The ArchaeoTech Podcast

Paul and Chris talk about a Heritage Daily article that seems a bit starry-eyed about the role of archaeology in current and future technological innovations and use. The article linked below broadly discusses a number of technologies and we take a few of them and break them down. Links Why archaeology will be the next harbour for technology Drone Archaeology Agent Based Modeling for Archaeology C...

Archaeologists have been using digital technologies to augment traditional field archaeology for several decades (GPS and mapping mostly). However, as modern technologies continue to enter the archaeological space, most researchers are using these techniques almost as a second thought. The authors of this case study argue for development of a digital strategy that will allow researchers to plan an...

A recent paper discussing footprints found years ago in New Mexico is shaking up the archaeological community. The footprints were dated to between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago - problematic because concrete evidence for the earliest sites sits at around 14,000 years ago. There are older sites, but, the evidence isn't great. This new research, however, could change everything. Links Evidence of hum...

There’s a lot packed into this episode and there’s even stuff we didn’t get to but have in the links below. We do this in three sections: 3D Scanning and Printing, Robots and Drones, and Art, Experimentation, and Whimsy. Links The Virtual Curation Laboratory Virtual Curation Lab on Instagram 3D Scanning and 3D Printing in Archaeology and Paleontology What can GIS+3D mean for landscape archaeology?...

On today’s episode we focus on one article from the Studies in Digital Heritage online and open-access journal. The latest issue was a special issue on 3D methodologies in Mediterranean archaeology. The article we discuss was written by Miriam Clinton and is called Online Gaming as Digital Heuristics. We thought this was interesting because it’s not about online gaming, per se, but the researchers...

When you fly your drone over a landscape or use satellite images in your research, do you ever thing about the people that live on and use the land that you're studying? Because of the scale of the images you might not be able to see actual people, but they're there. In a recent paper, Dylan Davis and Tanambelo Rasolondrainy, two of the authors and our guests today, explore the ethics of remote se...

Dr. Jarrod Burks of Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc joins us on the show today to talk about his pioneering geophysical work in Ohio. Dr. Jarrod Burks specializes in geophysically detecting the unseen archaeological record that surrounds us. He is also president of Heartland Earthworks Conservancy, an organization that works to study and save Ohio earthworks. Dr. Burks’ day job takes him all over the...

We're talking field and mobile power on this week's episode. With Paul working on Chris' project and guest co-host Richie Cruz also present, we have a lot to talk about. We cover solar panels, batteries, and mobile vehicle power solutions. Links Jackery SolarSaga 60W Anker Powerhouse 200 Anker PowerCore Slim 10000 All-Terrain Family on YouTube Magnum Energy MSH3012RV 3000 Watt, 12 Volt DC Inverter...

We’ve talked about Wildnote a lot on this podcast. We even had the founder on a while back. Well, now Wildnote is growing and moving a some awesome directions. We talk to Chief Revenue Officer, Jeff Erramouspe, about what Wildnote is doing now and where it’s going in the future. Links Wildnote Website Lunch and Learn on July 13, 2021 Pushing the Past Forward: Archaeologists Make Surprise Discovery...

The Digital Archaeological Record (tDAR) is a repository for archaeological data of all types. Chris Nicholson is the director of the Center For Digital Antiquity and he comes on to talk to Paul about what it is and how it’s used. Links The Digital Archaeological Repository (tDARThe Digital Archaeological Repository (tDAR) Open Context Ariadne Plus PeriodO Robinson, E., C. Nicholson, and R. Kelly,...

Paul and Chris start the show talking about tech challenges when in remote areas. How do you get internet? What about charging your devices? In segment two we review the previous episode regarding convolutional neural networks and using programs like that to identify artifacts. Segment three has some great tech tips and some talk about the new iPad Pro 12.9 M1. Contact Chris Webster Twitter: @arch...

We speak with Dr. Pawlowicz of Northern Arizona University about a recent paper he was involved in that used convolutional neural networks to classify ceramics in the American Southwest. There are a lot of applications to this technology and some people love it and some think it’s going to take the jobs of archaeologists. Links Heritage Daily: “Archaeologists teach computers to sort ancient potter...

