PodCompanions
Discussions: 2026-W43
Discussions added each week. These are publication dates here; the original episodes may be older.
- 2:16–6:12
The hosts and correspondent report changes in US pressure on Russia and support for Ukraine, then discuss responses from officials and lawmakers.
- 10:06–13:54
The hosts and correspondent distinguish a voter-roll lawsuit from criminal charges, emphasise unresolved allegations and discuss election officials’ preparations.
- 6:21–9:58
The hosts and correspondent discuss campaign travel, spending decisions and early-voting patterns as the midterm elections approach.
- 31:00–32:57
Examining weathered joints and surviving polished surfaces in the Valley Temple’s granite casing.
- 1:09:12–1:09:45
An unfinished Cairo box preserves saw cuts and incomplete interior surfaces that Ben uses to infer working methods.
- 1:12:36–1:14:32
Introducing Ben’s proposed division between two ancient industries and the tools attributed to dynastic craftspeople.
- 56:10–57:57
Ben proposes a shared design for the cornices while acknowledging that their dimensions have not been systematically compared.
- 3:15–6:05
Ben compares the cornice with Serapeum boxes and discusses Dunn’s measurements of their surfaces.
- 33:50–35:48
Using the Valley Temple’s surviving interior and doorway remains to imagine the temples’ original form.
- 24:29–27:05
Identifying modern concrete repairs and explaining why Ben rejects cast-stone explanations for the limestone.
- 1:10:52–1:11:15
Ben interprets the unfinished box’s recessed corners as evidence for the order of cutting and flattening.
- 27:16–30:52
Tracing sedimentary layers across neighbouring blocks and the sockets that held the granite casing.
- 0:23–1:00
Introducing Giza’s cornice and couch blocks as a case study in ancient stoneworking precision.
- 1:18:21–1:19:29
Ben proposes that dynastic Egyptians inherited and imitated monuments from an earlier civilisation.
- 1:25:56–1:27:48
The presenter explains recording difficulties during a house move, promotes Egypt tours and supporter benefits, and thanks viewers.
- 1:22:43–1:25:34
The presenter challenges stylistic dating, cites Old Kingdom sites and argues that inheritance and imitation explain the architectural forms he discusses.
- 1:19:29–1:21:02
The presenter connects Egyptian origin traditions with his proposed lost civilisation and argues that later builders imitated inherited architectural forms.
- 1:17:00–1:18:21
The presenter proposes an earlier advanced civilisation, possibly destroyed by catastrophe, to explain the differences he sees in Egyptian stonework.
- 1:14:32–1:15:02
The presenter argues that sophisticated stonework cannot be explained by known dynastic tools and introduces his criticism of its conventional dating.
- 1:11:15–1:12:36
The presenter argues that the unfinished box preserves machining clues, then introduces his comparison between different styles and technologies.
- 1:09:45–1:10:52
The speakers interpret the box’s unfinished interior and curved recesses as clues to a proposed sequence of cutting and flattening.
- 1:08:42–1:09:12
The presenter introduces an unfinished, uninscribed stone box in the Cairo Museum as another object relevant to his machining argument.
- 1:05:38–1:07:22
The presenter cites Dunn’s wax measurements and interpretation of corner relief as a feature suited to larger machining tools.
- 1:02:02–1:03:08
The presenter cites Dunn’s comparison with modern contour machining and his inference that the artifact required a tool guided along multiple axes.