Unearthed! Year-end 2024, Part 2

Summary

Stuff You Missed in History Class
Episode: Unearthed! Year-end 2024, Part 2
Release Date: January 15, 2025
Hosts: Holly Fry & Tracy V. Wilson
Producer: iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction to Unearthed! Year-end 2024, Part 2

In this second installment of their year-end special, Holly Fry and Tracy V. Wilson dive deep into a plethora of fascinating historical discoveries unearthed in 2024. From ancient artifacts and groundbreaking archaeological findings to intriguing studies on historical food practices, this episode offers a rich tapestry of knowledge for history enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.

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Archaeological Marvels

Ancient Pottery with Feline Imprints

Timestamp: [03:28] – [04:12]

Holly and Tracy begin with a captivating discovery from Mount Zion outside Jerusalem’s Old City. A shard of pottery dating back approximately 1,200 years to the Abbasid period was unearthed, featuring not just a cat print but also claw marks and an imprint from a cat’s foreleg. Tracy remarks, “I love this a lot. I love the cat prints that are randomly in pieces of artwork” ([03:54]).

This artifact suggests that a cat likely interacted with the drying clay, adding a whimsical touch to historical daily life scenes.

Norse and Inuit Interactions Revealed Through DNA

Timestamp: [04:13] – [08:38]

Delving into Viking-era research, Tracy discusses DNA analysis of walrus ivory which revolutionizes our understanding of Norse activities in Greenland. Contrary to previous beliefs that the Norse hunted walruses in southern Greenland, findings indicate they ventured into the high Arctic regions. This implies sustained contact and trading relationships with the Inuit as early as the 11th century.

Holly adds, “This may be the first time that DNA has been recovered from a specific person described in one of the Sagas” ([08:38]), highlighting the significance of merging literary sources with genetic research to piece together historical narratives.

Discovery of a Previously Unknown Chopin Waltz

Timestamp: [05:37] – [07:42]

At the Morgan Library and Museum in New York, a previously unknown Waltz by Frederic Chopin was discovered. This handwritten manuscript, about the size of an index card, contains 24 measures intended for a single performance. Holly notes, “It’s the first significant discovery of a previously unknown piece by Chopin since the late 1930s” ([06:47]). This find enriches our understanding of Chopin's lesser-known works and his personal practices of gifting music.

Rediscovered Remains of a Norwegian King

Timestamp: [06:15] – [08:52]

Holly and Tracy recount the excavation of skeletal remains at the Castle of 12th-century Norwegian King Sverre Sigurdsson. Initially discovered in 1938 but not fully excavated until recently, DNA analysis suggests the remains may belong to an individual from southern Norway, possibly one of the invaders described in the Svaris saga. Tracy reflects, “If it is all correct, this may be the first time that DNA has been recovered from a specific person described in one of the Sagas” ([08:38]).

Hidden Trove of Artifacts in Athens

Timestamp: [08:52] – [10:34]

During an eviction in Athens, a hidden trap door was discovered leading to a storage area brimming with over 100 artifacts dating from 1100 BCE to 32 BCE. These included figurines, vessels, religious pieces, and thousands of coins. Holly highlights the mystery surrounding how these artifacts remained hidden for decades, noting, “Why were they still down there decades later?” ([10:01]).

15th-Century Wooden Shoe from Alkmaar

Timestamp: [10:34] – [11:51]

In Alkmaar, Netherlands, archaeologists uncovered a well-preserved birchwood shoe from a 15th-century cesspit. Unique for its material and craftsmanship, the shoe suggests higher social status, diverging from the common perception of wooden shoes as utilitarian labor footwear. Holly muses, “Maybe a more wealthier, more affluent person's footwear” ([11:03]).

Tomb Discovery at Petra’s Al Khazna

Timestamp: [11:51] – [14:10]

A hidden tomb beneath Petra’s Al Khazna monument revealed twelve human skeletons and artifacts estimated to be over 2,000 years old. Tracy expresses frustration with media portrayals linking Petra solely to the "Indiana Jones" franchise, stating, “All the coverage just seemingly boiling it down to a 35-year-old movie kind of irritated me” ([12:31]).

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Culinary Archaeology: Unveiling Ancient Food Practices

7,700-Year-Old Cooked Snails in Tunisia

Timestamp: [19:02] – [20:15]

Researchers in Tunisia discovered remnants of cooked snails featuring intact epiphrams, membranes that protect snails from moisture loss. Tracy explains, “This may be cultural knowledge that was passed down through hundreds of generations” ([19:27]), indicating sophisticated preservation techniques employed by ancient communities.

Martu Aboriginal Seed Dispersal Study

Timestamp: [21:00] – [22:34]

In Australia, collaboration with the Martu Aboriginal people revealed how indigenous practices influence seed dispersal of native plants like bush tomato and bush raisin. Tracy notes, “This was especially true of the bush tomato,” emphasizing the integral role of indigenous knowledge in ecological sustainability ([21:34]).

Ancient Hazelnut Cultivation in British Columbia

Timestamp: [22:34] – [23:41]

Studies in British Columbia combined indigenous oral traditions with DNA research, uncovering intentional cultivation and transplanting of hazelnuts by indigenous peoples over 7,000 years ago. Tracy highlights the misconception of these regions as "wild and uncultivated," underscoring the profound agricultural practices of indigenous communities ([23:41]).

Neolithic Baking with Husking Trays in Mesopotamia

Timestamp: [23:41] – [25:04]

Analysis of residues in Neolithic husking trays from Mesopotamia suggests the baking of focaccia-like bread. Holly remarks, “They were a lot softer and more flavorful, much like focaccia” ([24:09]), showcasing early advancements in baking techniques and ingredient use.

2800-Year-Old Bakery in Southern Germany

Timestamp: [25:04] – [25:23]

A well-preserved bakery site in southern Germany revealed grain-based remains, including oats and spelt, alongside cooking tools. This discovery provides invaluable insights into ancient baking and dietary habits.

Grinding Stones in Funen, Denmark: Beyond Flour

Timestamp: [25:23] – [26:35]

Contrary to common archaeological assumptions, grinding stones found in Funen were not used for cereal flour but rather processed unidentified plants into porridge. Holly summarizes, “They were making them into a porridge or a gruel, rather than turning them into flour and making them into bread” ([26:35]).

