I'm Commander Shephard and This Is My Favourite Bone on the Citadel: The Zooarchaeology of Mass Effect - Ep 29

Space hamsters and shifty looking cows: Tristan joins Alex and Simona to discuss the zooarchaeology of Mass Effect creatures.

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So You Want to be a Zooarchaeologist? - Ep 28

Interested in becoming a zooarchaeologist? Alex and Simona discuss how to get into zooarchaeology and their personal experiences within the discipline.

Links

  • New Evidence of Early Horse Domestication

  • Albarella, U., Rizzetto, M., and Russ. H. (2017) The Oxford Handbook of Zooarchaeology. Oxford University Press.

  • Gifford-Gonzalez, D. (2018) An Introduction to Zooarchaeology. Springer.

  • O'Conner, T. (2000) The Archaeology of Animal Bones. Texas A&M University Press.

  • Reitz, E.J. and Wing, E.S. (1999) Zooarchaeology. Cambridge University Press.

  • Sykes, N. (2014) Beastly Questions: Animal Answers to Archaeological Issues. Bloomsbury Academic.

Looking at animal bones at the National Museum of Scotland.

Looking at animal bones at the National Museum of Scotland.

You’re not supposed to be here! ‘Exotic’ species in the archaeological record - Episode 27

On this month’s episode, Alex and Simona were meant to discuss non-native species in the archaeological record. What actually happened is a mix of exotic pets, headphone-wearing animals and helpful ancient Roman advice.

Links

Baboon skeleton buried in Hierakonpolis (Photo Credit: Renee Friedman)

Baboon skeleton buried in Hierakonpolis (Photo Credit: Renee Friedman)

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Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!

Contact

Affiliates

Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!

Bioarchaeology in the Witcher - Ep 26

Alex and Simona go back into archaeogaming with a new episode focusing on bioarchaeology in the popular video game franchise The Witcher (originally a book series and now also a tv show). They will follow the story’s protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, and his ability to carry out osteological analyses of skeletal remains in his monster hunting quests.

Sources

If you want to hear more on the skeletal anatomy of video game creatures, why not head over to Episode 13, which presents an overview of the morphology of creatures from several famous video game franchises (among which Skyrim)

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Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!

Culinary Zooarchaeology - Ep 25

In this episode, Alex and Simona will be tackling culinary zooarchaeology. Listen on to find out more about how to identify food preparation in the archaeological record, ancient BBQs and interpreting archaeological rubbish.

Links

  • Besherer Metheny, K. and Beaudry, M.C. (2015) Archaeology of Food: An Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield.

  • Binford, L. (1981) Bones: Ancient Men and Modern Myths.

  • Pavao-Zuckerman, B., Anderson, D.T. & Reeves, M. (2018) Dining with the Madisons: Elite Consumption at Montpelier. Hist Arch 52, 372–396.

  • O'Connor, T. (2000) The Archaeology of Animal Bones. Gloustershire: Sutton Publishing Ltd.

  • Rackham, J. (1994) Interpreting the past: Animal Bones

  • Hastorf C.A. (2008) Food and feasting, social and political aspects. In: Pearsall D.M. (ed) Encyclopedia of Archaeology. London: Elsevier Inc.

  • Nelson S.M. (2003) Feasting the Ancestors in Early China. In: Bray T.L. (eds) The Archaeology and Politics of Food and Feasting in Early States and Empires. Springer, Boston, MA

  • Neolithic Eating Rituals

  • Feasting Archaeology and History

  • Maisels, C. (2010) The Archaeology of Politics and Power: Where, When and Why the First States Formed. Oxford, Oxbow books

  • Russell, N. (2012) Social Zooarchaeology. Cambridge University Press.

  • Elliot, P. (2016) Food and Farming in Prehistoric Britain. Fonthill Media

Butchered Animal Bone

Butchered Animal Bone

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Unicorns, Sasquatches, and Mermaids, Oh My! Cryptozoology and Fake Zooarchaeology - Ep 24

On this episode of ArchaeoAnimals, Alex and Simona delve back into the world of cryptids, with three new case studies on unicorns, mermaids and sasquatches.

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Applied Zooarchaeology: primitive breeds today - Ep 23

Sick to Death? Pathologies and Animal Bones - Ep 22

In this episode, Simona and Alex tackle palaeopathology. Listen on for how to identify signs of injury and disease in archaeological skeletal remains and what these can tell us about human-animal interactions in the past. Also Roman Pugs.

