In this episode, Alan is joined by Dr. Maria Guagnin (Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology) and Dr. Ceri Shipton (Australian National University) to explore how human societies adapted to environmental change during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. Maria and Ceri examine prehistoric settlement, mobility, and monumental rock art in northern Arabia, showing how symbolic expression and landscape use offer insight into survival, innovation, and cultural continuity. Their research demonstrates the resilience and creativity of early human societies.

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/157

• Dr. Maria Guagnin
• Dr Ceri Shipton
• Monumental rock art illustrates that humans thrived in the Arabian Desert during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition
• 12,000-year-old rock art marked ancient water sources in Arabia’s desert

• Dr. Alan Garfinkel
• [email protected]
• Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website
• Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon

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As the APN takes a break this holiday season we are taking this opportunity to make you aware of other great shows on the network. This episode is from the Ethnocynology Podcast with David Ian Howe.

Ethnocynology Podcast Ep 15: Direwolf Science with Dr. Shield-Chief Gover

In this episode of Ethnocynology, David chats with friend, colleague, and former A Life in Ruins host, Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover.

David and Carlton do a brief catch up before diving right into the recent paper released by Colossal Biosciences and a team of researchers regarding newly researched direwolf genetics.

David and Carlton discuss the ethics of release the un-peer reviewed paper only after the huge media push, as well as Carlton gives a an analysis of the statistics in the paper.

Ethnocynology Podcast on the APN

Dire wolves were the last of an ancient New World canid lineage

On the ancestry and evolution of the extinct dire wolf

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In this episode, Alan is joined by Dr. James Dodd, a researcher at Aarhus University and board member of the Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art. James uses digital tools such as GIS and high-performance computing to document and analyse rock art across Scandinavia. His work reveals how prehistoric communities expressed ideas through imagery and symbolism and how modern technology can uncover patterns and connections hidden across the landscape.

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/156

• Dr James Dodd Academia Profile
• Scandinavian Society of Prehistoric Art

• Dr. Alan Garfinkel
• [email protected]
• Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website
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In this episode, Alan is joined by Joseph Williams, founder of Seven Fires Corporation, to explore how Indigenous knowledge, AI, and 3D imaging intersect in the study of rock art. They discuss applications from Göbekli Tepe to Native American sites, and examine the House of the Sun pictographs in Southern California, exploring how they reflect Native American cosmology and celestial traditions.

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/155

Transcript

• Seven Fires Corporation Website
• AI in Archaeological Site Conservation

Dr. Alan Garfinkel

• [email protected]

Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website

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In this episode, Alan is joined by Douglas Beauchamp, an arts consultant and photographer based in Oregon, whose work explores the enduring power of rock art in shaping cultural landscapes. Douglas examines how ancient engravings and visual imagery continue to speak to contemporary audiences, bridging archaeology, public art, and the study of visual memory. Through his photography and field documentation, he illuminates the ways ancient art interacts with the landscape and modern viewers.

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/154

• Dr Beauchamp’s Academia Profile
• Rock Art Oregon Blog

• Dr. Alan Garfinkel
• [email protected]
• Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website
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On today’s show, Chris Webster joins Dr. Alan Garfinkel to deconstruct a fascinating rock drawing panel at Portuguese Bench near Little Lake in western California. There is so much going on with this panel that they only discuss a few of the more prominent elements and possible a few that you might not notice. Follow along by downloading the images and figure out what you can see and what you think it means.

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/153

Dr. Alan Garfinkel

• [email protected]
• Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website
• Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon

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In this episode, Alan is joined by Stephen Townley Bassett, a forensic artist dedicated to preserving and recreating San rock art with striking accuracy. Using natural materials like ochre, charcoal, and egg shell, Stephen reconstructs ancient paintings in the same way they were originally made—millimeter by millimeter.

With decades of field experience across Southern Africa, his work highlights the intersection of art, archaeology, and conservation, offering a powerful visual record of a fragile cultural legacy under threat.

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/152

• Stephen Townley Bassett’s Website
• Stephen Townley Bassett’s artist profile
• Stephen’s Sapien’s article on ‘Re-imaginging Rock Art in Southern Africa’
• Stephen Townley Bassett: Saving African Cave Art - Painted Dog Gallery

Dr. Alan Garfinkel

• [email protected]
• Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website
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In this episode, Alan is joined by visual artist Shefa Salem al‑Baraesi, a Benghazi‑based creator whose oil paintings re‑imagine Libya’s archaeological heritage—like the inverted‑figure boat scene from the Acacus cave art—and ancient rituals such as the Kaska dance. Through her realistic, large‑scale works, Shefa transforms written history and myth into evocative visual narratives that resonate with everyday Libyans. Her exhibitions, I Am Libya and Ethnolibya, bring these ancestral images forward as a living, shared national memory.

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/151

• Artist - shefa salem
• EXHIBITIONS - shefa salem
• Artists Exploring Libya's History, Cultural Resilience and Rebirth
• Shefa Salem: a Libyan artist, inspired by the history of her country
• ‘All my work is Libya’: Five emerging Libyan artists to watch

Dr. Alan Garfinkel

• [email protected]
• Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website
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In this episode, Alan is joined by Dr Gerard O’Regan, a Māori archaeologist and rock art specialist dedicated to preserving the ancient artworks of Aotearoa. With over three decades of research and fieldwork, Gerard shares how these powerful images—painted with natural pigments like red ochre and charcoal—offer a glimpse into early Māori life, belief, and identity.

From the limestone shelters of the South Island to emerging discoveries in the North, Gerard’s work weaves together archaeology, Indigenous knowledge, and cultural stewardship, protecting a fragile visual legacy through Māori-led conservation and community partnerships.

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/150

• The Rock Art Network - Gerard O’Regan
• Dating South Island Māori rock art: Pigment and pitfalls
• Episode 6 | Māori rock art | Aotearoa Unearthed

Dr. Alan Garfinkel

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• Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website
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In this episode, Alan is joined by by Dr. Tertia Barnett, a leading archaeologist whose work bridges scientific research and community engagement in the field of rock art. Dr. Barnett shares insights from her role as Principal Investigator on Scotland’s Rock Art Project, as well as her previous work on the Wadi al-Ajal Rock Art Project in Libya. Together they discuss the social and cultural dimensions of rock art that highlights the importance of collaboration, accessibility, and inclusivity in understanding ancient visual traditions.

For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/148

• Dr Barrett’s Bio
• Scotland’s Rock Art Project
• The Wadi al-Ajal Rock Art Project

Dr. Alan Garfinkel

• [email protected]
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