Rye from the James R. Bentley Shipwreck for Whiskey Production

Timestamp: [26:35] – [28:08]

Divers recovered rye from the 1878 shipwreck of the James R. Bentley in Lake Huron. Although some grain was spoiled, researchers aim to clone the rye through DNA analysis to create a unique whiskey strain. Tracy explains, “They plan to transfer chromosomal segments... to become plantable, growable seed” ([27:24]).

10,000-Year-Old Rice Beer in China

Timestamp: [28:08] – [29:42]

Residues on pottery fragments in China indicate the production of rice beer over 10,000 years ago. Holly notes, “There was also some evidence of yeast that are still used in traditional brewing methods today” ([28:55]), highlighting the long history of fermentation practices.

Ancient Bronze Distilling Vessel in China

Timestamp: [28:55] – [30:02]

A bronze distilling vessel from the Western Han Dynasty, associated with a short-lived emperor, was tested and successfully used to distill wine. Tracy states, “Their successful attempt to distill wine suggests that it was at least possible that the vessel was used for that purpose” ([29:42]).

Spread of Peach Trees in Pre-Colonial Americas

Timestamp: [30:02] – [31:11]

Research published in Nature Communications revealed that peach trees were widespread among indigenous settlements in the Southeast Americas by 1620, prior to extensive European colonization. Tracy emphasizes, “This really contradicts descriptions of these parts of North America in terms like, 'wild and uncultivated'” ([30:02]).

2000-Year-Old Fig Remains in Ireland

Timestamp: [31:11] – [31:32]

Archaeologists in Ireland uncovered charred fig remains at a Roman-era trading post. Holly mentions, “This is the earliest example of the actual fruit, which survived because it had been burned” ([31:32]).

Original Kitchen of Oriel College, Oxford

Timestamp: [31:32] – [31:56]

Excavations at Oriel College unearthed its original kitchen, complete with a roasting hearth and oven base. This discovery offers a glimpse into the culinary practices of the medieval academic community.

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Books and Letters: Unveiling Historical Texts

13-Line Inscription Honoring Wrestler Kikilianus in Turkey

Timestamp: [36:48] – [37:27]

In the Turkish port city of Annemerium, archaeologists found a complete 13-line Greek inscription honoring a wrestler named Kikilianus. Holly explains, “It's possible that this stone was originally the base of a statue that was meant to honor this wrestler” ([36:48]).

Rediscovered Bram Stoker Short Story "Gibbet Hill"

Timestamp: [37:27] – [38:18]

A previously unknown short story by Bram Stoker, titled "Gibbet Hill," was found after a modern pharmacist, Brian Cleary, discovered a reference in an old newspaper advertisement. Tracy highlights its significance, noting, “This one also could have gone in the update section since we have an episode on Bram Stoker” ([37:27]).

British Library’s Medieval Women in Their Own Words Exhibition

Timestamp: [38:18] – [40:03]

The British Library unveiled an exhibition featuring manuscripts related to medieval women, including a rare leaf from the Poor Clares of Cologne. Holly describes the leaf as part of a mass chant manuscript, complete with an inscription from Sister Isabella of Guelders contributing funds ([39:05]).

Khipus Connection Study in Chile

Timestamp: [40:03] – [41:25]

Research published in the Nyawa Pacha Journal explored the relationship between two khipus found in northern Chile. Holly notes, “These two khipus contain the same information, but that information is presented differently” ([41:01]). This study advances our understanding of the complex communication systems used by the Inca Empire.

Message in a Bottle from Viking Ship Excavation

Timestamp: [41:25] – [42:31]

A message in a bottle containing coins, a business card, and a note by Norwegian archaeologist Anders La Ronge was found at a Viking ship burial site. Tracy appreciates the historical communication, stating, “I kind of love that he left his sort of research notes as a message in a bottle for future archaeologists” ([41:25]).

Deciphered Inscription on Arslan Kaya, Turkey

Timestamp: [43:08] – [43:50]

Historian Mark Munn decoded an ancient Phrygian inscription on volcanic rock in eastern Turkey, identifying it as an homage to the Phrygian mother goddess Mataran. Holly comments on the meticulous work, “He came to the conclusion that this monument honored the Phrygian mother goddess Mataran” ([43:50]).

Deciphering Tower of London Graffiti

Timestamp: [43:50] – [45:02]

Advanced techniques like X-ray analysis and laser scanning revealed and deciphered previously illegible graffiti in the Tower of London. Tracy notes, “Most of these inscriptions are by prisoners who were essentially leaving evidence that they had been there” ([44:15]).

Ancient Christian Prayer on Silver Amulet

Timestamp: [45:02] – [46:15]

A tiny scroll within a silver amulet from a German grave, dated around 1800 years ago, was read using high-resolution CT scanning. It contains a prayer for protection, potentially the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps. Holly highlights its secretive nature, “It was likely hidden in the amulet and then kept secret” ([45:02]).

Engraved Slate Plaques as Genealogical Records in Iberia

Timestamp: [46:15] – [47:25]

Research in the European Journal of Archaeology suggests that geometric slate plaques from Iberian tombs (3200–2200 BCE) may serve as genealogical records. Tracy explains, “The number of lines or motifs on a plaque might represent how far a person is away from a specific ancestor” ([46:37]).

Oldest Known Alphabet in Syria

Timestamp: [47:25] – [47:52]

Archaeologists in Syria discovered clay cylinders etched with what may be the oldest alphabetic writing, dated to about 2400 BCE. Tracy remarks, “This is about 500 years older than the previous earliest known alphabetic writing” ([47:52]).

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Experimental Archaeology: Recreating Ancient Weaponry

Bronze Age Spear Combat Experiments

Timestamp: [47:52] – [48:50]

Researchers replicated prehistoric spears and shields to understand their usage in Bronze Age combat. Published in Archaeological Science, the study analyzed wear patterns and trauma, offering insights into ancient combat techniques. Holly comments, “They basically analyzed the wear and tear on the spears and the shields” ([48:50]).

Effect of Elevation on Thrown Weapons

Timestamp: [48:50] – [49:40]

A collaboration between Kent State University and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History examined how elevation affects the accuracy of javelins and atlatl-thrown darts. Findings indicated that higher elevations increased javelin effectiveness but reduced the accuracy of darts. Tracy muses, “This may mean that prehistoric peoples chose one weapon over the other based on the terrain” ([49:40]).

