Archaeology of the Last Kingdom
Packed with action, romance and famous historical figures, the hit TV show The Last Kingdom has been a top hit for history fans across the globe since its initial release in 2015. After years of watching Uhtred and pals undertake their adventures against the backdrop of early medieval Britain, viewers said a final goodbye to Uhtred in the Netflix film, Seven Kings Must Die.
We invited Ryan Lavelle, the historic advisor for the series, to join us for this online talk. Ryan shared his knowledge on some of the real history behind Uhtred’s story, as well as giving us a behind-the-scenes glimpse on his role. How can archaeology be used to inform media? What sort of research does it take to build an accurate show? Where do you start?
Plus, archaeologists from the Bamburgh Research Project shared some of their latest discoveries from their excavations of Bamburgh Castle, a site which plays a major role in the series as Uhtred’s ancestral home.
