Ask an Archaeologist, Episode 20: Investigations into the use of an Andean hallucinogenic plant
Channel: Archaeological Research Facility, UC Berkeley
Date: 2020-06-09

Ask an Archaeologist is a series of live-streamed interviews co-hosted by the Archaeological Research Facility (arf.berkeley.edu) and the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology (hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu).

During each program, we interview a UC Berkeley affiliated archaeologist and answer audience questions. Submit your questions in advance, or live, in the chat box.

In this episode, Dr. Christine Hastorf joins Colin Domnauer, a UCB graduating senior, in a discussion of his research using objects from the online collections at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Colin recently completed his senior thesis research in Anthropology with Dr. Hastorf focused on investigating the iconography of a culturally significant hallucinogenic plant in the pre-Columbian Andes identified in a range of media across the region. His specific work identified new versions of the plant Anadenanthera, or vilca portrayed in the archaeological record that is housed on the campus.  

View the entire Ask an Archaeologist series - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWLVtXgapOU&list=PL8FR0R2Rs1D7GvkHAXVSStfddxve3ehAV
Share your feedback - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScy3tZXxvXeEIhNbc1G0h1io4LH2lYhyZW-XmlCLY1lgBZjXA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Objects from the Hearst Museum depicted:
4-8803 - https://n2t.net/ark:/21549/hm21040008803
4-8629 - https://n2t.net/ark:/21549/hm21040008629
4-8553 - https://n2t.net/ark:/21549/hm21040008553
4-2594 - https://n2t.net/ark:/21549/hm21040002594

View the online exhibit "Pleasure, Poison, Prescription, Prayer: The Worlds of Mind-Altering Substances" 
https://hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu/exhibit/pleasure-poison-prescription-prayer-worlds-mind-altering-substances/