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Of Mammoths and Hand Sprays with Dr. Madeline Mackie - Ep 71

On this episode of ALiRP, we interview our friend and colleague, Dr. Madeline Mackie. Dr. Mackie just began her position as an assistant professor at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.

Dr. Mackie studies Paleoindian lifeways and big game hunting, as well as ochre hand sprays. We met Dr. Mackie at the University of Wyoming, where she dealt with our numerous shenanigans.

We start off by talking about her experiences growing up in Southern California and then delve into her MA research on hand sprays in Wyoming. Dr. Mackie then talks about the La Prele Mammoth site and we kind of nerd out about the finds. She then talks about post-doc life and the jobs market.

Literature Recommendations:

  • Anything by Dr. George Frison

  • The Fifth Beginning: What Six Million Years of Human History Can Tell Us About Our Future by Dr. Robert L. Kelly

  • The Lifeways of Hunter-Gatherers: The Foraging Spectrum by Dr. Robert L. Kelly

  • The Professor Is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your Ph.D. Into A Job by Karen Kelsky

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Ancient Civ - Indus Valley with Stefan Milo - Ep 70

On this episode of A Life in Ruins, we continue our series on ancient civilization and discuss Indus Valley Civilizations and their precursors. We have Stefan Milo join us to discuss this region. Stefan Milo is a popular Youtuber who has appeared on episodes 20 and 43. He made a video on an Indus Valley Civilization where he discusses the interesting lack of social hierarchy found in this civilization (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxP1zornb-w). We struggle with geography, time periods, and basically everything in this episode but also discuss social hierarchy/structure.

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Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Ancient Civ: South America - Ep 69

We celebrate our 69th episode by investigating the rise of early state civilizations in South America. The four early states that we cover are Norte Chico, Chavin, Nazca, and of course, Moche. This episode is a wild ride of pyramids, ceremonial complexes, severed heads, and Moche sex pots.

Sprinkled throughout the episode are references to Star Wars, Civilization, SAA conferences, South Park, Rick and Morty, and a shoutout to The Dirt Podcast.

Literature recommendations:

1) Ancient Civilizations by Chris Scarre & Brian M. Fagan, 4th edition

2) Archaeology by Robert L. Kelly & David Hurst Thomas, 7th Edition

3) Archaeology and Human History by Deborah I. Olszewski

4) Skeleton Sex Pots by Steve Nash. Sapiens Anthropology Magazine.

5) Dirt Podcast on the Nazca

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ArcheoWebby ArcheoWebby

Ancient Civ: Origins - Ep 68

Buckle up for an episode on the theory of the rise of early states and ancient civilizations. Episode 68 sets the stage for a series investigating early civilizations across the globe. We break down Elman Service and Lewis Henry Morgan's theories on cultural complexity and go through a couple of definitions for "civilization". Think that's going to be boring? Well just wait, we even talk about primary vs secondary civilizations and the four classic theories on how early complex civilizations rise.

Of course, any episode involving the great mistake of neothilization wouldn't be complete without poking fun of our friend Stefan Milo.

Literature Recommendations

  • Ancient Civilizations by Chris Scarre & Brian M. Fagan, 4th edition

  • Archaeology by Robert L. Kelly & David Hurst Thomas, 7th Edition

  • Archaeology and Human History by Deborah I. Olszewski

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Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Days of AR-CHIVES with Kelly Brown - Ep 67

In this episode of the A Life in Ruins Podcast, we interview Kelly Brown, the Archives Lab Manager at the Augusta Veterans Curation Program. Her main job component is managing archives, her secondary responsibility is being David's workplace babysitter.

She recently graduated with a Master's Degree in Library and Information science (MLIS) and has accepted a position at the Savannah River Site Museum in Aiken, South Carolina. We discuss Kelly’s background in archaeology from the University of Georgia and her field school on the Georgia coast.

Kelly provides the three hosts a glimpse into the world of archives and documentation and discusses why information science is important in all fields, especially in archaeology

Most of the episode, however, is the roast of David Howe’s illiteracy.

Literature recommendations:

1) Google “IMLS” and look it up yourself, pleib

2) TDAR - The Digital Archaeological Record

3) Society of American Archivists

Guest Contact

  • You can find Kelly Brown on LinkedIn. That's it.

