Hi Reader!
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This year, I've been thinking a lot about how we learn about archaeology. Part of the reason I started my YouTube channel (and even my old blog) was to contribute to making archaeology more accessible to broader audiences.
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So in thinking about our audience's needs, we launched a new series on YouTube called "Artifact of the Day." It's bite-sized videos, around 4-8 minutes long, that zoom in on a specific artifact or artifact type.

We started this series because folx wanted accessible videos that were a bit shorter than our deep dives. The first episode is out and detailed below.

Also, we released a new podcast episode with Raven Todd DaSilva yesterday. We discuss her new book, The Other Ancient Civilisations, which is also a reimagining of how we learn about archaeology.

Check out all the links below :)

Fresh from the Field 🗺️

A quick round-up of my latest videos, podcasts, and features

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Our newest series, Artifact of the Day, is here. Check out the latest episodes below:
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🏺 Artifact of the Day Series Trailer
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🏺 The Andean Artifact Redefining Reading and Writing ​
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Here is the most recent podcast episode:
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🎙️ Episode 11: Expanding Our View of the Ancient World​
Archaeologist and science communicator Raven Todd DaSilva joins me to talk about her new book, The Other Ancient Civilisations. We discuss why and how she spotlighted cultures often missing from mainstream narratives and what they reveal about humanity.

→ YouTube | Spotify | Apple | More Options​

Small Finds 👝

Sharing things that sparked my curiosity recently
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​📚 The Other Ancient Civilisations - Raven Todd DaSilva
Raven was on the podcast this week, and we talked about her book. It spotlights ancient civilizations that don't always get mainstream love. I read it and I found it accessible and engaging. I also learned a ton!
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🪢 Human Hair Found in Incan Khipu​

If you watch our first Artifact of the Day video, you'll hear that khipus were often made with animal hair. However, other materials were used. A study ​published about a month ago revealed that human hair was used, which helps us better understand the diversity and range of this practice.

Dig Back In ⛏️

Revisiting something curious from the archive
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​If you're curious to learn a bit more about why I decided to create archaeology education content online, check out this video!

Thank you so much for reading!
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Until next time,
Smiti

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