Podcast
Seven Ages Audio Journal
Hosted by Seven Ages Research · AFAR
The Seven Ages Audio Journal is a podcast that explores history through archaeological discoveries, scientific achievements, and cultural developments throughout time. Hosted by researchers Micah Hanks, Jason Pentrail, and James Waldo, the program features commentary and interviews with leading experts in the fields of history, archaeology, science, and other disciplines. Our aim is to unravel questions about ancient times, and explore areas of knowledge and culture from the past, to the present day.
90episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Tutankhamun: A Century of Discovery | SAAJ 060
Nov 23, 202201:25:31Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the Seven Ages team begins the show with an in-depth discussion of some of the theories and speculations surrounding the building of the pyramids. The discussion also references the recently discovered void above the King's chamber in the pyramid of Khufu using a cosmic-ray scan. The Seven Ages team is then joined by Dr. Bob Brier "Mr. Mummy" for a celebratory discussion of the 100th Anniversary of the discovery of the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun by Howard Carter. Dr. Bob Brier is recognized as one of the world's foremost experts on mummies and Egyptology. As Senior Research Fellow at Long Island University/LIU Post in Brookville, New York, he has conducted pioneering research in mummification practices and has investigated some of the world's most famous mummies, including King Tut, Vladimir Lenin, Ramses the Great, Eva Peron (Evita), Marquise Tai (Chinese noblewoman), and the Medici family of Renaissance Italy. In celebration of the centennial of the discovery of the famed Egyptian pharaoh's final resting place, Dr. Brier joins us to discuss his new book Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the World. Twitter Instagram Facebook Seven Ages Official Site Seven Ages Patreon Seven Ages Youtube Chasing History Dr. Bob Brier Official Our Sponsor: The Smokey Mountain Relic Room
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Moundville, Alabama: Moundbuilder Series | SAAJ 059
Oct 29, 202201:22:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the Seven Ages team catches up for a bit of Egyptological discussion in our introduction portion of the show, before shifting our attention over to Jason Pentrail and Chase Pipes of the Chasing History Youtube channel, who continue their journey to mound-building cultural sites throughout the Southeastern United States. At their most recent stop, the team toured the stunning Mississippian site of Moundville, Alabama. Jason and Chase are joined by friend and colleague Lash LaRoux as they sit down to speak with Faculty Curator Dr. Elliot Blair. Dr. Elliott Blair is an anthropological archaeologist whose research focuses on the early colonial and Late Mississippian periods in the American Southeast. Much of his research focuses on population aggregation and identity at Mission Santa Catalina de Guale, a 16th and 17th-century Spanish mission located on St. Catherine's Island, Georgia. Drawing upon practice-based approaches to the archaeology of colonialism and exploring identity through situated learning theory, he examines the persistence of social identities as diverse populations formed new communities under the pressures of missionization. In his work, he uses social network analysis to explore the structure of past social relationships at multiple scales. We are also joined by Moundville Education and Outreach Coordinator Lindsey Gordon who shares all of Moundville's outstanding programs and cultural relationships with us. Twitter Instagram Facebook Seven Ages Official Site Seven Ages Patreon Seven Ages YouTube Chasing History Moundville Archaeological Park Our Sponsor: The Smokey Mountain Relic Room
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Poverty Point, Louisiana: Mound Builders Series | SAAJ 058
Oct 10, 202201:30:32Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the Seven Ages team is joined once again by Chase Pipes of the Chasing History Radio podcast and Youtube channel in a visit to the captivating site known as Poverty Point, the third stop on our mound builders tour. Poverty Point, Louisiana is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest mound sites in North America. The archaeological record at Poverty Point shows that its story goes back at least 3000 years. While no written record of Poverty Points inhabitants remains, we know that the site was of significant ceremonial importance and was a hub for various regional activities including trade, production of goods, and the creation of site-specific artifacts such as the Poverty Point Objects (PPOs), a unique cooking stone found in great abundance at the site. Seven Ages host Jason Pentrail welcomes Poverty Point site manager and expert interpreter Mark Brink to the show. Mark discusses the history, progression, and eventual decline of Poverty Point. Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online: Twitter Instagram Facebook Seven Ages Official Site Seven Ages Patreon Seven Ages YouTube Chasing History Poverty Point World Heritage Site Our Sponsor: The Smokey Mountain Relic Room
