If you’re interested in archaeology, you’ll probably have noticed that although there is a whole world of well-produced modern history podcasts out there, great archaeology shows are a little harder to come by. So, what do DigVentures’ archaeologists recommend if you want to take your listening further back in time?
From funny and conversational, to in-depth stories and interviews, we’ve rounded up our favourite archaeology and ancient history podcasts that dig deep into the distant past to uncover the weird, complex, and fascinating forces that have shaped our world – and the people who study them.
Got one to recommend? Drop it in the comments – we love discovering new podcasts to listen to while traveling to our next excavation!
This award-winning show combines science and narrative to explore human evolution one story at a time. Give it a listen for a crash course in everything from sweating, to sleeping, to skin, to altruism, to what you can learn from teeth. Start listening.
Science correspondent Alie Ward interviews professional ‘ologists about what they study, and why they’re so passionate about it; volcanologists, astrobiologists, biomineralogists, penguinologists, and sometimes even… archaeologists! Whatever the topic, Ologies is so full of enthusiasm for the weird and wonderful niches that scientists explore that you’ll probably want to listen to them all, but if you want a shortcut to the archaeology episodes, try: Pyrotechnology (FIREMAKING) with Ellery Frahm; Taphology (GRAVESITES) with Robyn S. Lacy; Classical Archaeology (ANCIENT ROME) with Darius Arya; Maritime Archaeology (SHIPWRECKS) with Chanelle Zaphiropoulos; Experimental Archeology (OLD TOOLS/ATLATLS) with Angelo Robledo; or Space Archaeology (SPACE JUNK) with Alice Gorman.
How did people thrive in the Ice Age? Why there were so many Neolithic farmers? What links the cities of the Early Aegean Bronze Age? Which languages were being spoken in 3,000 BC? Now in its fifth series, host Patrick Wyman explores the ‘deep human past’. Even though it is nominally a history podcast, the topics are deliciously archaeological; rather than sticking to the usual blockbuster themes that ancient history podcasts tend to cover, Tides of History often veers excitingly into the depths of prehistory. Start listening.
Archaeologist and physical anthropologist Yvonne Kjorlien provides insights into research, forensic archaeology and forensic anthropology, and searching for human remains through interviews with experts and seasoned professionals. Start listening.
If you’ve read everything on the popular archaeology bookshelf, these interviews with archaeologists about their new books is the logical next step. Mostly from academic publishers and university presses rather than popular print-houses, this is an effective way to discover a new range of archaeology reading material. Start listening.
For many years, this was pretty much the only radio show archaeology fans could turn to, and it’s still a staple of our podcast diet at DigVentures. Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss history, culture, and philosophy across all periods of time and with the archive going back all the way to 1998, there is plenty for archaeology fans to discover, including episodes on Cave Art, Tutankhamun, The Inca, The Mayans, Perseoplis, The Almoravid Empire, Archaeology and Imperialism, Babylon, and more. Start listening.
This podcast is so fresh that it’s still only on Episode 1! Actor Charlie Cooper walks the ancient paths and age-old trails of Britain, stopping off at Neolithic burial chambers and Iron Age earthworks, and sleeping in haunted pubs along the way. By walking these ancient paths, Charlie conjures a trackway that leads us back to the first farming communities, the last Saxon kings, and the countless folk tales of this strange place we call home. Start listening.
From warrior queens to Lindow Man, archaeologists, historians and writers reveal the tribes, rulers and those who encountered them. Each episode in this 15-part series is short, and very sweet: in the first episode, archaeologist David Miles looks at the lost Celtic tribes of Iron-age Britain, beginning with the Cantiaci, who lived in what is now Kent, and were the first to fall to the invading legions. Start listening.
Get a unique take on the world as seen by archaeologists as Presenters Lawrence Shaw and Derek Pitman take you on a journey around the world that’s drawn from their experiences exploring the past. The podcast features interviews with archaeologists, heritage professionals and those with a keen eye on the past to offer an insight behind the scenes of how histories are constructed and how the past is brought into the present – through everything from poop, to isotopes. Start listening.
