Fringe Archaeology and Giants – Episode 3

The Archaeological Fantasies Podcast, hosted by Sarah and co-host Ken Fader, critically examines the portrayal of pseudo-archaeology in media, focusing on the misrepresentation of archaeological evidence and the propagation of myths such as ancient aliens and lost civilizations. In this episode, they discuss the deceptive practices of documentary producers, including Ken's experience with a misleading film about ancient Israelites in North America and the exploitation of archaeologists' credibility for sensationalist narratives. They emphasize the importance of presenting accurate archaeological information and the ethical responsibilities of archaeologists in public media.

• The media often misrepresents or sensationalizes archaeological findings.
• Cable TV channels, especially, are frequent offenders in promoting pseudo-archaeology.
• The primary motive of television, including documentaries on archaeology, is to attract viewers and sell advertising.
• The responsibility of archaeologists is to correct these distortions and educate the public.

"The fundamental reason for the existence of Television is to sell laundry detergent... The engine that drives television is advertising, is selling stuff."

• Television's primary goal is to attract viewers to sell advertising, not necessarily to educate or inform accurately.

"As long as people are willing to watch it, those shows will remain on the air."

• Shows promoting pseudo-archaeology persist because they attract viewers, regardless of their accuracy.

• Ken Fader and his colleagues were interviewed for a documentary that misrepresented their statements to support pseudo-archaeological claims.
• The documentary suggested that ancient Israelis built the Mounds in Ohio, a claim that mainstream archaeology refutes.
• The producers edited the interviews to make it seem like the archaeologists supported these pseudo-archaeological claims.

"Fundamentally what its underlying theme was that the Mounds of Ohio had been built by Interlopers from Israel 2000 years ago."

• The documentary falsely claimed that ancient Israelis were responsible for building the Mounds in Ohio.

"We were sent a pre-publication production DVD of what the show was going to be and we were all absolutely appalled."

• Ken and his colleagues were shocked by the misrepresentation of their interviews in the documentary.

• Archaeologists rely on hard physical evidence to support historical claims.
• The discovery of Norse artifacts in Newfoundland is an example of how physical evidence can validate historical texts.
• Claims about ancient civilizations in North America require similar physical evidence to be credible.

"We're archaeologists and so when don't be surprised when archaeologists say yeah written documents are nice but we want hard physical evidence."

• Archaeologists prioritize physical evidence over written documents to validate historical claims.

"As soon as that physical evidence was forthcoming, archaeologists all said that's awesome, that's great."

• Archaeologists readily accept new findings when supported by physical evidence, as seen with the discovery of Norse artifacts in Newfoundland.

• The "Mound Builder Myth" falsely attributes the construction of Native American mounds to lost civilizations from other continents.
• This myth is rooted in racist ideologies that deny the capabilities of Native American cultures.
• Modern archaeologists work to debunk these myths and highlight the achievements of Native American civilizations.

"The standard conservative traditional archaeological interpretation that we had was the same as what people had been saying back in the 19th century."

• The documentary falsely equated modern archaeological interpretations with outdated, racist beliefs from the 19th century.

"We were saying that we absolutely disagree; we don't accept that."

• Ken and his colleagues publicly denounced the documentary's claims and clarified their actual positions.

• Ken and his colleagues posted a disclaimer on the Ohio Historical Society's website to distance themselves from the documentary's claims.
• They wrote articles and gave public statements to correct the misinformation spread by the documentary.
• These actions aimed to educate the public and uphold the integrity of archaeological research.

"Brad and all of us actually working together posted a disclaimer on the Ohio Historical Society's website."

• The archaeologists took proactive steps to clarify their positions and correct the misinformation.

"Brad and Terry and Deborah bullnick and I actually wrote a three-part article for the Skeptical Inquirer."

• They published detailed articles to debunk the pseudo-archaeological claims and educate the public.

• Deborah Bolnick conducted DNA analysis on Native American skeletal remains.
• The DNA found is traceable to East Northeast Asia, not Southwest Asia, Israel, Lebanon, or Jordan.

"Deborah wrote her piece about the DNA analysis she's done, amazing work on Native American DNA and has shown very clearly that the DNA found in the skeletal remains of Native Americans all is traceable to East Northeast Asia and not Southwest Asia and not Israel or Lebanon or Jordan."

• Bolnick's work challenges claims of ancient Israelites being present in North America.

• Fake inscriptions, such as the Newer Coley Stones, were created primarily in the 19th century.
• An orthodox Jew identified the Hebrew on the Newer Coley Stones as modern, not ancient.

"I actually have in my hand a replica of one of the newer Coley Stones... it's got Hebrew writing... he said but this is the wrong kind of Hebrew, this is modern Hebrew."

• The identification of modern Hebrew on supposed ancient artifacts indicates they are fakes.

