Tag: archaeology

Episode 71 Sources: Dead & Buried – The History of Burial Practices with Amy Manlapas

Let’s talk about death, baby! Burying and memorializing the dead is typically thought of as a distinctly human (or at least hominid) act. In this episode, Meagan is joined by Substitute Sister and history teacher, Amy Manlapas, to talk about what that has looked like for the last few hundred thousand years (we’ve been digging graves for a long time!). Starting with the 400,000 year old (and pre-burial-practices) Sima de los Huesos (Pit of Bones) in Spain, we dig through the history of graves leading up to the modern cemetery. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and more.

You can find Amy on TikTok @amymanlapas or through her website: https://amy-elizabeth.net/.

Want to listen without the ads? Check out our Patreon, where you can get ad-free episodes & more! https://www.patreon.com/spookyscipod

Here are our sources:

  1. https://www.sciencealert.com/keith-eggener-ted-talk-on-history-of-the-cemetary
  2. https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/behavior/burial
  3. https://www.talkdeath.com/the-most-fascinating-ancient-burial-rituals/
  4. https://www.americanscientist.org/article/the-latest-on-homo-naledi
  5. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jul/22/small-brained-early-humans-homo-naledi-cleverer-storm
  6. https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/our-strange-unsettled-history-of-mourning
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral
  8. https://ideas.ted.com/11-fascinating-funeral-traditions-from-around-the-globe/
  9. https://news.wisc.edu/archeologists-uncover-evidence-of-intentional-burial-cave-engravings-by-early-human-ancestor/
  10. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-human-relatives-may-have-buried-their-dead-180982308/
  11. https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Joukowsky_Institute/courses/archaeologicaltheory/5144.html
  12. http://www.spoilheap.co.uk/burial.htm 
  13. https://portaltothepast.newsouthassoc.com/sample-page/mortuary-archaeology/
  14. https://pages.vassar.edu/realarchaeology/2015/09/21/rituals-and-remains/
  15. https://www.sciencealert.com/the-oldest-known-burial-site-in-the-world-was-not-made-by-our-species
  16. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03457-8
  17. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/african-genesis/oldest-burials-and-their-significance/1B10F74654E37D2BC17D34C79E819134
  18. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/scientists-discover-oldest-known-human-grave-africa-180977659/
  19. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/scientist-discover-worlds-oldest-burial-site-in-south-africa/2915622
  20. https://www.sutori.com/en/story/the-evolution-of-ancient-burial-practices-and-beliefs-to-the-modern-day–4egVs2akSCxkc2dsHhcr8dwP
  21. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/06/05/homo-naledi-burial/
  22. https://www.sapiens.org/culture/hominin-burial/
  23. https://www.worldhistory.org/tomb/
  24. https://www.worldhistory.org/burial/
  25. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-seeds-of-civilization-78015429/
  26. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/scientists-discover-oldest-known-human-grave-africa-180977659/
  27. https://thenaturalhistorian.com/2014/06/26/pit-of-bones-spain-human-origins-creationism/

Episode 63 Sources: Ancient Aliens with Annelise Baer & Fredrik Trusohamn

In this episode, Meagan is joined by two Substitute Sisters – archaeologist and television producer, Annelise Baer, and the host of the podcast Digging Up Ancient Aliens (and also an archaeologist), Fredrik Trusohamn, to talk about everything Ancient Aliens. Our discussion includes the origins of the ancient astronauts hypothesis that inspired it, behind the scenes info from Annelise’s time as a researcher for the show, and the not-so-extraterrestrial origins of some of the Ancient Aliens team’s favorite archaeological sites. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and more.

Want to listen without the ads? Check out our newly launched Patreon, where you can get ad-free episodes & more! https://www.patreon.com/spookyscipod

Links to all of Annelise’s social media can be found here: https://linktr.ee/annelisebaer

Fredrik can be found via the Digging Up Ancient Aliens website: https://diggingupancientaliens.com/

Here are our sources:

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Aliens
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gish_gallop
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_astronauts
  4. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-idiocy-fabrications-and-lies-of-ancient-aliens-86294030/
  5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoarchaeology
  6. https://www.science.org/content/article/believe-atlantis-these-archaeologists-want-win-you-back-science
  7. https://hyperallergic.com/470795/pseudoarchaeology-and-the-racism-behind-ancient-aliens/
  8. https://www.skeptic.com/reading_room/gobekli-tepe-mystery-new-chapter-in-history-robert-adam-schneiker/
  9. https://www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/review-of-ancient-aliens-ultimate-evidence-s01e01-beyond-nazca https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/94/

Episode 55 Sources: Bones Only, No Gross Bits – Ancient Egypt & King Tut’s Curse with Annelise Baer

Come along with us for a discussion on Ancient Egypt, mummies, and a deep dive into the life and death of Tutankhamun (AKA King Tut), including the finding of his supposedly cursed tomb. For this episode, we are joined by archaeologist and producer Annelise Baer.

You can find links to Annelise’s work and social media on her website: https://annelisebaer.com/. The promo in this episode comes from the Aloreing Podcast.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Pandora, or iHeartRadio.

While you’re here, we’d love it if you could subscribe to our YouTube channel! There you’ll find extra video content related to the podcast, and Meagan will be going live from time to time to play spooky games or just hang out with listeners! Additionally, if you are interested in any books we’ve discussed on the podcast, you can find them in our new Amazon storefront. We also have recommendations for other books and products we love.

