Tea-Break Archaeology · The Archaeology Podcast Network

Microwear Analysis with APN Host Dr. Matilda Siebrecht - Ep 26

·52 min·3 clips

Microwear analysis can distinguish flint drill bits from antler drill bits on 5,000-year-old beads.

1. Tea-Break Archaeology episode 26 centers on Microwear Analysis with APN host Dr. Matilda Siebrecht. 2. Matilda Siebrecht is the host of Tea Break Time Travel and And My Trial, and Chris and Rachel introduce her as one of the Archaeology Podcast Network creators. 3. The episode asks what microwear analysis is, why Matilda uses microscopes, and how experimental archaeology helps interpret traces on artifacts. 4. Matilda says she studied archaeology at Aberdeen University in Scotland and took a broad degree with zooarchaeology, geoarchaeology, theory, and fieldwork. 5. She worked for a year in commercial archaeology, which she says showed her that excavation is best for short bursts rather than constant fieldwork. 6. She then specialized in archaeological science, artifact analysis, and microwear analysis before continuing into a PhD. 7. Matilda says she is now taking a break from academia, working on finds analysis, outreach, and EXARC in Germany. 8. She describes sorting finds by material, packing them into boxes, and beginning animal bone identification in her current job. 9. Chris and Rachel mention that Matilda has two shows on the Archaeology Podcast Network and want to introduce those shows to listeners. 10. Tea Break Time Travel began from her Instagram work, first as 'T-days' reels and later as longer YouTube-style and podcast episodes. 11. Matilda says the show answers the internet’s most common questions about an object or material while also inviting guests with different backgrounds. 12. She describes And My Trial as a fantasy-and-archaeology show with co-host Ash, built from a book club called the Archeo book club. 13. The episode also mentions The Scientists Who Read, a science book club that helped Matilda get back into reading for fun. 14. Microwear analysis is explained as using microscopes to study microscopic traces that reveal how objects were made and used. 15. Matilda gives her master's project on amber beads from the Neolithic and Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age Netherlands as an example. 16. She says experimental drilling with flint and antler drill bits produced different traces that later matched traces on 5,000-year-old beads. 17. Matilda emphasizes that microanalysis must account for later damage, including brush strokes, trampling, and environmental effects on finds. 18. She cites a study that left flint tools in place for a year or two and let cows trample them to compare random damage with usewear. 19. The conversation is informal and technical, with Chris and Rachel asking practical questions and Matilda answering in a conversational, explanatory style. 20. Listeners interested in artifact analysis, experimental archaeology, and APN hosts will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting a short celebrity-style interview probably should skip it.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Tea-Break Archaeology