Aboriginal Australian Weapons Biomechanics

Timestamp: [49:40] – [50:47]

Originating from the TV show First Weapons, researchers studied replicas of Aboriginal Australian weapons like the Liango club and Koich axe. Published in Scientific Reports, the study highlighted the Liango’s power and the Koich’s maneuverability. Holly remarks, “The Liango was more effective at delivering powerful blows” ([50:47]).

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Listener Mail: Tarantula Tales

Timestamp: [50:55] – [56:28]

Listener Janelle writes to discuss the potential lethality of tarantula bites, clarifying that North American species lack medically significant venom. Tracy shares personal anecdotes about handling tarantulas as a child, while Holly expresses her love for these delicate creatures. Tracy concludes, “Thank you so much, Janelle, for that information about tarantulas” ([50:56]).

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Conclusion and Upcoming Topics

Holly and Tracy wrap up the episode by teasing upcoming segments, including a deeper dive into Petra’s historical significance beyond its cinematic fame. They encourage listeners to submit their thoughts and questions via their email, ensuring an engaging and interactive experience.

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Notable Quotes

• Tracy V. Wilson: “This may be cultural knowledge that was passed down through hundreds of generations.” ([19:27])
• Holly Fry: “It’s probably the first time that DNA has been recovered from a specific person described in one of the Sagas.” ([08:38])
• Tracy V. Wilson: “This may mean that prehistoric peoples chose one weapon over the other based on the terrain.” ([49:40])
• Holly Fry: “I love tarantulas.” ([51:49])

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Final Thoughts

Unearthed! Year-end 2024, Part 2 of Stuff You Missed in History Class is a treasure trove of historical insights and discoveries. Holly Fry and Tracy V. Wilson skillfully weave together archaeological findings, ancient culinary practices, and deciphered historical texts, all while maintaining an engaging and informative narrative. Whether you’re a history buff or simply curious about the past, this episode promises to enrich your understanding of the myriad ways history continues to unfold beneath our feet.

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Listen to Stuff You Missed in History Class on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

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[Maria Tremarchi]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremorchi.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Each season we explore a new theme, from poisoners to art thieves.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body snatch.

[Maria Tremarchi]

And tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails inspired by each story Listen.

[Holly Fry]

To criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Stuff youf Missed in History Class, a production of iHeartRadio.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Hello and welcome to the podcast. I'm Tracy V. Wilson.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This is part two of our year end unearthed for 2024. Again, that's when we talk about stuff that's been literally or figuratively unearthed. In this part two, we have some books and letters. We have some edibles and potables. We are starting out with just an entire section of the show that was stuff that didn't categorize well that I always call the the potpourri.

[Holly Fry]

So to kick that off, a shard of pottery from a dig at Mount Zion outside Jerusalem's Old City has found not just a cat print, but claw marks and an imprint from the cat's foreleg, suggesting that a cat hung out and made biscuits on some clay that was drying in the sun. This piece of pottery is probably about 1200 years old, dating back to the Abbasid period.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I love this a lot. I love the cat prints that are randomly in pieces of artwork or manuscripts that a scribe was illuminating.

[Holly Fry]

Yes.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

But the idea that a kitty cat was like, I'm gonna sit here and purr and flex my claws on this drying piece of pottery.

[Holly Fry]

I love it.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Sunshine, yeah. DNA research into walrus ivory dating from the Viking era suggests that the Norse were not hunting walruses around the southern coastal areas of Greenland, which is what was previously thought. Instead, it seems like they were going deep into the high Arctic, way to the north of their more southerly settlements. This means that there was probably ongoing contact between the Norse and the Inuit peoples living in those Arctic regions, including trading relationships that might date back to the 11th century. At the same time, these trading relationships and this contact would have been really seasonal. The Norse probably would have been sailing north during a very short window in the summer before the ice made the seas impassable. Again, this research, in addition to looking at the DNA of the walruses, it involved sailing along these probable sea routes in a traditional Norwegian boat. I love that, too. Researchers involved in this work characterized it really as a starting point, especially when it comes to the more human side of these interactions, and in particular from the indigenous point of view.

[Holly Fry]

The Morgan Library and Museum in New York has announced the discovery of a previously unknown Waltz by Frederic Chopin. It's a handwritten copy of a piece that's only about a minute long, and it's only about the size of an index card. That one small manuscript contains 24 measures of music that are meant to be played through once. According to the library's press release on the discovery, manuscripts like these were something Chopin used as gifts for people to put in their autograph albums. It's not signed though, so he may have changed his mind about giving this particular one away.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This piece is part of the Arthur Satz collection, which came to the Morgan in 2019. And while it was marked as Chopin's work at that time, it wasn't until a curator started cataloging this whole collection that they realized that the music on the card did not line up with any already known piece by Chopin. So this is the first significant discovery of a previously unknown piece by Chopin since the late 1930s.

[Holly Fry]

In 1938, archaeologists in Norway found skeletal remains in a well at the Castle of 12th century Norwegian king Sverre Sigurdsson. This work was disrupted by the Second World War, so the remains were not excavated at that time. Archaeologists returned to the site about 10 years ago, and at that time they said there was a high probability that this body was someone who had been described in the Svaris saga, which which relates events from Sverre Sigurdsson's life. One passage is about an attack on the king's castle that took place in 1197, with the attackers getting into the castle through a secret door while its defenders were eating. After pillaging the castle and burning down the houses in the area, the attackers threw the body of someone who had been killed into a well and then filled that well with stones.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This past October, researchers announced the results of some work that supports this idea that it was this same person described as being thrown down the well. This includes radiocarbon dating that lines up with when the attack on the castle happened. One surprising find came from DNA that was extracted from one of the teeth. This person likely came from southern Norway, while Sigurdsson and his castle's defenders would have been from central Norway. The really long standing assumption has been that if this body really was the one described in the saga, that the invaders had thrown the body of one of the king's men down the well in order to humiliate the king and probably also to contaminate the water supply. But this DNA result means that the body the attackers threw down that well might have actually been one of their own.

[Holly Fry]

Some of this is still circumstantial, but if it is all correct, this may be the first time that DNA has been recovered from a specific person described in one of the Sagas Next, back.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

In February, authorities in Athens were in the process of evicting a tenant from a retail space in a building that was managed by the National Gallery Alexander Sutos Museum. And somebody noticed in that retail space a hidden trap door. The trap door led to a storage area which the museum apparently had not realized was there, and that storage area turned out to be full of artifacts. So a museum representative contacted the Greek Ministry of Culture.

