Archaeology on YouTube: 2026.05.13

A webinar from the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) to get up to speed with the archaeology component of the 2026 Collaborative Summer Reading Program (CSLP) theme: “Unearth a Story.” Learn archaeology basics and the cool things archaeologists can reveal about the past. We’ll give you the inside scoop on pseudoarchaeology (which you are sure to run into this summer) and the influence of Indiana Jones. In the second half of our presentation, a panel of experts from the AIA’s Outreach and Education Committee will answer popular questions to help you and your library patrons “dig in” to archaeology this summer. More resources for librarians are available at: https://www.archaeological.org/programs/educators/unearth-a-story/

Join the AIA as Justin Dunnavant (UCLA) presents the final AIA Archaeology Hour talk of the 2025-2026 season: "Ecology and Slavery in St. Croix." This presentation was originally given on April 22, 2026 at 8pm Eastern. The development of plantation slavery radically transformed societies and environments in the Americas. In this talk, Dunnavant will delve into the colonial practice of coral mining and its environmental impacts in the Danish West Indies. Drawing from archaeological, historical, and environmental data, Dunnavant reveals how the use of coral as the dominant construction material for colonial buildings left a lasting legacy on the landscape and seascape that is still evident today on the island of St. Croix.

Take a virtual trip Down Under with the AIA as we catch up with Helen Green (University of Melbourne) as she presents the March edition of AIA Archaeology Hour: "Dating Australia’s Oldest Rock Art." This talk was originally given 3/25/26 at 8pm Eastern Time. Australia hosts the world’s oldest continuing culture, and Aboriginal rock art represents one of its most significant records of knowledge. These paintings and engravings remain of deep importance to Aboriginal people today and provide valuable evidence for researchers seeking to understand long-term human-environment interactions. Yet one of the greatest challenges in rock art research is determining age. Without knowing how old the paintings and engravings are, it is difficult to understand how the artworks relate to past changes in climate, environment, or culture. In this talk, Dr. Helen Green will outline the latest scientific techniques used to establish the age of Australia’s oldest rock art, and the innovative, multi-disciplinary projects that bring together traditional Indigenous knowledge and Western science to deepen our understanding of these remarkable cultural records and how we might protect them into the future.

Join the AIA for a virtual trip to West Africa as Akin Ogundiran delivers the February AIA Archaeology Hour talk "Metropolitan Walls of the Ọyọ Empire." Enclosures and perimeter walls, built of lateritic clay and stones, are the most visible monuments and evidence of public works in the archaeological landscape of the Ọyọ Empire (West Africa). What purposes did these walls serve as markers of separation and connection? Join us to find out!

Society Sunday 2026 - February 22, 2026 Find your local AIA Society and see what they're up to: https://www.archaeological.org/programs/societies/find/ Join us as the AIA Societies Committee presents a virtual presentation and Q&A with Jessica Tilley. This presentation was given live at 1pm on February 22, 2026. Often deemed the ‘mysterious’ Etruscans, this pre-Roman civilization of early Italy has fought a hard-won battle in finding its place in the field of Classical Archaeology. Various titans of American Etruscology, including this year’s AIA Gold Medalist Nancy de Grummond, have dedicated decades of research to highlighting the value of Etruscan material in answering larger questions related to ritual practice, cross-cultural interaction, and Mediterranean trade networks. In recent years, Etruscan material has been at the foreground of widely publicized repatriation cases and cultural heritage protection conversations. This buzz culminated in the globally acclaimed 2023 film "La chimera" about a band of Etruscan tomb robbers. Looking ahead, Etruscology is primed for engaging in the development of current archaeological theory, with ongoing research relevant to our multi-cultural, interconnected world. In this lecture, Dr. Jessica Tilley outlines the dynamic history of the Etruscan civilization’s modern reception and highlights the ways in which it is uniquely positioned to contribute to ongoing dialogue around decolonialism, queer theory, globalization, and network theory in Mediterranean archaeology.

