Site Bites

In the final episode of Season 1, we wrap up our series on Chaco and Southwest archaeology through a conversation with our fellow graduate student, Patrick Cruz. Patrick is a citizen of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo in New Mexico and he impresses upon us the importance of Indigenous perspectives in archaeological research and interpretations. Patrick reflects on his experiences visiting ancestral sites and being both an Indigenous person and an archaeologist. Links Carlton Shield Chief...

For this episode, the two co-hosts sit down with Dr. Steve Lekson to discuss the legacy and impact of Chaco after the peak of its influence in the Southwest around A.D./C.E. 1050. We hear about the famed “Chaco Meridian” and the role of archaeology as part of the “Colonial Package”. We explore interpretations regarding where Chacoan peoples moved to after Chaco and where they went after that too. Dr. Lekson stresses the importance of inter-regional archaeological investigation and thinking...

In this episode of Site Bite’s Season 1, we bring on Paul Reed to spar with Rob Weiner over varying interpretations of Chacoan archaeology. Paul starts off by reflecting on his early career working with the Navajo Nation from the late 80’s to early 2000’s and how that has shaped his perspectives on the need for Indigenous collaboration in archaeological research. The major debates we discuss are: the productivity of agriculture, population density, and the role of Great Houses at Chaco....

On the second episode of Site Bite’s Podcast season one, Carlton and Rob talk with Dr. Cathy Cameron about the origins of Chaco. We dive into the contemporary interpretations of where the people came from behind the monumental structures at Chaco as well as what the area was like before Chaco became a center of ritual and political influence. We discuss the broader Chacoan world such as Mesoamerican relations and Chacoan outlying settlements in the Southwest. We conclude this conversation...

On the first episode of Site Bite’s Podcast season one, Carlton and Rob talk with Rich Friedman about the landscape and chronology of the famed Chaco Canyon archaeological site. We start off by getting Rich’s background in geology and how that education propelled him into Chacoan archaeology. We go in-depth about his work using emerging technologies and how those tools have allowed archaeologists to expand our understanding of the region’s environment and human behavior in and around Chaco...

For the first season of the Site Bite’s Podcast, we will be exploring Chaco Canyon archaeology with this season’s featured co-host, Rob Weiner. Rob is a Ph.D. candidate in Anthropology at the University of Colorado Boulder. He talks about his passion for Southwest archaeology and his current research. This pre-season episode was recorded after Rob and Carlton had finished recording all five episodes for season 1. They reflect on the experience of recording all five episodes in one day and...

Introducing the Site Bites Podcast. In this episode, we will introduce the host of this podcast, Carlton Gover, and why he has decided to create this show. The Site Bites Podcast will explore an archaeological landscape over multiple episodes through conversations with various experts. Joining him each season, will be a featured co-host that is more versed in the archaeological literature of the selected archaeological site to help guide conversation and promote more dynamic dialogue...