Episode 127: Don Verdean (2015) w/ Dr. Andrew Kinkella

Today we’re reviewing Don Verdean (2015), the story of a washed-up Biblical archaeologist who, under pressure from his financial backers, begins to fake his discoveries. This movie is rife with pseudoarchaeological references, so we’ve invited Dr. Andrew Kinkella back to help us break it down. As a bonus, he uses his film degree to explain why, despite being hilarious, this movie is actually terrible.

Dr. Andrew Kinkella’s links:

Kinkella Teaches Archaeology: https://www.youtube.com/@KinkellaTeachesArchaeology

The Pseudo-Archaeology Podcast: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/pseudo

CRM Archaeology Podcast: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/crmarchpodcast

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In this episode:

The Frontonasal Suture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontonasal_suture

Is carbon dating fake? Pseudo-Archaeology 180: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/pseudo/180

Ark of the Covenant in Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Our_Lady_Mary_of_Zion#Ark_of_the_Covenant

The Oak Island Mystery: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Island_mystery

The Kensington Runestone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington_Runestone

Moundbuilder Myths and Viking Runestones – Great Plains Archaeology Podcast 36: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/great-plains-archaeology/36

Holy Grail in America (2009): https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/223652-holy-grail-in-america

Is There Archaeological Evidence That The Knights Templar Came To America? Mysteries Unearthed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpbBxUrq230

Genesis 19: Sodom and Gomorroah Destroyed: https://www.bible.com/bible/111/GEN.19.NIV

1 Samuel 17: David and Goliath: https://www.bible.com/bible/111/1SA.17.NIV

Surovell et al. (2026) A mid-Holocene age for Monte Verde challenges the timeline of human colonization of South America: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adw9217

Dog digs up possible link to notorious 19th-century Devon murder case: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/20/dog-19th-century-devon-murder-case-discovery

Under the Banner of Heaven (2022): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1998372/

Johnny Jerusalem’s sarcophagus in a Utah dump: https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/8lclrc/friend_found_this_in_a_dump_yardin_utah_btw/