The Tel

Adrian Chase: Mapping Ancient Maya Cities

In this episode, Dr. Adrian Chase takes us on a deep dive into the process of mapping and understanding ancient Maya cities, how the Maya shaped the natural world around them, and how studying ancient urbanism can enrich our understanding of modern cities.

Catherine Kearns: Unearthing Iron Age Cyprus

A fascinating conversation on one of the lesser-known regions in the ancient Mediterranean. Dr. Kearns talks about her fieldwork studying archaic Cyprus. We talk about the rural landscapes of the Iron Age world, and why it's important to look beyond palaces and temples to the countryside, where most of the ancients lived their lives.

McKenna Litynski: The Tales Bones Tell

A discussion on squeezing every possible bit of data from ancient bones. Learn how archaeologists analyze bone artifacts using cutting-edge paleoproteomics, spatial and statistical analyses, experimental archaeology, and more!

Christopher Milan: The Manchay Culture of Ancient Peru

How did civilization emerge on the Peruvian coast? Who were the Manchay? How did Amazonian civilization influence the coast, and what role did Shamanism play in Andean prehistory?

Jackson Crawford: Odin’s Advice and the Values of the Viking World

Dr. Jackson Crawford joins me to discuss ethics and beliefs in the viking world, through the lens of Hávamál, a collection of Old Norse poetry written from the perspective of Odin. The conversation meanders through topics including violence, relations between the sexes, magic and runes, honor, and reputation. 

Evelynn Combs and Gerad Smith: Precolonial Coppersmiths of Alaska

In this episode, I speak with Evelynn Combs and Gerad Smith about the history of metalworking - particularly copper - in ancient Alaska. We talk about their experiments trying to reconstruct Dene methods of copper working, and I learn some of the meanings behind this traditional craft. 

Gerad Smith: Ancient Alaska and the Gift of the Tanana

In this episode, Dr. Gerad Smith tells me about the archaeology of the indigenous Dene people of the Alaskan interior. He works heavily with Dene elders, informants, and professionals from a variety of organizations.  He also incorporates linguistics, mythology, and ethnography into his studies to better understand the things he digs up.

Justin Cramb: The Zooarchaeology of Prehistoric Polynesia

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Justin Cramb, an expert in the archaeology of prehistoric Polynesia.