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Fantastic Domesticates and Where to Find Them - New World - Ep 66

We wrap up our animal domestication series with a discussion about animals that were domesticated in North and South America. We cover llamas, guinea pigs (so startled), turkey's and a few other domesticates that the three hosts didn't know about. Of course, there are plenty of South Park and Disney Movie references throughout the episode.

Literature Recommendations

  • Animal Domestication - Table of Dates and Places: How did we ever manage to domesticate so many animals? from thoughtco.com

  • Domestication - Domestication is the process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use. National Geographic Resource Library

  • American Museum of Natural History: Domestication Timeline

  • Serge Morand et al. 2014 "Domesticated animals and human infectious diseases of zoonotic origins: Domestication time matters" in Infection, Genetics and Evolution

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Fantastic Domesticates and Where to Find them - Old World - Ep 65

In this episode of A Life in Ruins podcast, The hosts have another off the rails discussion about domesticates. This time however, talking llamas, guinea pigs, camels, horses, goats, and dogs. You might notice that not all of them are Old World Domesticates. Honestly, you’ll just have to listen to the episode understand.

It is actually a very thoughtful and funny conversation about the idiosyncrasies of domestication, animal behavior, and how humans interact with animals.

National suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-273-TALK

Literature Recommendations

  • not "Guns Germs and Steel"

  • National Geographic Resource Library Encyclopedic Entry: Domestication

  • Journal of Young Investigators: Our Furry Friends: the History of Animal Domestication

  • American Museum of Natural History: Domestication Timeline

  • Melinda A. Zeder 2008 "Domestication and early agriculture in the Mediterranean Basin: Origins, diffusion, and impact" in PNAS

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Farm Animals

  • Serge Morand et al. 2014 "Domesticated animals and human infectious diseases of zoonotic origins: Domestication time matters" in Infection, Genetics and Evolution

  • University of Liverpool 16 May 2014. "Domesticated animals provide vital link to emergence of new diseases." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily.

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Folsom Game Drive Blues with Kelton Meyer - Ep 64

In this episode, we delve back into the Paleoindian period. We interview Kelton Meyer, a graduate student in anthropology at Colorado State University about his research on game drives in the Rocky Mountains and the techniques he utilizes to analyze spatial relationships. The three hosts also chat with Kelton about his recent publications and research awards.

Literature Recommendations

  • David Meltzer: Folsom: New Archaeological Investigations of a Classic Paleoindian Bison Kill

  • Edwin Wilmsen and Frank Robert Jr.: Lindemeir Investigations

  • James Benedict: Arapaho Pass: Glacial geology and archeology at the crest of the Colorado Front Range

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Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Fantastic Domesticates and Where to Find Them - Dogs - Ep 63

For this episode of Just the Boyz, we kick off our series on animal domesticates, starting with the oldest known domesticated animal: the dog. We are fortunate to have David as a one of the hosts as he is one of the leading public scholars when it comes to the relationship between dogs and humans throughout human history. We chat about the earliest evidence for dog domestication, the leading theories behind Howe and why dogs were domesticated, and delve into a discussion about the Siberian Fox Domestication experiment and animal research ethics.

Literature recommendations

1) "Dogs": Darcey Morey

2) "The Social Dog: Behavior and Cognition" Kominski and Marshall-Pescini

3) “Dogs: Archaeology Beyond Domestication" Bethke and Burtt

4) "Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know" Alexandra Horowitz

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Back in Black: Primate Microbiomes with Carson Black - Ep 62

In this episode, we are pleased to have Carson Black return to the show. Carson joined us way back on Episode 17 to talk about Primatology and the beginnings of her Master’s thesis research. We are excited to announce that Carson recently graduated with her Master’s degree and are happy to have her back on to talk about her thesis research. We discuss her finishing her degree amid a pandemic, missing out on fieldwork and passing COVID-19 to primates. We then do a deep dive into her thesis research on microbiomes in chimps. We finish up our conversation talking about her experience in graduate school and Carson gives out some tips on how to make it through!

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Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Just the Boyz But It’s Revolutionary Part II (Do not operate heavy machinery or drive while listening to this episode) - Ep 61

In this episode, we continue talking about the Revolutionary War, aka the War for American Freedom, aka ‘Merica War’.

We hope this one is more factual and just as hilarious as Episode 57.