[Holly Fry]

The ministry released a statement in October saying that 102 objects dating from between 1100 BCE and 32 BCE had been found there, including figurines, drinking and storage vessels, as well as more than 30 religious pieces and a cache of thousands of coins that also included metals, weights and seals. Many of these objects had been stored wrapped in newspaper, and the newspapers dated back to the 1940s, which is when the building's evicted tenants had first signed their lease.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Some of the reporting around this has been kind of vague. Like, I am not really clear on whether these evicted tenants were the ones to put these items in the storage area or whether it was the prior occupants of the space. Whoever it was, why were they still down there decades later? What was going on with that? But authorities have described these objects as illegally acquired. So for now, they're being restored and examined, and there might be more information available on this later.

[Holly Fry]

Archaeologists in the Dutch city of Alkmaar, north of Amsterdam, have found a wooden shoe in a 15th century cesspit. This shoe is made of birchwood, and birch trees do not grow in the Netherlands, and it is also older than most of the other wooden shoes that have been unearthed so far. Although wooden shoes have a close connection with Dutch culture, only 44 of them have been found at archaeological sites in the Netherlands and Belgium.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This shoe was found in pieces, but those pieces had been well preserved and conservators were able to reassemble it. This seems like it was a really fashionable clog with a double heel, very well made, again from a wood that wouldn't have been available locally. It's described as equivalent to a size 36 in modern European shoes, which is about a women's five and a half in the United States shoe measurement system. I've sort of imagined the wooden shoes as like common sense footwear that a laboring person might wear, although not necessarily super comfortable, depending. But this seems like, you know, maybe a more wealthier, more affluent person's footwear.

[Holly Fry]

Maybe. Hopefully we'll have more info. Lastly, among the potpourri is the headline that annoyed Tracy for this installment of Unearthed Researchers in Jordan have found a previously undiscovered tomb under a monument called Al Khazna, or the treasury, in Petra. The tomb contains at least 12 human skeletons and artifacts that are believed to be at least 2000 years old, as well as a ceramic chalice. This followed ground penetrating radar studies done to see if the left and right sides of the monument were similar underground and tombs had previously been found under the other side.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

In 2003, where this became annoying to me, so annoying that I almost did not put this in unearthed at all, was that so many of the headlines made it sound as though Petra's only role in the whole world and all of history was as an Indiana Jones filming location. And it is true. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was filmed in part at the Treasury. Some of the news coverage also focused on that chalice, noting that it had sort of a visual similarity to the Holy Grail from the film. That's obviously interesting. A lot of other movies have also been filmed at Petra besides Indiana Jones and Petra. Also, it's an extremely distinctive historical site. It has a whole significant history of its own. So all, all the coverage just seemingly boiling it down to a 35 year old movie kind of irritated me, even though I love that movie.

[Holly Fry]

Can I help?

[Tracy V. Wilson]

You can help.

[Holly Fry]

My 100% guess is that that is the only thing that most modern people can reference it with.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

See, I feel like Petra is so visually distinctive that it's memorable on its own.

[Holly Fry]

Where would those people have seen it though, outside of Indiana Jones?

[Tracy V. Wilson]

So many other movies have also been filmed there. So anyway, I just, I got sort of frustrated at the boiling down of it to only Indiana Jones. And so now we're just gonna take a sponsor break so I can get over it. And we will talk about our foodie finds.

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Take.

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A trip and experience the horrors that have haunted Latin America since the beginning of time. Listen to Nocturno Tales from the Shadows as part of Michael Tura Podcast Network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Each season we explore a new theme, everything from poisoners and pirates to art thieves and snake oil products and those who made and sold them.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the stories and secrets of some of history's most compelling criminal figures, including a man who built a submarine as a getaway vehicle. Yep, that's a fact.

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We also look at what kinds of societal forces were at play at the time of the crime, from legal injustices to the ethics of body snatching, to see what, if anything, might look different through today's perspective.

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And be sure to tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in custom made cocktails and mocktails inspired by the stories. There's one for every story we tell.

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Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Holly Fry]

Like data is a very rough proxy for a complex reality.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

How is it possible that the world's.

[Danny Trehl]

New energy revolution can be based in this place where there's no electricity at night?

[Cara Price]

Oz and I will cut through the noise to bring you the best conversations and deep dives that will help you understand how tech is changing our world and what you need to know to survive the singularity.

[Danny Trehl]

So join us listen to Tech stuff on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

We have so many Edibles and potables first, researchers in Tunisia have found the remains of cooked snails that likely date back more than 7,700 years. And some of these are unique because they have a membrane that can temporarily close off the opening of the shell, called an epiphram. And that epiphram is still intact.

[Holly Fry]

This raises some questions. Most land snails produce an epiphragm only in specific climactic conditions, when they need to protect themselves from losing too much moisture. Modern people who consume land snails with that epiphram intact have to harvest them from specific places at specific times of year and then preserve them in a specific way to make sure that epiphram does stay intact. In northern Tunisia today, this happens when the snails have burrowed underground and developed an epiphragm in preparation to essentially hibernate through the hottest months of the summer. So people have to know where the snails are and how to dig them up without damaging them and then store them so the epiphram stays intact until they are prepared.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Only 41 of the more than 35,000 snails at this site had an epiphram, but it's not clear whether others did have them when they were first harvested, but they were either removed or destroyed somehow, or just didn't survive that 7700 years that has passed since then. But this does suggest that people living more than 7,000 years ago knew how to find, collect and preserve these snails, and that this may be cultural knowledge that was passed down through hundreds of generations, so that people who are still following those traditional food ways are using knowledge that has been passed down through those centuries.

[Holly Fry]

Next, researchers in Australia have worked with the Martu Aboriginal people to study seed dispersal in non domesticated plants. They looked at four bush raisin, bush tomato, and lovegrass, all of which the Mertu people gather and eat, and fanflower, which they do not typically forage. This research involved accompanying Martu harvesters and seeing how they prepared and consumed the food. This was combined with satellite data and ecological surveys to study humans impact on the land.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

So the researchers found that bush raisin, bush tomato, and love grass all rely on people for their seed dispersal, and that this was especially true of the bush tomato. Exactly how that seed dispersal happened really varied from plant to plant. So, for example, people who are harvesting bush tomatoes might taste them out in the field to make sure they're sweet and discard ones that are not and scatter those seeds in the process. Bush raisins also only grow where people are using fire as part of their hunting practices for small animals.