This webinar brings together archaeologists and scholars to discuss the preservation of Egypt’s cultural heritage in light of the upcoming CPAC meeting. Panelists will examine the role of bilateral agreements in preventing the illegal import of cultural objects and protecting irreplaceable archaeological resources. Photo credits: Thebes, Luxor, Egypt, Deir el-Medina, © Vyacheslav Argenberg Top left to bottom right: Temple of Hathor, Dark interior, Dendera, Egypt, © Vyacheslav Argenberg Abu Simbel temple (35054418285), Paul Grach, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Templo funerario de Hatshepsut, Luxor, Egipto, 2022-04-03, DD 06, Diego Delso, delso.photo, License CC BY-SA Great Sphinx and Kafra Pyramid, Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 PL, via Wikimedia Commons; The econonomic copyrights belong to Nomos Foundation (Fundacja Nomos). The Foundation shares this material under a free licence as part of its statutory goals. Knossos Minos's Palace, Silar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The AIA is excited to announce a webinar on preserving Greece’s cultural heritage. Hosted by Ömür Harmanşah, the AIA’s Vice President of Cultural Heritage, please join our panel of American and Greek archaeologists and scholars for a discussion on preserving Greece’s cultural heritage in light of the upcoming Cultural Property Advisory Committee meeting on renewing the bilateral agreements to prevent cultural objects from being imported illegally into the United States. The panelists include: Jack Davis, University of Cincinnati Kostas Paschalidis, Margo Tytus Fellow, University of Cincinnati Kim Shelton, UC Berkeley Shari Stocker, University of Cincinnati James Wright, Bryn Mawr Nikos Papadimitriou, The Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Foundation Museum Elena Vlaxogianni, Greek Ministry of Culture Tania Kyriakou, Greek Ministry of Culture Image credits: Looking at Poseidon, Sounion, Greece, Dimitrisdimitriadis, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Top left to bottom right: The Porch of the Caryatids, The Erechtheion, Acropolis of Athens, Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons The Propylon of the Gymnasium, Sanctuary of Asklepios, Epidaurus, Carole Raddato, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons The Lion Gate on 26 March 2019, George E. Koronaios, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons "Als Mittelpunkt der Welt" galt Delphi für die Menschen der Antike. 31, Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Olympia Philippeion, Ronny Siegel, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Knossos Minos's Palace, Silar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Join the AIA for the first talk of 2026 as the AIA's new president, Brian I. Daniels, hosts Danyelle Means for "NAGPRA as a Path to Healing and Reciprocity." This talk was originally given 1/28/26 at 8pm Eastern Time. Have you noticed empty exhibit cases at museums over the past two years as museums move to comply with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)? Means' presentation reframes NAGPRA not as a legal obligation but as a vital opportunity for healing, reciprocity, and relationship-building between archaeologists, museums, and Indigenous communities. Drawing from Indigenous perspectives, the talk explores how NAGPRA challenges institutions to move beyond compliance and toward practices rooted in respect, sovereignty, and shared stewardship. By centering Native voices and experiences, this session invites the audience to consider how honoring ancestors and returning cultural items can transform the field into one of accountability, trust, and long-term collaboration.

Join the Archaeological Institute of America for a fascinating evening with Alison Futrell as she gives the last AIA Archaeology Hour lecture of 2025: "The People's Arena." This presentation was originally given 11/12/2025 at 8pm Eastern. Mass events in the Colosseum were highly visible performances of Rome’s imperial power. But how did the arena impact the lives of ordinary individuals? This talk explores evidence for the experiences of the people in the sands, the seats, and the substructures, beyond the emperor’s box.

Join the Archaeological Institute of America for a fascinating evening as Justin Leidwanger (Stanford University) presents Shipping Stone for Justinian's Empire? as part of the 2025-2026 AIA Archaeology Hour lecture series. This presentation was originally given 10/22/25 at 8 pm Eastern time. The “church wreck” off Sicily—with its 100-ton cargo of prefabricated columns and religious furnishings—has long stood as a symbol of Justinian’s revival of the Roman Empire in the 6th century CE. Recent excavations call this connection into question, providing a new look at economic, political, religious, and artistic networks and the merchant sailors who tied together the Mediterranean world even amid the fall of Rome’s ancient empire. 0:00 - Welcome from the AIA 5:43 - Introducing Justin Leidwanger 7:32 - Marzamemi II “church wreck”: an AIA project in many ways 8:36 - Introducing the Marzamemi II “church wreck”: 9:56 - Mid-20th century investigation and excavation 11:05 - The famous cargo 13:12 - Period of decline: A mid-20th century understanding of Late Antiquity 14:09 - Reconciling 100 tons of finely carved marble with narrative of decline 14:25 - Introducing Emperor Justinian 16:30 - Vibrant transformation: a new understanding of Late Antiquity 17:47 - Marzamemi: one of the last gigantic ships of the ancient world 18:40 - Illicit removal of material from the wreck site 19:38 - New investigations (2013-2019) 22:00 - Conservation challenges: taking care of artifacts above water 22:26 - Mapping the site 22:50 - New discoveries 23:02 - Too many capitals, bases, and columns 25:08 - A pulpit from Thessaly: carved verde antico 25:46 - Panels of Proconessian marble 26:12 - Smaller sculpted finds 26:33 - Not just one church? 28:08 - Scanning to create 3D models of architectural materials 28:35 - Virtually reunifying the cargo 28:55 - Clues from critters: understanding post depositional biological processes 29:50 - Experimental archaeology: understanding the labor lost 30:33 - Column clues: a little early for Justinian 30:53 - What else was on board? 32:04 - Justin’s favorite finds 32:29 - Records of Negotiation, decision making, and evidence of long distance interactions 32:46 - Remnants of the ship 33:34 - Dining on board 34:25 - Secondary cargo and previous stops 35:54 - Where was the ship headed? 37:04 - Conclusions 39:46 - Museum of the Sea in the Palmento Rudinì 40:24 - Underwater dive trails in Sicily 40:51 - Pop-up exhibits 41:23 - Acknowledgements 42:55 - Will the materials from the two Marzamemi excavations be reunited? 43:50 - More about dive trails in Sicily 45:40 - Were spare columns, bases, and capitals shipped in case of breakage? 47:45 - Was the ship making multiple stops? 49:30 - Transporting the cargo inland 53:02 - Why did the ship wreck? 55:07 - Was there shipping insurance in Late Antiquity? 57:10 - Underwater excavation logistics 59:41 - Technology used 1:00:41 - What’s next?

