
The New Brunswick Archaeology Podcast
Covering 13,000 years of history, archaeologists Gabe Hrynick (Associate Professor, University of New Brunswick) and Ken Holyoke (Assistant Professor, University of Lethbridge) introduce the people, technologies, and stories of archaeology in New Brunswick, Canada.
Latest episodes

Sep 17, 2023 • 1h 39min
Maybe the Real Crystal Skull is the Friends We Made Along the Way - Intrusive Feature 2b
Guests Gabe and Ken join the hosts to review Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Topics cover surviving a nuclear blast in a refrigerator, Shia LeBoeuf's role, using movies in class, Russian soldiers, inaccuracies in the film, interdimensional beings, archaeology theory, problematic relationships, Canadian heritage moments, and children's programming commercials.

Sep 7, 2023 • 1h 31min
Intrusive Feature 2a - Defence!! [clap, clap] Defence!!
There's a new Doctor in the house!We’re back after our own great hiatus! Join us this week while Dr. Ken Holyoke tells us about his recently defended dissertation and provides some advice for folks considering studying for a PhD.And congrats to Gillian! The first winner of the Ecofor prize draw.https://www.ecofor.ca/Hit piecesNewsom, B., Soctomah, D., Blackwood, E., & Brough, J. (2023). Indigenous Archaeologies, Shell Heaps, and Climate Change: A Case Study from Passamaquoddy Homeland. Advances in Archaeological Practice, 1-12. doi:10.1017/aap.2023.14Hrynick, M., Anderson, A., Moore, E., & Meade, M. (2023). Embedding Librarians in Archaeological Field Schools. Advances in Archaeological Practice, 1-8. doi:10.1017/aap.2023.17Gabriel Hrynick, M., and Matthew W. Betts (2023). Late Maritime Woodland period hunter-fisher-gatherer complexity in the Far Northeast: Toward an historical and contingent approach. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 71:101535.

Jul 28, 2023 • 1h 21min
Sipp-ity Do-Da - Intrusive Feature 1e
In this episode, Ken and Gabe are talking about the Downeast Maine Archaeological Field School directed by none other than your co-host Gabe Hrynick and our colleagues Arthur Anderson and Matt Betts. Gabe also took the microphone to the field and recorded a series of short interviews with fieldschool students and collaborators which you will have the pleasure of listening to. This is our most immersive ep yet. Thanks to our interviewees: Julia Chebott, Tim Treen, Dawson Burnett, Emily Draiccio, Jacob Couture, Dave MacInnes, Isaac Scott, Kathy Martin, and Iulia Vuia. We’d also like to thank Donald Soctomah, Natalie Dana-Lolar, Deirdre Whitehead, Kyle Koch, and all of our friends at the Cobscook Institute. Also thanks to all of our other guest faculty: Jerika Heinz (FIEST), Nadine Byers (Amoskeag Health), Madeleine Mcleester (Dartmouth). Thank you to Future NB and Sarah King for facilitating funding for UNB students to attend the field school, and to SSHRC for ongoing research funding. Other links:Cobscook Institute: https://cobscookinstitute.org/Jeremy Dutcher: https://jeremydutcher.com/Maine Coast Heritage Trust: https://www.mcht.org/Tides Institute: https://www.tidesinstitute.org/

Jul 14, 2023 • 1h 15min
Don't Touch That Dial (of Destiny) - Intrusive Feature 1d
[SPOILER ALERT!!] This week Gabe and Ken review the new Indiana Jones movie Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. We talk about the film, its impact, where it fits in the series, and how we could all go easier on Dr. Jones.Show Notes:CP Snow’s “The Two Cultures”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Two_CulturesTrigger’s History of Archaeological Thought: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/history-of-archaeological-thought/E278A8C631322BAC5B5E21C88E3CEBFBScreens of the Stone Age: https://pasc-scpa.ca/sotsaChunky's Cinema Pub: https://www.chunkys.com/movie-theater/chunkysmanchester

