In this episode, the team talks with Jason Pentrail about his new two-volume set, Adena: Moundbuilders of the Ohio Valley. The books are available in hardcover and eBook formats through Amazon.com.

Adena: Mound Builders of the Ohio Valley is a richly detailed, accessible exploration of one of North America's earliest mound-building societies. Drawing on archaeology, early surveys, and modern research, these books trace the rise of the Adena people from scattered Woodland communities into a tradition defined by monumental earthworks, long-distance exchange networks, and complex ceremonial life.

Readers are guided through the construction and meaning of conical burial mounds, sacred circles, and ritual landscapes that still mark the hills and river valleys of Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and eastern Indiana. The book examines Adena lifeways—craftsmanship, mortuary practices, belief systems, and social organization—while carefully separating evidence from long-standing myths and outdated interpretations.

Special attention is given to the transition from Adena to Hopewell traditions, showing how ideas evolved rather than vanished. Case studies of well-known and lesser-known sites bring the past into sharp focus, revealing what these ancient earthworks tell us about memory, power, and community.

Written for both general readers and serious enthusiasts, Adena Mound Builders of the Ohio Valley offers a grounded, respectful portrait of a culture whose legacy still shapes the American cultural landscape.

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ADENA: Mound Builders of the Ohio Valley

In this episode, the team reunites to discuss news from the world of archaeology, including Pre-dynastic Egyptian drilling technology and the discovery of cordage from the end of the last Ice Age in Oregon. The team is then joined by Dr. Michael Waters to discuss the 2026 PaleoAmerican Odyssey Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with several other incredible archaeological subjects.

Dr. Michael Waters is the Director of the Center for the Study of First Americans and the Executive Director of the North Star Archaeological Research Program. He is known for his expertise in First American studies and geoarchaeology. Dr. Waters has conducted archaeological and geoarchaeological investigations in the United States, Mexico, Russia, Jamaica, and Yemen. His current research projects include the investigation of the Debra L. Friedkin site and Hall's Cave, Texas, as well as a continental-scale project to radiocarbon date Late Pleistocene megafauna to determine the timing and tempo of extinctions and the role of humans in the demise of these animals. He has authored and co-authored numerous journal articles, book chapters, and books, and is the author of Principles of Geoarchaeology: A North American Perspective. In 2017, Dr. Waters was named a Texas A&M University Distinguished Professor, and in 2023, he was named a Texas A&M University System Regents Professor.

News

5,300-Year-Old Pre-Dynastic Drilling Artifact

12,000-Year-Old Discovery of Cordage From Oregon Cave

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PaleoAmerican Odyssey 2026

In this episode, Micah and Jason discuss the latest stories from the world of archaeology. New discoveries from Turkey's Karahantepe, followed by a toxic surprise in a 2000-year-old Scythian tomb, and finally a new enigmatic discovery from Crete. The team is then joined by archaeological content creator Paul Lee from the popular Facebook and TikTok channels, "The Bluff Dweller."

Paul Lee, creator of "The Bluff Dweller" on TikTok and Facebook, is a North Central Arkansas resident and dedicated advocate for Native American heritage. With a degree from the University of Arkansas, he works in the nonprofit sector while educating others on Native sites and artifacts through his respectful collection. He collaborates with the Chickamauga Nation—alongside Medal Chief Justin Flanagan, Antler Chief Jimmy Kersh, and archaeologist Dr. David Jurney—to document ancestral villages, burials, and sacred sites. This effort intensified after the 2024 proposal for a 3,000-bed state prison in Franklin County, Arkansas, which is on ancestral ground. His platform has also partnered with the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville, Arkansas, on video content.

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The Bluff Dweller Facebook