A Life in Ruins

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Dr. Devin's Dissertation - Ep 75

Dr. Devin Pettigrew comes back on the show to talk about his doctoral dissertation on atlatl and bow weapon system ballistics. Devin first appeared on the show as a guest host back in episode 18.2 and then again as a guest for episode 19. You may also recognize him if you've checked out our YouTube channel.

We start off by talking about the dissertation process, what Devin's research question was, the methods behind his experiments, and data collection. We have an interesting conversation about the strengths and weaknesses of controlled vs uncontrolled experiments. Of course, that disgusting goat carcass gets brought up, but, Carlton is able to control his gag reflex. We close out the episode with a discussion on the results of Devin's doctoral research and how they relate to modern-day hunting practices in the West as well as raw material collection in the "Pre-white" times.

Literature recommendations:

http://basketmakeratlatl.com/

Guest Contact

Email: Devin.Pettigrew@colorado.edu

Instagram @ar.atlatl

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ARatlatl

Website: http://basketmakeratlatl.com/

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Tips, Tricks, and Dance Moves for Anthropology Undergrad and Grad Programs - Ep 74

In this episode of A Life in Ruins, we provide information about undergraduate and graduate school. We start off joking about our favorite episodes (all of them are our favorite) and then dive into things to consider when applying to undergraduate and graduate programs. We talk about our differing experiences in undergrad and the positives and negatives of each of our experiences. Importantly, we dive into how to research graduate programs, and factors surrounding how to choose a school are then discussed. We then wrap it up with other ridiculous conversations.

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Ancient Civ: Central America with Dr. David S. Anderson - Ep 73

On this episode of A Life In Ruins Podcast, we are joined by an early A Life in Ruins guest, Dr. David S. Anderson, to talk about the Origins of early states in Mesoamerica. Dr. Anderson first appeared on our show in episode 11 to talk about pseudoscience in archaeology, and we are excited to have him back on the show to discuss with us the real perpetrators of Central American megalithic structures and ceremonial centers. Dr. Anderson enlightens us about theories surrounding the emergence of complex civilization in Central America and then we delve into the Olmec and other Preclassic civilizations. We then get our minds blown about the size/scope of the El Tigre Pyramid and discuss some other Late Preclassic Maya sites. Dr. Anderson then teaches us about all things Maya.

Literature Recommendations

  • Olmec Archaeology and Early Mesoamerica by Christopher Pool

  • The First Maya Civilization: Ritual and Power Before the Classic Period by Francisco Estrada-Belli

  • Discovering the Olmecs: An Unconventional History by David C. Grove

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Arrrgh Ruined Lives with Maddy McAllister and Jamie Goodall - Ep 72

In this episode of we have the pleasure of hosting the most fan-requested crossover: The Shipwreck Mermaid and the Pirate Historian. Dr. Maddy McAllister, aka the Shipwreck Mermaid, is a Maritime archaeology Curator based out of Australia. Dr. Jamie Goodall is a staff historian with the US government. They are both popular social media personalities on Twitter and Instagram. We discuss their respective careers and how they use primary source data and archaeological reports. We discuss Black Jack Anderson and the lack of famous pirates near Australia. Dr. Goodall enlightens us with more information about Zheng Yi Sao and we chat about if it's possible to see evidence of piracy in shipwrecks. Dr. McAllister and Dr. Goodall end the episode with advice for students interested in maritime archaeology or maritime history.

Literature recommendations:

1) X Marks the Spot: The Archaeology of Piracy edited by Russell K. Skowronek and Charles R. Ewen

2) Pieces of Eight: More Archaeology of Piracy edited by Russell K. Skowronek and Charles R. Ewen

3) Why We Love Pirates: The Hunt for Captain Kidd and How He Changed Piracy Forever by Rebecca Simon

4) The Alliance of Pirates: Ireland and Atlantic piracy in the early seventeenth century by Connie Kelleher

5) Unfinished Voyages: Western Australian Shipwrecks 1622-1850 by Graeme Henderson

Guest Contact

Dr. Goodall's Instagram and Twitter: @l_historienne

Dr. Goodall's Website: jamiegoodall.com

Dr. McAllister's Instagram: @shipwreckmermaid

Dr. McAllister's Facebook

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