Seven Ages Audio Journal

On this edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, we are joined by Bettina Arnold, who discusses the archaeological practices that occurred during the National Socialist regime in Nazi Germany, and their efforts to use the past as propaganda.

Arnold obtained her BA in Archaeology from Yale University and her MA and PhD degrees in Anthropology from Harvard University. She is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she served as the Co-Director of the Center for Celtic Studies from 2000-2009 and Coordinator of the Museum Studies Graduate Program from 1996-2012. Her area of expertise is the pre-Roman European Iron Age, but in the course of her career she has participated in archaeological projects ranging from the Middle Bronze Age through the early medieval period in western Europe. Since 1999 she has co-directed the "Landscape of Ancestors" research project in southwest-Germany focused on the burial record of the early Iron Age Heuneburg hillfort and its environs.

Among other projects, she has been involved in the study of socio-political history of archaeology and museum collecting, especially their involvement in identity construction in 19th and 20th century nationalist and ethnic movements in Europe and the United States.

Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online:

Twitter Instagram Facebook

Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast:

• Occoquan Paleotechnics LLC
• Dr. Bettina Arnold's page at the University of Milwaukee
• "The past as propaganda: totalitarian archaeology in Nazi Germany"

Music featured in this episode:

• "Horizons" Scott Buckley (YouTube)
• "Phoenix" Lahar (YouTube)

On this edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, we are proud to present the first in our Legacy Series, featuring Tom D. Dillehay, Ph.D. These special podcasts will examine the life, careers, and work of some of the world's most prominent and influential modern archaeologists.

Dr. Dillehay is the Rebecca Webb Wilson University Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Religion, and Culture and Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Latin American Studies in the Department of Anthropology, Professor Extraordinaire and Honorary Doctorate at the Universidad Austral de Chile, International Professor in the Programa de Estudios Andinos in the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Peru, Lima, and adjunct faculty at the Universidad Catolica de Temuco, Universidad de Tarapaca, Universidad San Sebastian in Chile and the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo in Peru. Professor Dillehay has carried out numerous archaeological and anthropological projects in Peru, Chile, Argentina and other South American countries and in the United States.

Professor Dillehay has published twenty-two books and more than three hundred refereed journal articles and book chapters. He currently directs several interdisciplinary projects focused on long-term human and environmental interaction on the north coast of Peru and on the political and cultural identity of the Mapuche people in Chile. Professor Dillehay has received numerous international and national awards for his research, books and teaching. Professor Dillehay is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

This episode will explore the incredibly important archaeological site of Monte Verde, Chile. The research conducted at this site by Dr. Dillehay and associates reveals some of the earliest and most important information concerning the peopling of the Americas.

Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online:

Twitter Instagram Facebook

Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast:

• Occoquan Paleotechnics LLC
• Tom Dillehay's page at Vanderbilt University
• Tom Dillehay's TEDx talk, "Touching Deep Native American History"

Music featured in this episode:

• "Quiet Storm" Audio Library (YouTube)
• "Budda" Audio Library (YouTube)

On this edition of the podcast, we are joined first by Michael Frank of Occoquan Paleotechnics LLC, who we are proud to welcome to the Seven Ages family as a sponsor of the program. After a degree in Anthropology and Archaeology Field School, Michael worked conserving archaeological artifacts in the vast collections of the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of Natural History. Heavily influenced during his time there by pioneering archaeologists Dr. Dennis Stanford and Dr. Pegi Jodry, Michael's specialty is analyzing and demonstrating the correct stages of how paleo objects were made by primitive peoples.

Then for the remainder of the program, we are joined by Andrew M. T. Moore, an honorary President of the Archaeological Institute of America. Since 1960, Dr. Moore has participated in archaeological surveys, excavations, and field research in England, Italy, Malta, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria. His earlier research concentrated on the advent of agriculture and sedentary life in western Asia, especially in Syria, which was the focus of a recent paper he co-authored which was published in the journal Nature titled "Evidence of Cosmic Impact at Abu Hureyra, Syria at the Younger Dryas Onset (~12.8 ka): High-temperature melting at >2200 °C." In it, Moore and his colleagues present new evidence that strengthens the case for a cosmic impact that occurred around the time of the Younger Dryas 12,700 years ago.

Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online:

Twitter Instagram Facebook

Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast:

• Occoquan Paleotechnics LLC
• Andrew M.T. Moore at the Archaeological Institute of America
• Evidence of Cosmic Impact at Abu Hureyra, Syria at the Younger Dryas Onset (~12.8 ka): High-temperature melting at >2200 °C

Music featured in this episode:

• "Modern Middle East" Vlog Music (YouTube)

On this edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, we are proud to present an international sampling of two content-rich media productions. First, we are joined by Rupert Soskin and Michael Bott of The Prehistory Guys podcast and film production company.

These intrepid gentlemen comb the British countryside examining, researching and filming the United Kingdom's many megalithic sites, creating film documentaries about each location and building on their research through a well-produced podcast.

We are then joined by Raven Todd DaSilva of the Dig it with Raven video blog and YouTube channel. According to her website, "I started this video blog as a passion project to make learning about Archaeology, Art Conservation, and History accessible and exciting for everyone."

Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online:

Twitter Instagram Facebook

Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast:

• The Prehistory Guys
• Dig it with Raven

Music featured in this episode:

• "Middle East Beat" Soul Prod (YouTube)
• "Lucid Dreaming" Till (YouTube)

On this edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, in addition to news and archaeology updates, we are joined by Ryan Gill, an expert in the recreation of primitive weapons and archaeological consultant in ancient hunting methods and tools.

According to his website, "Professional primitive weapons/tools builder, Ryan Gill has been digging deep to resurrect tools and techniques to Entertain, Educate, and Inspire generations on stone age hunting. Not only has he taken dozens of animals with his hand made equipment, but he also has built a business around his journey to be able to continue to share it with as many people as possible while also supporting his craft and family. Ryan has also breached into the world of academics and is now a professional consultant and builder for the Anthropology department at Texas A&M University."

Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online:

Twitter Instagram Facebook

Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast:

• Sea level fingerprinting detects source of the Younger Dryas climate event
• Data could yield big discoveries in archaeology of the Inca Empire
• 'Antique' explosive found in downtown Charleston basement
• Hunt Primitive: Gill's Primitive Archery Page

Music featured in this episode:

• "After Thought" Density&Time (YouTube)

On this edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, after news pertaining to the surprising results of DNA studies in West Africa and a Japanese experiment in search of answers about ancient seafaring, we turn our attention to one of the greatest controversies in modern science that unites the fields of archaeology, geology, and climate science: the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis. Joining us to discuss it are two leading experts on the topic--a geoarchaeologist and a planetary scientist--who offer their perspectives on the latest developments in support of this hotly debated theory.

Christopher R. Moore, PhD, is a geoarchaeologist and Special Projects Director with the Savannah River Archaeological Research Program. His research interests include site formation processes and geochronology of stratified sites in the southeastern Coastal Plain, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, early hunter-gatherer adaptations, lithic technology, and immunological blood residue analysis of stone tools.

Chris is also the lead researcher of the White Pond Human Paleoecology Project and has authored and coauthored numerous papers on the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis including one documenting the presence of widespread Platinum anomalies at the Younger Dryas Boundary (YDB) as well as a recent paper on White Pond (near Elgin, SC) supporting the YD impact hypothesis.

Malcolm Lecompte is a planetary scientist and remote sensing specialist. He holds a B.S. with Honors in Physics from the University of Wyoming and an MS in Astro-geophysics from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He received his Ph.D. in Astrophysical, Planetary and Atmospheric Sciences in 1984.

Lecompte also became affiliated with the Naval Aviation reserve in 1980, and before ending his military flight career in 1991, compiled over 1,000 hours of military aircrew and private pilot time, officially retiring from the Naval Reserve as a Commander in 1998 after 23 years of active service.

From 2004 until 2009, after a post-doctoral appointment at the Harvard College Observatory and Smithsonian Center Astrophysics (as well as a period managing DoD sponsored R&D projects), Lecompte held a faculty position as an Associate Professor and Research Director at Elizabeth City State University's Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing Education and Research.

Now retired, LeCompte has since devoted himself to investigating earth impacts during the late Pleistocene and Holocene epochs by asteroid and comets. He is currently working in collaboration with colleagues at ECSU and other research organizations.

Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online:

Twitter Instagram Facebook

Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast:

• 'Ghost' DNA In West Africans Complicates Story Of Human Origins
• Early Modern Humans Could Sail, Archaeologists Confirm

Music featured in this episode:

• "Horizon" MONIN (YouTube)
• "Eva" – 失望した (Youtube)

On this first edition of the audio journal for 2020, the Seven Ages gang gathers in the Cross-Time Pub for a cold pint as Micah recaps recent independent research he undertook in Portugal and the Azores over the holidays. Unique clues in the history of Portugal and its adjacent islands dating back to the Age of Discovery suggests that there may indeed be more to the history of the Azores than once thought, and archaeological discoveries currently underway may soon lend even more credence to the idea.