Jun 29, 2023 • 2h 22min
Begun, the Colonial Wars Have
This fortnight Ken and Gabe get well outside of their comfort zone and talk about historical archaeology. St. Onge, forts, and trade goods, oh my! Your hosts are about to start their summer field seasons and Ken needs to finish his dissertation so our summer schedule will be more erratic, but you’ll still be hearing from us. Remember to send in your finished Bingo card to be entered into the swag drawing. Show Notes:Generate your Bingo card here (thanks, Wally!): https://bingobaker.com/#6460122e33e86867Black, David W., and Christopher R. Blair. 2000. Faunal Remains from the Loyalist Occupation of the Bliss Island, Quoddy Region, New Brunswick. Ontario Archaeology 69:39 – 54.Blockhouses: http://parkscanadahistory.com/series/chs/23/chs23-1a.htmDaigle, Jean (ed). 1995. Acadia of the Maritimes: thematic studies (9th). Centre d'études acadiennes, Moncton, N.B.Doroszenko, Dena. 2009. Exploration, Exploitation, Expansion, and Settlement: Historical Archaeology in Canada. In International Handbook of Historical Archaeology, edited by D. Gaimster and T. Majewski, pp. 507–524. Springer, New York.Ecofor Consulting, https://www.ecofor.ca/Erickson, Paul A., and Jonathan Fowler. 2013. Underground New Brunswick : stories of archaeology. Nimbus Publishing Halifax, Nova Scotia. https://nimbus.ca/store/underground-new-brunswick.htmlKidd, K.E. and M.A. Kidd. (1970). A Classification System for Glass Beads for the Use of Field Archaeologists. http://parkscanadahistory.com/series/chs/1/chs1-2a.htmMartello Towers: http://parkscanadahistory.com/series/chs/15/chs15-1a.htm McMillan, L. K. (2016). An Evaluation of Tobacco Pipe Stem Dating Formulas. Northeast Historical Archaeology, 45, 67-91. New Brunswick Provincial Archives: https://archives.gnb.ca/Archives/?culture=en-CA Saint Mary’s University Ceramics Database: https://www.smu.ca/anthropology/lab-ceramics-database.htmlWhitfield, Harvey Amani. 2017. The African Diaspora in Atlantic Canada: History, Historians, and Historiography. Acadiensis 46(1):213–232.Sam Cooke, “Wonderful World,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfzpAv1hi2YThe Band, “Acadian Driftwood,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SycgViWySeEHit piece:“Screens of the Stone Age” podcast, https://pasc-scpa.ca/sotsa

Jun 15, 2023 • 2h 1min
Out of the Consul, into the Sack
This fortnight, Ken and Gabe discuss early Indigenous-European contacts in New Brunswick. The Far Northeast was the second earliest site of sustained Indigenous-European interaction, and events here fundamentally shaped North American history. Tune in this fortnight to hear about this collision of histories, the importance of cod and furs, and for Ken and Gabe to fail to answer the question “how many people lived here.”Show NotesCox, Steven L. 2000. An Early Contact Native Site on the Upper St. Croix River. Maine Archaeological Society Bulletin 40(2):1-10.Graeber, D., & Wengrow, D. 2021. The dawn of everything: a new history of humanity. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.Holly, D. H. 2013. History in the making : the archaeology of the eastern subarctic. AltaMira Press.MacDonald, S.L. 1994. Exploring Patterns of Prehistoric Lithic Material Use in the Insular Quoddy Region, Charlotte County, New Brunswick. Master's, Anthropology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton.Martin, Calvin. 1975. The Four Lives of a Micmac Copper Pot. Ethnohistory 22(2):111-133.Prins, Harald E. L. 1992. Cornfields at Meductic: Ethnic and Territorial Reconfigurations in Colonial Acadia. Man in the Northeast 44:55-72.Sanger, D. 1991. Five Thousand Years of Contact Between Maine and Nova Scotia. Maine Archaeological Society Bulletin 31(2):55-61Silliman, Stephen W. 2005. Culture Contact or Colonialism? Challenges in the Archaeology of Native North America. American Antiquity 70(1):55-74.Spiess, Arthur E., and Bruce D. Spiess. 1987. New England Pandemic of 1616-1622: Cause and Archaeological Implication. Man in the Northeast 34:71-83.Turgeon, Laurier. 1998. French Fishers, Fur Traders, and Amerindians during the Sixteenth Century: History and Archaeology. The William and Mary Quarterly 55(4):585-610.White, Sam. 2017. A Cold Welcome: The Little Ice Age and Europe’s Encounter with North America. Harvard University Press.John Cabot Heritage Minute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds8G9sFOK5wHit piecesCheck out reviews of The Far Northeast: 3000 BP - Contact and Archaeology of the Atlantic Northeast in volume 90 of Northeast AnthropologyCMH’s podcast “Artifactuality” episode 3, featuring Gabe Yanicki (not in an airport Chilis) in discussion with Blackfoot about connections among the Wally’s Beach site, and ice-free corridor, and oral history (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-3-we-have-always-been-here/id1689441415?i=1000616617670Potential Heritage District for Fredericton: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-heritage-development-1.6870034

