Archaeology of The Witcher (Part 2) - Trowel 58
Ash and Tilly are back on The Continent, silver swords polished, potions brewed, and trowels at the ready! After mapping The Witcher’s wild landscapes, they turn their attention to the real treasures of the world: its people, societies, and material culture. Through swords, cities, and stories, they uncover layers of coexistence, conflict, and memory that define Sapkowski’s world.
The Witcher Series:
Books: The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, The Lady of the Lake, Season of Storms, and Crossroads of Ravens.
Games: The Witcher, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, The Witcher 4 (release date 2026/2027)
TV Series: The Witcher (Netflix)
Links
Contact
Email: andmytrowel@gmail.com
Instagram: @and.my.trowel
Transcripts
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More Than Mammoths & Bison: Wyoming’s Ceramic Traditions with Michael Page - Plains 33
In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, Carlton sits down with Michael Page of the Wyoming State Archaeologist’s Office to explore a lesser-known side of Wyoming archaeology, its rich and varied ceramic traditions. While Wyoming is often defined by its iconic Paleoindian kill sites, Michael’s work reminds us that the region’s history is far more diverse than the stone tools and bison jumps that dominate public imagination.
This episode highlights the vital role of ceramic research in understanding the Northwest Plains and offers a fresh perspective on Wyoming's deep human history.
Transcripts
Links
The Archaeology of the North American Great Plains by Douglas B. Bamforth (2021)
Archaeology on the Great Plains Edited by W. Raymond Wood (1998)
The Archaeology of the North American Great Plains by Douglas B. Bamforth (2021)
Archaeology on the Great Plains Edited by W. Raymond Wood (1998)
Contact
Instagram: @pawnee_archaeologist
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Archaeologist's Holiday Gift List - CRMArch 323
Episode 323 is our Christmas Episode!! This week, our show hosts discuss their favorite archaeology field gear in hopes that they will get these items for Christmas. There’s dream items for every price point-- Including if money was no object. Listen to hear what archaeologists dream they’d find under the Christmas tree this year.
Transcripts
Links
Blogs and Resources:
Bill White: Succinct Research
Doug Rocks-MacQueen: Doug’s Archaeology
Chris Webster: DIGTECH LLC
Andrew Kinkella
ArchPodNet
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Timelines: Linking Petra, the Nazca Lines, and the Great Wall of China - TAS 319
In this “Timelines” episode, we connect three iconic sites built during the same era: Petra’s stunning rock-cut city in Jordan, the mysterious Nazca Lines etched across Peru’s desert, and the monumental Great Wall of China. Explore how the Nabataeans engineered Petra’s hidden oasis, why the Nazca created massive geoglyphs only visible from above, and what drove dynasties to construct thousands of miles of wall across China. Discover the origins, uses, and enduring mysteries of these world wonders, and see how ancient ingenuity and ambition shaped civilizations across continents—all within a shared moment in history.
In this “Timelines” episode, we connect three iconic sites built during the same era: Petra’s stunning rock-cut city in Jordan, the mysterious Nazca Lines etched across Peru’s desert, and the monumental Great Wall of China. Explore how the Nabataeans engineered Petra’s hidden oasis, why the Nazca created massive geoglyphs only visible from above, and what drove dynasties to construct thousands of miles of wall across China. Discover the origins, uses, and enduring mysteries of these world wonders, and see how ancient ingenuity and ambition shaped civilizations across continents—all within a shared moment in history.
Links
Segment 1: Petra
Bedal, L. W. (2003). The Petra Pool Complex: A Hellenistic Paradeisos in the Nabataean Capital. American Journal of Archaeology.
Parr, P. J. (2013). “Petra.” In Encyclopedia of Ancient History. Wiley-Blackwell.
Schmid, S. G. (2001). “The Nabataeans: Travellers Between Lifestyles.” In Aram Periodical.
American Center of Research (ACOR) – Petra Archaeological Park
Bienkowski, P. (1990). Petra. British Museum Press.
Hammond, P. C. (1973). “The Nabataeans: Their History, Culture, and Archaeology.” Biblical Archaeologist.
Burckhardt, J. L. (1822). Travels in Syria and the Holy Land (rediscovery account).
Segment 2: Nazca Lines
Silverman, H., & Proulx, D. A. (2002). The Nasca. Blackwell Publishers.
Reindel, M., & Isla, J. (2001). “Nasca: Wunder der Wüste.” C.H. Beck.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Palpa
Aveni, A. F. (2000). Between the Lines: The Mystery of the Giant Ground Drawings of Ancient Nasca, Peru. University of Texas Press.
