The Near Eastern History Podcast

A podcast exploring the history, culture, and peoples of the ancient Near East, from the dawn of prehistory to Alexander the Great

Episode 7 - Think Before You Speak (Part 1) 05/05/2020

Episode 7 - Think Before You Speak (Part 1) In which we go on an extended exploration of causal reasoning, language, and how they relate to innovation, social learning, Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, and the future course of Near Eastern prehistory. Also, in which you can hear my dog in the background multiple times. /episode/index/show/neareasternhistorypod/id/14288090

Episode 6 - Arsonists and Elephant Hunters 04/07/2020

Episode 6 - Arsonists and Elephant Hunters We're entering a period of Near Eastern prehistory, that will culminate in modern humans. How we reach that point is illustrated at the site of Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, one of the most fascinating and archaeologically-dense sites we'll ever encounter. We look at the evolution of human consciousness, the harnessing of fire, and the coordinated hunting of some of the largest animals to ever walk the earth. /episode/index/show/neareasternhistorypod/id/13882772

Show Update (12/23/19) 12/23/2019

Show Update (12/23/19) In which I apologize for being bad at scheduling. /episode/index/show/neareasternhistorypod/id/12517076

Episode 5 - Welcome to the Neighborhood 12/10/2019

Episode 5 - Welcome to the Neighborhood After three episodes stuck inside just two Near Eastern sites, we’re finally getting a look at what’s been going on in the rest of the region, Anatolia to Iran, the Caucasus to Arabia. Don’t get too comfortable though, because once we see what the Near Eastern Quaternary looked like, climate change will return to tear it all down. /episode/index/show/neareasternhistorypod/id/12345167

Episode 4 - A Paleolithic Swiss Army Knife 11/17/2019

Episode 4 - A Paleolithic Swiss Army Knife In this episode, we take a look at the most important site from the core region of the Early Paleolithic Near East: the Levantine site of ‘Ubeidiya. From its 400,000 years of occupation, we get a look at one of the most critical technological revolutions in hominin history, and foreshadowing of what Near Eastern humans will later achieve. /episode/index/show/neareasternhistorypod/id/12067793

Episode 3 - Invention and Retention 11/04/2019

Episode 3 - Invention and Retention Humans and their ancestors are notoriously messy, but of all the things they leave on the ground, what survives the longest is rocks. In this episode, we take a look at the origins and development of (arguably) the first technology in history, stone tools, and what the Near Eastern archaeological record can tell us about them. From that specific example though, we also take a look at how hominins gain and hold onto knowledge generally, and how that knowledge builds on itself into something entirely new. /episode/index/show/neareasternhistorypod/id/11895032

Episode 2 - The First Near Easterners 10/21/2019

Episode 2 - The First Near Easterners Take a deep dive into the (so far) earliest known hominin site outside Africa, and what is arguably the most important archaeological find from the Early Paleolithic: the Georgian site of Dmanisi. Here, around 1.8 million years ago, hominins left us with more than enough evidence to get Near Eastern prehistory started: their food, their tools, and even their skulls. With these remains we learn more about daily life for early Homo, and get even more confused about who early Homo might have been. /episode/index/show/neareasternhistorypod/id/11718332

Episode 1 - Before the Beginning 10/07/2019

Episode 1 - Before the Beginning An overview of the evolutionary, environmental, and geographic background leading up to our ancestor's first entry into the Near East. Plenty to talk about, but don't expect much of it take place in the Near East itself. /episode/index/show/neareasternhistorypod/id/11540219

Introduction 09/25/2019

Introduction Introduction to The Near Eastern History Podcast, including the scope, goals, and technical aspects. /episode/index/show/neareasternhistorypod/id/11386619

The Near Eastern History Podcast

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