Spencer Pelton, PhD, is the Wyoming State Archaeologist, which is considered one of the most respected positions in North American Archaeology.

Spencer did his graduate research regarding lithic technology and the ways in which ice age peoples tanned and sewed hides. His PhD dissertation focused on understanding human thermoregulation and how the stone tools we find can tell us about daily life and keeping warm in the cold, distant past.

Spencer also spent time doing ethnoarchaeological work in Mongolia, where he interacted with a lot of dogs at a reindeer herding camp. I consider Spencer to be a good friend, but also a mentor. So I hope you enjoy our chat about life in the past and life in the present.

The Foraging Spectrum: https://a.co/d/eAfoBnn

Chapters:

1:21 Introduction of Dr. Pelton

3:05 Working with bears

7:50 When is something considered an artifact?

8:50 What is a State Archaeologist?

13:35 LaPrele Mammoth and Paleoindian tools 18:01 Site interpretation

21:43 Augmented and virtual reality in archaeology

25:45 Sphinx and Graham Hancock

31:22 SCIENCE Thermoregulation, stone tools, and Ice age clothing

42:34 Hunting vs Gathering

49:45 Mongolia fieldwork

51:43 Dogs in Mongolia

58:39 Anthropology and cancel culture

108:00 Anthropology and Social Media

112:00 Conclusion and complex society