Orefici, G. (2012). “Cahuachi: Capital of the Nasca World.” Andean Past.
Silverman, H. (1993). Cahuachi in the Ancient Nasca World. University of Iowa Press.
Isla, J., & Reindel, M. (2016). “Nasca and the ‘Puquios’: Water and Ritual in the Peruvian Desert.” Antiquity.
Segment 3: Great Wall of China
Waldron, A. (1990). The Great Wall of China: From History to Myth. Cambridge University Press.
Lovell, J. (2006). The Great Wall: China Against the World, 1000 BC–AD 2000. Grove Press.
Man, J. (2008). The Great Wall: The Extraordinary Story of China’s Wonder of the World. Da Capo Press.
Steinhardt, N. S. (1990). The Great Wall of China: Dynasties, Dragons, and Warriors. Oxford University Press.
State Administration of Cultural Heritage, China. “Archaeological Discoveries Along the Great Wall.”
Barfield, T. J. (1989). The Perilous Frontier: Nomadic Empires and China. Blackwell.
Contact
Chris Webster
Rachel Roden
ArchPodNet
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Ancient Fossil Finds and Mythical Creatures Part 1: Here Be Dragons - TPM 28
Throughout history, people have uncovered fossils and tried to explain them using the knowledge and stories of their time. In this episode of The Past Macabre, host Stephanie Rice explores how ancient discoveries of prehistoric bones may have inspired some of humanity’s most enduring myths about dragons and other legendary creatures.
From China’s loong, whose image appeared in tombs thousands of years before the first dynasties, to the Greek and Roman tales of sea monsters and winged serpents, this episode traces how archaeology and paleontology overlap in uncovering the roots of these mythical beings and the human fascination with what fossils.
Offline Works Cited:
Boaz, Noel T., and Russell L. Ciochon. 2004. The Bones of Dragon Hill. In Dragon Bone Hill: An Ice Age Saga of Homo Erectus, edited by Noel T. Boaz and Russell L. Ciochon. Oxford University Press.
Crump, J., & Crump, I. 1963. Dragon Bones in the Yellow Earth: The story of archaeological exploration & research in northern China in the present century. Dodd, Mead, and Company.
Romano, M., 2024. Fossils as a source of myths, legends and folklore. Rend. Online Soc. Geol. It, 62, pp.103-117.
Transcripts
For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/28
Links
Open Access Article | Finding the origins of dragons in Carboniferous plant fossils
Open Access Article | Sea Monsters in Antiquity: A Classical and Zoological Investigation
Open Access Book | Palaephatus, On Unbelievable Things (English Translation)
ArchPodNet
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Scandinavian Rock Art with Dr James Dodd - Rock Art 156
In this episode, Alan is joined by Dr. James Dodd, a researcher at Aarhus University and board member of the Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art. James uses digital tools such as GIS and high-performance computing to document and analyse rock art across Scandinavia. His work reveals how prehistoric communities expressed ideas through imagery and symbolism and how modern technology can uncover patterns and connections hidden across the landscape.
Transcripts
Links
Contact
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Archaeologists don't dig dinosaurs! - ABC 11
In this episode, the bookworms dive into December’s theme: Archaeologists Don’t Dig Dinosaurs! With Judith off sick, Tilly and Ash are left unsupervised, and things get delightfully chaotic as they explore pop-culture misconceptions, swap their best archaeology-vs-palaeontology anecdotes, and share this month’s wildly different book picks. Tune in to hear all about alien-dino hybrids, dinosaur accountants, and the ongoing struggle of explaining—once again—that archaeologists definitely do not dig up dinosaurs!
Monthly Book: TBC
Other books mentioned:
Kindred (Rebecca Wragg Sykes)
Science of Discworld (Terry Pratchett, Jack Cohen, Ian Stewart)
Jurassic park (Michael Crichton)
Futurama (tv show)
A Sinister Revenge (Deanna Rayboun)
Monstrous Heat (Joely Sue Burkhart)
Women of the Dunes (Sarah Maine)
Amelia Peabody Series (Elizabeth Peters)
Links
Contact
Music
Transcripts
ArchPodNet
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The Silurian Hypothesis: Does it Actually Contain Lizard People? - Pseudo 176
After uploading a quick video on Instagram about the top two stupidest pseudoarchaeology stories of all time, the one and only Flint Dibble said that I, Dr. Professor Andrew Kinkella PhD, had gotten something wrong. He said the Silurian hypothesis didn’t contain any lizard people! What?!? I quickly re-checked my research, and found out he was right. But I was right too! Listen onward for the solution to the Great Silurian Debacle of 2025…
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Transcripts
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The Archaeology of Stone Tools - Tea Break 42
In this episode Matilda is diving far back into the earliest depths of human history to discuss when we first developed our love of stuff. From chimpanzee termite-fishing to complex flint-knapping technology, she explores how technological traditions developed alongside our own human evolution. Tune in to hear all about core preparation, mode classifications, and why we might soon need a capuchin monkey archaeologist.