Season 12 Episode 7 Strata: Portraits of Humanity, April 2026 (Upland Greenland archaeology; animated personal story of Canada’s colonial history) (1) “Greenland RESPONSE: The Mountain Survey”: Archaeologists from the Greenland National Museum and UNESCO Kujataa search for traces of Inuit caribou hunting in a remote mountain region of South Greenland close to the ice cap. (2) “Four Faces of the Moon”: An animated short told in four chapters, exploring the reclamation of language and nationhood and peeling back the layers of Canada's colonial history. The filmmaker connects the oral and written history of her family as well as the history of the Métis, Cree and Anishnaabe peoples and their cultural link to the buffalo. Watch on The Archaeology Channel (https://www.archaeologychannel.org/index.php/video-guide/strata-portraits-of-humanity) or Heritage Broadcasting Service (https://heritagetac.org/). ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #heritage #strata #archaeology #archeology #anthropology #history #culturalheritage #strataportraitsofhumanity #culture #film #documentary #shortfilm #indigenous #nativeamerican #firstnations #Greenland #Inuit #caribou #CaribouHunting #GreenlandNationalMuseum #Canada #FirstNations #Métis #Cree #Anishnaabe #Animation #ShortFilm #whattowatch

Heritage Broadcasting Service ( https://www.heritagetac.org ), or just plain Heritage, launched on January 1, 2021. Developed by the nonprofit Archaeological Legacy Institute (that’s us, the people who created The Archaeology Channel at archaeologychannel.org), Heritage features more than 450 outstanding film titles from many countries on familiar subjects. As of April 15, 2026, new films include: “Empires of Silver, Episode 2: The China Trade,” “Whispering in Our Hearts: the Mowla Bluff massacre,” and “Strata: Portraits of Humanity Season 12, Episode 7,” featuring “Greenland RESPONSE: the Mountain Survey,” and “Four Faces of the Moon.” ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #archaeology #archeology #heritage #anthropology #history #culture #heritagebroadcastingservice #film #documentary #whattowatchnext #HistoryDocumentary #Canton #OpiumWars #MowlaBluffMassacre #MowlaBluff #AboriginalHistory #AustralianHistory #Cree #Métis #Anishnaabe #IndigenousStories #Animation #Archaeology #GreenlandNationalMuseum #Inuit #CaribouHunting

“Women of the Mine” (Mujeres de la mina) provides an intimate portrait of three women that live and work at the Cerro Rico mines in Potosí, Bolivia. At more than 13,000 feet, Potosí is one of the world’s highest cities. Cerro Rico mines exploit the world’s largest silver deposit. The mine is the symbol of colonial plunder. The population there has suffered in working poverty while extracting unimaginable riches for others. The mines date to the mid 1500s. In this “mountain that eats men,” historians believe up to 8 million have died so far. Average miner life expectancy is 40 years. In Cerro Rico society, women’s lives are the more cursed and precarious. Most women there are widows, struggling to support their families. Women cannot enter the mines—male miners tend to believe women bring bad luck—so they toil outside, hammering rock on the mountain’s flanks. This film tells the stories of struggle, resistance and courage of three remarkable women: Domitila Chungara – World famous labor leader and feminist, Domitila led the struggle of miners and women in Bolivia. Lucía Armijo – worker, miner, leader and single mother of six children, Lucia shows us the mines and tells us about her life in Cerro Rico. Francisca Gonzalez – Miner and the granddaughter, daughter and widow of miners, Francisca supports her family by hammering stone by stone in her struggle to change the future of her grandchildren. The years spent making the film were intense. Directors Malena Bystrowicz and Loreley Unamuno lived with the mineworkers and shared the joy of the births of dozens of children and the deaths of fathers, husbands and sons to the mines. About one of the film’s subjects, they write, “Domitilla, already old, was a legend. She surprised us with her endless energy to fight. Shortly after our interview, she died of lung disease – the “stigma of mine.” We feel very lucky to be able to share with you our work.” Stream “Women of the Mine” on Heritage Broadcasting Service (heritagetac.org). ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #inspiringwomen #documentary #womenofthemine #bolivia #bolivian #mineworkers #DomitilaChungara #SyndicalFederationofBolivianMineworkers #FSTMB #Potosí #mujeresdelamina #mining #whattowatch #heritage #history #bolivianhistory #femalemineworkers #powerfuldocumentary #CerroRico #cerroricomines

