In this episode of The Children’s Hour, we dig deep into the world of archaeology, recorded live at the New Mexico Office of Archaeological Studies on International Archaeology Day. Learn how archaeological discoveries are made, and the importance of preserving historical context.

Our Kids Crew recorded this episode as a live broadcast inside the laboratory at the New Mexico Office of Archaeological Studies. The interviews with these archaeologists take us deep into their work. Dr. Blinman explains how archaeology is like solving a puzzle, where the clues come from things people left behind, like broken pots or ancient tools. Mary Weahkee talks about how even tiny pieces of stone can tell a story about what life was like long ago. She describes how arrowheads were made and used, and why studying them helps us understand ancient people. Marlon Magdalena shares how the Jemez people still use many of the same instruments and traditions that their ancestors did, showing us how the past is connected to the present.

The Kids Crew asks great questions about how archaeologists know how old things are, what kinds of artifacts they find, and why it’s so important to leave ancient items in place. We also learn about the importance of context in archaeology—where an artifact is found can tell us a lot about its history. Marlon shows us how traditional instruments like turtle shell rattles and flutes are made and used today, helping to keep cultural traditions alive.

In addition to learning about archaeology, Thorfin reviews the PBS Kids show Carl the Collector. The show is about a boy with autism who loves to collect things, and Thorfin explains how he connected with the character and got ideas for organizing his own collections.

Join us as we dig into the past and discover how archaeology helps us understand history. You can find more information and links about this episode at childrenshour.org.

International Archaeology Day (IAD) happens every year on the third Saturday of October, and it’s a fun way for people all over the world to learn about archaeology. Events include things like tours of ancient sites, workshops where people can try digging like real archaeologists, and talks from experts. It’s part of International Archaeology Month, which means there are activities all through October. In 2024, IAD will be on October 19. Here in New Mexico, the Office of Archaeological Studies will open its lab to show how they care for artifacts and study history, giving people a special chance to see what archaeologists do​.

This episode of The Children’s Hour was produced by Katie Stone with help from the Kids Crew. Engineering was provided by Andres Martinez with post production support from Marty Adam Smith. Special thanks to our guests: Dr. Eric Blinman, Mary Weahkee, and Marlon Magdalena. We also had help from our intern, Thaniel Lentz.

The Children’s Hour is distributed by Native Voice One: The Native American Radio Network.

© 2024 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Listen to The Children’s Hour anytime at ChildrensHour.org.

Please note: not all songs we play can be found in Spotify.