The Archaeology Podcast Network Feed

It’s still spooky month, so we watched The Lair of the White Worm (1988), an unhinged Bram Stoker adaptation about a sexy immortal snake woman sacrificing virgins to a larger and more phallic snake, and an intrepid “Scotch” archaeologist who saves the day with a snakecharming bagpipe song and magic sporran. Excuse me: “Scots”. As usual we talk a little about archaeology, a lot about cryptids, and after five years still struggle to figure out this whole Zoom thing.

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In this episode, David is joined by fellow APN hosts Ashleigh Airey and Tilly Siebrecht to discuss all things Tolkien, but mainly the dogs in the Tolkien Legendarium.

The first discusses how they got into Tolkien and the Peter Jackson trilogy as kids, and how it grew into a lifelong love of the stories, and the episode quickly details from there.

Once they return from a break, the 3 hosts then get on track about the dogs of the Tolkien universe, including Huan from The Silmarillion, the wargs of Isengard, and the various wolves controlled by...

In this episode, Alan speaks with Dr. David Bruner about the connections between cultural beliefs, symbolism, and the interpretation of the archaeological record. They explore the Bakongo cosmogram and its possible expression in African American burial traditions, including reversed writing on grave markers and pipes placed in graves. The conversation also draws parallels between street art in New Orleans and prehistoric petroglyphs at Little Petroglyph Canyon, considering how personal rivalries, cultural differences, and changing beliefs may influence the creation, alteration, and erasure of imagery. Highlighting the importance of cultural context and multiple perspectives in understanding and preserving the past.<...

Let’s go old school today and talk creationism! The idea that not only did god make the world, but that it should be taught in biology class alongside evolution! I know which doctor I would prefer…

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It’s time for part 2 of Matilda’s chat with experiential archaeologist Caroline Nicolay all about the topic of ancient pigments. Listen in as they discuss specialisation in the iron age, the link between wall papers and ancient houses in France, and how a bunch of supermarket spices changed Caroline’s life forever!

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On this month’s episode, Jessica speaks with Pauline Knudsen (Assistant Professor in the Department of Cultural and Social History at the Institute of Culture, Language and History at Ilisimatusarfik- the University of Greenland). The two discuss Pauline’s journey from being fascinated during a museum visit to working in museums as a curator to ultimately becoming an archaeologist. Pauline explains the context of doing archaeological work as a professional in Greenland and how climate change affects the archaeological features themselves. She also provides several examples of different ways her projects have centered the interests of local communities and inco...

Chris interviews archaeologist and author Todd Braje about his upcoming book, “Mammoths and Empires” from Pegasus Books. We discuss some of the bigger themes in the book and his motivation for writing it.

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It’s Spooky Season! In these two special episodes, Ash and Tilly share some of their favourite spooky stories from the world of archaeology.

First up is Ash, with two tales of spectral figures seemingly just getting on with their daily lives—one burning the late-night oil at a historic brewery, and another haunting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall!

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Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Alberta, is the best-known buffalo jump on the Great Plains. Used for nearly 6,000 years—and perhaps longer—the site enabled Blackfoot people to harvest millions of pounds of bison meat, hides, bones, and other resources. In Episode 52, Chris and Carlton speak with Drs. Shawn Bubel and Kevin McGeough of the University of Lethbridge about their recent Plains Anthropologist article on this keystone site in Blackfoot culture. Part 1 introduces the history of Head-Smashed-In and buffalo jumps more broadly, explaining how these hunts worked and the immense scale of the operations. This...

October 1st was a watershed moment for CRM and with it came questions as to its future, the role of private equity and the conglomeration of CRM companies. In this episode, the hosts discuss what may have lead to the dissolution of Chronicle Heritage, the immediate aftermath, lessons learned and how to protect yourself. Finally, the hosts would like to express our support for all affected.

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This week we are back to the news with three recent archaeology stories! First up, we discuss a National Geographic report on Turkey’s rapidly shrinking lakes, noting that receding water is exposing submerged archaeological sites like the Basilica of St. Neophytos in Lake Iznik while creating preservation and excavation challenges. We then critique a BBC Science Focus story that compares a mile-long stone alignment in Lake Michigan to Stonehenge. Archaeologists actuallysay that hunting drive lines are plausible explanations, and that simplified claims about lake history and age are misleading. And finally, we review an IFLScience article debunking more cl...

On this episode we ventured out into the real world and shelled out the equivalent of a down payment on a small car to see The End of Oak Street (2026) in theatres. And guess what? Feathered dinosaurs! We’re so thrilled about that that we let some of the minor things slide, like the outdated JP3-style Spinosaurus... and the shaggy sauropods... and the mix of Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and even Pleistocene taxa... But we have to draw the line at Ewan McGregor’s American accent.

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In this episode of Ethnocynology, David does a solo and audio exclusive of his recent weekend Knapping and goes over his reading list.

