Digging for Meaning: Research from the Oxford School of Archaeology

Oxford University

Researchers studying archaeological remains from across the whole range of the human past discus the sometimes surprising meanings they have found while digging through what we have left behind. From recycling Romans to voyaging Vikings, twisting Silk Roads to modern hunter-gathers of Borneo, let experts from the Oxford School of Archaeology take you on a journey to the past, which might just change how you travel into the future.

Episodes

  1. 05/14/2021

    Why did the Vikings set sail for silver?

    While we often think of the Vikings pillaging across the West, this was only a small part of their world and lives. Dr Jane Kershaw discusses how the Viking draw for silver lead to interactions from the Middle East all across the European continent. Dr Kershaw discusses the application of isotope science to this silver, and how this can unpick the story of where the silver is coming from and why the Vikings set sail for it?

    17 min

  2. 04/20/2021

    Social Status and Recycling in Bronze Age China

    What does recycling have to do with social standing in Bronze Age China? Dr Victoria Sainsbury discusses the recent work of the FLAME team, lead by Dr Ray Liu, on the metal work at Anyang, and how powerful people controlled how metal moved through society

    13 min

  3. 10/14/2020

    Cycling to Archaeology!

    From Thames-side ruins and forgotten stone circles to Ridgeway hillforts and Roman villas, Oxfordshire is abundant in archaeological riches. Keen cyclist and archaeologist Dr Nathaniel Erb-Satullo leads us on 7 different cycle routes from central Oxford to archaeology! Whether you are just finding your balance or looking for a full-day ride, Dr Erb-Satullo has a site near Oxford for you.

    21 min

  4. 09/29/2020

    The History of Magic

    What is magic, when did it begin, and does it still have a place in the modern world? Professor Chris Gosden discusses the long history of magic from the Ice Age, through antiquity, to the present.

    20 min

  5. 09/15/2020

    Did The Romans Recycle?

    We all know the Romans liked wine, but what happened to all the smashed glass when the party was over? Dr Victoria Sainsbury tells the story of what the Romans did with all their broken glass, and why archaeologists care about recycling.

    12 min
  • 5 Episodes

About

Researchers studying archaeological remains from across the whole range of the human past discus the sometimes surprising meanings they have found while digging through what we have left behind. From recycling Romans to voyaging Vikings, twisting Silk Roads to modern hunter-gathers of Borneo, let experts from the Oxford School of Archaeology take you on a journey to the past, which might just change how you travel into the future.

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