Wrap up this #WomensHistoryMonth with a powerful and inspiring message about women who heal and care for the women within their communities in the face of government repression. Salvadoran midwives often were the only option for help in delivering babies during the Salvadoran “Civil War”—the genocide against its own people by the U.S.-supported Salvadoran military dictatorship there. Now, these traditional health practitioners are fighting to protect their ancestral role in the face of government repression that aims to outlaw their services in favor of hospital services. Alarmingly, these services often involve medically unnecessary genital-mutilating episiotomies, approved by the government as a form of population control. The filming of “Matronas” (Midwives) grew out of an intimate relationship between the filmmakers, Shara Lili and Noemi Delgado, and the midwives featured, and has been shaped by a shared desire to raise awareness about birthing justice. About the significance of this project, Lili and Delgado write: “We believe this story is important to tell not only for El Salvador, but also for the globally relevant insight it provides us as birth becomes increasingly medicalized everywhere. If birth becomes the exclusive realm of hospitals, we lose access to traditional birthing practices which integrate our connection to the natural world from the moment we enter it, and which center women’s agency.” Through compelling interviews, the midwives of “Matronas” share traditional birthing practices, such as plant medicine, and “sobadas”—an Indigenous prenatal massage technique. Safeguarded by midwives, many of whom are in their late seventies and eighties, these practices are in danger of being lost. Despite a growing body of research demonstrating the positive impact that midwives have on maternal health in Latin America, midwives have been forced to operate under very constricted conditions since 2011, when the Salvadoran government announced that all home births are prohibited. Despite the harsh criminalization of their work, Salvadoran midwives continue to provide life-saving services to people in their communities. Watch “Matronas” and many more films about cultural heritage on Heritage Broadcasting Service (heritagetac.org). Subscribe today and get your first week free. ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #elsalvador #midwives #matronas #inspiringwomen #elsalvador #salvadoran # #midwifery #birthingjustice #naturalbirth #traditionalbirth #indigenousknowledge #culturalpreservation #maternalhealth #salvadoranmidwives #homebirth #documentary #film #whattowatch

Get ready for three powerful new stories arriving on Heritage Broadcasting Service!📺✨ On March 30, explore the extraordinary story of how silver shaped the history of our world in "Empires of Silver, Episode 1: The Silver Rush," witness a powerful journey of reclamation in "Return After the Flood," and uncover medieval power shifts in "Humanity's Footsteps, Season 2, Episode 12: The Man of Faith." Subscribe today to start streaming! 🎥🌍 ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #HistoryDocumentary #WorldHistory #DocumentarySeries #SilverRush #TradeHistory #EconomicHistory #IndigenousHistory #Cree #CreeNation #FirstNations #IndigenousStories #MedievalHistory #MiddleAges #Archaeology

Heritage Broadcasting Service ( https://www.heritagetac.org ), or just plain Heritage, launched on January 1, 2021. Developed by the nonprofit Archaeological Legacy Institute (that’s us, the people who created The Archaeology Channel at archaeologychannel.org), Heritage features more than 450 outstanding film titles from many countries on familiar subjects. As of March 30, 2026, new films include: “Empires of Silver, Episode 1: The Silver Rush,” Return After the Flood,” and “Humanity's Footsteps, Season 2, Episode 12: The Man of Faith." ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #archaeology #archeology #heritage #anthropology #history #culture #heritagebroadcastingservice #film #documentary #whattowatchnext #HistoryDocumentary #WorldHistory #DocumentarySeries #SilverRush #TradeHistory #EconomicHistory #IndigenousHistory #Cree #CreeNation #FirstNations #IndigenousStories #MedievalHistory #MiddleAges

Why have idols of a goddess named Asherah been found in the homes of ancient Israelites? Did Israelites once worship a God-Goddess pair, with the Goddess later edited out of the biblical texts? In episode 2 of the captivating biblical archaeology series “It Ain't Necessarily So,” journalist John McCarthy explores some of the linguistic conundrums of the Bible, such as the common use of the name “Elohim” for God— which is a plural form of the word, sometimes used to mean Gods— and guides us on a socratic journey through biblical history. McCarthy delves into such topics as local Canaanite traditions, the history of the Israelites, and conflicting interpretations of Miriam, sister of Moses. While archaeological investigations lead to new evidence about the role of women during ancient times, McCarthy also weaves in interviews with modern day female worshippers who are forbidden to pray out loud at the sacred Western Wall. Learn more about Asherah and other women of the bible in “It Ain’t Necessarily So: John McCain Investigates the Bible: Episode 2: A Jealous God” on Heritage Broadcasting Service (heritagetac.org) and stay tuned for even more recommendations about what to watch this #WomensHistoryMonth! Join today and get your first week free! 😉 ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #womeninhistory #documentary #womeninthebible #biblicalhistory #bilblicalarchaeology #Asherah #goddessidols #goddessfigurines #Canaanite #religiousstudies #israel #polytheism #archaeology

