Archaeo Book Club

Archaeology Pod Network

Welcome to the podcast of the Archaeo Book Club, an online community for lovers of archaeology and books! The book club was started back in 2022 as a way to explore how archaeology is depicted in fiction and popular non-fiction. Every month, we pick a different archaeology-related theme, and our book club members vote on a book to read for that theme. Each “field notes” episode, book club admins Tilly, Judith, and Ash discuss the latest theme and talk about its archaeological background, and make their own suggestions for further reading in each “book worms” episode. This podcast is for anyone who loves to explore the past, and loves to read!

  1. Feb 12

    So long, farewell... - Ep 14

    After two years of running, this is the final episode for the Archaeo Book Club Podcast. Hosts and book club admins Ash, Judith, and Tilly bid a fond farewell by sharing their favourite past reads of the club, as well as the most anticipated books on their 2026 reading list. To all of our listeners, thank you for tuning in! And remember that just because the podcast is stopping doesn’t mean that the book club is. If you want to continue the discussion, please do come along and join our free Discord server to join our community and share your love of archaeology and books. Hopefully see you there! Books mentioned: Beowulf (Maria Dhavana Headley)The Emperor’s Babe (Bernadine Evaristo)The Name of the Rose (Umberto Eco)The Vaster Wilds (Lauren Groff)Crocodile on the Sandbank (Elizabeth Peters)Beds and Chambers in Late Medieval England: Reading, Representation and Realities (Hollie L.S. Morgan).Inside the Neolithic Mind (David Lewis-Williams and David Pearce)Scents of Arabia: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Ancient Olfactory Worlds (Arnulf Hausleiter and Barbara Huber)ContactDiscordWebsiteInstagramEmailMusic"Little Adventure" by Sergei Chetvertnykh TranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode, go to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeo-book-club/14 ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    36 min

  2. Jan 29

    Book Worms: Magical Pasts - Ep 13

    This episode, our hosts Ash, Judith, and Tilly continue their discussion of the Archaeo Book Club’s January theme of “Magical Pasts”, this time delving into their book shelves for inspiration! Together they tackle the classic burning questions: What is headology? Who was Merlin? And what has any of this got to do with mushrooms? Monthly Book: The History of Magic (Chris Gosden) Other books mentioned: What the River Knows (Isabel Ibañez)The Crystal Cave (Mary Stewart)Forest Euphoria (Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian)Where the Library Hides (Isabel Ibañez)Mere (Danielle Giles)The Materiality of Magic (Natalie Armitage and Ceri Houlbrook)Empire of Shadows (Jacquelyn Benson)Trees in the Religions of Early Medieval England (Michael Bintley)Trees in Anglo-Saxon England: Literature, Lore and Landscape (Della Hooke)Wyrd Sisters (Terry Pratchett)The Hollow Hills (Mary Stewart)The Last Enchantment (Mary Stewart)ContactDiscordWebsiteInstagramEmailMusic"Little Adventure" by Sergei Chetvertnykh TranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode, go to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeo-book-club/13 ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    37 min

  3. Jan 15

    Field Notes: Magical Pasts - Ep 12

    Let’s start the new year off with a little bit of magic! In January, the book club theme is “Magical Pasts”, and so this episode our three hosts discuss the role of magic - or related themes - in the deep and recent past. Tune in to hear all about entanglements, shamanism, and charms for bees. Monthly Book: The History of Magic (Chris Gosden) LinksCharm for a Swam of BeesCarved Stone BallsAnd My Trowel post-processualism episodeInuit shamanismHodder entanglement articlePobull Fhinn Stone CircleContactDiscordWebsiteInstagramEmailMusic"Little Adventure" by Sergei Chetvertnykh TranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode, go to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeo-book-club/12 ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    34 min

  4. Jan 1

    PROMO: The Past Macabre Ep 17

    As the APN takes a break this holiday season we’re taking this opportunity to bring you episodes of other network shows you may not be aware of. Here’s an episode from the Past Macabre Podcast with Stephane Rice. The Past Macabre: The Archaeology of Boudica pt 1: Late Iron Age Britain and the Iceni In this first of a two-part series, The Past Macabre travels back to Late Iron Age Britain before the Roman conquest to explore the world that shaped one of history’s most famous warrior queens: Boudica. Her story has been told many times for nearly two millennia, but what is the truth behind the Celtic warrior queen who stood against Rome? Uncover the archaeology of her tribe the Iceni, from sacred sites, workshops, and homesteads. We’ll explore the first contacts between Rome and Britain as early as the 2nd century BCE to Caesar’s failed invasion in 54 BCE and the uneasy alliances that turned native leaders into Roman client-kings. Then we'll look at how growing disunity amongst the Celts paved the way for Emperor Claudius' invasion in 43 CE. Learn about the hoards of treasure, settlements, burials, and hillforts found across England and what they can tell us about the world Boudica was born into at a time of rapid social, economic, and political change. The Past Macabre on the APN LinksSee photos related to episode topics on Instagram Loving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee! University of Warwick Teaching Resources - Boudica East Anglian Archaeology Report on Excavations in Thetford 1980–82 New Discovery of Horse Gear Hoard in North Yorkshire Experimental Archaeology Video: What did Iron Age women wear? ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet APN Store AffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    40 min

