This month we start a new 5 part mini series covering zooarchaeoogy through time. This episode focuses on the early prehistoric period (Palaeolithic - Early Bronze Age), where we’ll se the shift from hunting to farming and domestication. This episode’s case studies are Covesea Caves and Star Carr. Links http://www.starcarr.com/ https://coveseacavesproject.wordpress.com https://archaeology.co.uk/articles/news/investigating-the-isotopes-of-the-blick-mead-dog.htm Milner, N., Taylor, B., and Connell...
Jun 01, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 35
Following a listener’s request, this month’s episode is all about the skeletal morphology of Pokemon. Learn more about oviparous ghosts, witness Simona’s confusion at the concept, and entertain the idea that Gyrados is actually Jörmungandr. Links Bulbugarden Sword and Shield Fossil Pokemon 12 Pokemon inspired by historicla events Guardians, Gods, Or Geodudes? Pokemon And Battling Animals Piltdown Hoax Pig statues in Bath Contact Alex FitzpatrickTwitter: @archaeologyfitz Simona FalangaTwitter: @C...
May 04, 2021•56 min•Ep. 34
This month’s episode focuses on the creatures of the Assassin's Creed franchise. Unlike our previous video game episodes, where we reconstruct the morphology of fantasy creatures, we will explore the depiction of extant and extinct fauna in the historical reconstructions which form the basis of this video game franchise. Links Assasins Creed Fandom Great Auk in Assasins Creed Contact Alex FitzpatrickTwitter: @archaeologyfitz Simona FalangaTwitter: @CrazyBoneLady Alex’s Blog: Animal Archaeology M...
Apr 06, 2021•58 min•Ep. 33
Picture a world where dormice are the size of cats and hyenas roamed around Europe: welcome to the Pleistocene! Upon suggestion from one of our listeners, we explore the time period where zooarchaeology and palaeontology overlap. Bibliography Palombo, M.R. (2001). Endemic elephants of the Mediterranean Islands: knowledge, problems and perspectives. The World of Elephants, Proceedings of the 1st International Congress (October 16–20, 2001, Rome): 486–491. https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/mythic-c...
Mar 02, 2021•56 min•Ep. 32
Join us on the latest part of our imagined videogame zooarchaeology series! Following popular demand, this episode is all about Bioware’s Dragon Age and its weird and wonderful creatures. Learn more about battle nugs, gibbering horrors and the Dragon Age version of ‘ritual’: it’s magic!! Sources Galinas, B. et al. (2015) Dragon Age: The World of Thedas - Volume 2 Dark Horse Comics Dragon Age Fandom Contact Alex FitzpatrickTwitter: @archaeologyfitz Simona FalangaTwitter: @CrazyBoneLady Alex’s Blo...
Feb 02, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 31
What do the black rat and the grain weevil have in common? Learn more about the species mankind has ‘accidentally’ introduced, many now regarded as pests. Discover enchanting creatures such as the killer shrimp, and a beetle’s favourite past time. Links and References Invasive Non-Native Species Map National Wildlife Federation: Invasive Species O’Connor, T. & Sykes, N. (Eds.) (2010) Extinctions and Invasions: A Social History of British Fauna, Windgather Press Jones, R. (2015) House Guests ...
Jan 05, 2021•50 min•Ep. 30
Space hamsters and shifty looking cows: Tristan joins Alex and Simona to discuss the zooarchaeology of Mass Effect creatures. Links BioWare (2007) Mass Effect BioWare (2010) Mass Effect 2 BioWare (2012) Mass Effect 3 BioWare (2017) Mass Effect: Andromeda Mass Effect Fandom Site Bones in Space from NASA Contact Alex FitzpatrickTwitter: @archaeologyfitz Simona FalangaTwitter: @CrazyBoneLady Alex’s Blog: Animal Archaeology Music "Coconut - (dyalla remix)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2UiKoouqaY...
Dec 01, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 29
Interested in becoming a zooarchaeologist? Alex and Simona discuss how to get into zooarchaeology and their personal experiences within the discipline. Links New Evidence of Early Horse Domestication Albarella, U., Rizzetto, M., and Russ. H. (2017) The Oxford Handbook of Zooarchaeology. Oxford University Press. Gifford-Gonzalez, D. (2018) An Introduction to Zooarchaeology. Springer. O'Conner, T. (2000) The Archaeology of Animal Bones. Texas A&M University Press. Reitz, E.J. and Wing, E.S. (1...
Nov 03, 2020•53 min•Ep. 28
On this month’s episode, Alex and Simona were meant to discuss non-native species in the archaeological record. What actually happened is a mix of exotic pets, headphone-wearing animals and helpful ancient Roman advice. Links https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/05/150525-ancient-egypt-zoo-pets-hierakonpolis-baboons-archaeology/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2014/04/exotic-pets/ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/apr/18/ben-fur-romans-brought-rabbits-to-britain-e...