Season 12 Episode 6 Strata: Portraits of Humanity, March 2026 (Indigenous Quebec man critiques dominant culture; moss-covered dugout canoe in Alaska) (1) “Virus”: This powerful cinematographic slam by an Innu man from Quebec, with a mastery of words in the language (English) imposed by colonization, expresses a criticism of our relationship to Mother Earth, who arguably tried to protect herself with the COVID virus. (2) “Unlocking the Wisdom of an Ancient Canoe”: The 2011 discovery of an unfinished, moss-covered, dugout canoe, up an Alaskan mountainside and miles from water, inspires a team of archaeologists and culture bearers. They unveil a deeper understanding of traditional Haida canoe construction methods, land loss and the relationship between ecological health and human prosperity. Watch on The Archaeology Channel (https://www.archaeologychannel.org/index.php/video-guide/strata-portraits-of-humanity) or Heritage Broadcasting Service (https://heritagetac.org/). ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #heritage #strata #archaeology #archeology #anthropology #history #culturalheritage #strataportraitsofhumanity #culture #film #documentary #shortfilm #indigenous #nativeamerican #canoe #covid19 #poetry #nativeamericanculture

Heritage Broadcasting Service ( https://www.heritagetac.org ), or just plain Heritage, launched on January 1, 2021. Developed by the nonprofit Archaeological Legacy Institute (that’s us, the people who created The Archaeology Channel at archaeologychannel.org), Heritage features more than 450 outstanding film titles from many countries on familiar subjects. As of March 16, 2026, new films include: “Jesus' Female Disciples: The New Evidence,” Putuparri and the Rainmakers,” and “Strata: Portraits of Humanity Season 12, Episode 6” featuring "Virus," and "Unlocking the Wisdom of an Ancient Canoe." ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #archaeology #archeology #heritage #anthropology #history #culture #heritagebroadcastingservice #film #documentary #whattowatchnext #christianity #bible #biblicalarchaeology #womeninthebible #hiddenhistory #sophieokonedo #biblicalhistory #aboriginal #australia #culturalpreservation #aboriginalculture #ecology #Innu #indigenous #nativeamerican #socialcommentary #covid #covidpandemic #canoe #quebec #slampoetry #haida

In the early 20th century, archaeology was still considered a “man’s field,” but that didn’t deter Theresa Goell from pursuing her passion. The New York-born scholar set out for the Middle East in the 1930s, working on sites in Jerusalem and Gerasa, and continued to work in that region after the Second World War. At the age of 53, she traveled to southeastern Turkey to lead the excavation of Nemrud Dagh, the little-known burial place of King Antiochus of Commagene. This brought unique challenges, such as hauling 1000s of pounds of equipment and overseeing a cross-cultural team of Turks and Kurds. She did all this while being nearly totally deaf. Goell was deaf from young adulthood, which meant having to learn to read lips. Nevertheless, she learned both Turkish and Kurdish, and later gave lectures about her life’s work. “Theresa Goell was truly a pioneering archaeologist,” says colleague and friend Dr. Donald H. Sanders. Directed by Martha Lubell, the documentary film “Queen of the Mountain” presents new perspectives of archaeology from the viewpoint of a trailblazer in the field. Through interviews and archival footage, we learn what set Theresa Goell apart and allowed her to succeed despite the odds. Though Goell had little backing from the archaeological community at the time of the excavations at Nemrud Dagh, she is celebrated today for teaching the world about this previously obscure and misunderstood site and period in the history of Anatolia. Nemrud Daği is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where tourists from all over the world visit the colossal heads of statues that were recovered by Goell and her team. You can join us on our tour of Turkey in October, 2026, and see this spectacular site yourself! For more information about our tour, and to register, visit https://www.archaeologychannel.org/tours. You can watch “Queen of the Mountain” on Heritage Broadcasting Service (heritagetac.org), and stay tuned for even more recommendations about what to watch this #womenshistorymonth ! ► HERITAGE: (https://heritagetac.org/) ► INSTAGRAM: / (https://www.instagram.com/heritagebroadcastingservice/) / (https://www.instagram.com/archaeologychannel/) ► FACEBOOK: / (https://www.facebook.com/TheArchaeologyChannel/) #inspiringwomen #documentary #theresagoell #womenarchaeologists #womeninarchaeology #womeninstem #deafarchaeologist #nemruddagi #nemruddagh #mountnemrut #travelturkey #kingantiochus #commagene #archaeology #unescoworldheritagesite #travelTürkiye

Did ancient Israelites really sacrifice children? Dr. Kristine Garroway joins us to separate myth from archaeology. We dig into child burial practices, infant mortality, and what the archaeological record actually tells us. Spoiler: there are no mass burial pits of sacrificed children in ancient Israel, but what's really behind those "passed through fire" passages may surprise you. 📚 Reading Recommendations The Dying Child: The Death and Personhood of Children in Ancient Israel by Kristine Henriksen Garroway https://amzn.to/4dAIA93 ✨Become a Bible & Archaeology patron: http://www.patreon.com/bibleandarch 📚 Check out our online courses: https://www.patreon.com/collection/118539 ✉️ Send us your questions: bible-archaeology@uiowa.edu 🌐 Everywhere you can find us: https://linktr.ee/bibleandarchaeology 📣 Affiliate Disclosure: Using the links above may generate a modest commission at no additional cost to you and helps support our educational work. 🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Kristine Henriksen Garroway Hosted and Edited by Dr. Jordan Jones Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa Office of Innovation production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa. 🕒 Timestamps:

Did ancient Israelites really sacrifice children? Dr. Kristine Garroway joins us to separate myth from archaeology. 📚 Reading Recommendations The Dying Child: The Death and Personhood of Children in Ancient Israel by Kristine Henriksen Garroway https://amzn.to/4dAIA93 🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Kristine Henriksen Garroway Hosted and Edited by Dr. Jordan Jones Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa Office of Innovation production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa.