• Deborah Bolnick had to consider legal action due to misrepresentation in a documentary.
• Her interviews were edited in a misleading way, reversing questions and answers.

"Deborah was convinced that they had sort of reversed questions and answers... what showed up on the video sounded like she was saying no or saying yes to a question that she actually answered no to."

• The documentary producers were associated with a fringe sect of Mormons, influencing the content.

• The documentary suggested a conspiracy among archaeologists to hide the existence of ancient urban settlements in North America.
• Sites like Cahokia and Serpent Mound are well-known and open to the public, contradicting the conspiracy theory.

"One of the underlying themes was that the archaeological Community has engaged in a conspiracy to keep it quiet that people in the New World in Antiquity had enormous Urban settlements like Cahokia or spectacular Mound sites like Serpent Mound."

• The idea of a conspiracy is refuted by the existence of museums and public access to these sites.

• There is a need to increase public awareness of Native American technological, engineering, scientific, and mathematical achievements.
• Misconceptions about Native American cultures persist, often reducing them to nomadic tribes.

"Too many people if you say American Indian... the immediate image they have in their minds is a nomadic primitive people living in teepees and hunting Buffalo."

• Archaeologists should work to spread knowledge about the diverse and advanced cultures of Native Americans.

• Cahokia, located in Illinois, was a major urban settlement with over 10,000 inhabitants.
• Monks Mound at Cahokia is the largest earthwork in North America and the fifth largest pyramid in the world by volume.

"Cahokia is this amazing site... this site may have had a population of over ten thousand people... Monks Mound which is the largest earthwork in North America is by volume the fifth largest pyramid in the world."

• Cahokia was a sophisticated and highly developed civilization, trading raw materials over vast distances.

• Despite its significance, public awareness of Cahokia is limited.
• Local individuals, including hotel staff and bus drivers, were unaware of Cahokia's importance.

"When I actually took a bus to Cahokia and even the bus driver... he said oh where those big hills are... he just thought well they're just kind of Hills."

• Efforts should be made to educate the public about Cahokia and similar sites.

• The documentary "Lost Civilizations of North America" presented misleading information.
• It started with an academic tone but gradually introduced fringe theories.

"It's a very interesting video because it's kind of Insidious... it starts off very academic very factual... and then by the the time you get to the second half of the video I mean they are way off in left field."

• The documentary misrepresented genetic information and archaeological evidence.

• Articles by Brad Lepper, Deborah Bolnick, Terry Barnhart, and Kenneth Feder debunked the documentary's claims.
• Bolnick's article specifically addressed the genetic misinformation presented in the documentary.

"Deborah Bolnick who's just brilliant... she does a really good job of breaking it down especially for people who don't have a background in genetics."

• These articles are available on the Skeptical Inquirer website for further reading.

• A History Channel show claimed that giants built ancient mounds in North America.
• The show suggested a conspiracy to hide the existence of these giants.

"It's on the History Channel and it's... these brothers who apparently are traipsing around the country looking for evidence of... Giants who are 10 20 feet tall and they're responsible for building the Mounds."

• Such claims are not supported by credible archaeological evidence.

• Many media productions misrepresent experts' opinions to fit their narrative.
• Experts' names and credentials are used to lend credibility to dubious claims.
• Editing can twist the experts' statements, making it seem like they support the show's premise.

"Razowski's name was used because he's a well-known highly respected professional archaeologist and the fact that he knew nothing about about the connection to Giants is kind of telling."

• This quote highlights how a respected archaeologist's name was used without his knowledge of the show's premise, misrepresenting his stance.

"They grab that they take that out of context they don't provide the rest of the sense we it's really interesting but I think it dates to probably only about 100 years ago and it probably is some mundane thing that's all blipped out."

• This demonstrates how selective editing can drastically change the meaning of an expert's statement, removing critical context to fit the narrative.

• Proper procedures and credentials are necessary for archaeological digs to ensure ethical and accurate work.
• Regulations and paperwork are in place to protect historical sites and artifacts.
• Unauthorized digs can lead to misinterpretation and destruction of valuable historical data.

"I've got a PhD in anthropology I've been doing archeology for more than 30 years worked all over the state coming up next summer I'm going back to a site I've excavated for two years in order for and it's on State Property I have to file a bunch of paperwork."

• This quote emphasizes the rigorous process and credentials required for legitimate archaeological work.

"Federal government has various regulations for who's allowed to excavate on federal property and it's not just credentials you have to explain why you need to dig what's the purpose of this dig the disposition of the artifacts you have to agree in advance to a timely report."

• This outlines the extensive requirements and regulations that must be met to conduct an archaeological dig, ensuring ethical standards are maintained.

• Misinterpretation of historical sites can lead to false narratives.
• Shows often misrepresent archaeological findings to fit sensational stories, such as those involving giants or ancient civilizations.
• Experts' true opinions and findings are often ignored or misrepresented.