Oct 06, 2020•52 min•Ep. 27
Alex and Simona go back into archaeogaming with a new episode focusing on bioarchaeology in the popular video game franchise The Witcher (originally a book series and now also a tv show). They will follow the story’s protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, and his ability to carry out osteological analyses of skeletal remains in his monster hunting quests. Sources https://animalarchaeology.com/2020/02/08/the-witcher-is-a-bioarchaeologist-okay-let-me-explain/ CD Projekt (2015) The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt....
Sep 01, 2020•52 min•Ep. 26
In this episode, Alex and Simona will be tackling culinary zooarchaeology. Listen on to find out more about how to identify food preparation in the archaeological record, ancient BBQs and interpreting archaeological rubbish. Links Besherer Metheny, K. and Beaudry, M.C. (2015) Archaeology of Food: An Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield. Binford, L. (1981) Bones: Ancient Men and Modern Myths. Pavao-Zuckerman, B., Anderson, D.T. & Reeves, M. (2018) Dining with the Madisons: Elite Consumption...
Aug 04, 2020•50 min•Ep. 25
On this episode of ArchaeoAnimals, Alex and Simona delve back into the world of cryptids, with three new case studies on unicorns, mermaids and sasquatches. Links https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/mar/29/siberian-unicorn-extinct-humans-fossil-kazakhstan https://www.wired.com/2015/02/fantastically-wrong-unicorn/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/scientist-grover-krantz-risked-it-all-chasing-bigfoot-180970676/ https://archive.archaeology.org/0407/etc/conversations.html ...
Jul 07, 2020•57 min•Ep. 24
In this episode, Alex and Simona tackle the field of applied zooarchaeology. Learn more about how zooarchaeological data sets can be applied to conservation science, as well as discovering a range of (incredibly cute) archaic breeds of domesticates still around today. Links http://soaysheep.biology.ed.ac.uk/ https://rewildingeurope.com/rewilding-in-action/wildlife-comeback/tauros/ https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/02/ancient-dna-upends-horse-family-tree# https://www.isbona.com/index.php/about...
Jun 03, 2020•55 min•Ep. 23
In this episode, Simona and Alex tackle palaeopathology. Listen on for how to identify signs of injury and disease in archaeological skeletal remains and what these can tell us about human-animal interactions in the past. Also Roman Pugs. Links Bartosiewicz, L. and Gal, E. (2013) "Shuffling Nags and Lame Ducks: The Archaeology of Animal Disease". Oxbow Books. Gaastra, J.S., Greenfield, H.J., and Linden, M.V. (2018) "Gaining Traction on Cattle Exploitation: Zooarchaeological Evidence from the Neo...
May 05, 2020•55 min•Ep. 22
It is ‘the season’ so this month’s episode of ArchaeoAnimals is all about rabbits and hares! Join us to find out more about self-explanatory taxonomy, medieval rabbit hutches and what does all this have to do with Easter. Bibliography Hillson, S (2005) Teeth, 2nd ed. Cambridge Manuals in Archaeology Cambridge University Press Toynbee, J.M.C. (2013) Animals in Roman Life & Art, Barnsley: Pen & Sword https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/roman-rabbit-discovered-at-fishbourne.htm http://ww...
Apr 07, 2020•53 min•Ep. 21
In this months episode, Alex and Simona talk about all things birds. Find out more about identifying avian remains, how we can use birds to reconstruct past environments and how humans have lived alongside them for millennia. Links Cohen, A. and Serjeantson, D. (1986) "A Manual for the Identification of Bird Bones from Archaeological Sites". Archetype Books. Serjeantson, D. (2010) "17 Ravens and crows in Iron Age Britain: the Danebury Corvids Reconsidered". In "Birds in Archaeology: Proceedings ...
Mar 03, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 20
While Simona is away, Alex will play...and spend an entire episode flaunting her Star Wars knowledge. Does zooarchaeology exist in the Star Wars universe? And how can we somehow involve Baby Yoda in this conversation? Tune in to find out! Further Reading Wookiepedia: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Creatures_by_planet Sith Archaeology & Propaganda: https://animalarchaeology.com/2017/12/15/keeper-of-the-archives-sith-archaeology-and-propaganda/ Anderson, K.J. and Wallace, D. (2000) ...
Feb 04, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 19
On this month’s episode, Alex and Simona take a trip across the pond to explore the ancient lives of Llamas and Alpacas. Links https://shadyufo.tumblr.com/post/165100306068/what-are-the-differences-between-llama-and-alpaca http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/bolivia/calacala.php http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/archaeology/2015/12/05/research-seminar-10-5000-years-of-camelid-herding-in-the-andes-by-dr-penny-dransart/#more-139 https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-1-4419-0465-2_2212 h...