The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa.

📰 News Stories: Ancient Roman gravestone found in New Orleans back yard returned to Italy https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/01/roman-gravestone-new-orleans-returned-italy A Cuneiform Tablet Workshop Found in Ancient Nineveh Reveals That Assyrian Scribes Never Fired or Carefully Prepared Them https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2026/05/a-cuneiform-tablet-workshop-found-in-ancient-nineveh-reveals-that-assyrian-scribes-never-fired-or-carefully-prepared-them/ A Newly Discovered Tablet-Making Facility in Nineveh: Insights From Scientific Analysis https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/doi/10.1111/arcm.70144 4,000-year-old tablets reveal magic spells, kings feared, and a beer receipt https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260504023848.htm 🚨 Bad "news" story: Four chapters of the Bible 'confirmed' true in major discovery https://www.ladbible.com/community/colossae-bible-real-turkey-tombs-st-paul-262140-20251103 📺 Podcasts/Videos Referenced: How Ancient Mesopotamia Invented School (And Why We've Misread the Evidence) https://youtu.be/MDLpV-pblbQ Understanding AI: How AI Thinks, Biases, and Impacts Us https://youtu.be/N8lGrdSq-bc July 2025 Archaeology Roundup: Ancient DNA, AI Research, and Ancient Burials https://youtu.be/Xu8qu_M5va4 How Did Olive Oil Power the Bronze Age? https://youtu.be/0z_JXCkzQbw The Sea Peoples Mystery Is Worse Than You Think https://youtu.be/HyP9Rz6hOLY How Ancient Kings Gaslit Each Other: The Amarna Letters Explained https://youtu.be/LyebNnJNOvU 📚 Reading Recommendations: 4000-year-old texts to reach new audiences in digital project https://phys.org/news/2026-05-year-texts-audiences-digital.html The Limits of Jewish Identity by John J. Collins https://www.ancientjewreview.com/read/2026/5/7/the-limits-of-jewish-identity#_ftn20 ✨Become a Bible & Archaeology patron: http://www.patreon.com/bibleandarch 📚 Check out our online courses: https://www.patreon.com/collection/118539 ✉️ Send us your questions: bible-archaeology@uiowa.edu 🌐 Everywhere you can find us: https://linktr.ee/bibleandarchaeology 🎙️ Hosted by Dr. Jordan Jones and Mary Kate Lichty Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa Office of Innovation production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa.

What did it take to become a scribe in ancient Mesopotamia, and how do we actually know? This week, Dr. Joshua Bowen from @DigitalHammurabi reveals how the physical shape of clay tablets unlocked the secrets of ancient education, and why the literary texts describing school life can't always be taken at face value. From vocabulary lists and memorization to indoctrination and local variation, the archaeology tells a very different story than the texts alone. 🔗 Resources & Links Check out Digital Hammurabi's website for more: https://www.digitalhammurabi.com Learning to Pray in a Dead Language: Education and Invocation in Ancient Sumerian https://amzn.to/4uD0pdu Join Kipp Davis for Hebrew this summer: https://www.religiondepartment.com/a/2148270138/gRfcNeXM 📺 Check out Digital Hammurabi on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalHammurabi ✨Become a Bible & Archaeology patron: http://www.patreon.com/bibleandarch 📚 Check out our online courses: https://www.patreon.com/collection/118539 ✉️ Send us your questions: bible-archaeology@uiowa.edu 🌐 Everywhere you can find us: https://linktr.ee/bibleandarchaeology 📣 Affiliate Disclosure: Using the links above may generate a modest commission at no additional cost to you and helps support our educational work. 🎙️ Credits Guest: Dr. Joshua Bowen Hosted and Edited by Dr. Jordan Jones Bible & Archaeology is a University of Iowa Office of Innovation production. The views and opinions expressed on Bible & Archaeology belong solely to the individuals who share them. They do not represent the positions of the University of Iowa or the State of Iowa. 🕒 Timestamps:

The importance of public archaeology (the involvement of the public in the end results and processes of archaeology) is widely understood and is becoming increasingly fundamental to what archaeologists do There is now a challenge for academics and educationalists: how to capitalise on the present popularity of archaeology by pushing the boundaries of what the public understands and making the full potential of archaeology as a means for understanding both the past and the present I will make the case that archaeology should be brought to the public in all its glory but fundamental to the success or failure of this is the style in which this is done. 1 will first define who I mean by "the public". In the parameters of this paper, it will be those people with an already passing interest in archaeology and history. I believe that people are not only interested in what we know about the past but also how we know what we know. This is not always an easy thing to explain. Theories of society, economy and the epistemology of the social sciences is complicated, t is the basis of this paper that given the complex nature of the subject matter it is important to be as straightforward as possible with the communication of the ideas. James Doeser