[Holly Fry]

Researchers involved in this work talked about expanding how we think of agriculture. Typically, when people talk about agriculture, the focus is on sedentary communities who are growing specific domesticated crops in specific places. The Martu are more nomadic, but they are still having a clear impact on the wild plants that they harvest.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

That has some similarities to research conducted in British Columbia, Canada, involving hazelnuts. This research started with indigenous oral traditions across multiple communities involving the cultivation of the beaked hazelnut and how those hazelnuts are used. And then that combined with DNA research into different hazelnut specimens and an exploration of the words for hazelnut in different indigenous languages. The finding there was that the word for hazelnut was often really similar, even in languages that are not themselves similar. They found genetically similar clusters of hazelnut plants growing in areas that were very remote and disconnected from one another. So all of this suggests an intentional cultivation and transplanting of hazelnuts by indigenous peoples going back at least 7,000 years. So that really contradicts descriptions of these parts of North America in terms like, quote, wild and uncultivated.

[Holly Fry]

According to research published in the journal Scientific Reports, Neolithic pans known as husking trays, which date back to between 7,000 and 5,000 BCE in Mesopotamia, were used to bake a bread that is very like focaccia. This was based on analysis of residues inside the trays, which found that they were used for a range of Foods, with some of them being used for a bread that was baked along with lard or oil.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The researchers also made experimental replicas of the trays and then used them to bake both plain doughs and dough that had been seasoned with a plant oil or animal fat. The trays were baked in dome shaped ovens for about two hours at an initial temperature of about 420 degrees Celsius. It's a lot hotter than a typical oven today, but these were ovens that would have been powered by fire, which would then decrease in its temperature over time. We talked about this in our baking interview not long ago. Researchers found that the breads that were seasoned with fat or oil, they were a lot softer and more flavorful, much like focaccia. They also conducted some use wear analysis on these experimental replica trays to study what exactly happened to the pans as a result of being used for this baking.

[Holly Fry]

And speaking of bread, archaeologists in southern Germany have found the remains of a 2800-year-old bakery with bread and cooking tools still inside. Most of the food remains found there are grain based, including oats and spelt, although there were some berries as well.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

On a similar note, archaeologists working on the island of Funen in Denmark have found evidence of grains and grinding stones there that both date back to about 5,500 years. A lot of the time when archaeologists find both grains and grinding stones at an archaeological site, they conclude that the people there were grinding cereals into flour to make some kind of bread. But after examining the grinding stones, this team came to a different conclusion. The starch granules that they found on the grinding stones were not from cereal grains. They were from some other, as yet unidentified plants. The grinding stones also did not have the kinds of wear marks that usually come from grinding cereals into flour. So the conclusion was that these Neolithic peoples were eating grains. They found charred grains of barley, emmer wheat, and durum wheat, but they were making them into a porridge or a gruel, rather than turning them into flour and making them into bread. And the grinding was for some other purpose.

[Holly Fry]

Next, in research that could also have been filed under shipwrecks, the James R. Bentley sank in a storm while crossing Lake Huron in 1878. Its cargo was full of rye. And now researchers have recovered some of that rye, and they are trying to use it to make whiskey. Unlike the way some of the headlines make it sound, they did not retrieve grain from the shipwreck and then take it right to the distillery. Instead, divers brought up tubes full of Rye from the wreck. And it's one of the few wrecks in Lake Huron that is privately owned. Otherwise that move would have been illegal. But they put those tubes on ice to get them to Michigan State University so that researchers could work with them. And once they got there, some of the grain was obviously spoiled, but some of it seemed to still be good.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

First, botanists tried to get this grain to germinate. That, unfortunately, did not work. Their next step was DNA research to try to figure out which modern breeds of rye are the most similar to this one. Their eventual plan is to transfer chromosomal segments from. From this grain into a very similar rye species. And then the ultimate goal is for that to become a plantable, growable seed. And then that is what they plan for Michigan distillers to turn into a unique whiskey. I got very excited at the idea that it was like, we got some rye from a shipwreck, and we're making it into whiskey. But it is a more involved process than that.

[Holly Fry]

That seems like a way to make a very expensive spirit to me, for sure. That would make a lot of money.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This more like, in addition to the whiskey part, this is also about trying to, like, revive a strain of rye that was important to Michigan at the time that the shipwreck happened.

[Holly Fry]

Yeah, I love it. It's very cool. Archaeologists in China have found evidence of rice beer dating back 10,000 years. This came from analysis of the residues on 12 pottery fragments. Rice was present in a lot of the residues, and some of them also showed evidence of fermentation. There was also some evidence of yeast that are still used in traditional brewing methods today.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

The tomb of Western Han Dynasty Emperor Lu he, who ruled for only 27 tumultuous days, was excavated back in 2015. And one of the things that was unearthed was a bronze distilling vessel. We talked in our recent episode on hangovers about how the earliest stills probably were used to make medicines and perfumes rather than alcoholic beverages. And it's believed that distilled wine dates back to the 12th or 13th century in China. Specifically, this still was a lot older than that known distilling of wines dating back to about 2,000 years ago. And the team wanted to see if it could have been used to distill wine.

[Holly Fry]

Remnants of taro root and various fruits had been found in the original vessel. So the team tried to work out a wine recipe that would have included those ingredients, and that worked. Their successful attempt to distill wine suggests that it was at least possible that the vessel was used for that purpose.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Next up, peaches. Peaches are really associated with the American South. They are native to China, though they were introduced to the Americas by the Spanish in the 16th century. But according to new research published in the journal Nature Communications, the spread of peach trees across the Americas did not just come from European colonists. Radiocarbon dating of peach pits found at sites in what's now north and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas suggest that peaches were widespread around indigenous settlements in the Southeast by the year 1620. The origin point of a lot of these trees probably was the Spanish settlements, but then indigenous peoples carried and cultivated them well beyond those settlements. This included finding peach pits in post holes at a Muskogean farm site that predated the founding of the city of St. Augustine, Florida. St. Augustine is, of course, considered to be the oldest Spanish city in what's now the United States.

[Holly Fry]

Archaeologists working in Ireland have found the charred remains of a 2000-year-old fig at a trading post at which trade was carried out with the Roman Empire. Although fig seeds have been found at Irish archaeological sites before, this is the earliest example of the actual fruit, which survived because it had been burned.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

In our last food find, archaeologists working at the site of Oriel College in Oxford, founded in 1326, have found its original kitchen, and the finds there include a roasting hearth and an oven base. And now we'll take a break and then come back for some books and letters.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondence and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content that you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Peter Tilden]

I'm Jason Alexander.

