Podcast
The Rock Art Podcast
Hosted by The Archaeology Podcast Network · EN
Rock art is one of those things that just captivates your attention. The ancient carvings, drawings, and paintings tell a story. Sometimes we can interpret what that story is and sometimes we can't. World renowned rock art expert, Dr. Alan Garfinkel joins APN founder Chris Webster and a cast of expert guests to talk about rock art: what is it, how do we know how old it is, who made it, and much more. Join us as we take you on a journey through space and time via pictures on rock.
25episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Dr. John Bellezza on Exploring Pre-Buddhist Tibet and Its Rock Art - Ep 164
6d ago00:38:21Tap to summarizeHost Dr. Alan Garfinkel interviews Dr. John Bellezza about his path from traveling in India and Tibet in the 1980s to focusing on Tibetan prehistory, archaeology, cosmology, and rock art, later earning a PhD at the University of Kent based on prior publications. Bellezza stresses learning Tibetan languages and working in the field as Tibet opened to travelers in 1984, then turning to pre-Buddhist traditions often erased or absorbed by Buddhism and long neglected by scholars. He describes discoveries at Lake Namtso, evidence for high-altitude pastoralism and hunting, and key finds in rock art and monuments, including chariots and standing-stone complexes. He previews ongoing rock art volumes and future work on bronze talismans and Old Tibetan texts. Transcripts For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/164 Contact Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet APN Shop Affiliates and Sponsors Motion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcribe →Dr Jayc Sedlmayr and Supernatural Gamekeepers - Ep 163
3w ago00:37:06Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Alan speaks with Dr Jayc Sedlmayr about his research into indigenous theology and animal ceremonial traditions. Drawing on interdisciplinary backgrounds, Sedlmayr discusses his “Embodied Essence” project, which explores how many cultures understood spiritual essence as residing in bodily substances—especially bone marrow. He explains how this perspective helps interpret ritual practices involving bones, such as their treatment as regenerative “seeds,” their placement in ceremonial contexts, and their role in maintaining relationships between humans, animals, and the spiritual world. Transcripts For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/163 Links Embodied Essence sessions (SAA 2024 collection) The Ensouled Body (co-authored by Jayc Sedlmayr) Contact Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet APN Shop Affiliates and Sponsors Motion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcribe →Mobile Artifacts and Conventional Signs with Dr Christian Bentz and Dr Ewa Dutkiewicz - Ep 162
Apr 1000:39:02Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Alan speaks with Dr Christian Bentz and Dr Ewa Dutkiewicz about their research on early systems of conventional signs. They explore how recurring symbols in rock art and mobile artifacts may reflect shared visual communication as far back as 40,000 years ago, and what this reveals about early human cognition and culture. Transcripts For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/162 Links SignBase, a collection of geometric signs on mobile objects in the Palaeolithic Humans 40,000 years ago developed a system of conventional signs Dr Ewa Dutkiewicz Profile Dr Christian Bentz Profile Contact Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet APN Shop Affiliates and Sponsors Motion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcribe →PROMO - BREAKING NEWS - Monte Verde is no longer a pre-Clovis site, with Dr. Todd Surovell - Ethno 33
Mar 2700:49:43Tap to summarizeIn this special episode, I sit down with Dr. Todd Surovell, professor of anthropology at the University of Wyoming, to discuss new research that re-examines Monte Verde using modern geoarchaeological methods. The results suggest that the famous site may actually be much younger than previously believed, dating to the Holocene rather than the Ice Age. If true, this would mean that Monte Verde is not evidence for pre-Clovis humans in South America, and it could force archaeologists to reconsider one of the most influential discoveries in American archaeology. We discuss: The history of the Monte Verde discovery Why it reshaped textbooks in the 1990s How new geological and dating analyses challenge the original interpretation What this means for Clovis-first vs. pre-Clovis models Why independent verification and skepticism are essential in science This episode explores how science evolves—and how even the most famous discoveries can be re-examined. Links Video Version to follow along Surovell’s Study Surovell’s UW Page davidianhowe.com Davidianhowe.com/store Contact Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet APN Shop Affiliates and Sponsors Motion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcribe →Decolinization and Understanding Cultural Perspective - Ep 161