Sigmund Freud is widely known to have been an avid collector of antiquities, and often compared his own practice as a psychoanalyst with the work of an archaeologist, clearing away detritus in order to reveal the hidden treasures of the past Indeed, t is clear that Freud took his own metaphor quite seriously, and believed the unconscious to be literally stratified, the deeper layers of the psychic apparatus relating to both the early experiences of the person and the prehistoric experiences of the human race Freud's topography of the mind, his concept of repression, and his distinction between latent and manifest are examples of what Frederic Jameson calls 'depth models', which he holds to be characteristic of modern thought. In common with structuralism and early hermeneutics, Freud's psychoanalysis distinguishes between the superficial appearance of things, and deeper truths or structures. Yet Freud explicitly links this spatialisation to archaeology, and confutes depth with the past and the mythic. Arguably, Freud's use of archaeology has much to tell us about the place of the discipline in the modern imagination In this paper. I will link Freud's writings to contemporary discussions of the stratification of archaeological sites. Jullian Thomas

Blue Streak was a British Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile system that was conceived In 1954. cancelled in 1960 and then re-born as part of the first stage of the ELDO (Europa) satellite launcher that was finally abandoned in 1973 The rocket engines for Blue Streak were lest fired at Spadeadam Waste, in a remote part A Cumbria. on the r border between England and Scotland. This same desolate moorland and forested site is now occupied by RAF Spadeadam and is used for electronic warfare training. interest S Spadeadam during residency o at first developed Grizedale Forest in 2001 and in response to English Heritage's strategy to record and conserve some of Britain's most important miltary sites and structures. 1 am intrigued by the particular philosophical difficulties this gives rise lo. This new video work centres on English Heritage's archaeological survey of Spadeadam prior to Scheduled Ancient Monument status. It is not a awarding documentary but documentation of a series of visits have made there over the last two years. My work combines video sequences of the painstaking archaeological work with aerial sequences of this extraordinary landscape (shot from a small light aircraft) and documentation from two annual reunions Blue Streak rocket men. A specially commissioned soundtrack by the experimental band Soviet France heightens the surreal atmosphere during the survey when the working archaeologists were encircled by largely invisible simulated electronic warfare. The video will be shown (23'10) accompanied by a brief contextualising illustrator talk, Louise K Wison makes artworks exploring perceptual and social aspects of science and technology. Her practice frequently involves the direct participation of individuals from industry, museums. medicine the scientific research. Previous associations include Microsoft, IBM, and Montreal Neurological Institute, the RSPB, BT Goonhily Earth Station, The Science Museum and the Russian Space Agency (participation in a zero-gravity flight). Louise K Wilson

The Peace Camp across from the Nevada Test Site is an ideal location to understand the nature of protest camps. With this in mind, archaeologists proceeded documenting the material from this legacy of the Cold War. Because use of the camp continued interittently, the archaeologists were faced with recording a changing landscape. Even more difficult was the reality that some activists, American Indians, and government workers perceived the archaeological research as a poltical rather than a documontary endeavour. In contrast the archaeologists were concerned with providing a balanced view of history, a position that could not be understood by many. Colleen M. Beck, John Schofleld & Harold Drollinge

The bases of Scot (Discovery 1901-04) and (Terra Nova 1910-13) and Shackleton (Nimrod 1907-09) survive on Ross Island in Antarctica: three prefabricated huts and the detritus of expeditionary practice. In anticipation of increased tourist presence, restoration work at the Nimrod hut will include reconstructing lost elements (stables, garage), reconfiguring the original layout, removing subsequent additions, replacing and even replicating "iconic' artefacts, to better reflect its main period of occupation - "as if the men had just walked out in 1909". This paper examines the archaeological complexity of these sites sites that enshrine the first moments of human encounter with a continent their reuse; the removal and rearranging of objects by later visitors; the strategies and motives of institutional conservation and interpretation; and the role that traces and stories of animal companions and victims, of artistic endeavours i extreme circumstance, of aberrant behaviour, violence and brutality might play in suggesting narratives that illuminate the everyday experience of Antarctic exploration and that counter pervasive claims of 'heroism, endurance and courage'. Piles of faeces still mark the place where Shackleton temporarily tethered his ponies in February 1908. Preserve or not? Mike Pearson

