In this episode, Paul, Maurizio, Parker, Steven, and James discuss:

• How AI and machine learning have changed the approach to archeological research.
• Understanding the paradigm shift AI brings to archaeology.
• Multi-factorial and the human factor.
• Ethical considerations surrounding AI, indigenous communities, and cultural heritage.

Key Takeaways:

• We are currently in a stage of experimentation where we are figuring out what AI and machine learning are good at doing. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
• Multi-factorial analysis allows for gathering and analyzing information at scale, generating new knowledge and opening up lines of questioning.
• AI is not an all-seeing eye to identify all archaeological sites. It will not replace the human archaeologist with human-interpretive skills.
•  We need to be intentional about how we engage with AI technology and the types of questions we ask of it.

“If we leave technology to the technology or to the technologists, we miss the point, which is ethical analysis, discussion of different ontologies and human interpretation, which is necessary in many terms.” 

- Dr. Maurizio Forte

Episode Resources:

• Artificial intelligence rethinks the past: How computers are reconstructing Etruscan and Roman landscapes
• Vision Foundation Models in Remote Sensing: A survey
• Augmenting field data with archaeological imagery survey: mapping hilltop fortifications on the north coast of Peru

About Dr. Forte: Dr. Maurizio Forte is the William and Sue Gross Distinguished Professor of Classical Studies, Art, Art History, and Visual Studies at Duke University. He is a pioneer in digital archaeology, integrating technologies such as virtual reality, AI, and neuroaesthetics into the study of ancient civilizations. As the founder of the Dig@Lab at Duke, he leads interdisciplinary research at the intersection of cultural heritage and emerging technologies. Dr. Forte currently serves as an AAAS-SPTF Fellow and advisor for cultural heritage and neurodiplomacy at the U.S. Department of State.

Connect with Maurizio:

Website: maurizioforte.com

About Dr. VanValkenburgh: Dr. Parker VanValkenburgh is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Brown University and Interim Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. His research focuses on the long-term impacts of colonialism and imperialism on Indigenous communities in the Peruvian Andes. Utilizing archaeological methods, GIS, and remote sensing, he co-directs projects like the Paisajes Arqueológicos de Chachapoyas (PACha) and the Geospatial Platform for Andean Culture, History, and Archaeology (GeoPACHA).

Connect with Parker:

Website: vivo.brown.edu/display/pvanvalk

About Dr. Wernke: Dr. Steven Wernke is a Professor and Chair of Anthropology at Vanderbilt University, where he directs the Spatial Analysis Research Laboratory and the Vanderbilt Institute for Spatial Research. His work centers on the lived experiences of Indigenous communities during the Inka and Spanish colonial periods in the Andes. By combining archaeological and documentary datasets within geospatial frameworks, he explores how new communities and landscapes emerged from colonial encounters.

Connect with Steven:

Website: stevenwernke.com

About Dr. Zimmer-Dauphinee: Dr. James Zimmer-Dauphinee is an archaeologist specializing in computational archaeology, GIS, and machine learning. Affiliated with Vanderbilt University, his research applies AI and remote sensing to understand the spatial dynamics of colonization and Indigenous land use in the Andes. He has contributed to projects like GeoPACHA, enhancing large-scale archaeological surveys through AI-assisted satellite imagery analysis.

Connect with James:

Website: as.vanderbilt.edu/anthropology/bio/james-zimmer-dauphinee

Connect with Paul Ryer & School for Advanced Research:

Website: sarweb.org

YouTube: youtube.com/@sarsantafemultimedia

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paul-ryer-4a4889156