  5. 12/04/2025

    Archaeologists don't dig dinosaurs! - Ep 11

    In this episode, the bookworms dive into December’s theme: Archaeologists Don’t Dig Dinosaurs! With Judith off sick, Tilly and Ash are left unsupervised, and things get delightfully chaotic as they explore pop-culture misconceptions, swap their best archaeology-vs-palaeontology anecdotes, and share this month’s wildly different book picks. Tune in to hear all about alien-dino hybrids, dinosaur accountants, and the ongoing struggle of explaining—once again—that archaeologists definitely do not dig up dinosaurs! Monthly Book: TBC Other books mentioned: Kindred (Rebecca Wragg Sykes)Science of Discworld (Terry Pratchett, Jack Cohen, Ian Stewart)Jurassic park (Michael Crichton)Futurama (tv show)A Sinister Revenge (Deanna Rayboun)Monstrous Heat (Joely Sue Burkhart)Women of the Dunes (Sarah Maine)Amelia Peabody Series (Elizabeth Peters)LinksEpisode of the Ethnocynology Podcast about dire wolvesIsle of Skye footprintsThe crystal palace dinosaursArticle about dinosaur furWhat’s wrong with these dinosaurs? (article Natural History Museum)Mary Anning Rocks projectGaius Flavius InstagramContactDiscordWebsiteInstagramEmailMusic"Little Adventure" by Sergei Chetvertnykh TranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode, go to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeo-book-club/11 ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    49 min

  6. 11/20/2025

    Book Worms: It Belongs in a Museum! - Ep 10

    It’s time for the second part of the Archaeo Book Club discussion for the November theme “It Belongs in a Museum!” Book club admins Ash, Judith, and Tilly discuss the abundance of material culture related books lining their shelves, and the link between museums and mystery in popular fiction. This time, their personalised recommendations are all surprisingly similar! Tune in to hear all about knights, mummies, and Frida Kahlo’s ring. Monthly Book: Ghosts of the British Museum (Noah Angell) Other books mentioned: Around the world in 100 objects (Neil MacGregor)Possession (A.S. Byatt)Street of the Five Moons (Elizabeth Peters)When the Museum is Closed (Emi Yagi)English Medieval Alabasters (Francis Cheetham)What the River Knows (Isabel Ibañez)A Discovery of Witches (Deborah Harkness)Interview with the Vampire (Anne Rice)Ramses the Damned series (Anne Rice)The Wolf Gift (Anne Rice)The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)The Ark Files (Luke Richardson ((not recommended))Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring (Angela Cervantes)Deeds of the Disturber (Elizabeth Peters)Her Knight at the Museum (Bryn Donovan)Crocodile on the Sandbank (Elizabeth Peters)ContactDiscordWebsiteInstagramEmailMusic"Little Adventure" by Sergei ChetvertnykhTranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode, go to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeo-book-club/10 ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    34 min

  7. 11/06/2025

    Field Notes: It Belongs in a Museum! - Ep 09

    We're embracing our Indiana Jones stereotypes this month at the Archaeo Book Club with the theme “It Belongs in a Museum!” But what does actually belong in a museum? Tune in to hear book club admins Judith, Ash, and Tilly discuss the colonial history of cabinets of curiosities, issues of repatriation, and why you shouldn’t stick your hand in a spinning wheel. Monthly Book: Ghosts of the British Museum (Noah Angell) LinksReplicas in a museumGhost dance shirt repatriationEXARC (society for experimental archaeology and open-air museums)Debates in repatriation of the Elgin MarblesArticle on Cabinets of CuriosityContactDiscordWebsiteInstagramEmailMusic"Little Adventure" by Sergei Chetvertnykh TranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode, go to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeo-book-club/09 ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    37 min

  8. 10/23/2025

    Book Worms: The Bare Bones - Ep 08

    Tilly is back to full health and so our three hosts are reunited in part two of their discussion about the October book club theme of “The Bare Bones”. Together, they chat about their own likes and dislikes of reading in this theme, and general popular understanding of bones in relation to history and archaeology. They also share their recommended books from their own library, including a medieval fan favourite, a book all about sects, and a travelogue going back in time. Monthly Book: Mort by Terry Pratchett Books MentionedThe Incredible Human Journey (Alice Roberts)The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation (Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù MXTX)A Disputation Betwix the Body and Worms (Unknown)Road of bones (Demi Winters)Sabriel (Garth Nix)The Locked Tomb Series (Tamsyn Muir)Apothecary diaries (Natsu Hyūga)Wolf Road (Alice Roberts)Hercule Poirot series (Agatha Christie)Heaven Official’s Blessing (Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù MXTX)LinksBBC Two - The Incredible Human JourneyContactDiscordWebsiteInstagramEmailMusic"Little Adventure" by Sergei Chetvertnykh TranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode, go to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/archaeo-book-club/08 ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN StoreAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    47 min
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About

Welcome to the podcast of the Archaeo Book Club, an online community for lovers of archaeology and books! The book club was started back in 2022 as a way to explore how archaeology is depicted in fiction and popular non-fiction. Every month, we pick a different archaeology-related theme, and our book club members vote on a book to read for that theme. Each “field notes” episode, book club admins Tilly, Judith, and Ash discuss the latest theme and talk about its archaeological background, and make their own suggestions for further reading in each “book worms” episode. This podcast is for anyone who loves to explore the past, and loves to read!

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