Indiana Jones: Myth, Reality And 21st Century Archaeology

In this episode we explore the most spectacular archaeological region in the United States, the Southwest. Sites like Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon are international monuments. But this vast area’s archaeological richness tells a much more complex story. Native societies in southern Arizona built enormous canal irrigation systems as early as 1200 BCE. 11th century artists of New Mexico’s Mimbres region painted brilliant ceramic pots that grace museum collections everywhere. Southwest sites have been excavated since the late 1800s, with scientists and the public benefiting from favorably dry preservation environments, largely unaltered landscapes, and the living descendants of prehistoric societies that have occupied this terrain for over 10,000 years. Renowned experts Steve Lekson (University of Colorado) and Cory Breternitz (Paleowest Archaeology, Inc.) join us in discussing the latest findings at famous Southwestern sites and their importance for archaeological research everywhere.