We all know the news cycle moves fast these days, even in our niche field of archaeology. Take a seat and explore the effects of the current Trump administration on the field of archaeology in the United States, just in October, 2025. Let’s just say, it’s a busy one. From the government shutdown beginning on the first, the demolition of the East Wing of the Whitehouse, and finally the imminent hearing on the Section 106 consultation process by the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources. The administration has had significant effects across the federal government, with trickle-down effects into state, local, and tribal governments, archaeology, historic preservation writ large, not to mention energy development across the board (but that’s a different episode). Since Mr. Trump loves AI so much, we just could not resist. Enjoy the cover image for this episode. Please note: technical issues meant the episode audio is not as high quality as we like, so pardon the variable volume.







Show Notes



The Site Steward Foundation, a non-profit organization whose goal is to provide eyes on the ground for preservation and stewardship of archaeological resources across our public lands in New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado.



For some history on the East Wing of the Whitehouse, the Associated Press and PBS put out some great articles highlighting some of the specific history to this now demolished structure.



TAKE ACTION: the imminent senate committee hearing on Section 106 consultation is slated for live streaming October 29, 2025. Follow what’s going on, contact the committee senators to tell them that historic and storied places are important to you.



And for those of our Federal partners in historic preservation and archaeology, some resources.

The Women in Archaeology co-hosts, Chelsi, Emily, and Kirsten, discuss the impact the second Trump presidency is having on the field of archaeology and heritage across the United States. From the impending impacts of “The One Big Beautiful Bill”, DOGE effects, and others, archaeologists have been hit like other scientists impacted by the presidency. Listen and explore these greater issues from an archaeologist’s perspective.







Show Notes:




* Trump likes making history come back to life in all the wrong ways.



* After this episode was recorded, ACRA put out an analysis of how the bill will affect cultural resource management in particular. Take a look and prepare for our next episode!




There’s hope!




* The People opposed, and a Republican congressman stepped up to say a resounding “NO” to selling off our public lands.

On this episode, the hosts are joined by three of the producers of the NAGPRA Comics series: Sonya Atalay, Shannon Martin, and John Swogger. NAGPRA Comics is a grant-funded comic series that is community-based and collaboratively produced, which shares stories about repatriation from tribal perspectives. It was an incredible opportunity to learn about how the comics were created and the unique way comics can provide a space to share the stories and point of view of Native American communities and their experience with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).



Links:



Learn more about the NAGPRA Comics: https://nagpracomics.weebly.com/



Read the NAGPRA Comics here: https://nagpracomics.weebly.com/the-comics.html

Tune in while Kirsten, Chelsi, and Emily discuss cool projects, career paths in archaeology, and starting a business with Dr. Angela Perrotti of the Palynology and Environmental Research Lab. Angela goes deep with what palynology is, what we can learn from pollen in the archaeological record, and how she got the coolest job! She explores research variety, contrasting the complexities in working with academic versus private cultural resource firms and public agencies. The work of archaeological sciences and how they can serve not just regulatory projects and academic research but also help museums answer their pressing research questions, large and small.



Show Notes




* Check out the PEARL website.



* Cleveland Museum bronze statue that PEARL tested for provenance data is still roiled in controversy.



* Take a look at the ongoing research at the Manasota Keys site in Florida.



* The other site Dr. Perrotti references in the discussion on mortuary ponds, the Windover site. Some really cool and unique archaeology comes out of the Southeast!



* Online reference collections are valuable for researchers, including students and professionals across many disciplines. Two Dr. Perrotti notes that have been important to her work at PEARL include the Global Pollen Project, and important references for non-pollen palynomorphs (otherwise known as particles that appear similar to pollen, but are from different organisms).

This episode was originally posted on August 20, 2017. The hosts discuss the wonderful children’s book “Archaeology: Cool Women Who Dig” by Anita Yasuda. It’s a book intended for children ages 9 through 12 and focuses on three dynamic women who are working in archaeology around the world. Check it out!

Join Chelsi, Emily, and Kirsten as we have a returning guest, Dr. April Biesaw, PhD of Vassar College discuss some long-term projects. Dr. Biesaw shares how the long-forgotten have meaning, and can teach us to think about the “Greater Good”, what that really means, and the impact of social programs off “poorhouses” on the poor, both living and dead. We discuss how these projects reflect current events, between the push for large infrastructure projects, and caring for the vulnerable.



Show Notes




* Dr. Beisaw’s book on the New York City water project



* Further reading:



* Beisaw, April M., William P. Tatum III, Ginny Buechele, Brian G. McAdoo (2021) Mapping a Poorhouse and Pauper Cemetery as Community Engaged Memory Work. International Journal of Historical Archaeology. DOI 10.1007/s10761-021-00617-4



* Beisaw, April M. (2017) “Ruined by the Thirst for Urban Prosperity: Contemporary Archaeology of City Water Systems.” Contemporary Archaeology and the City: Creativity, Ruination, and Political Action, edited by Laura McAtackney and Krysta Ryzewski. Oxford Press. pp. 132-148.  