Transcripts
Links
Contact the Host
Email: matilda@thearchaeologiststeacup.com
insta: @the_archaeologists_teacup
twitter: @ArchaeoTeacup
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Archaeology and the 2025 Section 106 Hearings - CRMArch 322
Then we discuss the recent Section 106 hearing held on October 29, 2025 by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Full Committee Hearing to Examine the Section 106 Consultation Process Under the National Historic Preservation ActThe show hosts discuss a must-see senate hearing that reveals much about the Section 106 process, how clear communication can improve things, and that legislators, tribes, and archaeologists all believe historic preservation is important.
Transcripts
Blogs and Resources:
Bill White: Succinct Research
Doug Rocks-MacQueen: Doug’s Archaeology
Chris Webster: DIGTECH LLC
Andrew Kinkella
ArchPodNet
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Archaeology of The Witcher (Part 1) - Trowel 57
In this episode, Ash and Tilly set out on an archaeological survey across The Continent—the dark, layered world of the The Witcher! From the ruins of Kaer Morhen to the forests of Dol Blathanna, they explore how landscapes, material culture, and societies reveal the deeper histories beneath Andrzej Sapkowski’s Slavic-inspired fantasy universe. Join them as they dig into the Conjunction of the Spheres, the rise of humans, and the relics of vanished civilisations, all while fending off drowners, spectral elves, and the occasional moral quandary!
The Witcher Series:
Books: The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, The Lady of the Lake, Season of Storms, and Crossroads of Ravens.
Games: The Witcher, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, The Witcher 4 (release date 2026/2027)
TV Series: The Witcher (Netflix)
Links
Contact
Email: andmytrowel@gmail.com
Instagram: @and.my.trowel
Transcripts
ArchPodNet
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Revisiting the Jones-Miller Bison Kill Site with Amy Gillaspie - Plains 32
In this episode, Carlton sits down with archaeologist Amy Gillaspie to revisit their shared time working with the remarkable Jones-Miller Bison Kill Site collections at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. They begin by exploring the archaeological significance of Jones-Miller, one of the most important Paleoindian bison kill and processing sites on the Great Plains. Amy discusses the site’s history, why it remains foundational to understanding communal hunting practices, and what makes its collection so unique.
Together, Carlton and Amy reflect on their experiences working side by side with the Jones-Miller materials, offering insight into what the artifacts reveal about site organization, behavior, and the challenges of interpreting a massive legacy collection.
The conversation then turns to the broader importance of revisiting museum collections and how new methods continue to shed light on old data. Amy also shares her thoughts on the future of Paleoindian research, preservation, and why the stewardship of legacy collections, such as those of Jones-Miller, remains essential for advancing Great Plains archaeology.
Transcripts
Links
Science Division Pop-Up: The Jones Miller Collection (YouTube)
Jones-Miller Collection on the Denver Museum of Nature & Science website
The Archaeology of the North American Great Plains by Douglas B. Bamforth (2021)
Archaeology on the Great Plains Edited by W. Raymond Wood (1998)
Contact
Instagram: @pawnee_archaeologist
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Resurrected Funerary Spaces Within the Grand Egyptian Museum - TPM 27
After two decades of anticipation, the Grand Egyptian Museum has finally opened and it is wonderful in every sense of the word! In this episode of The Past Macabre, host Stephanie Rice explores how the world’s largest archaeological museum breathes new life into ancient funerary traditions.
Join her on a journey through three extraordinary exhibits that reimagine Egypt’s afterlife: the digital recreation of Khnumhotep II’s tomb; the complete collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures that have been reunited for the first time since they were excavated; and the solar boats that were buried next to the Great Pyramid that were meant to carry Khufu in the afterlife.
Through technology, artistry, and careful conservation, these exhibits at the Grand Egyptian Museum bring Ancient Egyptian lives to modern visitors.
Transcripts
Links
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Prey (2022) - Screens 116
This week, by popular request, we are reviewing Prey (2022), a prequel to the Predator franchise in which the eponymous alien hunter meets his match on the American Great Plains of 1719. We’re joined by archaeologist Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover, who helps us navigate the movie’s medicinal plants, upside-down archery draws, and inadvisable sharpening techniques, and reminds us why we should never whistle at night.
