Amber and Anna sit down to chat with the incomparable Tasha Bergson-Michelson, a librarian and educator. Research is a skill that is learned, and Tasha teaches us how to up our game. We learn about the process of good research, how to avoid sketchy sources, and the best ways to get started on any research project. We enjoyed talking with Tasha so much that we did it a whole bunch! Next week, we'll bring you the second half of our conversation.
The Boxgrove Horse Butchery Site with Dr. Matt Pope - TAS 100
A half-a-million-year-old internationally significant archaeological site in Sussex, England, offers unprecedented insights into the life of a poorly understood extinct human species, according to new UCL research. The findings of a meticulous study led by UCL Institute of Archaeology are detailed in a ground-breaking new book ‘The Horse Butchery Site’, published by UCL Archaeology South-East’s ‘Spoilheap Publications’. The study pieces together the activities and movements of a group of early humans as they made tools, including the oldest bone tools documented in Europe, and extensively butchered a large horse 480,000 years ago. Project lead, Dr Matthew Pope (UCL Institute of Archaeology) is our guest today.
Links
Contact
Chris Webster
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
A Lifetime of Rock Art Study with Peter Merlin - Rock Art 11
In this episode Dr. Alan Garfinkel talks with Peter W. Merlin - an acclaimed author, researcher, rock art explorer, adventurer, freelance journalist, and historian. Merlin has extensive and personal knowledge of rock art resources world-wide and is the author of books for both general and technical audiences. Merlin has appeared in more than a dozen television documentaries on the History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, and his public speaking includes numerous presentations.
Merlin will trace his personal background in archaeology, anthropology, and rock art studies and will do a quick overview of his world-wide travels in rock art visitation, discovery, and documentation. We will focus in on his visits and reflections on the UNESCO world heritage rock art sites in the Tassili n'Ajjer - a vast desert plateau in southern Algeria, stretching from the borders with Niger and Libya and covering an area of 72,000 sq. km. Since their discovery, more than 15,000 petroglyphs and paintings have been identified representing 10,000 years of human history and environmental change.
Links
Contact
Chris Webster
Dr. Alan Garfinkel
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Imposter syndrome - Dig It 11
In this episode, with our special guest, Jocelyn Lee, an incoming Ph.D. student at Stanford University and a recent grad at UMass Boston studying race and diaspora. Here we discuss Jocelyn's research, as well as the troublesome thoughts associated with imposter syndrome, how it can be demeaning, and ways to think and act through it.
Links
Contact
Show
Twitter: @idigitpodcast
Email: idigitpodcast@gmail.com
Alyssa
Instagram: aal.archaeology
Twitter: Lyssakemi
Michaela
Instagram: mm_digitalized
Twitter: m_mauriello
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Your Presence on Social Media - CRMArch 196
We've talked about personal branding before and how your online presence, whether intentional or not, is part of how people perceive you. This episode goes a little deeper and talks about what you actually say and how it can impact future job prospects and peoples opinions of you.
Links
Paper: Social Media and the 21st-Century Scholar: How You Can Harness Social Media to Amplify Your Career
Follow Our Panelists On Twitter
Bill @succinctbill; Doug @openaccessarch; Stephen @processarch; Bill A. @archaeothoughts; Chris W @Archeowebby, @DIGTECHLLC, and @ArchPodNet
Blogs:
Bill White: Succinct Research
Doug Rocks-MacQueen: Doug’s Archaeology
Stephen Wagner: Process - Opinions on Doing Archaeology
Chris Webster: Random Acts of Science
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Our Ruined Lives with Taliah Farnsworth - Ruins 28
On this episode of Our Ruined Lives, we chat with the fantastic Taliah Farnsworth, the Virtual Experience Coordinator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS).
We delve into science communication and her current position at DMNS. She shares with us hilarious stories from her interactions with the public, such as "Night vision" and "Dad's personal garage time". More importantly, Taliah really delves into the nitty-gritty of science communication and education as a full-time profession.
Please give this episode a listen and follow Taliah on social media.
Contact
Instagram: @alifeinruinspodcast
Facebook: @alifeinruinspodcast
Twitter: @alifeinruinspod
Website: www.alifeinruins.com
Find Taliah at:
Instagram: @taliahdoesscience
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Queryin' the Illyrians - Dirt 104
This week, on a sponsored episode, Anna and Amber examine the traces left by the various ancient cultures called "Illyrians." We've got some architecture, coin-nerdery, a smattering of religion, and a complicated political legacy. It all makes for an excellent entry in our collection of supporting characters from the Classical world!
