”Working Right Now” - The Modern Toymaker

This episode's topic is so literally monumental, we brought in three experts to help us bring it to life. We’re going back more than 3,000 years, to New Kingdom Egypt, to visit two of the job sites that contributed to the production of some of the ancient world’s most iconic monuments. We start with the dynamic duo of Dr Maria Nilsson and John Ward, Nat Geo Explorers and archaeologists who have spent over ten years uncovering the secrets of Gebel el Silsila, the little-known quarry site that supplied the stone for pretty much every major temple you’d see along a ‘hit parade’ Nile River tour. Then, joined by Egyptologist Sofia Aziz, we zero in on the Valley of the Kings site, Deir el Medina, where extraordinarily detailed archaeological and historical records reveal the lives of one group of ancient Egyptian construction workers in astonishing detail. Think worker strikes and social media are a modern phenomenon? Think again. As with so many things, it seems the Egyptians did it first. So, let’s tread the dust of two of their most prolific building sites. Like an Egyptian, of course.

In this episode, Karen talks with Master Mason Brad Steele about the ancient craft of building in stone, from its ancient origins through the medieval guilds which continue to provide fraternal and educational support to ensure its survival into the future.  

Karen explores the history and evolution of licensed brands and “intellectual property,” and hears about the latest IP trends in heritage attractions and art museums. Join the conversation with guest Georgina Dorothy, archaeologist and historian turned heritage IP executive at ARTiSTORY.

In this episode, Karen talks with actor, director, and theatre historian, Dr Kyle A Thomas. Join us for a peek behind the curtain of European theatre in the Middle Ages. Spoiler alert: piety wasn’t the only value on display in medieval relgious dramas!

As we move through some holiday down time, celebrate with this WoT classic episode. It’s the story of the department store, or mall, Santa - the origins of the job, who were the big players, and its lasting legacy on the industry of holiday joy. Join us as we talk with Dr. Sheila Hoffman, and hear the tale of the very first Department Store/Mall Santa, in a fireside story with Working Over Time Producer/Writer Aidan Laliberte. (recorded over zoom)

In today’s episode, which is Part I of II, we examine blacksmithing from the perspectives of the legends and folklore forged from the same fires as the revolutionary iron tools that so fundamentally shaped human experience. What better way to dive into this topic than with our guest, Mark Norman, whose own podcast, The Folklore Podcast, has enjoyed over 1.25 million downloads to date, fueled by compelling content and, of course, a stellar host. With that, let’s gather around the forge.  

Halloween *bonus* Working Right Now episode, with returning guest, Isabella Connor, 17th-19thc New England historian and writer. Isabella loves Salem, and Halloween. Just not together. Tune in to find out why.

What do you think of when you hear the phrase “public art?" What is it? Who is it for? What is its purpose, anyway? In this episode we explore these questions, and more, through the lens of ancient Greco-Roman sculpture with archaeologist and educator Laura Aitken-Burt. Spoiler alert: the place and influence of state-sanctioned art strikes us as one of those “universals” of human society, past and present.   

For much of human history, finding shelter was something everyone did on their own, to survive. But with increasing labor specialization in complex societies, the act of designing and building structures evolved into a distinct blend of art and science, becoming the discipline we know today as architecture.  But when did this job, as such, become a thing? Today’s guest, Viviano Villarreal-Bueron, has a ripping good take on that, replete with drama, intrigue, and bruised egos aplenty. So - hard hats on - we’re headed to the eternal magnificence of Renaissance Rome.

Classical historian and baker-in-residence, Dr Owen Rees, walks Karen through the ancient past and present pleasures of breadmaking.