Jun 2, 2023 • 2h 32min
It's Too Late (Though We Really Did Try to Explain It)
In this marathon episode—did you know marathon actually refers to the legend Philippides?—Ken and Gabe tangent their way through the Late Maritime Woodland. By the time the balthazar—a large format bottle named, incidentally for one of the biblical magi, another word for “wise man” in the Anglo-Catholic tradition—of Courvoisier–which is a drink—was gone, the sun was rising and both of your intrepid hosts had gotten in over their heads discussing Japanese hunter-gatherers, too. Show NotesBinford, L.R. 1980. Willow Smoke and Dogs' Tails: Hunter-Gatherer Settlement Systems and Archaeological Site Formation. American Antiquity 45(1):4-20.Black, D. W. 2002. Out of the Blue and Into the Black: The Middle-Late Maritime Woodland Transition in the Quoddy Region, New Brunswick, Canada. In Northeast Subsistence-Settlement Change: A.D. 700-1300, edited by J. P. Hart, and C.B. Rieth, pp. 301-320. New York State Museum Bulletin #496. University of the State of New York/State Education Department, Albany.Blair, S. E. (2010). Missing the boat in lithic procurement: Watercraft and the bulk procurement of tool-stone on the Maritime Peninsula. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 29(1), 33-46.Cox, S.L. 2021. Goddard: A Prehistoric Village Site on Blue Hill Bay, Mainehttps://mainearchsociety.org/store/ [You can read Gabe’s review of it here: https://doi.org/10.51270/46.1.133 and Ken’s review of it in Northeast Anthro vol. 89]Foulkes, E. V. 1981. Fulton Island: a stratified site in the Saint John River Valley of New Brunswick M.A. thesis, Dept. of Anthropology, Trent University.Fox, A. N. 2015. A study of Late Woodland projectile point typology in New York using elliptical Fourier outline analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 4:501-509,Holyoke, K.R., and M. G. Hrynick [yer hosts]. 2015. Portages and Lithic Procurement in the Northeastern Interior: A Case Study from the Mill Brook Stream Site, Lower Saint John River Valley, New Brunswick, Canada. Canadian Journal of Archaeology 39(2):213-240.Leonard, K. 1996. Mi'kmaq Culture During the Late Woodland and Early Historic Periods. Ph.D., Anthropology, University of Toronto.Leonard, K. 1995. Woodland or Ceramic Period: a theoretical problem. Northeast Anthropology 50:19-30.Loring, S.1985. Boundary Maintenance, Mortuary Ceremonialism and Resource Control in the Early Woodland: Three Cemetery Sites in Vermont. Archaeology of Eastern North America 13:93-127.Miller, V.P. 1983. Social and Political Complexity on the East Coast: the Micmac Case. In The Evolution of Maritime Cultures on the Northeast and the Northwest Coasts of America, edited by R.J. Nash, pp. 41-55, Vol. 11. Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby.Smith, B.D., 2001. Low-level food production. Journal of archaeological research, 9:1-43.Thériault, C., Hamilton, A., & McGrath, W. (2019). Archaeological Mitigation for the Fundy Connector Project, Kings County, New Brunswick: Archaeological Excavation Report for BjDh-3, BjDh-5, BjDh-6, BjDh-7.Wallace, B. 2009. L'Anse aux Meadows, Leif Eriksson's Home in Vinland. Journal of the North Atlantic Special Volume 2:114-125.Hit pieces:Hoopes J.W. , F. Dibble, and C. Feagans. 2023) Apocalypse Not: Archaeologists Respond to Pseudoarchaeology. The SAA Archaeological Record, 23(3): 28-35Historic Places Days: https://historicplacesdays.ca/for-sites/

