It’s time for the second part of Jessica and Matilda’s discussion with Maya archaeologist Zac Lindsey all about the aesthetics of “cute”. This episode dives into the perception of cute as a valid field of study, how the concept of cute can change our view of past societies, how it can be used to make political statements, and more!
Sep 22
38 min
It’s time for a guest! Jessica and Matilda are joined by Mayanist Zac Lindsey in this episode focusing on the aesthetic concept of “cute”. But what exactly is “cute”? How can we study it archaeologically? And can we pitch a new idea to Disney featuring an adulterous rabbit? Listen in to find out!
Sep 8
26 min
It’s finally time for the final installment of Jessica and Matilda’s deep dive into the archaeology of cutlery! This episode, they discuss chopsticks. But what exactly is a chopstick? How does politics affect what we know about their history? And what do they have to do with baseball bats? Listen in to find out!
Aug 25
39 min
Jessica and Matilda were both a bit swamped this month, so instead of the final episode of our cutlery extravaganza, here is a recent episode of And My Trowel, where Matilda discusses the archaeology of The Hobbit with her cohost Ash.
Aug 11
39 min
It’s time for the main course, and the most surprisingly complicated of cutlery items covered so far in the podcast: the fork! Jessica and Matilda dive into the history and archaeology of the fork, and discover that it’s not quite such a simple tool as they originally thought. Why do Americans and Germans hold their forks so differently? What’s the difference between a fork and a fork-like object? And who was using a spork in the 4th century? Tune in to find out!
Jul 28
41 min
In this second installment of the archaeology of cutlery, Jessica and Matilda discuss the evolution of spoons. From the earliest scoop with a shell to the latest intricately carved wooden love spoon, these objects have become a huge part of human society all around the world. But how much do we actually know about the (pre)history of spoons? Tune in to find out!
Jul 14
43 min
Join Jessica and Matilda as they dive into the first installment of a mini series on the everyday archaeology of cutlery, starting with knives! But what exactly is a knife, and how can we recognise it in the archaeological and historic records? Together, our hosts discuss the difference between swords and knives, the benefits of flint while travelling, and why iron and copper hate each other.
Jun 30
37 min
It’s time for a new era of Tea-break Archaeology, as we introduce the new co-host, Jessica van Dam! Together, Jessica and Matilda discuss their backgrounds in archaeology and conservation, and how their experience led them to specialise in historic and prehistoric objects. Listen in to hear them chat about blacksmithing versus crochet, Korean multi-purpose knives from the 1800s, and misaligned drilling holes in amber beads!
Jun 16
37 min
Have you ever wondered how far back modern skin-care recipes can be traced? It turns out, pretty far! Join Matilda and guest Katie Chin-Quee in the second part of their discussion all about ancient skin care. This episode, Katie shares some of the experimental archaeology that she has conducted with different ancient recipes, and why some ingredients are best left in the past!
Jun 2
35 min
In this episode, take a step back from the hustle and bustle of daily life to practice a little bit of self care and join Matilda and her guest Katie Chin-Quee in this latest exploration of the archaeology of everyday things. Katie shares the many twists and turns of the path that led her to a career in archaeology, and how she became involved with the particular topic of ancient skin-care. Together, they chat about the issues with supposedly “feminine” research topics, and why branching out on digital platforms can be a great way to develop your science communication skills.
May 19
33 min
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