The Archaeology Show

This week we cover 3 recent archaeology news stories. First up we discuss the recent dissolution of one of the largest CRM firms in the country, and what that short and long term impacts of that closure could be. Then we head over to Egypt where a recently uncovered signet ring depicts the Lighthouse at Alexandria (or a Dalek?!?). And then finally new evidence at a sight in Spain shows that Neanderthals were making tools out of wood.

Segment 1

• The Nation’s Largest Archaeology Firm Abruptly Shut Down. The 600-Plus Layoffs Aren’t the Biggest Concern

Segment 2

• This One-of-a-Kind Bronze Ring Offers a Tantalizing Glimpse at the Lighthouse of Alexandria, a Lost Wonder of the Ancient World

Segment 3

• Archaeologists Uncover Unprecedented Evidence of Neanderthal Woodworking Skills

• Chris Webster
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• Rachel Roden
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  • RachelUnraveled (Instagram)

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Chris interviews archaeologist and author Todd Braje about his upcoming book, “Mammoths and Empires” from Pegasus Books. We discuss some of the bigger themes in the book and his motivation for writing it.

• Mammoths and Empires
• Find it on Amazon

• For rough transcripts head over to https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeology/343

• Chris Webster
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• Rachel Roden
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  • RachelUnraveled (Instagram)

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This week we are back to the news with three recent archaeology stories! First up, we discuss a National Geographic report on Turkey’s rapidly shrinking lakes, noting that receding water is exposing submerged archaeological sites like the Basilica of St. Neophytos in Lake Iznik while creating preservation and excavation challenges. We then critique a BBC Science Focus story that compares a mile-long stone alignment in Lake Michigan to Stonehenge. Archaeologists actuallysay that hunting drive lines are plausible explanations, and that simplified claims about lake history and age are misleading. And finally, we review an IFLScience article debunking more claims that Noah’s Ark was found in the Urartu region, emphasizing that the Durupinar formation is widely regarded as a geological feature.

Segment 1

• The Treasures Emerging From Turkey’s Dying Lakes

Segment 2

• A secret Stonehenge under Lake Michigan is baffling archaeologists
• Archaeologists Have Found Prehistoric Rock Structures Under the Great Lakes. Here's What the Stones Can Tell Us
• A 9,000-year-old caribou hunting structure beneath Lake Huron
• “Stonehenge” Lake Michigan by Dr. Mark Holley

Segment 3

• No, Researchers Haven't Found "Noah's Ark" Near Mount Ararat In Eastern Turkey

• Chris Webster
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Is this what archaeology needs? We think so! On November 23, 2026 Peacock and NBC Universal will release a new comedy based on Kate Myers book, Excavations, released in 2023. It will star Amy Poehler and Hugh Laurie. In this episode, Chris talks with the author about the book and the making of the TV show.

• DIG 2026 on IMDB
• Excavations, 2026 Harper Collins
• Everything to know about DIG, Amy Poehler’s New Peacock Show from Mike Schur - Peacock Blog

• Chris Webster
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• Rachel Roden
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This week we have the latest installment of the journal Club! Ash and Tilly from the And My Trowel podcast join us for a lively discussion about two recent news articles. Join us to learn about ghost DNA, turtle figurines (or not?), and all the ways Americans eat and drink tea and scones incorrectly!

• Researchers identify traces of two ‘ghost’ ancestors in modern human DNA
• Recovering signatures of archaic hominin introgression using ancestral recombination graphs
• Researchers traced 20% of our ancestry to a “ghost” population. Here’s what that means. @‌Ella Al-Shamahi
• Archaeologists Dug up 25 Turtles Carved During the Ice Age. They May Point to a Lost Mountain Cult.
• Recently dug turtle figurines expose ancient ritual heritage

• Chris Webster
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• Rachel Roden
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  • RachelUnraveled (Instagram)

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In this episode of The Archaeology Show, we follow three discoveries that reveal how much ancient meaning can survive—and how much can still elude us. First, we look at rare Neolithic obsidian arrowheads from central Anatolia, etched with one-of-a-kind geometric designs that took real effort to carve, yet remain impossible to interpret. Then we head deep into Spain’s Cova de les Dones, where a hidden chamber holds 120 Latin inscriptions—evidence of an organized Roman cult centered on a mysterious “Lady,” Domina, and the name “MALACI.” Finally, we travel to Wetar Island in eastern Indonesia, where a 4,000-year-old painted stone plaque provides the first portable example of Austronesian Painting Tradition art, suggesting seafarers carried shared symbols and identities across the ocean long before pottery arrived.

To see links and more, head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeology/339

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Please enjoy this episode of The Rock Art Podcast this week!

In this episode, Alan speaks with Stephen Alvarez about his new book, Rock Art: An American Story, exploring the enduring significance of rock art across North America. They discuss Indigenous perspectives, the sacredness of rock art sites, and how ancient imagery continues to connect people with place, culture, and history. The conversation also considers the challenges of interpreting and dating rock art, and the importance of respecting and protecting these remarkable records of the past.

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This week, we’re exploring three archaeology articles in the news this week. First, we head to Rapa Nui, where new research into the mysterious Rongorongo script could reshape our understanding of when and how writing developed on the island. Then, we examine an Etruscan ritual well filled with offerings to the goddess Uni—and later, human remains. Finally, we travel to Denmark, where plans for an underground parking garage led archaeologists to the unexpected discovery of a long-lost medieval convent.

Chris Webster

Rachel Roden

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Join the APN crew for a monthly discussion of recent news articles. This month we look into two very different questions about archaeology and how we interpret the past. First, we dig into the growing role of AI and large language models in archaeological research, discussing hallucinations, data ownership, consent, open access, and why critical thinking is more important than ever. Then, we examine the case of a man who survived a severe facial injury roughly 100,000 years ago—and ask whether the more interesting story is really ancient violence, or the care and community that allowed him to survive.

Chris Webster

Rachel Roden

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This week we cover three new archaeology news stories! First up, a new LiDAR study in Brazil is revealing that the Amazonian ancient civilization of Aquiry may have been much larger than previously known. Then, a tomb in Poland that was opened in 1973 harbored a deadly fungus that caused the deaths of many of the researchers that worked on it, like a modern day Mummy’s Curse! And finally, archaeologists at Pompeii are reconstructing a ceiling mosaic piece by painstaking piece.

Segment 1

Segment 2

Segment 3

Chris Webster

Rachel Roden

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