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The Gault Site: A Clovis Case Study | SAAJ 057
Aug 21, 202201:43:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, the team welcomes Dr. Clark Werneke. Dr. Wernecke is the Executive Director for the Gault School of Archaeological Research and brings a unique blend of scholarship and experience to the school with degrees in history, business, and anthropology. He has considerable experience in business and has specialized in the management of large archaeological projects. Dr. Wernecke has worked in the Middle East, Mesoamerica, the American Southeast, and the Southwest. In addition to his work with the GSAR, he is currently working on archaeological data from the Mexican War and early Texas architecture. The Gault Site has been known by archaeologists for at least 78 years. In 1929, the first anthropologist at the University of Texas, J.E. Pearce, had a crew excavating at the site for eight weeks. Though primarily interested in the Archaic burnt-rock midden showing on the surface Pearce's crew managed to excavate a handful of Paleoindian artifacts including Clovis cultural materials more than 2 years before the discoveries at Blackwater Draw. Since that time the Gault site has proven to be a significant archaeological zone spanning all twenty-two known indigenous cultures and time periods from Texas. Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online: Twitter Instagram Facebook Seven Ages Official Site Seven Ages Patreon Seven Ages YouTube Chasing History Gault School of Archaeological Research Our Sponsor The Smokey Mountain Relic Room
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Mound Builders Series: Spiro Mounds, Oklahoma | SAAJ 56
Jul 8, 202201:42:19Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the Seven Ages team is joined by Chase Pipes of the Chasing History Youtube channel and podcast, as they continue the spring road trip and record live from the Spiro Mounds site in Oklahoma. Jason Pentrail, James Waldo, and Chase Pipes are joined by archaeologist and Spiro Archaeological Park Director Dennis Peterson. Dennis provides the team with a detailed explanation of the history of the Mississippian culture and excavations that have taken place over the years at the famed Spiro Mounds site. Dennis Peterson has been the manager at Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center for 30 years. In May of 1985, he came to the site when it was still a part of the State Park system under the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (transferred over to the Oklahoma Historical Society in 1991) and started interpreting the site to the public. He was involved in the excavations under the Oklahoma Archeological Survey and Oklahoma University from 1979 to 1982 and worked with the site and other locations in Oklahoma through the Survey from 1982 to 1985. Spiro Mounds is one of the most important cultural and economic centers in the Mississippian world. It boasts one of the richest art and artifact collections in North America and is considered an international cultural treasure. Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center preserves 150 acres of the site along the Arkansas River. The center offers interpretive exhibits, an introductory slide program, and a small gift shop. Visitors can explore nearly two miles of interpreted trails, including a one-half-mile nature trail. Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online: Twitter Instagram Facebook Seven Ages Official Site Chasing History Spiro Mounds Official Site Our Sponsor The Smokey Mountain Relic Room
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Mound Builders Series: Pinson Mounds, Tennessee | SAAJ 55
Jun 15, 202201:12:51Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the Seven Ages team is joined by Chase Pipes of the Chasing History Youtube channel and podcast, as they travel and record live from the Pinson Mounds site in Eastern Tennessee. Jason Pentrail and Chase Pipes are joined by Tennessee State Park Ranger Dedra Irwin, who explains all the details of this truly unique woodland-era mound complex. Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park covers over 1,200 acres and contains at least 15 Native American mounds. In addition to Sauls Mound, the group includes Oxier Mound, the Twin Mounds, and Mound 31. Archaeological evidence suggests the mounds were both burial and ceremonial in purpose. Pinson Mounds is a national historic landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online: Twitter Instagram Facebook Seven Ages Official Site Chasing History Pinson Mounds State Park Our Sponsor The Smokey Mountain Relic Room
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The Clovis Projectile Point and Experimental Archaeology | SAAJ 54
