NPR's Book of the Day ‘Dinner with King Tut’ follows experimental archaeologists as they recreate the past
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Aug 26, 2025 Join Sam Kean as he dives into the fascinating world of experimental archaeology. Discover how archaeologists recreate ancient diets by cooking dishes like acorn bread and even eating caterpillars. Delve into innovative theories about pyramid construction, where a carpenter introduces a mechanical method for lifting stone blocks. Explore the tension between experimental and traditional archaeology, while uncovering lost secrets of civilizations and their culinary traditions.
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Eating The Past
- Sam Kean ate unusual ancient foods like caterpillars, walrus, ostrich eggs, guinea pigs and made acorn bread during his research.
- He reports mixed results but highlights how tasting adds sensory realism to understanding past diets.
Sensory Gaps In Traditional Archaeology
- Sam Kean says experimental archaeology reveals sounds, smells and tastes that standard archaeology misses.
- These sensory details deepen understanding of how people actually lived beyond material remains.
Brain Tanning Leather
- Sam Kean describes brain tanning leather using an animal's brains worked into the hide by hand.
- The process was messy, physically demanding, and revealed how laborious making everyday items once was.