Dog sitting for Donny Dust, David spent the past weekend Flintknapping day and night in Donny’s shop and discusses how fun and engaging it is to craft stone tools, and discusses how it’s really interesting to rewatch the videos of yourself knapping, as you really start to notice how much you think and how an ancient homages would’ve thought when they were doing the same.

David also talks about the mo...

In this episode, Alan speaks with author James W. Graham about his book Where the Moon Stands Still, exploring the remarkable geometry and possible lunar alignments of the ancient Hopewell earthworks in Newark, Ohio. They discuss how researchers Ray Hively and Robert Horn investigated the relationship between the earthworks and the Moon’s 18.6-year cycle, and what these discoveries reveal about Indigenous astronomical knowledge. The conversation also considers the role of curiosity and interdisciplinary research in scientific discovery, the importance of Indigenous perspectives, and the ongoing debate over how ancient earthworks were designed and used.

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Have you ever wanted to read 13 articles in a row by anthropologists busily defending themselves from honest criticism? Me neither! Except I did, so you will have to join me in my pain.

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Join Matilda as she chats with experiential archaeologist Caroline Nicolay all about ancient pigments and painting! But what exactly is an experiential archaeologist? How does it relate to burnt clay? And what does any of this have to do with ancient Greek statues? Listen in to find out!

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In this episode of the EXARC Show, Matilda Siebrecht presents the latest issue of the EXARC Journal with an episode of EXARC Extracts. Listen in to hear a summary of the articles, which are all available to read open-access through the EXARC Journal website!

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Tilly and Ash are back with Dr Adrián Maldonado to uncover the archaeological layers of The Hobbit! We discuss the archaeological process of excavation and recording a hoard and ask some surprising questions: are the Trolls even plunderers? Has Elrond let his familial ties to the material culture ruin the runic report of Gondolin swords? Have we got the Trolls entirely wrong this entire time?

Books mentioned:

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

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In Episode 51 of the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, Carlton is joined by new co-host Chris Johnston for his first appearance in the co-host chair, along with Douglas B. Bamforth and KC Carlson to discuss their recent Plains Anthropologist article, “House Structure, Cultural Connections Between Middle Missouri and Central Plains Communities, and Peopling the Ponca Creek Sites.” The episode explores the remarkable Ponca Creek settlements of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, including the enormous, rapidly developed 25BD1 site, and asks a fundamental question: who built these communities? Bamforth and Carlson explain how differences in house construction, particularly hip- and gable-roof stru...

A job worth doing is worth doing right, as the old adage says. But what does that mean, really? Who defines what makes a a job worth doing? Is it only a worthy job that should be done right? The hosts discuss all these existential questions AND how an archaeologist’s response to such questions can impact their career.

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Is this what archaeology needs? We think so! On November 23, 2026 Peacock and NBC Universal will release a new comedy based on Kate Myers book, Excavations, released in 2023. It will star Amy Poehler and Hugh Laurie. In this episode, Chris talks with the author about the book and the making of the TV show.

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Today we’re reviewing... *checks notes* ... Stig of the Dump, again? That’s right, we’re reviewing the 2002 remake! It’s surprising how much has changed in 20 years: the family dynamic shifted from latchkey kids to helicopter grandparents; the thieves are leaving the fine silver in favour of Dreamcast consoles; and Stig himself has devolved from a clever Neolithic boy to an apelike “Stiganopithecus.”

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In this episode of Ethnocynology, David Ian Howe sits down with legendary Yellowstone wolf observer and author Rick McIntyre to discuss what decades of watching wild wolves have taught him about their complex social lives. Rick shares stories of some of Yellowstone’s most famous wolves, including Wolf 8 and Wolf 21, exploring leadership, adoption, family bonds, personality, cooperation, conflict, and even mercy.

The conversation also travels back into the Ice Age to ask what the first human hunter-gatherers may have seen in wolves and how that relationship could have eventually produced the domestic dog. Rick discusses how wolves ma...

The third and final part of my Archaeologist commentary on the 2013 Tomb Raider game. The Tomb Raider vs Himiko: Long Live the Queen. Learn along as we wrap up the game’s final climax and discuss some of the hidden gems and meaning behind the game. Become a survivor of this series.

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In this episode, Alan speaks with previous guest, Shefa Salem, and her colleague Mohamed Al-Trhuoni, about the remarkable rock art of Libya and their efforts to document, preserve, and interpret it. They explore similarities between Libyan rock art and imagery from other parts of the world, including rain symbolism, animal figures, altered states of consciousness, and shamanic imagery. The conversation also examines the limitations of purely descriptive approaches to rock art and the importance of making Libya’s vast and largely underdocumented record accessible to researchers and the public.

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It’s time for the second part of Jessica and Matilda’s discussion with Maya archaeologist Zac Lindsey all about the aesthetics of “cute”. This episode dives into the perception of cute as a valid field of study, how the concept of cute can change our view of past societies, how it can be used to make political statements, and more!

