Decoder Ring | How to Hunt a Mammoth, and Other Experiments in Archaeology

Podcast: Slow Burn
Host: Slate Podcasts
Episode Release Date: August 13, 2025

Introduction to Experimental Archaeology

The episode begins by contrasting the adventurous portrayal of archaeology in pop culture with the mundane reality of actual archaeological practices. Host Sam Kean, a seasoned science writer and author, expresses his initial disillusionment with the repetitive and laborious nature of traditional archaeological digs:

“Most of the time, you show up at an archaeological site and it's scores of sunburned people lying around in the dirt, usually with a brush or a dental pick or something, and they're digging pot shards and other little things out of the soil...”
[03:53]

However, Sam's perspective shifts when he discovers experimental archaeology, a branch that brings the excitement back by actively recreating ancient methods to gain deeper insights into past civilizations.

The Ginsburg Experiment: Bridging the Past and Present

Background and Motivation

Susan Kaplan, now a professor at Bowdoin College, recounts how a serendipitous event led to a groundbreaking experiment. In 1977, after the unexpected death of Ginsburg, a beloved elephant from the Franklin Zoo, Kaplan saw an opportunity to address unanswered questions in paleo-Indian studies:

“If the archaeologists couldn't answer their questions by running experiments on an actual mammoth, maybe its close relative, this newly deceased elephant would do.”
[14:39]

Conducting the Experiment

Kaplan and her team, equipped with a headless elephant carcass donated by the Boston Zoo, embarked on an ambitious project to understand how ancient humans hunted and utilized mammoths. Over five days, they conducted various tests, including:

• Spear Penetration: Using stone tools attached to shafts, they measured the force required to penetrate thick elephant hide.

  “They recruited a scientist from NASA to wire these tools up to a modified polygraph machine so it would record the movements...”
  [17:03]

• Bone Tool Fabrication: Participants attempted to break and flake mammoth bones to create tools, discovering the challenges of rapid tool production before spoilage set in.

  “One scientist chewed on one of Ginsburg's tendons to make a kind of string to attach a stone blade to a haft.”
  [18:25]

Findings and Impact

The experiment provided tangible data, debunking the notion that ancient humans could effortlessly hunt large megafauna like mammoths. It highlighted the significant effort and specialized tools required, reshaping our understanding of prehistoric hunting practices.

“Killing mammoths is really hard. Let's just say they were no giant sloths. And if humans did eat them occasionally, we know now it was surely not an everyday affair.”
[20:19]

This pioneering work not only earned respect within the academic community but also spurred a series of similar experiments, solidifying experimental archaeology as a vital method for testing and refining archaeological theories.

Decoding Alaskan Pottery: A Cultural Mystery

The Puzzle of Squat, Porous Cooking Pots

Karen Harry, an archaeologist specializing in the southwestern United States, encountered an enigmatic Alaskan cooking pot shard that defied conventional ceramic standards. Unlike typical cooking pots, which are thin-walled, rounded, and non-porous, this shard was thick, porous, and poorly made:

“It was none of these things. No, it was really, really thick. It had really big, clunky, coarse inclusions, which made it very porous...”
[24:16]

Fieldwork and Experimental Reconstruction

Determined to uncover the pot's origins and functionality, Harry and her team traveled to Tunawak, western Alaska. They engaged with local descendants who provided crucial insights, revealing that these pots were used for quick parboiling rather than long-term cooking:

“They could just do a very quick heat up that water, do a quick fondue. So you didn't need a big pot.”
[28:19]

To replicate the pots, the team brought professional potters to work with native clay under challenging Alaskan weather conditions. Through iterative experimentation, they discovered that applying seal oil followed by seal blood effectively waterproofed the unfired clay, allowing the pots to hold water without collapsing:

“With both the seal blood and the seal oil, the water stays clear, the pot doesn't melt, and you can bring it to a boil.”
[34:14]

Cultural and Practical Insights

This revelation underscored the ingenuity of indigenous potters, who adapted their techniques to environmental constraints and specific culinary needs. It also highlighted the crucial role of experimental archaeology in validating ethnographic accounts and enriching our understanding of cultural practices.

“They always know more than us. Let me just put it that way.”
[34:42]

Revitalizing Polynesian Voyaging: The Hokulea Story

Challenging Thor Heyerdahl's Theories

The narrative shifts to Polynesian voyaging, addressing the longstanding debate initiated by Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki expedition, which controversially suggested that Polynesia was accidentally settled by South Americans. Native Hawaiians and scholars countered this by emphasizing the sophisticated navigational skills of Polynesian ancestors.

Building Hokulea: A Purpose-Driven Expedition

In the 1970s, the Polynesian Voyaging Society embarked on a mission to demonstrate the feasibility of intentional Polynesian navigation. They constructed Hokulea, a double-hulled voyaging canoe, and recruited Mao Pia Luggage, an expert navigator from Micronesia. On May 1, 1976, Hokulea set sail for Tahiti without modern navigational instruments, relying solely on celestial and environmental cues.

“It was like, that's the one moment in this hundreds of years of change since that time that Captain Cook came until today, that I believe you can fully be in a place in space, surrounded in all your senses of what the ancestors had.”
[51:55]

Successful Voyage and Cultural Renaissance

After 101 days and over 2,500 miles, Hokulea successfully reached Tahiti, proving that intentional long-distance voyaging was entirely plausible for ancient Polynesians. This success not only debunked Heyerdahl's flawed theories but also ignited a cultural renaissance, reviving traditional navigation and strengthening Polynesian identity.

“If you're talking about the purpose of reinvigorating this set of skills that are core to the reflection of who we are as Polynesians... it's a success.”
[53:22]

Hokulea continues to sail today, participating in circumnavigations and training new navigators, symbolizing the enduring legacy of Polynesian seafaring traditions.

Conclusion: The Power and Potential of Experimental Archaeology

Throughout the episode, experimental archaeology emerges as a transformative approach that bridges the gap between theoretical research and practical application. By actively recreating ancient practices, archaeologists like Sam Kean, Susan Kaplan, and Karen Harry uncover nuanced understandings of past societies, challenge existing narratives, and revive lost cultural traditions.

“Archaeology is like doing this big jigsaw puzzle and then at the end I want somebody to tell me how close I got.”
[35:00]

Slow Burn’s "Decoder Ring" aptly illustrates how hands-on experimentation enriches our comprehension of history, making the study of the past not only more accurate but also profoundly engaging.

Notable Quotes

• Sam Kean: “I look at it as sort of a form of time travel in that part of the fun of time travel is going to a place and immersing yourself in it.”
  [10:27]

• Susan Kaplan: “The thing about archaeology is that in order to try and understand human behavior that you can no longer see, all you have is this material culture.”
  [18:41]

• Karen Harry: “They always know more than us. Let me just put it that way.”
  [34:42]

• Naalehu Anthony: “When the canoe sails, it reinvigorates the values, the pride, the expectation that we can do these kinds of things...”
  [53:04]

Further Exploration

For those intrigued by the intersection of archaeology and hands-on experimentation, Sam Kean’s book "Dinner with King Tut" delves deeper into these fascinating adventures. Additionally, Naalehu Anthony's documentary "Papa the Wayfinder" offers an immersive look into the enduring legacy of Polynesian navigation.

Produced by: Katie Shepard and Max Friedman
Produced by Willa Paskin and Evan Chung
Supervising Producer: Merritt Jacob
Mixing Assistance: Kevin Bendis, Met, Aaron, Paul Benham

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