[Osvaloshin]

And I'm Peter Tilden, and together on the really Know really podcast, our mission.

[Peter Tilden]

Is to get the true answers to life's baffling questions, like why they refuse.

[Osvaloshin]

To make the bathroom door go all the way to the floor.

[Peter Tilden]

We got the answer.

[Osvaloshin]

Will space junk block your cell signal? The astronaut who almost drowned her during a spacewalk gives us the answer. We talk with the scientist who figured out if your dog truly loves you and the one bringing back the woolly mammoth. Plus, does Tom Cruise really do his own stunts? His stuntman reveals the answer and you never know who's going to drop by.

[Peter Tilden]

Mr. Brian Cranston is with us.

[Osvaloshin]

How are you? Hello, my friend Wayne Knight. About Jurassic Park.

[Peter Tilden]

Wayne Knight, welcome to really? Not really, sir.

[Jason Alexander]

Bless you all.

[Osvaloshin]

Hello Newman. And you never know when when Howie Mandel might just stop by to talk about judging.

[Peter Tilden]

Really?

[Holly Fry]

That's the opening.

[Peter Tilden]

Really?

[Holly Fry]

No.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Really?

[Holly Fry]

Yeah. Really?

[Tracy V. Wilson]

No really.

[Peter Tilden]

Go to reallynoreally.com and register to win.

[Osvaloshin]

$500, a guest spot on our podcast or a limited edition sign. Jason Bobblehead.

[Peter Tilden]

It's called really? No really and you can find it on the iHeartRadio app on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jason Alexander]

Welcome. I'm Danny Thrill. Won't you join me at the fire and dare Enter Nocturnum Tale from the Shadows presented by I Heart and Sonoro. An anthology of modern day horror stories inspired by the legends of Latin America. From ghastly encounters with shapeshifters to bone chilling brushes with supernatural creatures.

[Peter Tilden]

I know you.

[Jason Alexander]

Take a trip and experience the horrors that have haunted Latin America since the beginning of time. Listen to Nocturnal Tales from the Shadows as part of Michael Tuda Podcast Network. Available on the iHeartRadio app Apple podcast over wherever you get your podcast.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarchi.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Each season we explore a new theme, everything from poisoners and pirates to art thieves and snake oil products and those who made and sold them.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the stories and secrets of some of history's most compelling criminal figures, including a man who built a submarine as a getaway vehicle. Yep, that's a fact.

[Maria Tremarchi]

We also look at what kinds of societal forces were at play at the time of the crime, from legal injustices to the ethics of body snatching, to see what, if anything, might look different through today's perspective.

[Holly Fry]

And be sure to tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in custom made cocktails and mocktails inspired by the stories. There's one for every story we tell.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danny Trehl]

Do you want to understand an invisible force that's shaping your life? I'm Osvaloshin, one of the new hosts of the long running podcast Tech Stuff. I'm slightly skeptical but obsessively intrigued.

[Cara Price]

And I'm Cara Price, the other new host. And I'm ready to adopt early and.

[Danny Trehl]

Often on tech stuff. We travel all the way from the mines of Congo to the surface of Mars to the dark corners of TikTok to ask and attempt to answer burning questions about technology.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

One of the kind of tricks for surviving Mars is to live there long enough so that people evolve into Martians.

[Holly Fry]

Like data is a very rough proxy for a complex reality.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

How is it possible that the world's.

[Danny Trehl]

New energy revolution can be based in this place where there's no electricity at night?

[Cara Price]

Oz and I will cut through the noise to bring you the best conversations and deep dives that will help you understand how tech is changing our world and what you need to know to survive the singularity. So join us.

[Danny Trehl]

Listen to tech stuff on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Now we have got quite a few finds to file under Books and Letters. Archaeologists in the Turkish port city of Annemerium have found a complete 13 line inscription honoring a wrestler named Kikilianus. This is believed to be about 2,000 years old, and it's inscribed into a stone that weighs an estimated half a ton. So it's possible that this stone was originally the base of a statue that was meant to honor this wrestler. This Greek inscription praises him for winning a recent tournament Bram Stoker has a.

[Holly Fry]

New short story out. Kind of this story is called Gibbet Hill and it ran in the Dublin Daily Express on December 17, 1890, seven, years before Stoker published his famous novel Dracula. But that short story didn't make its way into collections of Stoker's known work or his archival papers. It was sort of forgotten about until a modern day pharmacist named Brian Cleary spotted a reference to it in an ad that ran in the Daily Express a couple of weeks after its publication. While he was going through some old newspapers, the newly rediscovered book was reissued at the Bram Stoker Festival in Dublin in October. This one also could have gone in the update section since we have an episode on Bram Stoker that we just ran as a Saturday classic this past November.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Next, the British Library has an exhibition called Medieval Women in Their Own Words, which is running until March 2nd of 2025, which is mind bogglingly enough this year.

[Holly Fry]

Very soon.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This includes material related to several women we have covered on the show before, including Julene of Norwich and Christine de Pizan. While preparing for this exhibition, staff at the library found an unknown leaf by the Poor Clares of Cologne. The Poor Clares were a branch of the Franciscan Order and the Convent of the Poor Claire's in Cologne was founded in 1304. This convent produced a lot of manuscripts in the 14th century.

[Holly Fry]

The leaf was originally the first page of a manuscript that contained all the chants to be sung at mass, arranged chronologically, beginning with the first Sunday in Advent. This particular leaf has a small figure of a nun down at the bottom corner, along with an inscription crediting Sister Isabella of guelders with giving 20 marks to complete the book. Other leaves from the same manuscript are housed in the Walra Rickarts Museum in Cologne. And the staff there also didn't know that there was a leaf in the British Library.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This leaf was part of a folio that had come from the Convent of St. Clair, but it had not previously been mentioned in scholarship on the convent. Depictions of nuns kind of kneeling in the margins are a pretty common feature in the manuscripts that were produced at this convent. Usually they would name the nun and detail how she had contributed to the production of the manuscript.