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Ash and Tilly have finally made it to the Troll Caves, and they’re not alone… Joining them as a return consultant is hoard expert Dr Adrián Maldonado! Listen in as the three of them discuss the possibility of Viking antiquarians, the definition of a hoard, and how the Galloway Hoard is currently enjoying its surfing holiday.

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What can archaeology tell us about the devastating smallpox epidemics that affected Indigenous communities across the Americas following European colonization? In this episode of the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, Carlton Shield Chief Gover is joined by Dr. Alex-Garcia Putnam and Dr. Thomas J. Snyder to explore the archaeological evidence for historic smallpox epidemics.

They begin by discussing smallpox, its impact on Indigenous populations, and what archaeologists might expect to see in the archaeological record when an epidemic causes widespread mortality. From there, they examine why evidence for these epidemics can be surprisingly difficult to identify, including the...

In today’s episode, the crew discusses some of the misconceptions surrounding CRM and academia. Rather than viewing them as two separate worlds, working together and learning from both sides would be the most ideal approach for archaeology as a whole.

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Second episode in the Landscapes series of The Past Macabre. 

For links transcripts and more head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/tpm/37

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This week we have the latest installment of the journal Club! Ash and Tilly from the And My Trowel podcast join us for a lively discussion about two recent news articles. Join us to learn about ghost DNA, turtle figurines (or not?), and all the ways Americans eat and drink tea and scones incorrectly!

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Stig of the Dump is a 1963 children’s novel by Clive King which spawned at least two TV adaptations; today we’re reviewing the first, from 1981. It’s a very gentle, very British show in which a neglected child befriends a caveman in a garbage dump and everyone else gaslights him for 10 episodes.

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Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has been out for a few weeks, but how does it hold up to a panel of archaeologists and classicists?

In this episode, I’m joined by archaeologist, author, and YouTuber Raven Todd DaSilva, classicist, researcher, and PhD student Cosima Carnegie, and classicist and ancient dog expert Dr. Alyce Cannon to break down Nolan’s The Odyssey from the perspectives of archaeology, ancient history, and the original Homeric epic.

So how accurate is Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey? And more importantly: does it actually matter? Let us know!

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In this episode, Alan speaks with Dr. George Nash about Ice Age archaeology and rock art in South Wales. They explore the remarkable discoveries at Bacon Hole and Cat Hole, including a painted cave panel rediscovered after disappearing beneath calcite for decades, and a stylized reindeer engraving dated using uranium-thorium dating. They also examine Ice Age hunter-gatherer movement, the changing landscape of the Gower Coast, and how new technologies such as D-Stretch are revealing previously invisible traces of prehistoric art.

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Did the Māori of New Zealand make an ocean voyage all the way to Antarctica in the 7th century AD, predating the European discovery by many hundreds of years? No. Why not? Because listen and I’ll tell you, that’s why!

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It’s time for a guest! Jessica and Matilda are joined by Mayanist Zac Lindsey in this episode focusing on the aesthetic concept of “cute”. But what exactly is “cute”? How can we study it archaeologically? And can we pitch a new idea to Disney featuring an adulterous rabbit? Listen in to find out!

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In this episode of The Archaeology Show, we follow three discoveries that reveal how much ancient meaning can survive—and how much can still elude us. First, we look at rare Neolithic obsidian arrowheads from central Anatolia, etched with one-of-a-kind geometric designs that took real effort to carve, yet remain impossible to interpret. Then we head deep into Spain’s Cova de les Dones, where a hidden chamber holds 120 Latin inscriptions—evidence of an organized Roman cult centered on a mysterious “Lady,” Domina, and the name “MALACI.” Finally, we travel to Wetar Island in eastern Indonesia, where a 4,000-year-old painted stone...

Some Ancient Technologies last until the present day and Weir Fishing is one of them. Fascinated by the dimensions of an archaeological find of a fishing weir, photographer and filmmaker Frank Wiersema decided to make a film about this phenomenon. Frank chats with host Noah Melton about the multi-pronged approach he took to making the film. Challenges he encountered ranged from the complexity of replicating a fishing weir as a museum display in Swifterkamp open-air museum to considerations regarding which type of actors to cast and diversity and inclusion in the reenactment community in general.

This conversation...

Part two of my Archaeologist commentary on the 2013 Tomb Raider game. The Tomb Raider vs Himiko: Battle For Yamatai. Continue along as we dive deeper into the Dragon’s Triangle and raid some more tombs to save our friends.

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Ash and Tilly have finally started chapter 2 of The Hobbit, which means its time for some frantic last-minute preparations before they set off on their quest, or on their archaeological excavation! Together, they discuss their packing essentials, their bucket-list sites, and why you should always know where your handkerchief is.

Books mentioned:

Jingo (Terry Pratchett)

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