* Beisaw, April M. (2016) “Water for the City, Ruins for the Country: Archaeology of New York City’s Watershed.” International Journal of Historical Archaeology 20(3):614-626.




Portland, Oregon watershed



The Tennessee Valley Authority, and its history (written by the agency). You can volunteer as a citizen scientist and assist with archival research on the families affected by the TVA project.



If you wish to do your own poking around the NYC website, https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/environment/about-the-watershed.page

Conference season is here.  Enjoy this episode that’s all about the art of conferencing, which was originally recorded way back in 2016.  It was our third episode for the Women in Archaeology Podcast!  And, being one of our earliest episodes, the audio quality is a little all over the place.  Chelsi Slotten, Kristen Bastis, and Kirsten Lopez discuss the ways to navigate conferences, from all the networking to presenting.  Not too much has changed at conferences since 2016, except for more masks and hand sanitizer. 

On this episode, Emily Long, Chelsi Slotten, and Kirsten Lopez are joined by Rachel Morgan, author of the fantastic book ‘Sins of the Shovel: Looting, Murder, and the Evolution of American Archaeology.’ We asked Rachel all about her motivations for writing about the history of how American archaeology came to be, along with highlighting a host of unique looters, archaeologists, and reporters along the way. This book is great for non-archaeologists and archaeologists alike!






(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});




Links



Rachel Morgan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventures_in_archaeology/



Purchase Sins of the Shovel: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo207945591.html



Listen to Sins of the Shovel on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Sins-of-the-Shovel-Audiobook/B0CSM2TNFS



Give a Hoot don’t loot episode: https://womeninarchaeology.com/2023/08/30/give-a-hoot-dont-loot-types-of-looting-and-recent-examples/

On this episode, Emily and Kirsten discuss some of their new favorite podcasts and books, finds and archaeology news in 2023, and the recent changes to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).



Links



Top 10 Discoveries of 2023: https://www.archaeology.org/issues/536-2401/features/11935-top-10-discoveries-of-2023?fbclid=IwAR2unu6JF83QNTN0ZvSVqHLNwGtujFfrxpI_RwArwrPhbyJd2jXC2dnEJJA



Tribes in Maine spent decades getting ancestral remains. Harvard resisted them at nearly every turn: https://www.mainepublic.org/nation/2023-12-04/tribes-in-maine-spent-decades-getting-ancestral-remains-harvard-resisted-them-at-nearly-every-turn?fbclid=IwAR01G-FElm60yalpUoIjpOFQ2gsANVsE3jQqQHwtTMTaWr-gFwnxwFJ0B70



More than 100 Gaza heritage sites have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli attacks: https://www.npr.org/2023/12/03/1216200754/gaza-heritage-sites-destroyed-israel?fbclid=IwAR12kHR8V2wfmmp-_OEz9KBNSK6bUYL_M48k6aSnUrrx8cX02NDmYxUcYPo



Amateur archaeologists uncover a mysterious ancient Roman artifact in England: https://www.npr.org/2024/01/24/1226575715/archaeologists-roman-empire-dodecahedron-england?fbclid=IwAR1lehxR6tAdpXT5wWlt-Hq9WrCZf_FXAHqfafUMhwabt4sUBZjIzlEfobg



Museums to close exhibits featuring Native American artifacts, as new federal regulations take effect: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/01/26/us/museums-to-close-exhibits-featuring-native-american-artifacts-as-new-federal-regulations-take-effect/index.html?fbclid=IwAR0L-hURnlbpGUDPcrJrift59WcCvcxZ4Yqc38Zys9Lu2TqU5J1dqBjModk



SAA Sends Letter to Netflix Concerning “Ancient Apocalypse” Series: https://saa.org/quick-nav/saa-media-room/saa-news/2022/12/01/saa-sends-letter-to-netflix-concerning-ancient-apocalypse-series









The Archaeology Channel: https://www.archaeologychannel.org/




Home





War Crimes: Destruction of Archaeology as a War Crime





Archaeology and the Alt Right




*Music by Tristen Elliot

Wondering what field gear to ask for the upcoming holidays? Wondering what to get the archaeologist in your life? Give a listen to this released episode where the hosts talk about what they typically pack for fieldwork, their essential field gear, How to “Go” in the field, what to do about Flo, and basic first-aid training.



This episode originally posted on August 21, 2016. The host is Emily Long with Kirsten Lopez and Deidra Black.



Related Episodes and Blogs




The Art of CRM Field-Tech-ing Part 1, Fill in the Holes!