Mar 1300:37:50Tap to summarizeIn episode 161, Chris Webster and Dr. Alan Garfinkel discuss decolonization in archaeology and rock art studies, arguing that researchers must take Indigenous perspectives seriously as Native communities gain more political and intellectual influence. They emphasize that Indigenous cosmologies often frame rock art meaning through interconnected energy, reciprocity, and life-death cycles rather than “gods” and rigid categories, and they highlight the value of shared vocabulary, cultural humility, and collaboration in interpretation. Transcripts For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/161 Transcript Contact Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet APN Shop Affiliates and Sponsors Motion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcribe →America's Oldest Rock Art? with Dr George Harold Nash - Ep 160
Feb 2700:40:23Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Alan welcomes back Dr George Harold Nash to the podcast to discuss his article on Serra da Capivara National Park, one of the most important archaeological regions in South America. Together, they explore the park’s extraordinary rock art, controversial early dates, and what the evidence might mean for long-standing models of migration into the Americas. Transcripts For a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/160 Links Serra da Capivara: America’s Oldest Rock Art? Dr George Harold Nash profile Contact Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel’s Website Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet APN Shop Affiliates and Sponsors Motion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcribe →The Living Traditions of Rock Art with Dr Joakim Goldhahn - Ep 159
Feb 1300:37:42Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Alan speaks with Dr Joakim Goldhahn about his journey through archaeology and rock art, from Scandinavia to Australia. Together, they explore the cosmology of Scandinavian burials linked to rock art, as well as the living traditions of rock art in Kakadu National Park and the lifeways of Indigenous Australians. Central to the discussion is a reflection on archaeological responsibility: how working outside these cultural traditions requires humility, accountability, and a commitment to building genuine, impactful relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities.TranscriptsFor a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/159LinksDr Joakim Goldhahn’s BiographyIntroduction to Scandinavian Rock ArtKakadu National Park Rock Art‘This is my father’s painting': a first hand account of the creation of the most iconic rock art in Kakadu National ParkContactDr. Alan Garfinkelavram1952@yahoo.comDr. Alan Garfinkel’s WebsiteSupport Dr. Garfinkel on PatreonArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliates and SponsorsMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcribe →Obsidian Conveyance Systems of the Pacific Northwest - Ep 158
Jan 3000:36:44Tap to summarizeEpisode 158 of the Rock Art Podcast steps beyond rock art to explore “obsidian conveyance systems”—how volcanic glass moved through travel, trade, and social ties, and what that reveals about prehistoric lifeways. Host Dr. Alan Garfinkel is joined by co-host Chris Webster for a conversation on obsidian sourcing, chemical fingerprints, and why big datasets can reconstruct connections even when stratigraphy is mixed. Alan draws from a major post-wildfire cultural project in southern Oregon’s North Umpqua River Basin, where cleared forests exposed dense artifact scatters and a surprising pattern: heavy reliance on obsidian despite sources 100+ miles away, including biface caches dated to around 4,000 years ago.TranscriptsFor a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/158ContactDr. Alan Garfinkelavram1952@yahoo.comDr. Alan Garfinkel’s WebsiteSupport Dr. Garfinkel on PatreonArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliates and SponsorsMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcribe →Pleistocene-Holocene transition and rock art with Dr Maria Guagnin and Dr Ceri Shipton - Ep 157
Jan 1600:37:09Tap to summarizeIn 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.TranscriptsFor a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/rockart/157LinksDr. Maria GuagninDr Ceri ShiptonMonumental rock art illustrates that humans thrived in the Arabian Desert during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition12,000-year-old rock art marked ancient water sources in Arabia’s desertContactDr. Alan Garfinkelavram1952@yahoo.comDr. Alan Garfinkel’s WebsiteSupport Dr. Garfinkel on PatreonArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliates and SponsorsMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Transcribe →PROMO: Ethnocynology Podcast Ep 15
Jan 200:54:29Tap to summarizeAs 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 GoverIn 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 APNLinksDire wolves were the last of an ancient New World canid lineageOn the ancestry and evolution of the extinct dire wolfArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliates and SponsorsMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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