We are then joined by Jarrod Burks, Ph.D., Director of Archaeological Geophysics at Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc. and a member of the Heartland Earthwork Conservancy. As Dr. Burks argues, "there is no question now, geophysics works for locating archaeological features in countless settings and one of my primary goals is to show this to the archaeological community--as well as the public." through his professional work as an archaeologist, Burks employs geophysics is in the search for prehistoric earthworks throughout the Middle Ohio Valley. "I have surveyed dozens of sites and have located many new enclosures and drastically altered the maps of most sites," he says. "There is much yet to learn about these earthwork sites and geophysics is a great tool to advance our knowledge about the past."

Jarrod discusses what new technologies are revealing at many of Ohio's most famous archaeological sites, which include the Great Serpent Mound and other earthworks from the Buckeye State.

Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online:

Twitter Instagram Facebook

Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast:

• Campus archaeological facility dedicated to former Cherokee village
• Ohio Valley Archaeology Inc.
• Heartland Earthworks Conservancy

Music featured in this episode:

• "Orion" - Getsix (YouTube)
• "Maximum Potential" - Amadeus (Youtube)

On this edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, we look at how the recent Amazonian wildfires are damaging not just the environment, but also putting archaeological discoveries that lay hidden within the jungle at risk. Many in the archaeological community are troubled by attitudes in the current Brazilian presidential administration, and how the shifting of blame in order to protect industrial interests further complicates the jobs of archaeologists in the region.

Then later in the program, we feature an interview with author Tom Poland, a writer and researcher who has authored more than a dozen books, his most recent of which involves the enigmatic Carolina Bays. We also share some audio from Micah and Jason's recent trip to Tennessee, where we spoke with avocational archaeologist David Dean, who has been involved with education and archaeology in his home state for a number of decades. Then rounding out the program, Micah and Jason sit down for a lengthy fireside chat with their friend and colleague Chase Pipes of the "Chasing History" YouTube channel, and owner of the Smoky Mountain Relic Room in Sevierville, Tennessee. Chase shares his passion for history with us, and discusses many of his areas of interest and efforts to educate and inspire young people to become more involved with the study of our past.

Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online:

Twitter Instagram Facebook

Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast:

• Brazil's Leader Falsely Blames Leonardo DiCaprio for Amazon Fires
• Archaeologists fear Bolsonaro agenda will kill Amazon civilisation research
• Huge Amazon Wildfires Endanger Our History As Well As Our Air, Archaeologists Say
• Tom Poland Official Website
• Chasing History with Chase Pipes

Music featured in this episode:

• "Ranger" - Chew Chew (YouTube)
• "Broke in Summer" - Salon Helga (Youtube)

On this edition of the podcast, Micah and James are flying solo as Jason is on "daddy duty" as he welcomes in the newest member of the Pentrail family. We discuss the latest news pertaining to the famous Antikythera shipwreck, which continues to teach us new things about the past, as well as the new results published by Dr. Christopher Moore about the White Pond archaeological site in South Carolina, where platinum anomalies associated with the Younger Dryas period were recently found.

Then joining us for a lengthy discussion about Alaskan archaeology and the Upward Sun River site is Dr. Benjamin Potter, who has worked in Alaskan archaeology since 1995, receiving his Ph.D. in 2005 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He has extensive field and laboratory experience in both CRM and academic archaeology and has worked for federal agencies (1997), private industry (1998-2006), and UAF (2005-present). His geographic interests include Subarctic and Arctic regions, particularly Interior Alaska. His research interests include intersite variability, site structure, and organization, with a research program focusing broadly on the relationships among site structure, settlement, economy and technology among high latitude prehistoric hunter-gatherers. Dr. Potter joins us to discuss ancient migration routes used by the first Americans, and the significance of the Upward Sun River site, at which he has overseen archaeological excavations.

Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online:

Twitter Instagram Facebook

Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast:

• Dr. Ben Potter, University of Alaska Fairbanks
• Upward Sun River Site Frequently Asked Questions
• Leonardo da Vinci feud: The 'earlier' Mona Lisa mystery
• The Mona Lisa Foundation Website

Music featured in this episode:

• "Wanderlust" - Crastel (YouTube)
• "Eastern World" - OurMusicBox (YouTube)