Stratified: An Archaeology Podcast

Episode 4 | Kitchen Cultures


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This isn’t your average foodie episode. No hot takes on air fryers. No long-winded stories about a sourdough starter named Cassandra. Just a deep dive into the oldest kitchens on the continent...lined with stone, clay, and memory. From 48-hour agave roasts to hand-ground cornmeal tortillas cooked next to a creek, this episode blends archaeology, experimental cooking, and storytelling into one long, delicious simmer. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to eat history, or burn your fingers trying, this one’s for you.  

Further Reading & Listener Resources:


Adair, M. J. (1988). Prehistoric Diet in the Central Plains. University 
of Kansas.

Black, Stephen L. (n.d.). "Earth Ovens." Texas Beyond History. 
https://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/earthovens

Doolittle, W. E. (2000). Cultivated Landscapes of Native North America. 
Oxford University Press.

Peacock, S. L., & Turner, N. J. (2000). “Just Like a Garden.” In 
Biodiversity and Native America, pp. 133–179. University of Oklahoma 
Press.

Wells, M. (2023). Earth Ovens and Desert Lifeways. A readable, engaging 
deep dive into the archaeological and cultural significance of earth 
oven cooking traditions in the U.S. Southwest. 

Texas Beyond History – Earth Ovens: 
https://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/earthovens

Moerman, D. E. (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. An indispensable 
resource for understanding the breadth of Indigenous plant use across 
the continent.


Zedeño, M. N. (2000). “On What People Make of Places.” In The 
Archaeology of Landscapes, pp. 97–111. Blackwell Publishers.


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Stratified: An Archaeology PodcastBy Lindsay Vermillion