Welcome to the debut episode of “Strat Chat,” where we dig deep—one place, many stories, across time. This week, we peel back the layers of the Yukon. In Segment 1, journey back to the Ice Age and discover how glaciers shaped the land and set the stage for the region’s future. Segment 2 explores the lives and cultures of the Indigenous peoples who called the Yukon home long before European arrival, highlighting their resilience and connection to the land. Finally, Segment 3 rushes into the late 19th century as we relive the excitement, chaos, and legacy of the Klondike Gold Rush. Join us as we unearth the stories that make the Yukon a truly remarkable place, one stratum at a time.

Segment 1

• Yukon’s Ice Age - YukonInfo.com
• Map of glacial geology, Glenlyon area, Yukon Territory: Supplement 1 from "Continental glaciation in the Glenlyon area, Pelly River District, Yukon, Canada" (Thesis)
• Glacial history and limits of Cordilleran and Laurentide ice sheets in the Mackenie Mountains, foothills, and plains, Northwest Territories: a brief overiew
• Pleistocene Megafauna in Beringia

Segment 2

• The First People
• From Vilified to Vindicated: the Story of Jacques Cinq-Mars
• Beringian Research Notes: Bluefish Caves - Fauna and Context

Segment 3

• Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park
• What Was the Klondike Gold Rush? - NPS
• The Klondike Gold Rush - The Canadian Encyclopedia
• Klondike Gold Rush - Dawson City

Chris Webster

• chris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com

Rachel Roden

• rachel@unraveleddesigns.com
• RachelUnraveled (Instagram)

• APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com
• APN Discord: https://discord.com/invite/CWBhb2T2ed
• APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet
• APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet
• APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet
• APN Shop

• Motion

This week we discuss 3 new archaeology news stories. First, we explore why early humans may have used fire for reasons other than cooking. Then, we look at Viking graves that are connected to the legendary King Bluetooth. Finally, new research reveals a possible lost cult site dedicated to Odysseus. Join us as we break down the science, sift through the myths, and question long-held assumptions challenged by new research!

• Why Did Humans Start Using Fire? New Theory Suggests It Wasn't To Cook Food
• Construction workers find Viking graves linked to King ‘Bluetooth’
• Archaeologists Believe They’ve Found a Lost Cult Site of Odysseus
• The Past Macabre - Episode 16

Chris Webster

• chris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com

Rachel Roden

• rachel@unraveleddesigns.com
• RachelUnraveled (Instagram)

• APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com
• APN Discord: https://discord.com/invite/CWBhb2T2ed
• APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet
• APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet
• APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet
• APN Shop

• Motion

We discuss our recent visit to the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon. We loved learning about the large mammals and humans that used Beringia to travel between Northern North America and Siberia before it disappeared around 10,000 years ago.

• Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre
• Beringia

Chris Webster

• chris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com

Rachel Roden

• rachel@unraveleddesigns.com
• RachelUnraveled (Instagram)

• APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com
• APN Discord: https://discord.com/invite/CWBhb2T2ed
• APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet
• APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet
• APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet
• APN Shop

• Motion