In this episode, Alan is joined by Douglas Beauchamp, an arts consultant and photographer based in Oregon, whose work explores the enduring power of rock art in shaping cultural landscapes. Douglas examines how ancient engravings and visual imagery continue to speak to contemporary audiences, bridging archaeology, public art, and the study of visual memory. Through his photography and field documentation, he illuminates the ways ancient art interacts with the landscape and modern viewers.

On today’s show, Chris Webster joins Dr. Alan Garfinkel to deconstruct a fascinating rock drawing panel at Portuguese Bench near Little Lake in western California. There is so much going on with this panel that they only discuss a few of the more prominent elements and possible a few that you might not notice. Follow along by downloading the images and figure out what you can see and what you think it means.

In this episode, Alan is joined by Stephen Townley Bassett, a forensic artist dedicated to preserving and recreating San rock art with striking accuracy. Using natural materials like ochre, charcoal, and egg shell, Stephen reconstructs ancient paintings in the same way they were originally made—millimeter by millimeter. With decades of field experience across Southern Africa, his work highlights the intersection of art, archaeology, and conservation, offering a powerful visual record of a fragile cultural legacy under threat.

In this episode, Alan is joined by visual artist Shefa Salem al‑Baraesi, a Benghazi‑based creator whose oil paintings re‑imagine Libya’s archaeological heritage—like the inverted‑figure boat scene from the Acacus cave art—and ancient rituals such as the Kaska dance. Through her realistic, large‑scale works, Shefa transforms written history and myth into evocative visual narratives that resonate with everyday Libyans. Her exhibitions, I Am Libya and Ethnolibya, bring these ancestral images forward as a living, shared national memory.

In this episode, Alan is joined by Dr Gerard O’Regan, a Māori archaeologist and rock art specialist dedicated to preserving the ancient artworks of Aotearoa. With over three decades of research and fieldwork, Gerard shares how these powerful images—painted with natural pigments like red ochre and charcoal—offer a glimpse into early Māori life, belief, and identity. From the limestone shelters of the South Island to emerging discoveries in the North, Gerard’s work weaves together archaeology, Indigenous knowledge, and cultural stewardship, protecting a fragile visual legacy through Māori-led conservation and community partnerships.

In this episode, Alan is joined by by Dr. Tertia Barnett, a leading archaeologist whose work bridges scientific research and community engagement in the field of rock art. Dr. Barnett shares insights from her role as Principal Investigator on Scotland’s Rock Art Project, as well as her previous work on the Wadi al-Ajal Rock Art Project in Libya. Together they discuss the social and cultural dimensions of rock art that highlights the importance of collaboration, accessibility, and inclusivity in understanding ancient visual traditions.

In this week’s episode, Dr. Alan speaks with archaeologist and emeritus professor of anthropology, Dr. Dean Snow. A leading expert in ancient populations and Paleolithic cave art, Dr. Snow shares insights into his groundbreaking research on hand stencils in Ice Age caves and what they reveal about gender and social structures in prehistoric societies. Together, they explore the broader implications of interpreting early human symbolism, rock art traditions around the world, and the evolving role of science in cultural heritage preservation.

Rock Art is taking a break this week, so please enjoy this encore episode from last year! In this week’s episode, Dr Alan speaks with historic preservation specialist and project coordinator of Huliauapa’a, Rachel Hoerman. Along with community members Andree-Michelle Conley Kapoi and her teenage twins, Anais and Oisin, who are involved in the Stewardship and Protection Plan Project for the kiʻi pōhaku at Nu'u Refuge, Kaupō, Maui, they speak about Pacific Rim rock art and heritage stewardship in Hawai’i.

In this week’s episode Dr Alan speaks with archaeologist and educator, Dr Leslie Van Gelder, about the intricate world of prehistoric gender expression with a special focus on finger flutings markings found in Rouffignac Cave—home to some of the most enigmatic finger markings in Ice Age Europe.

In this week’s episode, Dr. Alan Garfinkel speaks with Dr Thierry Aubry, Research Associate at Fundação Côa Parque. Together, they explore fascinating topics related to Dr. Aubry’s latest research, shedding light on groundbreaking discoveries and their broader implications.

In this episode, Dr. Alan Garfinkel speaks with Dr Damien Finch from the University of Melbourne about Kimberly Rock Art and his work on the application of radiocarbon dating to determine the age of rock art. They discuss how scientific techniques can be applied to past human activity and, of course, rock art!

