The ArchaeoTech Podcast

We think of archaeologists' main activity as digging. But anybody who's ever done archaeology can tell you that, regardless of what kind of archaeology we do, writing is a far more important skill. Here on the ArchaeoTech Podcast we talk a lot about the tools that we use in the field, but we don't talk so much about the tools that we use to assemble our thoughts when the fieldwork is over. So toda...

OK, it’s not that scary. However, not understanding the tech you’re using and what it’s capable of can be a harrowing experience that can result in the loss of business and more importantly, a loss of scientific data. App of the Day Webby: Coverage? iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/coverage/id388815949 Contact Chris Webster Twitter: @archeowebby Email: chris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com Paul Zi...

That’s right! We sourced your questions from Facebook and Twitter and answer your questions about mapping, canine forensics, open source programs, field data programs, and more! Send them in or hit us up on the socials to ask your questions and help everyone out on our next episode. Links Interris Registries Wildnote Anutum Geomobile Solutions QGIS Institute for Canine Forensics Collector App of t...

Jamaica is a fascinating place with a rich historic and prehistoric history. Our guest today, archaeologist Zach Beier lives in Jamaica and is passionate about his history. We talk to him about Jamaican archaeology and the technology he uses to decipher it. LinksBook: British Forts and Their Communities Zach Beier Info:Instagram: zakademic Twitter: zakademic The Department of History and Archaeolo...

Every September Apple releases at least the new iPhone for the year. Sometimes, like this year, they release a bit more. Today Chris gives you an update on the new Watch, iPhones, and iPad. This isn’t just an Apple fan-boy perspective but a look at what the new upgrades can do for archaeology and fieldwork. Links Apple ZeroLemon PaperLike Screen Protector Huawei Phone ContactChris WebsterTwitter:...

It’s all LIDAR today! Paul and Chris interview Dr. Sarah Klassen, an archaeologist that has done extensive work in southeast Asia, specifically Cambodia. She’s got some fascinating things to say about what the LIDAR data told them about the past at Ankor Wat and other temples, and, about new questions the data presented. Links Dr. Klaasen’s Website App of the DayWebby: Motion-X GPS UpdatePaul: Set...

Today Paul and Chris talk about new boats, drones (of course), issues with the iPhone X in the field, and other random tech topics. It’s a catch-all episode today and we hope you enjoy it! App of the DayWebby: Motion-X GPS Paul: Google News Google Apple ContactChris WebsterTwitter: @archeowebby Email: chris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.comPaul ZimmermanTwitter: @lugal Email: paul@lugal.com

New APN Volunteer producer, Dr. Jamie Anderson, joins Paul and Chris today to talk about her masters and PhD research that used some interesting dating methods. One of those was Tephrocronology, or, dating using ash layers. Combined with other methods, Tephrocronology is a powerful tool. We talk about that and other dating methods. Links OxCal Heritage Voices Ep31 A Life in Ruins Podcast The Dirt...

Virtual Reality has continued to capture imaginations and make people want to be places virtually since the expense of going can be high. We talked to Simon Young of LithodomosVR about their virtual archaeological tours back in January of 2017 and he's back now to give us an update on what they're doing. Links Episode 45 with LithodomosVR Lithodomos VR Lithodomos VR Apps The Shop Page on the Websi...

We’ve always wanted to have a GPS expert on the show to unpack terms and talk about the latest tech. Now we have it! Matt Alexander joins us to talk all things GPS and explain some of those terms you may have been wondering about. Links Anatum GeoMobile Solutions LithodomosVR Interris Registries App of the DayWebby: Donesafe Paul: See Neuroscience (Free, iOS) Matt: Lynq ContactChris WebsterTwitter...

Paul and Chris discuss an article from SAAs Advances in Archaeological Practice about using a database designed in FileMaker for documenting large skeletal collections. We also talk about your data in the cloud and what that means. Links“Advances in Documentation of Commingled and Fragmentary Remains” by Anna J. Osterholtz. Advances 7(1), 2019.DOI:10.1017/aap.2018.35 ArchaeoTech 95: Implementing a...

Today Chris and Paul talk about a fairly well-known concept in technology circles called, “Good, Fast, Cheap, Pick 2.” What it means is that often you don’t get all three in something you’re using. One of those is always sacrificed to make the other two work. Well, is that true? Are things that violate this principle? Let’s talk about it.

Edward Gonzalez-Tennant is a GIS and open source digital archaeology expert. We brought him on to talk about GIS but the conversation quickly turned to his work at historic Rosewood - a predominantly African-American town in Florida that was destroyed by riots and the Rosewood Massacre over 100 years ago. EGT is using digital archaeology and traditional methods to reconstruct this town so visitors...

In a recent book chapter, linked below, the integration of underwater and terrestrial archaeology was discussed. It got Chris and Paul thinking about those two spaces and how they are linked in the archaeological record. When seas fluctuate sites are buried and revealed and thinking about them together can help archaeologists interpret the past.

Chris interviews Michiel Kappers at the 2019 Society for California Archaeology meetings in Sacramento last March. Michiel runs InTerris Registries, a digital site management software with a lot of power. Learn more about it and how you can use it on your next project.

Today we have on the line Sebastian Heath from NYU's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World. Dr. Heath is ISAW's go-to Digital Humanities professor, and we'd like to discuss his take on DH in archaeology.

Welcome to the ArchaeoTech Podcast. Today is February 26th, 2019, so put on your party hat because we're recording the 100th episode. This is Paul Zimmerman, your host for for this milestone, along with my co-host (the pod's usual host) Chris Webster. We're turning the tables since we don't have a "tech" topic per se, but instead we're going to do a little navel gazing and look at the history of t...

In the wake of Marie Kondo and her tidying-up mentality we started wondering about the archaeology of the future. Guest host Richie Cruz and host Chris Webster talk about the future in a tidied-up world. What will be left? How do we think about and interact with “things” as compared to our ancestors and ancient people around the world?

Today on the show Paul and I discuss chat bots and whether they can good, bad, or indifferent for heritage communication. We also discuss a Munsell reader and Paul’s new drone!

Through the power of the internet we interview Alexei Vranich from his field site in Cambodia about work he did in Bolivia! This podcast is based on a paper (linked below) about reconstructing an ancient structure at Tiwanaku in Bolivia. This structure was incomplete and they had no idea what it was supposed to look like. But, through some high tech methods and good old fashioned elbow grease they...

We talk about drones a lot on this show. And for the record, they're officially called UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) or UASs (Unmanned Aerial Systems). What we don't often talk about is the nuts and bolts of actually using a UAV in the field.

Many people are writing papers about "going digital" and the results from doing so. However, not too many are writing about the effects of going digital on a crew. For example, do people work better together or separately when recording artifacts with a tablet. On today's episode we talk to the authors of a paper about going digital on a project in Peru and how recording ceramics was changed by us...

Chat bots are taking over conversations with customer service and social media applications like Facebook Messenger. But, do they belong in heritage situations? Can chat bots help outreach and interact with the public or are they just one more distraction? We talk about chat bots in the context of a recent article from the Society for American Archaeology’s Advances in Archaeological Practice on t...

Disaster preparedness takes many forms - depending on who you are and what you do. It's also important for archaeology sites. Creating relationships with major and local agencies and locating archaeology sites in jeopardy is paramount to preserving history.

On episode 91 of this podcast Paul and Chris talked about a recent article that discussed the "disappearing data" of archaeology. Where do data go when the project is over? Why isn't the government doing a better job of preserving the data?