Screens of the Stone Age

Today we’re joined by professor/filmmaker/archaeologist Rob Rownd to review The Dig (2021), a film which tells the (mostly) true story of the Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxon ship burial excavation of 1939. Find out why we love this movie so much, even though it makes some questionable decisions about the portrayal of real-life archaeologist Peggy Piggot. Check out Rob’s projects: Sisa: https://deadline.com/2025/01/hilda-koronel-jun-robles-lana-sisa-philippine-american-war-1236252344/ Cinemartyrs: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/support-film-fatales-fund-indie-film-cinemartyrs--2#/ Get in touch with us: Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Website: https://screensofthestoneage.com Email: [email protected] In this episode: Phillips (1940) The excavation of the Sutton Hoo ship burial: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003581500009677 The True Story Behind the Dig: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/suffolk/sutton-hoo/digging-the-dirt-at-sutton-hoo-the-true-story-behind-the-dig The Misrepresentation of Peggy Piggot in “The Dig”: https://theheritagehut.wordpress.com/2021/03/23/the-misrepresentation-of-peggy-piggott-in-the-dig/ Stuart Piggot’s Poetry: https://stuart-piggott-poetry.com/stuart%20and%20peggy.html Artifacts from Sutton Hoo: https://digventures.com/2021/01/16-brilliant-discoveries-from-the-sutton-hoo-ship-burial/ Cornelius Holtorf (2007) Archaeology is a Brand! https://archive.org/details/archaeologyisbra00holt/mode/2up

Today we’ve invited Fredrik Trusohamn of Digging Up Ancient Aliens to help us review Kon Tiki (2012), the true story of Thor Heyerdahl and his adventure on the Pacific Ocean which proved that Polynesia was settled by explorers from Peru... or did it? In this episode we reveal the dark secrets that movie doesn’t want you to know, and identify what Kon Tiki, Ancient Aliens, and Atlantis all have in common (spoilers: it’s hyperdiffusionism!) Hear more from Fredrik: Digging Up Ancient Aliens: https://diggingupancientaliens.com/ DUAA on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digging_up_ancient_alien Get in touch with us: Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Website: https://screensofthestoneage.com Email: [email protected] In this episode: Watch Kon Tiki (2012) on Plex: https://watch.plex.tv/movie/kon-tiki-2012 Watch Kon Tiki (1950) (the documentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvBYfba8nv8 Read The Kon Tiki Expedition (1950) by Thor Heyerdahl: https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.524366/ Read American Indians In The Pacific (1952) by Thor Heyerdahl: https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.505573/ Why do waves come in sets? https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/why-do-waves-come-in-sets Victor Melander (2019) David’s Weapon of Mass Destruction: The Reception of Thor Heyerdahl’s ‘Kon-Tiki Theory’: https://archaeologybulletin.org/articles/10.5334/bha-612 Alexander Ioannidis et al. (2020) Native American gene flow into Polynesia predating Easter Island settlement: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2487-2 Hōkūleʻa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C5%8Dk%C5%ABle%CA%BBa Czech archaeologists trace ancient sea routes in Neolithic dugout replica: https://english.radio.cz/monoxylon-iii-czech-archaeologists-trace-ancient-sea-routes-neolithic-dugout-8130367 Sarmatian log boat (monoxylon) at Novi Sad Museum: https://europebetweeneastandwest.wordpress.com/2020/10/03/how-will-we-be-forgotten-petrovaradin-of-sarmatians-monoxylon-a-balkan-affair-30/

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are not able to post our regularly scheduled episode today, but in its place we'd like to share a YouTube video Josh made for the ComSciCon Canada conference! You can find it at the following link: https://youtu.be/I_jHuLPhF7I Please check it out, and leave us a comment letting us know what you think! ComSciCon Canada: https://www.comsciconcanada.org/

