From the Vault: Dinner with King Tut, with Sam Kean
Summary
Host Robert Lamb interviews author Sam Keane about his book *Dinner with King Tut*, which explores experimental archaeology. Keane discusses how researchers recreate ancient sights, sounds, and tastes to bring lost civilizations to life, from brewing Egyptian beer to processing acorns. The episode highlights the tension between traditional and experimental methods while showcasing hands-on projects like testing atlatls and mummifying a fish.
Topics discussed
Intro and advertisements
Introduction to Sam Keane and his book
Defining experimental archaeology
Recreating ancient Egyptian bread
Reviving Native American acorn processing
Lynn Wadley's ancient bedding experiments
Processing toxic Andean potatoes
Mid-roll advertisements
Testing the atlatl spear thrower
Brewing ancient Egyptian beer
The Manchester mummy project
Playing the Mesoamerican ballgame
Mid-roll advertisements
Using fiction to immerse readers
Outro and final advertisements
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