Dr. Alan Garfinkel is joined by Chris Webster to discuss a very unique rock art panel discovered at Little Petroglyph Canyon in the Coso Range north of Ridgecrest, California. It’s a creation story 2000 to 4000 years old and has some interesting elements. They discuss the image on this week’s episode. What do you think the elements represent?

In this week’s episode, Dr Alan chats to Dr Benjamin Smith, a leading archaeological researcher and academic from the University of Western Australia. From directing world-renowned rock art research to shaping national policy in post-apartheid South Africa, Dr Smith’s career spans continents and decades, blending cutting-edge science with a deep commitment to ethical leadership and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

In this week’s episode, Dr Alan chats to Dr Angharad Jones and Hannah Andrews from the archaeological museum Creswell Crags, one of the most important prehistoric sites in the UK. Located within a limestone gorge and winding Pleistocene caves, the site has some of the earliest examples of Palaeolithic rock art!

Today, Chris Webster joins Alan to talk about a rock art panel from Arizona. It’s got a handful of elements but a bug story to tell. We try to interpret some of the elements and Alan tells us how to read the others.

Everything in this world is connected. On this episode, Alan and Chris discuss shamanism in relation to the quantum consciousness.

In this week's episode, Dr Alan sits down with Stephen Alvarez, internationally acclaimed National Geographic photojournalist and documentarian behind the Mural of America, an exploration into the stories embedded into remarkable rock art sites. Transcripts * For rough transcripts of this episode go to https://www.archpodnet.com/rockart/138 Links * Ancient Art [https://www.ancientartarchive.org/mural-of-america/] * Alvarez Photography [https://www.alvarezphotography.com/] Contact * Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel's Website [https://www.dralangarfinkelgold.com/]Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/user?u=79908652&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator] ArchPodNet * APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com [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 * Tee Public Store [https://www.teepublic.com/stores/archaeology-podcast-network?ref_id=5724] Affiliates and Sponsors * Motion [https://www.archpodnet.com/motion]

In this week's episode Alan chats to Dr Aaron Wright, a leading archaeologist at Archaeology Southwest. With a Ph.D. in Anthropology, Aaron has spent years studying the Hohokam and Patayan traditions of the southwestern U.S., focusing on cultural landscapes and rock art. His groundbreaking work on the South Mountain Rock Art Project and his book Religion on the Rocks earned him the Don D. and Catherine S. Fowler Prize. Aaron is currently leading efforts to establish the Great Bend of the Gila National Monument, working to preserve and highlight the significance of this unique cultural landscape. Transcripts * For rough transcripts of this episode go to https://www.archpodnet.com/rockart/137 Links * Dr Aaron Wright [https://www.archaeologysouthwest.org/team/aaron-wright/] Contact * Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel's Website [https://www.dralangarfinkelgold.com/]Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/user?u=79908652&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator] ArchPodNet * APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com [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 * Tee Public Store [https://www.teepublic.com/stores/archaeology-podcast-network?ref_id=5724] Affiliates and Sponsors * Motion [https://www.archpodnet.com/motion]

Dr. Tirtha Mukhopadhyay joins Alan to talk about iconicity in rock. This is a fascinating discussion about some of the deep meanings and uses of rock art. Contact * Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel's Website [https://www.dralangarfinkelgold.com/]Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/user?u=79908652&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator] ArchPodNet * APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com [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 * Tee Public Store [https://www.teepublic.com/stores/archaeology-podcast-network?ref_id=5724] Affiliates and Sponsors * California Rock Art Foundation [https://www.carockart.org/] * Motion [https://www.archpodnet.com/motion]

The Archaeology Podcast Network is taking a break for the holiday season. In the meantime, please enjoy this encore episode. It's a favorite of ours! Happy holidays! There's a lot of dates thrown around regarding the first people to enter and settle North and South America. However, what's the evidence? What do we know with a high degree of certainty? Let's find out on this episode. Contact * Dr. Alan Garfinkel avram1952@yahoo.com Dr. Alan Garfinkel's Website [https://www.dralangarfinkelgold.com/] Support Dr. Garfinkel on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/user?u=79908652&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator] ArchPodNet * APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com [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 * Tee Public Store [https://www.teepublic.com/stores/archaeology-podcast-network?ref_id=5724] Affiliates and Sponsors * California Rock Art Foundation [https://www.carockart.org/] * Motion [https://www.archpodnet.com/motion]