Today we’re reviewing Sasquatch Sunset (2024), the story of a family of Bigfoots searching in vain for more of their own kind while coming to terms with a new threat to their survival: humans. It’s a beautiful, powerful film about grief, uncertainty, perseverance, hope, and poop. Lots of poop. Visit our new website! https://screensofthestoneage.com Get in touch with us: Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Email: [email protected] In this episode: Ross’ yeti paper: Edwards & Barnett (2015). Himalayan ‘yeti’ DNA: Polar bear or DNA degradation? A comment on ‘Genetic analysis of hair samples attributed to yeti’ by Sykes et al.(2014): https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.1712 Sasquatch Birth Journal 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVTw2w6MiFw Riley Keough – Creatures of Nature – grunt version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGlueLd7Kqo Number sense in animals: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_sense_in_animals The Patterson Gimlin film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q60mSMmhTZU Wild chimps play with dolls: https://www.npr.org/2010/12/21/132231422/wild-chimps-may-play-dolls Sometimes a Great Notion (1971) - drowning scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W3sZedBfIM Bigfoot behaviour: https://www.bfro.net/gdb/show_FAQ.asp?id=587 Why do chimps throw poop? https://www.livescience.com/66042-why-chimps-throw-poop.html Bowland et al. (2025). The evolutionary ecology of ethanol: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2024.09.005 Did ‘shrooms send Santa and his reindeer flying? https://www.npr.org/2010/12/24/132260025/did-shrooms-send-santa-and-his-reindeer-flying

Ghosts is a BBC sitcom about a young couple who inherit a mansion which happens to be haunted by a cast of spirits from various periods of Britain’s history—including the Stone Age. Today we’re reviewing the character Robin, who is some sort of caveman ghost who has been haunting the grounds since long before Button House was built. His is a tragic story of extreme loneliness and solitude, but through it all he’s developed a strong sense of humour, a sage-like wisdom, and an appreciation of bums. Visit our new website! https://screensofthestoneage.com Get in touch with us: Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Email: [email protected] In this episode: 9 minutes of Robin chaos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrgFgyTGKwI Roger Clark (2012) A Natural History of Ghosts: 500 Years of Hunting for Proof: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Natural_History_of_Ghosts Greyfriar’s Kirkyard: https://greyfriarskirk.com/visit/kirkyard/ Ghosts of Roman soldiers haunt ancient city of York: https://www.upi.com/Archives/1977/01/19/Ghosts-of-Roman-soldiers-haunt-ancient-city-of-York/6631571073639/ Jaubert et al. (2016). Early Neanderthal constructions deep in Bruniquel Cave in southwestern France: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature18291 The BBC article about the “highly inbred” Neanderthal woman from Denisova Cave: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-25423498

Live from New York: It’s the Stone Age! Today we’re reviewing an anthology of sketches from Saturday Night Live, the long-running American variety show, featuring Cockney cavemen, osteological phobias, Nile Valley girls, a real banger about Ancient Rome, and a lot of celebs humping each other. Visit our new website! https://screensofthestoneage.com Get in touch with us: Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Email: [email protected] In this episode: Watch our Stone Age SNL playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MDF68rM3VM&list=PLzzOAyef3Dyrhg07MnEfFircHodV_OPjj Don’t You Go Rounin’ Round to Re Ro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6p0W4ZsLXw The earliest known fermented beverage: https://historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=3424 Moosa et al. (2021). Sexual dimorphic parameters of femur: a clinical guide in orthopedics and forensic studies: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8811676/ The March of Progress: https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/sites.wustl.edu/dist/1/1202/files/2018/10/MarchofProgressComplete-192k4uo.png Sapolsky and Share (2004). A Pacific culture among wild baboons: https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020106 Maya vs. Aztec Calendar: https://mymayansign.com/blog/aztec-vs-mayan-calendar/ Ancient Rome Meme: https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2023/09/21/tiktoks-roman-empire-meme-explained/ Hadrian was hella gay: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/antinous-and-hadrian Eosimias: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eosimias Orang Pendek: https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Orang_Pendek