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Ayana Omilade Flewellen - HeVo 102
After more than 4 years since they recorded Episode 60 (Historical Archaeology for the Future) together, Jessica checks back in with Dr. Ayana Omilade Flewellen (they/she; Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Stanford University and Co-Founder of the Society of Black Archaeologists). The two discuss Dr. Flewellen’s move to Stanford, how Dr. Flewellen’s research focus was entirely flipped on its head, and how they came back from that in a creative way. We also discuss the importance of standardizing excavation for future use as legacy collections. Finally, we discussed the oral history work that they are doing with Diving with a Purpose and even as a cultural anthropologist their methodology was one I had never heard of before!
Links
Society of Black Archaeologists: The Future of Archaeology Starts Here
‘Lessons from the water’ on healing, history and finding freedom from fear | CNN
Dr. Flewellen
@illegible_musings on Instagram
Contact
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Joseph Williams and AI, 3D Mapping, and Celestial Pictographs - Rock Art 155
In this episode, Alan is joined by Joseph Williams, founder of Seven Fires Corporation, to explore how Indigenous knowledge, AI, and 3D imaging intersect in the study of rock art. They discuss applications from Göbekli Tepe to Native American sites, and examine the House of the Sun pictographs in Southern California, exploring how they reflect Native American cosmology and celestial traditions.
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Book Worms: It Belongs in a Museum! - ABC 10
It’s time for the second part of the Archaeo Book Club discussion for the November theme “It Belongs in a Museum!” Book club admins Ash, Judith, and Tilly discuss the abundance of material culture related books lining their shelves, and the link between museums and mystery in popular fiction. This time, their personalised recommendations are all surprisingly similar! Tune in to hear all about knights, mummies, and Frida Kahlo’s ring.
Monthly Book: Ghosts of the British Museum (Noah Angell)
Other books mentioned:
Around the world in 100 objects (Neil MacGregor)
Possession (A.S. Byatt)
Street of the Five Moons (Elizabeth Peters)
When the Museum is Closed (Emi Yagi)
English Medieval Alabasters (Francis Cheetham)
What the River Knows (Isabel Ibañez)
A Discovery of Witches (Deborah Harkness)
Interview with the Vampire (Anne Rice)
Ramses the Damned series (Anne Rice)
The Wolf Gift (Anne Rice)
The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
The Ark Files (Luke Richardson ((not recommended))
Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring (Angela Cervantes)
Deeds of the Disturber (Elizabeth Peters)
Her Knight at the Museum (Bryn Donovan)
Crocodile on the Sandbank (Elizabeth Peters)
Contact
Music
Transcripts
ArchPodNet
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Mysteries Unearthed With Danny Trejo: Have I Sold Out (Yet Again)? - Pseudo 175
Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo is just beginning its second season. One of the Expert Presenters on the show is me, Super Important Doctor Professor Andrew Kinkella! In taking jobs like this, have I sold out? Am I an embarrassment to all of archaeology? Listen in so you can judge and make fun of me as usual.
Transcripts
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Neanderthal DNA, Prehistoric Crayons and Early American Sailors - TAS 318
There’s a lot of Neanderthal research in the news these days and the first two articles highlight some of those achievements. The first article references research about ancient Neanderthals and their migration patterns. Turns out they got around more than we think they did! The second article highlights new research about Neanderthal art and symbology using ochre coloring devices. Finally, we head back to the western hemisphere to learn about 20,000 year old Japanese ancestors possibly being some of the first to cross the ocean and explore the Americas.
Links
Scientists Discovered Ancient DNA That Could Change Prehistory Forever
Prehistoric crayons provide clues to how Neanderthals created art.
New Evidence Suggests the First Americans Didn’t Walk From Siberia—They Sailed From Japan
Contact
Chris Webster
Rachel Roden
ArchPodNet
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The Voynich Manuscript with Dr Lisa Fagin Davis (part 2) - Tea-break 41
It’s part 2 of Matilda’s chat with expert paleographer Dr Lisa Fagin Davis, as we dive deeper into the fascinating research that has been done on the Voynich Manuscript. Tune in to learn about the exciting results revealed through multi-spectral imaging, how you too can start researching a mysterious object, and what the link is between Voynich and the Avengers!
Transcripts
Links
Contact the Host
Email: matilda@thearchaeologiststeacup.com
insta: @the_archaeologists_teacup
twitter: @ArchaeoTeacup
ArchPodNet
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