For decades, Monte Verde in southern Chile has been one of the most famous archaeological sites in the Americas. The site was widely accepted as 14,500 years old, making it one of the strongest pieces of evidence for human presence in the Americas before Clovis.

But what if that interpretation was wrong?

In this special episode, I sit down with Dr. Todd Surovell, professor of anthropology at the University of Wyoming, to discuss new research that re-examines Monte Verde using modern geoarchaeological methods. The results suggest that the famous site may actually be much younger than previously believed, dating to the Holocene rather than the Ice Age.

If true, this would mean that Monte Verde is not evidence for pre-Clovis humans in South America, and it could force archaeologists to reconsider one of the most influential discoveries in American archaeology.

We discuss:

• The history of the Monte Verde discovery
• Why it reshaped textbooks in the 1990s
• How new geological and dating analyses challenge the original interpretation
• What this means for Clovis-first vs. pre-Clovis models
• Why independent verification and skepticism are essential in science
• This episode explores how science evolves—and how even the most famous discoveries can be re-examined.

• Video Version to follow along
• Surovell’s Study
• Surovell’s UW Page
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Bill White: Succinct Research

Doug Rocks-MacQueen: Doug’s Archaeology

Chris Webster: DIGTECH LLC

Andrew Kinkella

• Kinkella Teaches Archaeology (Youtube)
• Blog: Kinkella Teaches Archaeology

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The hosts consider the positives in the current state of CRM and academic archaeology. As anthropologists we are especially conscious of how society impacts our discipline and at times can trend towards the negative and get mired in the fear of what lays ahead. In this episode, we discuss how any challenge can be used for opportunity and how change and progress is best effectuated through a positive attitude.

For rough transcripts of this episode go to https://www.archpodnet.com/crmarchpodcast/328

• CRMArch Ep 322 - Archaeology and the 2025 Section 106 Hearings

Bill White: Succinct Research

Doug Rocks-MacQueen: Doug’s Archaeology

Chris Webster: DIGTECH LLC

Andrew Kinkella

• Kinkella Teaches Archaeology (Youtube)
• Blog: Kinkella Teaches Archaeology

• APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com
• APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet
• APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet
• APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet
• APN Shop

• Motion

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The hosts discuss the use of technology in archaeology and the importance of using it appropriately. While our discipline will never escape the shovel and trowel - would we ever want it to? - there are tremendous tools that have been added to our proverbial tool chest over the years. However, just because these tools exist does not mean they are always useful. Employment of technology should be thoughtfully included in work plans and archaeologists have a responsibility to understand technology’s role in our discipline to ensure it is used appropriately.

For rough transcripts of this episode go to https://www.archpodnet.com/crmarchpodcast/327

• Archaeotech Podcast

Bill White: Succinct Research

Doug Rocks-MacQueen: Doug’s Archaeology

Chris Webster: DIGTECH LLC

Andrew Kinkella

• Kinkella Teaches Archaeology (Youtube)
• Blog: Kinkella Teaches Archaeology

• APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com
• APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet
• APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet
• APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet
• APN Shop

• Motion

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