The Art of CRM Field Tech-ing, pt 2: What To Wear.





The PERIOD Episode – Repost





Archaeology Gifts Guide

On this episode, Chelsi, Kirsten, and Emily chat about the history and archaeology of the Thanksgiving holiday. What was the original harvest celebration all about? Were the Pilgrims an absolute bummer? What are our misconceptions about this holiday? What can archaeology tell us about the relationship between the Pilgrims and indigenous communities? The hosts also discuss the importance of recognizing the colonial and racist roots of Thanksgiving, and how for many modern indigenous communities, the holiday is a Day of Mourning. While enjoying time with one’s family and friends during the holiday, there are a variety of ways to educate each other about the real history of Thanksgiving and to respect and show empathy on the Day of Mourning.



*This episode originally was released on November 21, 2021



Links



400 Years After the ‘First Thanksgiving,’ the Tribe That Fed the Pilgrims Continues to Fight for Its Land Amid Another Epidemic: https://time.com/5911943/thanksgiving-wampanoag/?fbclid=IwAR2LR0fiCKHBBBuLF1o1ph1X5OTRzPnB6gDLF1_jhBRQMsK0KssMcUocUmU



The Myths of the Thanksgiving Story and the Lasting Damage They Imbue: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/thanksgiving-myth-and-what-we-should-be-teaching-kids-180973655/?fbclid=IwAR0qvxZCRShtLwFhqc1uUkg_islAxajXxg1f1rX-1WJ3GPZfBF0gO9rpcfs



Everyone’s history matters: The Wampanoag Indian Thanksgiving story deserves to be known: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/national-museum-american-indian/2017/11/23/everyones-history-matters-and-wampanoag-indian-thanksgiving-story-deserves-be-known/?fbclid=IwAR21rgNrxr9uxbFKocaUejagxKBgr0V-GlO5RNn7EM6aA-iLrfv_pv_yaLA



Before the Pilgrims, Floridians celebrated the ‘real’ first Thanksgiving: https://news.ufl.edu/articles/2015/11/before-the-pilgrims-floridians-celebrated-the-real-first-thanksgiving.html?fbclid=IwAR0_KrQuo6hr7SrBuK5Aj7WpghAmK8Wg4qT_R2I9x-btBZR_dJu8Y-_KABA



Thanksgiving at Plimoth Plantation: Kathleen Curtin: https://archive.archaeology.org/online/interviews/curtin.html?fbclid=IwAR0faQSfAozzU0geQP6_-C7gbLkzXa5SkTsZQlnU8K3kcaJ17KQ9Kkbef00



Related Episodes




Archaeology of Foodways with Dr. Tanya Peres





Favorites of 2022

On this episode, the hosts talk with two of the founders of the Disabled Archaeologists Network (DAN). Alice Wolff and Dr. Katie Kinkopf discuss why DAN was established, the Network’s mission, and the type of programs and information the Network provides. DAN provides incredibly important guidance on how to ask for accommodations at fieldschool, what kind of accommodations may be needed, how to apply for graduate school, and so much more.



Links



The Disabled Archaeologists Network: https://disabledarchnetwork.weebly.com/
















FAQ





Diversity, Disability, and Ableism in Archaeology with Dr. Laura Heath-Stout





Repost – Zooarchaeology with Alex Fitzpatrick




*Intro and outro music by Tristan Elliot

This episode originally aired on June 25, 2017.  The hosts were Emily Long and Chelsi Slotten.  The guests were Jenny McNiven, Kirsten Lopez, Lindsay Doyle, and Natalie Clark.  On this episode, the hosts talked about the logistics of having kids as an archaeologist. They discuss the ups and downs, the necessary planning, and provide advice for future archy parents.



*Please note, as one of our earlier episodes, the audio quality isn’t quite what we have now. The volume varies from person to person and there’s some audio issues. Thank you for bearing with us!



Current Links



Pregnant in the Field: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jul/01/pregnant-in-the-field-blog-photography-have-trowel-will-travel



Impossible Choices at the Crossroads of Motherhood and Fieldwork: ://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/motherhood-and-fieldwork/




Having babies as an academic archaeologist




Mothers in the Field: https://www.chronicle.com/article/mothers-in-the-field/



A Guide to Juggling Fieldwork and Pregnancy: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-01851-3

On this episode, hosts Chelsi Slotten and Emily Long explore the different types and reasons why people loot archaeological sites, both in the past and present. They also discuss recent examples of looting (i.e. WWII shipwrecks) and issues of repatriating looted artifacts.