Created in 2016, this podcast is still well worth a listen. Tracing the histories of antiquities and landmarks that have been destroyed or looted in Iraq and Syria, India and Pakistan. The accounts of their destruction are mournful: the 2,700-year-old winged bull of Nineveh had its face chiselled off by Islamic State in 2015, while Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel Prize medal was stolen in 2004. Yet the tone of the series is beautifully reflective, aiming to evoke the significance of each lost piece. Start listening.
Archaeologist Cat Jarman and historian Matt Lewis delve into the depths of the so-called dark ages and shine a light on one of the most fascinating yet misunderstood periods of history: the Middle Ages. From Britain, to the rest of Europe and the wider world beyond, each episode of Gone Medieval reveals a picture of the medieval world that is far more intriguing, sophisticated and interconnected than previously imagined. Start listening.
Featuring interviews with notable archaeologists and historians on topics spanning ancient history through to recent British to American events, episodes cover everything from knights to DigVentures’ very own discoveries at Lindisfarne. Start listening.
Billed as a podcast ‘for people who don’t like history’ it’s just as enjoyable for and those who do. Greg Jenner (one of the brains behind Horrible Histories) brings a tonne of fun to overlooked but fascinating periods that will pique your curiosity. Each episodes pairs a historian with a comedian to learn and laugh about the past, covering all sorts of topics, from the history of fairy tales (you won’t see The Little Mermaid in the same way), to how Victorians celebrated Christmas. Archaeology episodes include Catalhoyuk and the Neolithic Revolution, Egyptian Pyramids, Stonehenge, Neanderthals, and the Mughal Empire. Start listening.
From Dan Snow’s History Hit, The Ancients is dedicated to discussing our distant past. Featuring interviews with historians and archaeologists, each episode covers a specific theme from antiquity. From Neolithic Britain to the Fall of Rome. Hosted by Tristan Hughes. Start listening.
Isadora and her housemates explore the history of the house they have just moved into, and in so doing discover the history of living in England as a whole: it’s a really old house! Together they talk science, crime, death and murder, and cover everything from ancient villa designs to Bronze Age burial chambers. Start listening.
An ancient history podcast run by two history fans, Jenny and Genn. Misbehaving emperors, poison assassins, mythological mayhem; it’s like if Hardcore History met up with My Favourite Murder in the ancient world. Fun, refreshing, and frank, it digs into areas of life in the past that others don’t. Start listening.
This podcast is the grandpops of science podcasting, and you know that when you listen, you’re going to hear stories about science that unfold in ways that are unlike anything else you listen to. Using their trademark combination of investigative journalism, stories, interviews, and thought experiments – along with some very creative sound design – the hosts Jad Abumrad, Lulu Miller, and Latif Nasser, regularly whirl you through science, legal history, and into the home of someone halfway across the world. So when you spot an episode on archaeology, clear the decks and settle in, because it won’t be like anything else you’ve heard. Archaeology episodes include: Detective Stories; An Ice Cold Case; The Skull; and Things.
Produced by the Archaeology Podcast Network, hosts April and Kris discuss recent archaeology news and interview archaeologists about the sites they’re working on. Start listening.
News, views, people & ideas from the world of prehistoric archaeology. Start listening.
Undone is a show about big news stories we thought were over, but aren’t. Their only archaeology episode covers the story of the Kennewick Man, but it’s well worth a listen: while many of us will have heard of these remains, the bigger story behind the struggle to identify them and determine who owns them is expertly told here, with an uncompromising look at some of the ethical issues that still stalk archaeology. Start listening.
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Director of Engagement at DigVentures, Maiya digs with a trowel in one hand, and a Twitter feed in the other. She loves finding new ways to get people involved in archaeology - online and in the field.
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Comments (3)
Not forgetting Susannah Lipscombs` always interesting “Not Just The Tudors”!
Lots of shows on the Archaeology Podcast Network 🙂
Don’t forget The Dirt Podcast!