[Holly Fry]

Coming up, just a heads up. We are doing a guesstimated pronunciation because we cannot find a guide. So research published in the journal Nyawa Pacha Journal of the Institute of Andean Studies has found a connection between two khipus. These are the sets of knotted strings and cords that Andean people used to record and share information for more than a thousand years, but which people today no longer know how to interpret. They were particularly important to the Inca Empire. Today, much of this work is happening through digitized data that is available at the Open Khipu Repository and the Khipu Field Guide.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

This research looked specifically at two quipus found in northern Chile. One is the largest one of them ever found, containing more than 1800 cords. The other is a lot smaller, containing about 600 chords, but with really complex arrangements.

[Holly Fry]

It appears that these two khipus contain the same information, but that information is presented differently. The smaller Khipu is essentially a summary and reallocation of the information contained in the bigger one. It's not yet known exactly what that information is or why Khipu makers chose to make two khipus that presented the same information in two ways.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Next, in our autumn installment of Unearthed last year, we talked about a message in a bottle that had been left by archaeologist P.J. ferret at a site where he worked in 1825. And we have a similar find. This time it is a bottle containing coins, a business card and a note written by Norwegian archaeologist Anders La Ronge at the site of a hundred foot long Viking ship that had been burned as part of a funeral ritual. Roughly 1,000 years ago, archaeologists found this bottle while re excavating the same ship, which had only been partially excavated back in the 19th century.

[Holly Fry]

The note gives an overview of the excavation, although not everything in it matches up to what archae found in this re excavation. The project's release on this find doesn't frame this as carelessness or inaccuracy on La Ronge's part, though, more that he was overseeing the entire site rather than doing the actual excavating with that hands on work being done by locally hired laborers.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I kind of love that he left his sort of research notes as a message in a bottle for future archaeologists. Another message in a bottle was found in the walls, of course Wall lighthouse in Scotland. This was dated September 4, 1892 and it was left by the engineers who had just installed a new lens at the lighthouse. This bottle was found by accident by engineers who were working on repairs to that same lens. Lighthouse keeper Barry Miller gave a statement to the New York Times saying it felt like those earlier engineers were communicating.

[Holly Fry]

Directly with According to research published in the journal kadmos, historian Mark Munn of Penn State University believes he has decoded an inscription on a carved piece of volcanic rock in eastern Turkey known as Arslan Kaya. This inscription has been previously described as indecipherable. It's written in the ancient Phrygian language, which is not well understood today. The inscription is also more than 2,500 years old, so it has weathered over time. It was also originally part of a larger monument, and it's not really known what other context the rest of the monument might have provided for interpreting it.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Munn was working from photos that he took of the inscription back in April during ideal lighting conditions, and then cross referenced that with other work on the inscription, including earlier photographs. He came to the conclusion that this monument honored the Phrygian mother goddess Mataran, who was also worshipped by the Greeks and Romans, and there are other monuments to her in this region.

[Holly Fry]

Speaking of indecipherable inscriptions, some of the graffiti at the Tower of London previously described as illegible, has now been deciphered. This work also allowed researchers to identify far more examples of graffiti than were previously known to exist in this part of the tower. 354 compared to the earlier number of 79. This work included x ray analysis, laser scanning, and a technique called ranking light that involves illuminating a surface only from the side, giving a much more detailed view of the graffiti than was possible before. Most of these inscriptions are by prisoners who were Essentially leaving evidence that they had been there. And work to decipher those marks is still ongoing.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

A small silver amulet has yet one more indecipherable thing. It was discovered in a grave in Germany in 2018, and it contained a tiny, tiny scroll made of silver foil. This amulet and its contents were about 1800 years old, and there was really no way to try to unroll that scroll and read it without destroying it. But now, thanks to high resolution CT scanning, it's been read. It turns out it contains a prayer for protection. That may actually be the oldest evidence of Christianity in Europe, north of the Alps. It dates back to about 50 years before other known references to Christianity. At that time, Christianity was not widely practiced in the region, and it was also viewed with some suspicion. So it's likely that this scroll was hidden in the amulet and then kept secret. It's also unusual that this scroll only references Christianity, because these kinds of protective amulets, often, instead of being sort of one specifically Christian thing, they often had references to multiple different faiths and traditions.

[Holly Fry]

Research published in the European Journal of Archaeology suggests that engraved slate plaques dating back to 3200-2200 BCE may contain genealogical records. The engravings on these plaques look very geometric and abstract, and more than 1600 of them have been found at Iberian tombs and burial sites.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

A number of different explanations have been put forth about what these might mean. And this one is that they might represent a person's ancestry in a symbolic way, kind of like a heraldic emblem. And this conclusion is based in part on a plaque that seems like it has a rough draft on one side and the final and corrected version on the other side. That process of seeming to correct something makes it seem like the details of this have a specific meaning. This led to some analysis of more than 650of these plaques and a conclusion that the number of lines or motifs on a plaque might represent how far a person is away from a specific ancestor.

[Holly Fry]

And lastly, archaeologists in Syria may have found the oldest known example of an Alphabet. This writing was etched into clay cylinders approximately the size of a finger, which have been dated to about 2400 BCE. This is about 500 years older than the previous earliest known alphabetic writing. Who knows if it will change EPCOT.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Lastly, we will finish our 2024 Unearthed with three projects that are all about my new favorite thing, which is researchers trying to figure stuff out about ancient weapons by making replicas of them and then using them. First, researchers who wanted to figure out how prehistoric spears were used made replicas of spears and of shields. And they got those into the hands of human fighters. And the results of this were published as Multi Stage Experiments in Bronze Age Spear Combat. Insights on wear formation, trauma and combat contexts that was published in the journal Archaeological Science. I found the findings of this one kind of hard to just sum up. They basically analyzed the wear and tear on the spears and the shields, and they also did some tests where they used animal tissues to replicate the human body.

[Holly Fry]

Next, research led by Kent State University and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History looked at the question of whether having the high ground would make throne weapons more accurate. They did this by putting people on a scissor lift, raising it to various heights, and having them throw javelins or use an atlatl to throw darts. Their research suggested that throwing from a height made javelins more effective, but atlatl thrown darts somewhat less effective. This may mean that prehistoric peoples chose one weapon over the other based on the terrain they were going to be using them in, or that they sought out specific terrain based on which weapon they had on hand. This was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science reports as the Gravity of Paleolithic Hunting.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

And this last one was initially part of a TV show that aired in Australia called First Weapons. This show was created by first nations owned production company Blackfella Films and it explored a number of weapons developed and used by Aboriginal peoples, including returning boomerangs, spear throwers and clubs and shields. Research related to the Liango club and parrying shield and related to the Koich, which is a type of ax that came out of this show and was published as Aboriginal Australian Weapons and Human Efficiency in the journal Scientific Reports. There are still Aboriginal master weapon makers who are making and using these weapons today, but the ones in this research were described as replicas. This paper looked specifically at the biomechanics of these two weapons, concluding that the Liangel was more effective at delivering powerful blows, while the Koich, which is a multi purpose tool, was more maneuverable but still very potentially lethal.

