, and right, about gladiators after seeing Gladiator II. Links 5,000-year-old sacrificial site stuns archaeologists in Sweden. ‘Extremely unusual’ 65,000-year-old hear...

This week we cover 3 recent archaeology news stories that showcase the bias of both journalists and researchers. First, 12,000 year old spindle whirls may be early evidence of the wheel. Then, we head to Pompeii where DNA evidence is showing the modern bias researchers have about personal adornment. And finally, Indigenous populations in Columbia are sharing their cultural knowledge about local Pi...

This week we take a look at 3 recent news stories that supposedly solved a famous historical mystery. First up, the identity of the famous “horeseman” burial has possibly been identified. Then, a scrap of fabric from a tomb in Greece may have belonged to Alexander the Great. Finally, archaeologists have “solved” the mystery of the Roanoake’s lost colony. Were any of these mysteries truly solved? Y...

This week we check back in with recent archaeology in the news! First, we look at new research on the oldest known battlefield in Europe. Then, we take a look a home renovation in France that turned into an early medieval cemetery excavation! And finally, a flooded Kushite tomb in Sudan is finally revealing it’s secrets thanks to the work of underwater archaeologists. Links Thousands of bones and...

This week we talk out our recent visit to Washington DC where we went to The National Museum of the American Indian, Ford’s Theater, the National Archives and the National Museum of Natural History. Links National Museum of the American Indian WHY I CAN’T VISIT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN Mixed Reviews for Museum of American Indian Contact Chris Webster chris@archaeologypodcastnetwo...

Today’s episode is a special one where we interview Director Christian Stiefenhofer. In the first segment he gets a special announcement from Arkhaios Film Festival founder Jean F. Guilleux. We discuss the amazing documentary that Christian and his team put together and in the last segment, Rachel and Chris wrap up the show with a discussion about the film. Youtube: https://youtu.be/3VWgYoOok9Y Li...

This week, postdoctoral scholar Laura Heath-Stout joins Chris for a conversation about her upcoming book Identity, Oppression, and Diversity in Archaeology. They explore how the lack of diversity in the field of archaeology has influenced our perception of ancient history, and how this can and should change. Links Identity, Oppression, and Diversity in Archaeology: Releasing on Oct. 31. available...

The Arkhaios Film Festival is a free annual event that takes place every fall. It highlights the work of film makers working in the anthropology and archaeology space. This year the Archaeology Podcast Network participated in the jury selection process and we interviewed a few of the film makers. In this episode you’ll hear from Andrew Jones of Curiosity Trek and Alessio Consorte of The Last Shop,...

This week we take a closer look at three archaeology news articles. In Norway, an archaeology rescue program is finding and recovering archaeological remains when they are exposed to air by glacial melt. Some of the artifacts are incredibly well preserved examples of organic material that normally doesn't survive the archaeological record. Then we head over to the United States and take a look at...

On today’s episode we review the surprisingly historically accurate Apple TV+ reboot of the movie Time Bandits. The new TV show, Time Bandits features a 10-episode season where a group of “bandits” travel through time meeting historical characters along the way. We talk about those characters and the real facts behind them, as well as what we liked about the show. They got a lot of the details rig...

The first news story this week used DNA to find out some interesting things about some Christians in Spain. Not only were they inbreeding, likely to keep their faith and lines pure, but they had small pox and some other interesting characteristics. Next we learn about a small disc found on the island of Crete with an unreadable script on it. Finally, how did early Scandinavian’s build boats? Perha...

If you pay attention to your surrounding you just might find a bit of history. Our new stories this week are all about people paying attention and looking around and ultimately finding something worthy of the history books. Links Walker stumbles on bones sticking out of field — and finds Viking-era grave in Norway Volunteer notices buried structure on mountaintop — and finds ancient Roman campsite...

Today’s episode is all about mega-fauna and human interactions. Our first story takes us to a creek in Iowa where the first complete mastodon for that state has been found. Next we go to UC Berkeley where researchers think they’ve figured out, through research and experimental archaeology, how early humans took down those big animals. Finally we move over to Spain where new research is suggesting...

This week we cover 3 recent archaeology news stories including an ancient Roman sarcophagus turned beach bar, the source of the altar stone at Stonehenge and more evidence refuting the claims about Homo Naledi “burial”practices made in the Cave of Bones documentary on Netflix. Links Beach bar used a 1,700-year-old Roman sarcophagus as table — until a tourist noticed The voyage of the Altar Stone:...

Spoiler alert, we love the story of Plymouth Rock even if it isn’t exactly true history! This week we look at some important historical places on the coast of Massachusetts including Plymouth, the Mayflower and New Bedford. Links The True Story Behind Plymouth Rock Mayflower Descendants Search New Bedford NHP Contact Chris Webster chris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com Rachel Roden rachel@unraveledde...

This week we talk about our recent visit to Minute Man National Historical Park. We also discuss a recent archaeological find at that park which is likely related to the first shots fired in the American Revolution. And finally, we talk all the famous authors that also happened to live and write in that same area! Links Musket balls that started the American Revolution sat buried. Until now. Minut...

First up this week, we look at why an extremely significant site in Australia was able to be destroyed by a mine, against the wishes of the Traditional Owners. Then, through the efforts of engineering and experimental archaeology, a full size replica of a 4,000 year old ship was launched in Abu Dhabi. And finally, a fragment of red fabric that was dyed with bugs has been found in Israel. Links Res...

This week we continued our APN Host Interview series with Dr. Andrew Kinkella, the fantastic host of The Pseudo-Archaeology Podcast and one of the co-hosts of the CRM Archaeology Podcast. Andrew has done so many cool things throughout his career including excavating in Mayan Cenotes in Belize, working as a Community College Professor in California, and talking head on Discovery Channel style docum...

First up this week we look at one more reason why Cahokia wasn’t all of a sudden abandoned the way researchers had once assumed. Then, excavations at a site in Lake George, NY may (or may not!) shed some light on a 1700’s era Smallpox hospital. And finally, is it possible that a ritual has been passed down 12,000 years? New evidence in Australia suggests it is! Links Archaeologists dispute theory...

This week we have 3 archaeology news stories. First, a bronze age site known as Must Farm has been called Britain’s Pompeii, and we look at why it has been given that name. Then, a fragmented ivory Pyx was found hidden in a Christian church. And finally, new dietary analysis of a Danish Bog body tells a story of neolithic immigration between very different communities. Links TeePublic Rodsteradven...

This week we have three great archaeology news stories! First up, archaeologists have excavated a royal purple dye workshop in Greece. Then, excavations at an early colonial Incan cometary give insight into how small pox affected the community. And finally, perfectly preserved cherry bottles have been found in a cellar at Mount Vernon. Links In This Ancient Workshop, Greeks Crushed Snail Glands to...