We recount the events following the Crossing of the Delaware River, highlight Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, the winter at Valley Forge, the alliance between France and the US, and how this alliance changed the outcome of the war, with some archaeological case studies sprinkled throughout the narrative. We get into a discussion about the traitorous Benedict Arnold and his relationship to Eggs Benedict, the Articles of Confederation, and the end of the war.

We spend some time promoting the importance of battlefield archaeology and its importance for learning more about the War for American Independance. We end the snoozer with some ridiculous banter.

Literature recommendations

LiDar Documentation of Historical Sites

Valley Forge Bayonets article

Battlefield Archaeology at Kings Mountain

The importance of battlefield archaeology

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University of Sheffield Shutdown of the Archaeology Department - Ep 60

In this special episode, we discuss the potential closing of the Archaeology Department at Sheffield University with Dr. Umberto Albarella and Helen Thompson. Dr. Albarella is faculty in the Archaeology Department and Helen is a Ph.D. student in the program. They fill us in on what's going at the University of Sheffield, the events leading up to this current controversy, and what we can do to help.

Please sign the petition in the description below. Let's do what we can to support our colleagues in the field of archaeology.

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Save Sheffield

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Ethnomusicology and Archaeomusicology with Dr. Mason Brown - Ep 59

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Mason Brown, a guest assistant professor for Kathmandu University Department of Music and Affiliate Scholar for the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Asian Studies.

We delve into his early interests in ethnomusicology / Tibetan culture and get into the details of what ethnomusicology is.

Dr. Brown talks about music theory, pentatonic scales, and all the instruments he plays. We also talk about some evidence for the earliest musical instruments in the past and finish up with a discussion about the history of fiddle music.

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Pirates of the World with Dr. Jamie Goodall - Ep 58

In this episode, we are chatting with Dr. Jamie Goodall. Dr. Goodall is currently a staff historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History and has just released a book about pirates. Her new book is titled, Pirates of the Chesapeake: From the Colonial Era to the Oyster Wars. We grapeshot her with questions about pirates and she enlightens us. So sharpen your sabers and load the muskets, and be prepared for this interview to be pirated across the internet.

Literature Recommendations

Guest Contact

  • Instagram and Twitter: @l_historienne

  • Website: jamiegoodall.com

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Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Just The Boyz but it's Revolutionary - Ep 57

For this episode of Just the Boyz, the hosts attempt to discuss the events leading up to the American Revolution and the first year of the fight for America's Independence from the English Crown.

Early on in this episode, you can tell that hosts have a lot to say without a really coherent plan as to how to say it. The guys are all over the place with this episode, but you can definitely get a sense of their passion for this topic.

And yes, Carlton did mix up King George III with King George V. He's been binging The Crown recently.

Literature recommendations:

  • 1776 by David McCullough

  • The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution by Bernard Bailyn

  • Liberty's Daughters: The Revolutionary Experience of American Women, 1750-1800 by Mary Beth Norton

  • The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution: Forgotten Black Heroes by William Cooper Nell

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Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Our Ruined Lives with Morgan Kinney - Ep 56

In this edition of Our Ruined Lives, Morgan Kinney, a graduate student at Adams State University, joins the hosts to talk about his career in cultural resources management. Morgan is pursuing an M.A. in CRM, which provided an opportunity for the hosts to discuss the differences between a CRM-based M.A. and a general Anthropology M.A.

We close the episode with a discussion on Morgan's experiences in Archaeology Sci-Comm through TikTok. Morgan's TikTok, archaeowolf, is one of the most engaged archaeology-centered accounts on the platform, and the hosts are curious about how Morgan combats against pseudo-science and how he addresses questions from the public. Also, Carlton goes on a tangent about Morgan's aircraft content.

Guest’s literature recommendations:

1) In Small Things Forgotten by James Deetz

2) JSTOR - Yup, just JSTOR

Guest Contact

  • Instagram: @archaeowolf

  • TikTok: @archaeowolf

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Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

The Cowboys of Science II: Dr. Spencer Pelton Returns - Ep 54

In this episode, Dr. Spencer Pelton returns to the show to chat with the hosts about becoming the Wyoming State Archaeologist. Dr. Pelton first appeared on the show as the featured guest for Episode 1, almost two years ago! We dive into the responsibilities of being the Wyoming State Archaeologist and how it differs from most other State Archaeology Offices. Following up on that conversation, we discuss Spencer's current research projects as the State Archaeologist, and some of the more interesting calls he receives from the Wyoming public. The episode concludes with a dialogue about the late Dr. George Frison. We talk about why he was so significant to the field of archaeology and his legacy at the University of Wyoming and Plains Archaeology.