[Holly Fry]

And that cool story ends unearthed for this round.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Hooray. Will be back in three months.

[Holly Fry]

Do you have listener mail?

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I do have listener mail. This is from Janelle. And Janelle wrote, hello, hello, Holly and Tracy. It's a rare moment when I hear something where I can come in. So I got excited during the Sarah Winnemucca Part 1 When it was mentioned that Truckee, that was her grandfather, may have died of a tarantula bite. There have been no recorded deaths due to tarantula venom anywhere. There are exceptionally rare occasions where A tarantula bite turns gangrenous and someone dies of the infection. Also, none of the species native to North America have medically significant venom. There is one genus in Central America who has more potent venom, but in general, significant bites from Old World. That's Asia, Africa, Middle east species. For pet tax, I've included two of my 15 species of tarantula that I keep. First is Mosi, a hydra. I'm laughing at Holly's excitement about this.

[Holly Fry]

I love tarantulas.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

We can talk about this in a second. First is Mosi, a hunder in curly hair who looks like she's struck one of her tiny paws in a light socket. The second is Baris, an Indian ornamental who is one of those with medically significant venom, but who is also one of my shyest and most beautiful spiders. Many thanks for all you do, Janelle. Hey, Janelle. First, thanks for this email. Second, thanks for these tarantula pictures. Holly, as I have said, is very excited. We for a time at my house when I was a child, we had a tarantula, my brother, this was a classroom tarantula that somehow my brother became it's steward of. And this involved raising crickets to feed the tarantula in a cricket enclosure in the basement. I don't know if the crickets in my parents basement now are descendants of the crickets that we farmed to feed the tarantula, but boy, there are still crickets about down there. Yeah. Yeah. My brother and I had a conversation one time, talking hypothetically about like what if I needed to record podcasts for my parents basement? And he sent me a text that just said I was like, oh, that definitely would not work. It'd be great.

[Holly Fry]

It could be ambient noise. It'd be beautiful. Yeah, I had a lot of tarantulas as a kid.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Oh yeah.

[Holly Fry]

Cause I, when I was very tiny, I lived in Arizona.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Oh, right.

[Holly Fry]

And before I had the sense to have fear, I had no hesitation to just pick them up.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Sure.

[Holly Fry]

Much to my mother's chagrin.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yeah.

[Holly Fry]

And would put them in a coffee can and take them home and be like, this is my tarantula now. And sometimes I would get to have a setup and sometimes not. And for some, I named every single one of them Bill. I don't know why.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

They can cause some skin irritation, you know, if handling them walking on you, that is a thing that can happen with some of them. Anyway. I don't actually know the details of Trekkie's death. It's. It's described in a number of sources as possibly after a tarantula bite. The. The idea of a wound becoming infected way more likely than it necessarily would have been today. But yeah, I don't know for sure where that comes from, whether that came from her writing, other people's writing, what exactly. But thank you so much, Janelle, for, number one, that information about tarantulas. And number two, these great tarantula pictures looking like she stuck a paw in a light socket is a great description of this tarantula, which tarantula is black but has these white, very sticky outy hairs. There's probably a specific name for what those hairs on a tarantula call.

[Holly Fry]

Would those be considered guard hairs? I don't know.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

I was gonna say cilia, and that's not right.

[Holly Fry]

Some animals that undercoat that sticks out is called a guard hair, but I don't know if that applies to tarantulas. Yeah, I still love them. I'm a little scared to handle them now. Not out of fear for myself, but because now I know enough to know that they are delicate and I could accidentally hurt them. And that's. I'm worried that I will Elmira Duff and be so excited that I will accidentally hurt them.

[Tracy V. Wilson]

Yes. So thank you again. Also, come back on Friday because we're gonna talk some more on behind the Scenes. We'll be talking more about Petra. We've already determined this. If you'd like to send us a note. We're at history [e-mail] and we're, you know, in every podcast player that you can find, including the iHeartRadio app and anywhere else you like to get your podcasts. Stuff youf Missed in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Danny Trehl]

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[Cara Price]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Danny Trehl]

Just do your own taxes in the app by 218.

[Cara Price]

What if I have lots of forms?

[Danny Trehl]

All good, all 100% free.

[Cara Price]

What if I had three jobs?

[Danny Trehl]

Still 100% free.

[Cara Price]

What if I want someone called Bigfoot?

[Danny Trehl]

That has nothing to do with taxes. So still 100 free.

[Cara Price]

That's what I'm talking about.

[Danny Trehl]

Now this is taxes. See if you qualify in the TurboTax app. Excludes TurboTax Live must start and file an app by 218.

[Jon Stewart]

Catch Jon Stewart back in action on the Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondence and confidence contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jason Alexander]

You should probably keep your lights on for Nocturnal Tales from the Shadow. Join me, Danny Trehlve and Step into the Flames of Fright, an anthology podcast of modern day horror stories inspired by the most terrifying legends and lore of Latin America. Listen to nocturnum on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Welcome to the Criminalia Podcast. I'm Maria Tremarke.

[Holly Fry]

And I'm Holly Fry. Together we invite you into the dark and winding corridors of historical true crime.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Each season we explore a new theme, from poisoners to art thieves.

[Holly Fry]

We uncover the secrets of history's most interesting figures, from legal injustices to body.

[Maria Tremarchi]

Snatching, and tune in at the end of each episode as we indulge in cocktails and mocktails in inspired by each story.

[Holly Fry]

Listen to criminalia on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Peter Tilden]

I'm Jason Alexander.

[Osvaloshin]

And I'm Peter Tilden and together our mission on the really no really podcast.

[Peter Tilden]

Is to get the true answers to life's baffling questions, like why the bathroom.

[Osvaloshin]

Door doesn't go all the way to the floor, what's in the museum a failure, and does your dog truly love you? We have the answer though, to really know really.com and register to win 500 a guest spot on our podcast or a limited edition sign. Jason Bobblehead the Really no really podcast.

[Peter Tilden]

Follow us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.