May 19, 2023 • 1h 49min
Nopewell
After excising the Middle Palaeoindian and Middle Archaic periods, Ken and Gabe finally found a taxonomic middle worth keeping: the Middle Maritime Woodland period (2200-1300). This week they discuss Hopewell, shell heaps, bipoints, dentate ceramics, and much more. Make sure to check out the NB Arch Pod Bingo Card by Wally. NB Arch Pod BingoWally’s New Brunswick Archaeology Podcast Bingo card: https://bingobaker.com/#6460122e33e86867Hit Pieces:Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre: https://www.mikmaweydebert.ca/future-centre/Oubennaceur et al. “A Novel Index for Vulnerability Assessment of Archaeological Sites to Flood Hazard: Development and a Practical Application in the Waban-Aki Nation, Canada.” https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4432305Matt Betts, Place-making in the Pretty Harbour: https://www.historymuseum.ca/boutique/product/place-making-in-the-pretty-harbour-the-archaeology-of-port-joli-nova-scotia/Louis Binford, “Willow Smoke and Dogs’ Tails” https://doi.org/10.2307/279653Adrian Burke, “A Chronological and Typological Framework for Bifacial Stone Tools in the Maritime Peninsula during the Ceramic Period” in Far Northeast: 3000 BP to Contact https://press.uottawa.ca/en/9780776629650/the-far-northeast/David MacInnes (2021) Pre-European Population Dynamics on the Maritime Peninsula. Archaeology of Eastern North America 49:133-155.Sites from this week:Allen, Patricia. 1981. The Oxbow site: chronology and prehistory in northeastern New Brunswick. New Brunswick manuscripts in archaeology, Vol. 2, Fredericton, N.B.Black, David W. 2004. Living Close to the Ledge: Prehistoric Human Ecology of the Bliss Islands, Quoddy Region, New Brunswick, Canada. 2nd ed. Publications in Northeastern Archaeology No. 6. Copetown Press, St. John's.Blair, Susan, and Karen Perley. 2003. Wolastoqiyik Ajemseg: the people of the beautiful river at Jemseg. New Brunswick Culture and Sport Secretariat, Heritage Branch, Archaeological Services, Fredericton, N.B.Davis, Stephen A. 1978. Teacher's Cove: a Prehistoric Site on Passamaquoddy Bay. New Brunswick Archaeology, Vol. 1, No. 1. Historical Resources Administration, Fredericton.Hammon, D. J. 1984. A Ceramic Period Coastal Adaptation at Holt’s Point, New Brunswick. Master's, Anthropology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton.Foulkes, E. V. 1981. Fulton Island: a stratified site in the Saint John River Valley of New Brunswick M.A. thesis, Department of Anthropology, Trent University.Lavoie, J. 1972. Le Site Sandy Point (BgDs6) et L’origine de la Region fo la Baie de Passamaquoddy, Nouveau-Brunswick. Master's, Anthropology, University of Montréal, Montréal.Sanger, David. 1987. The Carson Site and the Late Ceramic period in Passamaquoddy Bay, New Brunswick. Mercury Series,, Vol. no 135. National Museums of Canada, Ottawa, Canada.

