In the final part, Laura of Megalith Hunter and Nikkiana Jones talk about visiting closed megalithic sites, seeing museum objects out of context, and Laura's plan for a fact-sheet database and period-by-period maps of ancient sites. They end on terra preta, an overgrown ancient city in Guatemala, and how many people may have lived in the ancient past.
Laura describes booking appointments to see Malta sites closed to the public and how she researches beforehand, while Nikki, who worked in a museum, says objects lose meaning when separated from their sites, using the British Museum as an example. Laura recommends the Mithraeum beneath the Basilica di San Clemente in Rome. She explains that her website lists dates, GPS locations, accessibility and finds for each site, and that she wants maps showing which sites existed at the same time before anyone looks for patterns. Nikki talks about archaeoastronomy, ley lines and her own costly attempt to map sites worldwide. Laura notes there are thousands of recorded stone circles in the UK, terra preta (engineered soil) comes up, and Nikki describes walking through an overgrown ancient city in Guatemala and questions estimates of ancient populations. They finish with geoglyphs, henges and earthworks. Population figures and interpretations are the speakers' own.
Highlights:
- Getting into closed sites by appointment
- Why museum objects need their context
- The Mithraeum under San Clemente in Rome
- Laura's fact-sheet database and period-by-period maps
- Terra preta, Guatemala and rethinking ancient populations
Chapters:
00:00 Visiting closed sites by appointment
01:49 Museums, context and the British Museum
04:48 The Mithraeum under San Clemente in Rome
06:07 Where to find Laura and her fact-sheet database
07:59 Mapping sites by period to test patterns
09:09 Archaeoastronomy, ley lines and Nikki's mapping attempt
12:22 Thousands of stone circles and terra preta
13:44 Nikki in Guatemala and ancient populations
16:59 Geoglyphs, henges and earthworks
17:35 Wrap-up
This is an archival replay, not current news. Original YouTube publish date: September 12, 2021. Source timestamps: 0:57:02.420–1:15:14.000. Full conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXaQuSDZ0_Y
Laura's website and project plans are described as they were in the original 2021 recording. Links and contact details in the original description below are reproduced as they appeared at the time of the original recording.
Original YouTube description:
Laura is really the real Laura Croft aka Megalith Hunter.
Currently she lives in Malta and does some serious boots on the ground research into all the megaliths on the main Island and Gozo. In this discussion we go over the gaps in the populations of the island, the fat lady figurines, spirals, libation holes, Oracle holes, pitted designs, Dolmens, Menhirs, cairns, stone circles, Temples, Apses, Alters and Cart Ruts!
Such a great talk with a super sharp researcher. Please check Laura out here:
Her amazing website: https://www.megalithhunter.com
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MegalithHunter
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/megalithhunter/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1h5DRXcUj0jNv2dUFv6x59?si=4A1dNsxERsGzeDHnZFthmw&dl_branch=1
And if you want to hit Nikki up: Nikkianajones@protonmail.com
Telegram channel: https://t.me/nikkiana_jones
IG: nikkiana_jones
Twitter: @LivingExtraord1
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/nikkianajones
Become a supporter of this podcast:
https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nikkiana-jones-exploring-the-fringe--6742287/support.
If you want more info contact me here:
YOUTUBE:@nikkianajones
WEBSITE: https://www.nikkianajones.com/
TELEGRAM: https://t.me/nikkiana_jones
X: @LivingExtraord1
IG: nikkiana_jones
PODCAST: nikkianajones
CONTACT: Nikkianajones@protonmail.com