In 1703, in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, a woman named Hannah Twynnoy was killed by a tiger. In 2003 in Baghdad, Iraq, a tiger named Mendouh was killed by a soldier. Both events provoked outcry. In the 300 years separating the two events the biological identity of tigers has not changed but their cultural identity has. The dominant narrative concerning these animals has moved from 'dangerous' to 'endangered`. But the dominance is not complete, and is confused by other tropes such as 'cuddly', and "magnificent. This paper will examine how these kinds of narrative are constructed in contemporary material culture. It will focus on the enclosures, constraints and "habitats" which people construct for tigers, in zoos and in other contexts, but will also consider representations of tigers particularly in tourist memorabilia. Most of this material comes from fieldwork in zoos. The material has wider implications in our understandings of ourselves and our pasts The alteration seen in the cultural position of tigers reflects a relationship of dominance and affection. A dangerous other is made safe through our concern. Similar strategies are often enacted with the material remains of the past, particularly for places and things marinated with violence and tragedy. This will be illustrated in the contemporary 'use' of the case of Hannah Twynnoy. Sarah Cross

Out of the late twentieth-century critiques of popular archaeological expressions arose a call for archaeologists to take responsibility for their cultural productions through active participation in the practices of that production In response to this call the University of Bristol has pioneered a joint MA in Archaeology for Screen Media, hosted by the Department of Archaeology and the Department of Drama: Theatre, Film, Television. It aims to move students beyond armchair textual critiques to develop new, creative critical audio-visual practices that cite the broader history of documentary making through film, video and new media. In the market-led demand for the new, is there now room for opportunistic interventions, to create audio-visual resources that are not transparent but play with the indexical linking between image and reality - the notion of objectivity - afforded by the camera lens? is there room for other than expository voices? Is it time that we produce materials that engage creatively with commissioners- and curators received notions of what works for the "public"? My contribution here responds to my research interests in televisual documentary and to my experiences teaching on the MA I wanted to find a way to make one stretch of gutter. on one street, in one small neighbourhood of Bristol in some way materialize the partial, co- existing realities of us all, to weave its detritus and landmarks together into an archaeology of the street that has global implications. The film, with its live soundtrack - speaking to you - refers to the formations and history of documentary filmmaking and responds to the central problematic of the archaeological project: the (re)presenting through mediatized records the presence of living bodies in a material World. Angeia Piccini

In previous work on the car culture and the pedestrian experience 1 have used the term the 'privatisation of experience" to connote the trend for human life to be lived in a progressively private sphere, segregated from contact with others. I see this process very much along the lines of Norbert Elas' 'Civilizing Process' - a modus operandi adopted by humans to accommodate the ever increasing numbers and density of the human population, a way of coping with having so many others around us with conflicting desires and goals. In this paper my first objective will be to sketch out what I see as the long-term trajectory of the privatisation of experience in the development of private dwellings, industrial production and the culture of consumption. 1 would emphasise that I do not see this in terms of some sort of Whig history', but rather as a process which is a corollary of prevailing and persistent conditions: i.e. that as long as human populations grow, with the necessary parallel accommodations in industrial and social practice, the process of privatisation will continue. Taking this first part of the paper forward I then want to commit the heresy of considering an archaeology of the future, the projection of long-term trends into the third millennium. Such futurology is usually regarded as a fringe endeavor at best, but 1 wish to suggest that, f the same conditions as have existed in the past continue (and at present we have no reason to believe that they will not) it is reasonable to assume that processes such as the privatisation of life will continue. This of course is the realm of science fiction and I will not resist the temptation to refer to the sci-fi of J.çBallard, E.M Forster and Philip K Dick to underline my point. Finally, in order to avoid too much ridicule, 1 will emphasise that I see my analysis very much in a phenomenological context - i.e. that there is nothing deterministic about what I have to say. merely that my own perception and the phenomena I discuss are the product of material contexts with which I/we are confronted T ways of dealing with the fact that, as Sartre observed "hell is other people. Paul Graves-Brown

A contemporary archaeology of an urban park. What happens when you re-visit a place full of childhood memories? Does what you find conform to the memories you hold. e or does archaeology surprise you? Why do our memories cause us to react emotionally to the material culture we encounter? Are we finding our own past through other people's rubbish? "There is ample opportunity for quiet recreation in its secluded arboreta, tree-dotted parkland, and range of semi-natural areas. The bird reserve comprises mixed woodland dominated by pines, interlaced with informal footpaths, with many species of songbirds in evidence (blue and coal tit, flycatcher, tree creeper, kingfishers and nuthatch) Overall the area offers a pleasant secluded retreat within the park" (Ipswich Borough Council 1999). "When the weather is good, Christchurch park. Either on "Hippie Hill" or in the wood of the bird reserve. One tends to find lots of stoned musicians playing under the trees ... there r usually some pretty cool people on hippy hill in the park, in the summer there's massive crowds of people, and loads of pot and beer" (Anon. Knowhere website: 'Hook up spots in Ipswich) Matt Brudenell & Andy Hall

"There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me, or ever will" (Charlotte Perkins Gilman 1892) This paper examines the creative interplay of wallpaper and memory t begins with fragments retrieved from the gutted walls of a farmhouse near Fleetwood, Lancashire and a search for the memories these might insight. This leads to an exploration of the powers of wallpaper and decorating to evoke thought and emotion, and how memories become fixed , entwined and erased in the process of papering and the temporal layers it builds.