Links
Discovery of ‘Lost City’ in Albania Thrills Archaeologists (Balkan Insight)
A Liburnian Necropolis from Nadin, Croatia (Institute for Study of the Ancient World)
Illyrian Temples Found At Ancient Doclea In Montenegro (Archaeology News Network)
Contact
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Fuel Use in Ancient Times with Dr. Gregg Griffin - TAS 99
Dr. Griffin's research focuses on analyzing archaeological deposits to answer questions on production of goods and fuel use. Dr. Griffin has excavated all over the world from Neolithic settlements in the North Atlantic to Second World War battlefields in the Pacific. On today's show we talk about the different types of fuel that people used in the past. It's not all poop - but most of it is.
Links
Contact
Chris Webster
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
On Raven’s Wing - PreHist 27
I talk to Dr Rena Maguire about On Raven’s Wing by Morgan Llywelyn. This book is a retelling of part of the Ulster Cycle, especially the life of Cuchulain, the Hound of Ulster, and the Tain Bo Cuailhge, the Cattle Raid of Cooley. It is mainly set at Emain Macha which is known to be Navan Fort bear Armagh. How much of the story reflects the Irish Iron Age?
Links
On Raven’s Wing by Morgan Llywelyn
Mallory, James P. [ed.], Aspects of the Táin, Belfast: December, 1992. Contact Navan Fort, as their shop may still have copies
Contact
Twitter: @prehistpod
Guest Twitter: @justrena
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Petroglyph Research with Dr. Chester Liwosz - Rock Art 10
On today's episode Dr. Gold talks with Dr. Chester Liwosz. Dr. Liwosz tells us how he got into archaeology and how he came to study petroglyphs. We also talk about his involvement with the Mesa Prieta Petroglyph project and the amazing collection of rock art at that site.
Links
Contact
Chris Webster
Dr. Alan Garfinkel
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Work From Home Assessment - ArchaeoTech 135
We’ve been working from home since March of this year and for some archaeologists it’s been difficult. Paul and Chris talk about how it’s gone for them, what’s helped, and what’s been a challenge. Let us know what’s helped you!
Links
Contact
Chris Webster
Twitter: @archeowebby
Paul Zimmerman
Twitter: @lugal
Email: paul@lugal.com
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Sovereign Stories - HeVo 42
On this months’s podcast we have LT Kayla F. DeVault (Shawnee and Anishinaabe), Engineer and Project Manager at Indian health facilities. Kayla’s wide ranging experience and education has centered on Anthropology, STEM, and Indigeneity. She is the host of the You-tube channel, Sovereign Stories, which breaks down Indigenous themed topics into easy to understand and fun short videos. We talk about advocacy more generally as well as a wide range of other topics including cultural heritage and development, consent, othering, bias, tokenization and allyship.
Links
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/567167/as-long-as-grass-grows-by-dina-gilio-whitaker/
Red Alert! Saving the Planet with Indigenous Knowledge by Daniel R. Wildcat
"Aboriginalism & the Problems of Indigenous Archaeology" by Robert McGhee, American Antiquity
Our Knowledge is Not Primitive: Decolonizing Botanical Anishinaabe Teaching by Wendy Makoons Geniusz
Contact
Jessica
Kayla
@SovereignStorys
Lyle
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Illustrating Archaeology - Dirt 103
This week, Anna and Amber take on archaeological illustration. That's right-it's an audio episode about an entirely visual topic! This'll go well. We cover the merits of hand drawing vs. photography, reveal some stories from our own...mixed experiences, and investigate the very cool technique of photogrammetry.
Links
Why Archaeological drawing is still so important (New Archaeology)
A Simple Method for Reliable Creation of 3D Artifact Models in the Field (Leakey Foundation)
‘Visual competence’ in archaeology: a problem hiding in plain sight (Antiquity)
Science and Art in Archaeological Illustration (Columbia College)
Approaches to Archaeological Illustration, A Handbook by Mélanie Steiner (via Digital Epigraphy)
Contact
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Neanderthals Making Yarn?! - TAS 98
This is a crossover episode with Rachel Roden and Historical Yarns!
Recently, evidence of twisted cord was discovered on a Neanderthal archaeological site. While the exact use of this cord is unknown, we discuss our theories for how Neanderthals could have applied this technology to everyday life. Most importantly, this discovery contributes to breaking down the myth that Neanderthals were technologically inferior to their human contemporaries.