Today we’re playing Caveman Movie Bingo again! Creatures the World Forgot (1971) is another 70s caveman-sploitation film that’s heavy on the stereotypical tropes and light on plot. Despite the name, it might be most notable for not featuring any forgotten creatures. Visit our new website! https://screensofthestoneage.com Get in touch with us: Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Email: [email protected] In this episode: Watch Creatures the World Forgot on Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/creatures-the-world-forgot Play Caveman Movie Bingo: https://bingobaker.com#681e1d01d32b436e Ostrich eggshell beads: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostrich_eggshell_beads Ostrich egg water bottles: https://www.penn.museum/collections/object/213331 Elephant bird eggshells: https://www.colorado.edu/today/2023/02/28/ancient-eggshells-unlock-discovery-extinct-elephant-bird-lineage Formicola and Buzhilova (2004) Double child burial from Sunghir (Russia): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15197816/ Dance of the Tiger (1995) by Björn Kurtén: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/dance-of-the-tiger/paper The Asaro Mudmen of Papua New Guinea: https://www.tribes.world/en/community/who-are-the-asaro The Dogon People of Mali: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogon_people

Big news! An American biotech company announced this week that they have brought the dire wolf back from extinction! We’ve honoured this great achievement by watching the prophetic film Dire Wolf (2009), a gory werewolf movie in which an American biotech company brought back the dire wolf from extinction... to create a military bioweapon! We’ve got our eyes on you, Colossal Biosciences... Visit our new website! https://screensofthestoneage.com Get in touch with us: Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Email: [email protected] In this episode: Watch Dire Wolf (2009) on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/641656/dire-wolf The Dire Wolf (Aenocyon dirus): https://tarpits.org/stories/our-evolving-understanding-dire-wolves Bone Clones Dire Wolf Skull: https://boneclones.com/product/dire-wolf-skull-tarpit-finish-BC-020T Colossal Biosciences: https://colossal.com/ Colossal’s Dire Wolf preprint on BioRxiv: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.09.647074v1.abstract Perri et al. (2021) Dire wolves were the last of an ancient New World canid lineage: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-03082-x Janczewski et al. (1992) Molecular phylogenetic inference from saber-toothed cat fossils of Rancho La Brea: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.89.20.9769 Hank Green – They Didn’t Make Dire Wolves, They Made Something...Else: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar0zgedLyTw Beth Shapiro (2020) How to Clone a Mammoth: https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691209005/how-to-clone-a-mammoth

Today we’re reviewing Lisa the Skeptic, a classic episode of The Simpsons in which Lisa discovers an apparent angel skeleton at an archaeological dig. In this episode we dig into hoaxes, the use of AI in academic writing, and the work of Stephen J. Gould. But in a larger sense, this episode will settle the age-old question of Science vs. Religion (spoiler alert: Capitalism wins). Visit our new website! https://screensofthestoneage.com Get in touch with us: Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Email: [email protected] In this episode: The Burgess Shale: https://www.burgess-shale.bc.ca/ Stephen J. Gould: https://achievement.org/achiever/stephen-jay-gould/ The Cardiff Giant: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiff_Giant AI in academic writing: https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/generative-ai-in-academic-writing/ Operation Flagship: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnd0p192kn2o Operation Flagship on Stuff You Should Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYcGopqLvEs The Prophecy (1995): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7PSZ7NDEgU Kenneth Copeland is evil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20y2Alkbc30 Christian Science reading rooms: https://apnews.com/article/christian-science-reading-rooms-religion-65a68fb88b7db958aa1c939e0d69719d Anomalocaris: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anomalocaris Billy Beer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Beer

Today we’ve reached a milestone – 100 Episodes!! To celebrate, Josh is taking Kim and Ross on a trivia-based tour of some of the best and worst movies from our podcast’s prehistory. What have we learned after nearly four years of caveman movies? Let’s find out! Plus, a bonus review of Mastodons (1997). Visit our new website! https://screensofthestoneage.com Get in touch with us: Bluesky: @sotsapodcast.bsky.social Facebook: @SotSAPodcast Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/sotsa/ Email: [email protected] Watch Mastodons (1997): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXU3BC9Zie4 Part horn sound effect: “Party Horn Close 03” by Lucas_Schacht -- https://freesound.org/s/713658/ -- License: Attribution 4.0