May 8, 2023 • 2h 13min
Intrusive Feature 1c - Wela'lioq Membertou
This week, Ken and Gabe pointed the Smith-Wintemberg limo toward Membertou for the 55th Annual Canadian Archaeological Association Meeting. Special thanks to all the folks who agreed to interviews. Check out the links below, and we’ll talk to you again in about a fortnight. Show NotesArthur Anderson (UNE): https://www.une.edu/testimonial/arthur-andersonSara Beanlands (Boreas): http://www.boreasheritage.ca/BHCI/our-staff/David Black (UNB): https://www.unb.ca/faculty-staff/directory/arts-fr-anthropology/black-david.htmlJosh Cummings (UNB)Darcy Dignam (WSP): https://ca.linkedin.com/in/darcy-j-dignam-25597941Trevor Dow (Ecofor/UNB): https://www.ecofor.ca/team/trevor-dow/Nathaniel Kitchel (Dartmouth): https://anthropology.dartmouth.edu/people/nathaniel-r-kitchelSmith-Wintemberg Award: https://canadianarchaeology.com/caa/about/awards/smith-wintemberg-awardMembertou Trade & Convention Centre: https://membertoutcc.com/Sons of Membertou: https://www.last.fm/music/Sons+Of+MembertouCape Breton Regional Police Service (103 in an 80 - just a warning)Governor’s Pub & Eatery (try the lobster wontons): https://governorseatery.com/Kiju’s Restaurant: https://kijus.com/Lunar Rogue: https://www.lunarrogue.com/Membertou Chicken & Deli: https://membertouchickenanddeli.com/Old Triangle Irish Alehouse: https://www.oldtrianglesydneyns.com/

Apr 28, 2023 • 1h 19min
Big Yellow Taxonomist: The Early Maritime Woodland
Welcome to the Early Maritime Woodland period (3000 - 2200 BP)! Ken and Gabe chat about this period especially as it relates to big inter-regional interaction spheres (like Adena) and technological developments (like ceramics). If you see us in Membertou for the CAAs next weekend, say hi and pick up a sticker.Show notes:Nova Scotia Pebbles: https://atlanticgeosciencesociety.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/NSPebbles2.pdfProfessional Careers in Archaeology and Beyond (Webinar/In-person session) at the CAA meeting: https://canadianarchaeology.com/caa/annual-meeting/sessions/hybrid-person-online-professional-careers-archaeology-and-beyond. Register to attend here: https://uleth.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zzMnduKVQFyK4xEWKaIQ_gAllen, P. 1981. The Oxbow site: chronology and prehistory in northeastern New Brunswick. New Brunswick Manuscripts in Archaeology, Vol. 1, Fredericton.Fiedel, S.J. 2001. What happened in the Early Woodland? Archaeology of Eastern North America 29:101-142.Holyoke & Hrynick. 2022. The Far Northeast: 3000 BP to Contact. Mercury Series Archaeology Paper 181. University of Ottawa Press, Ottawa. https://www.historymuseum.ca/boutique/product/the-far-northeast-3000-bp-to-contact/Leonard, K. 1995. Woodland or Ceramic Period: a theoretical problem. Northeast Anthropology, 50, 19-30.MacInnes, D. 2021. Pre-European Population Dynamics on the Maritime Peninsula. Archaeology of Eastern North America 49:133-155.Pelletier-Michaud, A.. 2017. The Bristol-Shiktehawk bifaces and Early Woodland ceremonialism in the Middle St. John Valley, New Brunswick. Master of Arts, Anthropology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton.Sassaman, K.E. 2010. The Eastern Archaic, historicized. Issues in Eastern Woodlands archaeology. AltaMira Press, Lanham.Taché, K., and O. Craig. 2015. Cooperative harvesting of aquatic resources and the beginning of pottery production in north-eastern North America. Antiquity 89(343):177-190.Turnbull, C. 1976. The Augustine Site: A Mound from the Maritimes. Archaeology of Eastern North America 4:50-62.Hit Pieces:Papers in Honour of David Black at the CAA: https://canadianarchaeology.com/caa/annual-meeting/sessions/papers-honour-david-w-blackAnderson, A., and M.G. Hrynick. 2023. The Site at Denbow Point, Cobscook Bay, and 20th Century Collecting in Downeast Maine. Maine Archaeological Society Bulletin 63(1):1-14.“1,000-year-old canoe recovered from N.C. lake moves Waccamaw tribe members to tears” https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/waccamaw-ancient-canoe-1.6815398 ?