Dr. Jesse Tune joins Chris and Paul to talk about their favorite subject: Drones! Don't play the drinking game on this one. We can't be held responsible! Anyway, Dr. Tune has a fantastic program that actually prepares his students to pass the FAA Part 107 exam and teaches them about using the right tool for the right job. Dr. Tune is a prehistoric archaeologist who studies Ice Age human migrations...

On today's episode Paul and Chris meet up in Chris' hotel room in New York City. It's only the second time they've recorded in the same room. Paul and Chris talk about the resurgence of digital archaeology in CRM after 2020, photographs, including metadata, and some new iPhone 12 features that are useful in the field. They end with a discussion of map datums and coordinate conversions. Links Inter...

Chris and Paul discuss visiting one of the most well-known archaeological sites in the world: Chichen Itza in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. What can you expect to see? What should you do when you get there? What should you do before you go? We also talk about what sort of field cameras are the best that aren't smartphones or tablets. Contact Chris Webster Twitter: @archeowebby Email: chris@arch...

Risk Management is something you don't hear a lot about in smaller CRM firms. However, no matter the size, all companies should manage and record hazards and trend on incidents. Dr. Bill White of the CRM Archaeology Podcast and the University of California at Berkeley joins us to talk about his paper on risk management, just published in the March 2021 issue of SAA Advances. Links White, William A...

Anyone working in archaeology has used some form of sampling strategy during the course of their work, whether they knew it or not. Most professions do something like this. Are we doing it right? Too much? Too little? Dr. Ted Banning recently published a paper in American Antiquity discussing the current state of sampling in the fied. Links American Antiquity “Sampled To Death: The Rise and Fall o...

Eric Olson joins us again as a special guest host to discuss how to overcome the fears that keep us from learning about and trying out new (or at least new to us) tech. Paul and Eric share advice, tips, and even some of their own fears and explore great ways to start with GIS, R, programming, and more. Links The Open Digital Archaeology Textbook Subreddits of interest: GIS R Anthropology Archaeolo...

Eric Olson is back on the ArchaeoTech podcast with his list of low tech, low cost software and equipment that he thinks everyone should know about. We cover a lot of ground in this podcast! What do you use that fits this description that you think everyone should use? Links/Sources Archaeotech 136 From the Archives (Eric’s podcast) TPSDig Olson, Eric 2019 The Shirey Meadow Site: A Comparative Stud...

Many field seasons were canceled in 2020 due to concerns over COVID-19. A recent article in SAA Advances, written by members of the CAST and SPARC program highlight the things researchers can still do despite social distancing regulations and travel concerns. Paul and Chris discuss those techniques and technologies on this episode. Links Spatial Archaeology in the Time of COVID from SAA Advances,...

Big data in archaeology is in the news again! With the release of an open access special issue of the Journal of Field Archaeology that focuses on big data in archaeology there is a renewed enthusiasm in the media for the subject. We discuss an Ars Technica article written about the issue that features a former two-time guest of the podcast. To start the show Paul tells us about his volunteer work...

Did you get any tech gifts this holiday season? On this show Paul and Chris talk about tech gifts they received that are useful for archaeology. They also talk about a listener email from the Space Archaeology episode and announce contest winners from Episode 144. Links Institute for American Indian Studies Magnetic Declination Letherman Skeletool Creality Ender 3 v2 Carhartt Backpack Oculus Quest...

We want to know what you either got yourself or received as a gift this holiday season. Specifically, what did you get that can be used for archaeology. Whether it's an obvious gift like a GPS or something a bit more outside the box like a Raspberry Pi. What will you use your gift for? Was it intended for field or office work? Are you reinventing a purpose for something? CONTEST Comment on what yo...

Need to find that perfect gift for the archaeologist tech lover in your life? Well, these gifts will suite just about anyone, but, check them out for anyone that has a techy side to them. We have gifts ranging from a few dollars up to a few thousand dollars - something for everyone! Links Stocking Stuffers USB-C adapters (~$10 for a 3-pack) Cell phone clip-on microscope ($10–$15) Gift Cards (Apple...

When people think of Space Archaeology, and many of us do, our thoughts often drift towards the moon landing sites or the numerous rovers on Mars. And while those are of archaeological interested there are other sites we may not have thought about. Our guest, Dr. Justin Walsh, talks to us today about space law and ownership and about the project he’s working on with Dr. Alice Gorman (Dr. Space Jun...