"The stone chamber the tunnel that we have to go uh walk through to get to the stone chamber is two feet tall so these are very short Giants apparently who had to go into the chamber."

• This sarcastic remark highlights the absurdity of claiming a small tunnel was built by giants, showcasing how misinterpretations can be easily debunked.

"If they can get you to say just the right thing at just the right time they can edit it and make it sound like you're supporting them."

• This underscores the deceptive practices used by some media productions to misrepresent experts' opinions, leading to false narratives.

• Fringe theories often involve sensational claims, such as giants or ancient advanced civilizations.
• These theories can be appealing but lack credible evidence and often misrepresent historical facts.
• Fringe theories can include elements from mythology or religious texts, further complicating their narratives.

"There are fringes and then there are fringes of The Fringe there is there's a fringe of The Fringe of the giant thing that essentially says those giants in fact relate to the Nephilim of the Bible."

• This quote illustrates how fringe theories can incorporate elements from religious texts, adding layers of complexity and sensationalism to their narratives.

"You kind of want these people to go into therapy or something it's like we got we got aliens probing people up the butt and you got Angels you know mating with with human women."

• This highlights the outlandish nature of some fringe theories, which often involve fantastical and implausible elements.

• Misrepresentation of archaeological findings can mislead the public and distort historical understanding.
• Sensational media can create distrust in legitimate scientific research and experts.
• It's important for the public to critically evaluate the sources of information and understand the rigorous processes involved in legitimate archaeological work.

"Why on Earth would we hide these things exactly why would we care tomorrow if somebody could prove that they were 10 foot tall Giants roaming in Ohio a thousand years ago well that does that end my world do I that would be really interesting."

• This rhetorical question challenges the notion that experts have a motive to hide sensational discoveries, emphasizing that legitimate findings would be embraced by the scientific community.

"What changes if that were true you know it is is reality suddenly going to morph around us and form into a new reality because it's not going to change anything that has occurred between the point that those giants apparently went extinct and today."

• This quote questions the impact of sensational discoveries on our current understanding of history, suggesting that such findings would not drastically alter established historical knowledge.

• Discussion on the Atlantis story and its metaphorical nature.
• No physical evidence supports the existence of Atlantis as a lost continent.
• Comparison of Atlantis to the narrative of Star Wars.

"The Atlanta story is about a great all-powerful but evil empire trying to control and dominate its entire universe. The only thing standing in their way is a small group of people living a righteous and pure life."

• Atlantis is used metaphorically to represent an evil empire, akin to the Empire in Star Wars, while the righteous small group is ancient Athens.

"They actually said this out loud: you can say it's not real but we'll edit it in a way that makes it sound like you believe it's real."

• The producers were willing to manipulate the narrative to fit their agenda, showing a disregard for factual accuracy.

• The conflict between accurate historical representation and media sensationalism.
• The pressure on professionals to compromise their integrity for television narratives.

"They said, 'Well, we need an archaeologist to say it's real.'"

• Media companies often seek authoritative figures to lend credibility to sensational stories, regardless of the truth.

"Disney hired them to produce a documentary with Scientists about Atlantis as a 90-minute long-form commercial for the Disney cartoon."

• The documentary was essentially a marketing tool for a Disney movie, blurring the lines between entertainment and factual content.

• The challenges faced by archaeologists when approached by media for participation in shows that may not align with ethical standards.
• The importance of maintaining professional integrity and ethical considerations in public representations.

"I cannot be associated with looters. I just can't."

• Archaeologists must often refuse participation in shows that promote unethical practices like looting.

"I said, 'And the other thing I told her, I said you do realize that a show like this if I were on it and it was done poorly this would be career suicide for me absolutely.'"

• Participating in ethically dubious shows can have severe professional repercussions for archaeologists.

• The necessity of educating the public and media producers about the ethical and moral issues in archaeology.
• The potential for television to educate the public about real archaeological practices and findings.

"Television TV cable provides an enormous potential...for folks who are interested in the real past, the story as exposed by archaeology."

• Television has the potential to be a powerful educational tool if used correctly to present accurate archaeological information.

"Real archaeology is infinitely more interesting...than the kind of crap that's the standard fare about the human past about archaeology today."

• Authentic archaeological stories and discoveries are inherently fascinating and deserve accurate representation.

• The need for more shows that focus on genuine archaeological discoveries and practices.
• The potential benefits of accurately representing archaeology to the public.

"There should be room in between America and Earth and the search for legendary Giants and lost civilizations of North America and Ancient Aliens...for a show or two which is look at this we have a city just a few miles outside of St Louis and it's 700 years old and it's Native American."

• There is ample opportunity for shows that highlight real archaeological sites and findings, providing educational value to viewers.

"If we can get a couple of shows like that on TV I think we'd be doing a lot better than we're doing now."

• Promoting accurate and ethical archaeological content on television can significantly improve public understanding and appreciation of the field.