Links

  • Bartosiewicz, L. and Gal, E. (2013) "Shuffling Nags and Lame Ducks: The Archaeology of Animal Disease". Oxbow Books.

  • Gaastra, J.S., Greenfield, H.J., and Linden, M.V. (2018) "Gaining Traction on Cattle Exploitation: Zooarchaeological Evidence from the Neolithic Western Balkans". Antiquity.

  • MacKinnon, M. (2010) "'Sick as a Dog': Zooarchaeological Evidence for Pet Dog Health and Welfare in the Roman World". World Archaeology. pp. 290-309.

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Find this show on the educational podcast app, Lyceum.fm!

Ancient goddesses, eggs and bunny rabbits: The Zooarchaeology of Lagomorphs - Ep 21

It is ‘the season’ so this month’s episode of ArchaeoAnimals is all about rabbits and hares! Join us to find out more about self-explanatory taxonomy, medieval rabbit hutches and what does all this have to do with Easter.

Bibliography

Rabbit and Hare Bones

Rabbit and Hare Bones

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Birds of a Feather... - Ep 20

In this months episode, Alex and Simona talk about all things birds. Find out more about identifying avian remains, how we can use birds to reconstruct past environments and how humans have lived alongside them for millennia.

Links

  • Cohen, A. and Serjeantson, D. (1986) "A Manual for the Identification of Bird Bones from Archaeological Sites". Archetype Books.

  • Serjeantson, D. (2010) "17 Ravens and crows in Iron Age Britain: the Danebury Corvids Reconsidered". In "Birds in Archaeology: Proceedings of the 6th Meeting of the ICAZ Bird Working Group in Groningen". Barkhuis.

  • Gaskell, J. (2000) "Who Killed the Great Auk?". Oxford University Press.

  • Lawrence, D. (2006) "Neolithic Mortuary Practice in Orkney". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 136. pp. 47-60.

  • Luff, M. (1984) Animal Remains in Archaeology

  • Shire Archaeology

  • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-50603415

Comparisons between bird and rodent skulls.

Comparisons between bird and rodent skulls.

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Does Zooarchaeology Exist in Star Wars? - Ep 19

While Simona is away, Alex will play...and spend an entire episode flaunting her Star Wars knowledge. Does zooarchaeology exist in the Star Wars universe? And how can we somehow involve Baby Yoda in this conversation? Tune in to find out!

Further Reading

  • Wookiepedia: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Creatures_by_planet

  • Sith Archaeology & Propaganda: https://animalarchaeology.com/2017/12/15/keeper-of-the-archives-sith-archaeology-and-propaganda/

  • Anderson, K.J. and Wallace, D. (2000) Star Wars: the Essential Chronology. New York: Del Rey.

  • Mangels, A. (1995) Star Wars: the Essential Guide to Characters. New York: Del Rey. Wallace, D. (2002) Star Wars: the New Essential Guide to Characters. New York: Del Rey.

  • Wallace, D. (2010) The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

General Discussion: Part 1

  • Disclaimer: I don't care about canon, this is gonna include expanded universe material.

  • Star Wars is All About Archaeology: A Thesis By Alex Fitzpatrick

  • And thus, Star Wars must ALSO be all about ZOOARCHAEOLOGY!

  • Fun Fact: Jedi Zooarchaeologists are (most likely) canon!

  • CONFIRMED: There are Star Wars zooarchaeology toys????

  • Dark and Light Sides: Why is Archaeology So Important to the Jedi and Sith? And how would zooarchaeology factor in?

General Discussion Part 2

  • What would space zooarchaeologists have to consider?

  • Differences in Pressure, Other Environmental Issues (Preservation in Hoth VS Preservation in Manaan?))

  • Different cultures per planet and issues of sentience - cultural aspects of creatures?

  • Do droids count? See: Droid Planet M4-78

  • What would be the point of zooarchaeology in the Star Wars Universe?

  • How does the Force factor into all this?

  • Jedi can integrate their bodies and life into the Force after death - can Force sensitive creatures do the same? How will that affect the zooarchaeological record?

  • See also: other forms of mysticism and how that interacts with the dead, like the Nightsisters on Dathomir who resurrect their mummified dead Case Studies (aka Favourite Star Wars Animals)

More

  • We gotta talk about Baby Yoda and Alex’s Yoda Species Conspiracy Theory.

  • Porgs: The Bane of Achto Archaeologists’ Lives?

  • The Hsiss aka Invisible Creatures that can do Jedi Mind Tricks who Definitely Ruined a LOT of Excavations on Korriban

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Alpaca llama: adventures with South American Camelids - Ep 18