Dr. Pelton's media recommendations:

Contact For Guest: (Twitter, email, etc.):

  • Google Dr. Spencer Pelton, Wyoming State Archaeologist

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SAA 86th Annual Conference: An Indigenous Response

In this special edition of the A Life in Ruins Podcast, Carlton co-hosts an episode with Emily Van Alst, Ash Boydston-Schmidt, and Kay Mattena. The four discuss the recent SAA controversy surrounding the "Curation, Repatriation, and Accessibility: Vital Ethical Conversations" session. Specifically, the “Has Creationism Crept Back into Archaeology?” presentation.

The four Indigenous scholars discuss their thoughts, feelings, and reactions to the content of the presentation, their disappointment in the SAA for platforming the talk, the future of the SAA, and how the society can improve its ethics and better support its Indigenous scholars.

Lastly, they discuss the fallout from the presentation and how some non-Indigenous scholars are taking advantage of Indigenous trauma to further their own careers, and how non-Indigenous scholars can truly be allies to Indigenous people.

Guests' literature recommendations:

  1. Indigenous Archaeology by Joe Watkins

  2. Archaeologies of the Heart edited by Kisha Supernant, Jane Eva Baxter, Natasha Lyons, and Sonya Atalay

  3. R words by Tuck and Yang

  4. Decolonizing Methodologies by Linda Tuhiwai-Smith

  5. Considering the Denigration and Destruction of Indigenous Heritage as Violence in Critical Global Perspectives on Cultural Memory and Heritage: Construction, Transformation and Destruction by George Nicholas and Claire Smith

  6. We Are Dancing for You Native Feminisms and the Revitalization of Women’s Coming of Age Ceremonies by Cutcha Risling Baldy

  7. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Kimmer

List of scholars to search:

  • George Nicholas

  • Vine Deloria

  • Phil Deloria

  • Roger Echo-Hawk

  • Larry Zimmerman

  • Chip Colwell

  • Steve Silliman

  • Zoey Todd

  • Gloria Anzaldua

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Just the Boyz: Clovis Organized Crime Syndicate (allegedly) - Ep 53

The hosts discuss four hypotheses for the arrival of humans into the New World: Beringian Land Bridge, Coastal Highway, Solutrean, and Oceanic. They discuss the early Paleoindian site complexes such as Folsom and Clovis in which David (allegedly) reveals the existence of the Clovis Organized Crime Syndicate.

A large part of the episode centers around "pre-Clovis" sites and whether they would belong to the Coastal Highway or Solutrean hypotheses. According to Carlton, the Solutreans crossed the Atlantic to get that sweet, sweet Old Bay seasoning. #OldBayAllDay

We wrap up the show with a discussion about which hypotheses each host believes explains the archaeological record best.

Recommended Literature:

  1. David J. Meltzer

    2010 First Peoples in a New World: Colonizing Ice Age America

  2. Dennis. J. Stanford, Bruce A. Bradley & Michael Collins

    2013 Across Atlantic Ice: The Origin of America's Clovis Culture

  3. Tom. D Dillehay

    1997 Monte Verde: a Late Pleistocene settlement in Chile, Vol.2, The

    Archaeological Context and Interpretation

  4. Jon M. Erlandson et al.

    2007 The Kelp Highway Hypothesis: Marine Ecology, the Coastal

    Migration Theory, and the Peopling of the Americas

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Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Our Ruined Lives with Hip Hop M.D. - Ep 52

In this episode, we are excited to chat with Maynard Okereke, who goes by the Science Communicator persona: Hip Hop M.D. Maynard is a Science Communicator, Entrepreneur, Engineer, and Digital Media Producer who tells us about his undergraduate journey at the University of Washington, his post-college career, and what inspired him to create Hip Hop Science.

Maynard is passionate about Science Communication and uses his knowledge of science to help inspire minorities and youth by bridging the gap between music, entertainment, and science - encouraging more diverse involvement in the S.T.E.M. fields.

Hip Hop Science website: https://www.hiphopscienceshow.com/

Instagram: @hiphopscienceshow

YouTube: Hip Hop Science

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The Cowboys of Science bring archaeologists and non-archaeologists into an entertaining discussion about all things archaeology - and some that isn’t.

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