Here are our sources for this episode:

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_the_pharaohs
  2. https://www.livescience.com/44297-king-tut-curse.html
  3. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/655431/ancient-egypt-misconceptions
  4. https://www.si.edu/spotlight/ancient-egypt/mummies#:~:text=This%20they%20did%20by%20covering,the%20natron%20off%20the%20body.
  5. https://blog.nms.ac.uk/2017/06/23/ancient-egyptian-tomb-warnings-curses-and-ghosts/
  6. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-curse-of-the-curse-of-the-pharaohs/
  7. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/44/mummification-in-ancient-egypt/
  8. https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/tutankhamen
  9. https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/tutcurse/
  10. http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/
  11. https://www.worldhistory.org/Tutankhamun/
  12. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2014/jul/23/mummy-curse-legend-discovering-tutankhamun-ashmolean-museum
  13. https://www.artinsociety.com/the-life-and-death-of-mummy-brown.html
  14. https://www.si.edu/spotlight/ancient-egypt/mummies
  15. https://www.livescience.com/mummification
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natron
  17. https://www.historytoday.com/archive/months-past/tutankhamuns-curse

Bonus Episode Sources: Surprise! Spooky Caves with Sara Head

Surprise! We’re talking all things spooky caves in this bonus episode we recorded last fall with the incomparable Sara Head of the Archaeological Fantasies podcast. Listen to hear us discuss the use and mythology about caves from prehistory to current-day TikTok conspiracies. This episode is a bit less polished than our regular ones, but we hope you enjoy this deep dive into the creepy world of caves! Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Pandora, or iHeartRadio.

You can find Sara on Twitter @ArchyFantasies, or on these podcasts: Archaeological Fantasies, Paranormal Archaeology, and Digging to the Other Side.

View the Missing 411 maps here: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/missing-persons-cave-maps/

Photos of the Crystal Maiden skeleton in the Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-crystal-maiden-of-the-actun-tunichil-muknal-cave-belize

Here are our sources:

  1. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna26208873
  2. https://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Midwest/04/28/cave.deaths/index.html
  3. https://www.archaeology.org/issues/96-1307/trenches/962-greece-portals-underworld-neolithic
  4. https://magazine.mayaluxe.com/articles//cenotes-of-yucatan-sacred-portals-to-the-maya-paradise
  5. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/11-hidden-spots-to-enter-the-underworld
  6. https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2014-5-september-october/green-life/spelunkers-beware-these-are-5-spookiest-caves-america
  7. https://www.ladbible.com/community/weird-conspiracy-theorist-says-people-are-going-missing-in-cannibal-caves-20210525
  8. https://www.thesmokies.com/dennis-martin-feral-humans/
  9. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/02/getting-lost-cave-labyrinth-brain/582865/
  10. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/journey-oldest-cave-paintings-world-180957685/
  11. https://www.science101.com/why-the-catacombs-in-paris-are-dubbed-the-gate-to-hell/
  12. https://drivinvibin.com/2021/05/04/national-parks-home-to-feral-people/
  13. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-018-0599-5
  14. https://nypost.com/2018/02/20/theres-a-good-reason-why-people-suddenly-died-near-roman-portal-to-hell/
  15. https://www.cometoparis.com/paris-guide/paris-monuments/the-catacombs-of-paris-s955
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Paris
  17. https://blogs.egu.eu/divisions/ts/2018/02/02/paris-from-quarry-to-catacombs/

Episode 15 Sources: The Lost Colony of Roanoke

In an effort to be more transparent about the sources we gather information from, we’ll be sharing them for each episode on this site!

Episode 15 was a deep dive into the the possible explanations for the disappearance of the Roanoke colony featuring Sara Head and Karen Stollznow of the Archaeological Fantasies and Monster Talk podcasts, respectively. You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or Amazon Music.

For this episode, we used the following sources:

Book: The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Andrew Lawler

Podcasts: Astonishing Legends Episodes 151 & 152: The Lost Colony of Roanoke Parts 1 & 2; Unexplained Mysteries Episodes 5/5/20 & 5/7/20: The Roanoke Colony Pts. 1 & 2

Websites:

  1. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/04/980428075409.htm
  2. https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/picture-climate-how-can-we-learn-tree-rings
  3. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/starving-settlers-in-jamestown-colony-resorted-to-cannibalism-46000815/
  4. https://www.buzzfeed.com/christopherhudspeth/5-theories-about-what-actually-happened-to-the-lost-colony
  5. https://ubique.americangeo.org/map-of-the-week/map-of-the-week-the-lost-colony-of-roanoke/
  6. https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/roanoke_colonies_the
  7. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/mystery-roanoke-endures-yet-another-cruel-twist-180962837/
  8. https://www.andrewlawler.com/it-was-americas-first-english-colony-then-it-was-gone/

The Lost Colony of Roanoke: It’s Not Cannibalism, OK?!

It’s almost Thanksgiving, so it’s time to get Colonial! Eat some turkey and settle in for this jumbo-sized episode on the mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke. For this episode, we were joined by the amazing Sarah Head and Karen Stollznow from the Archaeological Fantasies and Monster Talk podcasts, respectively. We discuss all of the possibilities of what may have happened to these colonists, from the obvious — they joined up with a local Native American tribe — to the (probably) absurd — they ate each other.

To see our sources for this episode, head to our website at spookysciencesisters.com. Hit subscribe to be notified of future episodes, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@SpookySciPod), and Facebook (@SpookyScienceSisters) for even more spooky content! Help us grow by sharing with a friend and leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.

Listen at the end of this episode to hear a promo from one of our new favorite shows, I Read It Online Somewhere! https://ireaditos.podbean.com/

Sarah M. Head at Archaeological Fantasies: https://twitter.com/ArchyFantasies

Karen Stollznow: https://twitter.com/karenstollznow?s=20

Spooky Science Sisters is a member of the Straight Up Strange Podcast Network.