Jan 07, 2020•54 min•Ep. 18
On this ‘holiday special’, Alex and Simona once again push their endurance to the limit by talking about food before dinner-time. Tune in to learn more about feasting in the archaeological record, and why it is not all that different from present day feasting. To demonstrate this, our hosts describe some of their favourite holiday feasts (in addition to some listeners’ suggestions) and the reasoning behind them. Ps. Happy birthday APN 🙂 Links and Sources Hastorf C.A. (2008) Food and feasting, s...
Dec 02, 2019•53 min•Ep. 17
This episode, Alex and Simona take the road less traveled and explore two staple desert pack animals: donkeys and camels! From extravagant pets to Sicilian carts, learn more about these two beasts of burden in the archaeological record and present day. Sources Fagan, B. (2015) The Intimate Bond: How Animals Shaped Human History. London: Bloomsbury Press http://www.berksarch.co.uk/index.php/the-donkey-in-human-history-an-archaeological-perspective/ O’Connor, T. & Sykes, N. (Eds.) (2010) Extin...
Nov 05, 2019•52 min•Ep. 16
On this episode of ArchaeoAnimals, (a very hungry) Alex faces one of her many nemeses: pig teeth! Learn more about pig domestication, the wealth of information you may gather from archaeological pig remains and some exciting archaeological projects featuring pigs. Simona’s fascinating insight into Roman tax law is a bonus ;) Sources: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/08/taming-pig-took-some-wild-turns https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257607859_Distinguishing_Wild_Boar_from_Domestic_Pi...
Oct 01, 2019•58 min•Ep. 15
For this episode, Alex and Simona delve into the realm of native and introduced species. How long does a certain species have to consistently live in a geographical location to be considered native? What do introduced species tell us about past populations? What is it with the Romans introducing a horde of animals to Britain? Are squirrels real? These are but few of the questions they shall attempt to answer. Sources: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/6574709/Mouse-and-rabbits-amon...
Sep 03, 2019•55 min•Ep. 14
Simona and Alex finally get to be experts in this fun episode imagining the zooarchaeologies of video games! Using the hundreds (and, if you're Alex, THOUSANDS) of hours of gaming experience, Simona and Alex go through popular video game series (The Witcher, Fallout, Dragon Age, and Skyrim) and try to reconstruct and compare some of the weirder creatures you encounter. Links and ReferencesGalinas, B. et al. (2015) Dragon Age: The World of Thedas - Volume 2, Dark Horse Comics Johnson, E. (2018) F...
Aug 06, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 13
Alex and Simona attempt to make it through an entire episode of our most hated type of bone: fish bones. Listen as they talk about the difficulties of dealing with archaeological fish and why they are actually quite important! Oh, and lots of complaining. Ugh...fish bones. Bibliography Killgrove, K. (2019) Vat of Ancient Fish Sauce May Confirm Date that Pompeii Was Destroyed. Forbes. Luff, R. (1984) Animal Remains in ArchaeologyGreat Britain: Shire ArchaeologyRackham, J. (1994) Interpreting the ...
Jul 02, 2019•58 min•Ep. 12
Alex and Simona are going ‘wild’ for this month’s episode. Tune in to find out more about wild animal remains in the archaeological record and what traces hunting and butchering may leave behind (some assumptions and biases MAY apply!). Further ReadingBinford, L.R. (1981) Bones: Ancient Men and Modern Myths. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, INC.O'Connor, T. (2000) The Archaeology of Animal Bones. Gloustershire: Sutton Publishing Ltd.Rackham, J. (1994) Interpreting the past: Animal BonesBritish Mus...
Jun 04, 2019•59 min•Ep. 11
This episode is all about chickens! How to eat them. How to identify them. Different types. All things chicken. There’s even a few chicken jokes.
May 07, 2019•51 min•Ep. 10
On today's episode of ArchaeoAnimals, we'll be talking about horse bones! Why are they so venerated in the past? How is this reflected in the way we find horse burials? And why are their bones just so large and scary?!
Apr 02, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 9
When identifying ritual, context is everything. In the case of zooarchaeology, the location of the remains alone has much inference on whether ritual activity is involved. A notable example is perhaps the burial of dogs (or parts thereof) at the threshold of a structure, which is seen from the Neolithic down to Iron Age, from Italy to Kazakhstan, through Sweden and Britain.
Mar 05, 2019•54 min•Ep. 8
Felis catus is the domesticated form of the African wildcat Felis s. lybica. The latter is believed to have been domesticated in the Near East at the time of the Neolithic agricultural revolution, where keeping pests away from grain storage would have been paramount. It likely that, much like other domesticates, several domestication attempts would have taken place across time and geographical regions.
Feb 05, 2019•49 min•Ep. 7
Modern domestic cattle descends from the aurochs (Bos primigenius). The dynamics of aurochs domestication is, as always when domestication is concerned, not well understood as of yet. They were supposedly domesticated in SW Asia some 8,000 years BP.
Jan 01, 2019•59 min•Ep. 6