Ship looting in the Java Sea- https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2017/nov/03/worlds-biggest-grave-robbery-asias-disappearing-ww2-shipwrecks?fbclid=IwAR0d1QIYByhdeV7vHTbeqECE4DSODiq5SB5iYZECy5_NIO2da-oguxkOJrY



Ship looting in Malaysan economic zone- https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/05/30/asia/malaysia-world-war-ii-shipwreck-looting-intl-hnk/index.html?fbclid=IwAR09M2S9_dKZOpt2D2ESrqnjhn4wGTpP0dh-vETyjCeKh-ABNZWyioXZTpE



Oseberg and Gokstad looting-



https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/abs/plundering-of-the-ship-graves-from-oseberg-and-gokstad-an-example-of-power-politics/A5578C1722C9D0B0D837B780BA93DB97



Contested Objects at BM- https://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection



Looted objects at the Met- https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/mar/20/new-york-metropolitan-museum-collection-artifacts-theft



BM act- https://www.britishmuseum.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/British-Museum-Act-1963.pdf



Donna Yates episode link- https://womeninarchaeology.com/2021/04/04/confronting-illegal-trafficking-in-archaeology-with-dr-donna-yates-repost/



Destruction of Archaeology as a war crime episode- https://womeninarchaeology.com/2020/01/07/war-crimes-destruction-of-archaeology-as-a-war-crime/

On this episode, Emily Long and Kirsten Lopez interview two of the founders of Trowelblazers, Dr. Brenna Hassett and Dr. Rebecca Wragg Sykes. The Trowelblazers website highlights the contributions of women in archaeology, geology, and paleontology. The founders of Trowelblazers Suzanne Pilaar Birch, Tori Herridge, Brenna Hassett, and Rebecca Wragg Skykes are an amazing group that have led award winning collaborations, written for major media outlets, and who continue to support women in science.



Links



https://trowelblazers.com/



https://trowelblazers.com/category/raising-horizons/



https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2016/oct/20/we-must-highlight-these-trowel-blazers-and-inspire-tomorrows-women-scientists



https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/people/brenna-hassett-ahrc-researcher-co-investigator



https://www.rebeccawraggsykes.com/book

This episode originally aired on October 1st, 2017.  The hosts are Dr. Chelsi Slotten, Emily Long, and Kirsten Lopez.  Enjoy.  On today’s episode, we will be discussing the impact tourism can have on sites including the good, the bad and the ugly. From individuals, best practices, to legislation.  The discussion will include how tourism impacts sites, the surrounding areas, the broader public, and individuals.



Links



http://www.cnn.com/travel/article/tourists-arrested-rome-colosseum/index.html



http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/travelnews/2011/11/111107-pompeii-italy-science-travel-collapse-eu/



https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/21/looters-latin-america-archaeological-heritage



https://www.archaeological.org/tourism_guidelines



https://www.montpelier.org/archaeology



https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24533

On this episode, the hosts are joined by Dr. Stefani Crabtree and Dr. Jennifer Dunne from the Santa Fe Institute to discuss an exciting new field of study, archaeoecology. Unlike how a palaeobiology or archaeology study may only focus on one or two species, archaeoecology takes in the whole ecological context of an archaeological site. Dunne and Crabtree describe archaeoecology as a way to examine the past through the relationship between humans and ecosystems–and not just how humans affect the environment or nature, but also how the ecosystem can shape human culture.



Links



Archaeology and ecology combined sketch a fuller picture of past human-nature relationships: https://www.santafe.edu/news-center/news/combined-archaeology-and-ecology-sketch-fuller-picture-past-human-nature-relationships

Ethics Codes provide the guiding principles on how an organization and its participants should perform their duties as archaeologists, how we can be a more inclusive field, as well as how we should treat each other. On this episode, the hosts discuss the changes made to the Society for American Archaeology Principles of Archaeological Ethics. We go through the reasons why the Code needed to be updated and the overall additions and changes made to the Code of Ethics.

For this episode we are joined by Yvonne Kjorlien to talk about her research on the search and recovery of scattered human remains, helping families find closure, and the educational materials she has developed along the way. We also discuss her work with law enforcement agencies and transitioning out of archaeology . Yvonne would also like to say a big BIG thank you to the law enforcement agencies, landowners, and pig growers that help with the Scavenging Study.



Show Notes



The Reluctant Archaeologist Page



Scattered Podcast



Bone Search and Discovery Course



Search and Rescue with Emily Taber

This episode originally aired on December 25, 2016.  The show hosts were Deidra Black, Chelsi Slotten, Kristin Bastis, Emily Long and the guest was Mandy Ranslow.  Apologies for the audio quality.  This was still in our pre-Zencastr and fancy microphones days.  Enjoy! Episode summary: Mandy Ranslow joins the show to talk about an avocational archaeology program in Connecticut. The value of para-professional contributions to the field is also discussed.



Show Notes



Avocational archaeology defined by the SAA



What Is Archaeology?