Links
Contact
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
CRAF and ArchaeoAstronomy with Christine Grimaldi Clarkson - Rock Art 9
On today's show Dr. Garfinkel interviews the Executive Director of the California Rock Art Foundation, Christine Grimaldi Clarkson. Christine was instrumental in the creation and development of the California Rock Art Foundation and was elected by the Board to be the Executive Director of CRAF in March 2018. Christine has been researching and conducting archaeological work in Central California for over 20 years, and also pursues interests in Southwest and Mesoamerican archaeology. Her research has led to the discovery and documentation of an ancient astronomical observation area created by Native Americans in Central California. Articles on this subject have been published in SCA Proceedings and Rock Art Papers.
Links
Contact
Chris Webster
Dr. Alan Garfinkel
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Grants, and Fellowships, and Scholarships, Oh My! - Dig It 10
In this episode, we discuss the inter-workings of different parts on finding grants especially as we start to enter grant-writing and application season. We touch on why grants are important, when to apply, how to find them, and what goes in them.
Links
Contact
Show
Twitter: @idigitpodcast
Email: idigitpodcast@gmail.com
Alyssa
Instagram: aal.archaeology
Twitter: Lyssakemi
Michaela
Instagram: mm_digitalized
Twitter: m_mauriello
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Stories from the Field and Lessons Learned - CRMarch 195
Description: We all have our stories where we "barely got out", or, "I can't believe that happened!" On today's episode Heather opens up and tells us about an experience just last year that her and her co-worker barely got out alive from. There were a lot of lessons learned from that incident and we hope you can learn from this as well.
Follow Our Panelists On Twitter
Bill @succinctbill; Doug @openaccessarch; Stephen @processarch; Bill A. @archaeothoughts; Chris W @Archeowebby, @DIGTECHLLC, and @ArchPodNet
Blogs:
Bill White: Succinct Research
Doug Rocks-MacQueen: Doug’s Archaeology
Stephen Wagner: Process - Opinions on Doing Archaeology
Chris Webster: Random Acts of Science
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Chalk it Up to Science - Dirt 102
This week, on a short but fun episode, Anna and Amber investigate some of the massive figures cut into the chalk landscape of the Southern UK. Who made them? How old are they? Why are there so many horses?
Links
England’s 7 most intriguing chalk figures and the stories behind them (Wanderlust)
An Introduction to Prehistoric England (Before 43 BC) (English Heritage)
Footprints, Size 10, From Britain’s Bronze Age (The New Yorker)
The Beaker phenomenon and the genomic transformation of northwest Europe (Nature)
Against All Odds, England’s Massive Chalk Horse Has Survived 3,000 Years (Smithsonian)
England’s Enormous Chalk Figures (Atlas Obscura via Google Earth)
Britain's Spectacular (and Sometimes Mysterious) Hill Figures (Gizmodo UK)
Contact
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
If a Yoda, Archaeology had: A Philosophical Discussion with our Mentor Dr. Robert L. Kelly - Ruins 27
On Episode 27 of A Life in Ruins Podcast, we interview Dr. Robert L. Kelly. Dr. Kelly was all the cohosts thesis advisor at the University of Wyoming. Dr. Robert L. Kelly wrote the book, The Lifeways of Hunter-Gatherers: The Foraging Spectrum, on hunter-gatherer archaeology and the mathematical proofs behind it.
He was involved in early research at Gatecliff Rockshelter and then he continued on to influence archaeological theory for the rest of his career. He writes a regular textbook with Dr. David Hurst Thomas named “Archaeology” (latest edition).
He has also written a book on the future of archaeology called The Fifth Beginning.
We have a super interesting philosophical conversation about archaeology and its meaning. Bob recounts his early life and how he found his way out in the desert with David Hurst Thomas during his first days as an archaeologist.
We then discuss his transition from Cornell to the University of New Mexico and the University of Michigan, and have a lengthy discussion about his mentor, Lewis Binford and his eccentric life.
The majority of the podcast however, is an in-depth conversation about anthropology, how the field has changed over the years, and what it means to be human.
Robert L Kelly Email: rlkelly@uwyo.edu
Contact
Instagram: @alifeinruinspodcast
Facebook: @alifeinruinspodcast
Twitter: @alifeinruinspod
Website: www.alifeinruins.com
Affiliates
Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!
Liminal Places with Rebecca Lambert - TAS 97
Rebecca Lambert studies those places in our world that we don't either think about or even like to think about. Shadows, hidden areas, underpasses. These places are sometimes scary, sometimes strange, and sometimes make you feel different on the other side. What can we learn about places on the edge, or, liminal places? We explore these spaces on today's episode.
Links
Rebecca's Twitter: @LadyLiminal1
Contact
Chris Webster