May 9, 202201:14:56Tap to summarizeThis edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal Podcast begins with a discussion of the latest research concerning the peopling of the Americas. Next, the team catches up from all over North and South America as the Seven Ages and Chasing History Spring road trip wraps up. We are then joined by Kent State University professor Dr. Metin Eren for an in-depth discussion on the efficacy of the Clovis projectile point in killing proboscideans. Eren, who holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Southern Methodist University, as well as an M.A. inExperimental Archaeology from the University of Exeter, an M.A. in Anthropology, from Southern Methodist University, and an A.B. in Anthropology from Harvard College, shares an academic perspective with the team about the world of experimental archaeology, and what we can learn from this ever-advancing discipline. How can modern science be applied toward a deeper understanding not only of the Clovis projectile point, but also of the many other practices held by ancient Americans, and early people elsewhere around the world? The Seven Ages Research Associates dig into these, and many other questions with Dr. Eren on this special edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal. Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online: Twitter Instagram Facebook Official Site Below are links to stories covered in this edition of the podcast Our sponsor: The Smokey Mountain Relic Room The Kent State Experimental Archaeology Lab Kent State Lab Metin Eren on Google Scholar Hunter-Gatherer Behavior: Human Response During the Younger Dryas (Edited by Metin Eren)
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The Mystery of Florida's Key Marco Cat | SAAJ 53
Apr 5, 202200:58:25Tap to summarizeIn this edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, we discuss the latest news from the world of archaeology including the future of space archaeology as well as the discovery of the famed Shackelton ship The Endurance. We are then joined by Austin J. Bell for an in-depth discussion on the famous and mysterious Key Marco Cat. Bell is the curator of collections for the Marco Island Historical Society and a consulting scholar at the Penn Museum. Austin discusses the details of this enigmatic artifact in his newest book The Nine Lives of Florida's Famous Key Marco Cat, available at the University Press of Florida. Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online: Twitter Instagram Facebook Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast Our Sponsor: The Smokey Mountian Relic Room The Nine Lives of Florida's Famous Key Marco Cat: University of Florida Press Marco Island Historical Society
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Bonfire Shelter Bison Jump: Paleoindian and Archaic-Period Excavation | SAAJ 52
Mar 9, 202201:14:59Tap to summarizeIn this edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, we lead off the discussion with news from around the world of archaeology, highlighting a 9,000-year-old shrine in Jordan and a new article from the Mammoth Trumpet Journal discussing perishable technologies with former SAAJ guests J.M. Advasio and Tom Dillehay. We then feature an in-depth interview with David Kilby of Texas State University and the Ancient Southwest Texas Project to discuss the Bonfire Shelter bison jump. David Kilby has a long history of archaeological work at famous sites such as Blackwater Draw, Murray Springs, Mockingbird Gap, Folsom, and the Rio Rancho Folsom site. Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online: Twitter Instagram Facebook Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast: Our Sponsors: The Smokey Mountain Relic Room David Kilby | Texas State University
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Mississippian Imagery: Unlocking an Ancient American Cosmology | SAAJ 51
Jan 19, 202201:41:45Tap to summarizeOn this edition of the Seven Ages Audio Journal, we lead off the discussion with a memorial to the late Tennessee archaeologist David Dean. Remembering David's life and work with us is a friend of the program, Chase Pipes of the Smoky Mountain Relic Room, along with fellow Tennessee archaeologists Jay Franklin and Zoen McLachlan. Then for the remainder of the program, the team is joined by Bretton Giles and Shawn Lambert, who are the co-editors of a new anthology entitled New Methods and Theories for Analyzing Mississippian Imagery. Bretton T. Giles is an assistant research professor in sociology, anthropology, and social work at Kansas State University. Shawn P. Lambert is an assistant professor of anthropology and senior research associate with the Cobb Institute of Archaeology at Mississippi State University. Follow the Seven Ages Research Associates online: Twitter Instagram Facebook Below are links to stories covered on this edition of the podcast: Our Sponsors: The Smoky Mountain Relic Room THE BOOK: New Methods and Theories for Analyzing Mississippian Imagery
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