The Archaeology of...

Centre for Field Archaeology and Forensic Taphonomy, University of Lancashire
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The Archaeology of... is your detailed deep dive into the fascinating, surprising, and sometimes downright quirky corners of our past. From Anglo-Saxons teeth to Zooarchaeology, British archaeologist Dr Jim Morris and American Bioarchaeologist Dr Brenna Hassett with a host of friends bring you lively conversations uncovering the material traces of human life, revealing stories that connect us across centuries and continents. Grab your metaphorical trowel (yes we are that cheesy) and come along for the ride. Subscribe now and discover the archaeology of… well, everything.

Episodes

  1. Oct 7

    The Archaeology of... Poo

    The Archaeology of... is back for Season 2, and we're starting with a... plop. That's right, in our first episode we explore the archaeology of poo, excrement, faecal matter, and even s**t. It's our first episode to require a language warning! Jim and Brenna are joined by archaeobotanist extraordinaire Don O'Meara from Historic England to delve into the fascinating world of archaeological waste and what it can tell us about the past. In a wide-ranging discussion, Don leads us through the surprisingly rich archaeology of cess pits (apologies to Don for using that term) and privies. From medieval gong farmers and neighbourhood disputes to parasites, diet, and even Brenna's near-disastrous encounter with a cess pit, we uncover how this often-overlooked infrastructure provides extraordinary insights into everyday life in the past. Along the way, Jim and Brenna are shocked to discover what poo is actually made of, explore its role in global politics and conflict, and learn about its unexpected geopolitical legacy. Finally, after comparing a particularly famous turd to Stonehenge, Don delivers what may be the podcast's greatest "gold" answer yet. You can find out more on Don's work Digestive Taphonomy here The York viking turd can be viewed at the Jorvik centre The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠⁠⁠Archaeology team⁠⁠⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj. Theme tune by STEAL ⁠The Archaeology of... Everything

  2. Jun 3

    The Archaeology of… Neanderthals (World Cup Edition)

    A bumper final episode for the series sees Jim and Brenna joined by returning guest hosts Dr Jennifer Jones and Dr Rick Peterson. Never ones to miss a bandwagon, the team embrace a World Cup theme pitching Spain’s Neanderthals against Wales while proving, along the way, why this is definitely an archaeology podcast and not a football one. Listeners are also treated to our brand-new theme song by the excellent band STEAL. Stick around to the end for the full track, along with some Season 1 outtakes for those watching the visualised edition. After introducing the origins of Neanderthals, with Jen representing Spain and Rick championing Wales, the team compare archaeological evidence from across Europe. This raises a key question: were all Neanderthals the same? Rick highlights how Welsh Neanderthal finds are among the earliest in Europe and of international significance, while Jen explores the flexibility of Spanish Neanderthal hunting techniques, including the surprisingly sophisticated capture of rabbits. The discussion then turns to recent research on Neanderthal cognitive flexibility, including debates about language. This gives Jim the perfect excuse to attempt his best Neanderthal voice. Rick reflects on shifting academic trends with reference to an excellent 1980s cartoon (Little Noise), while Brenna draws connections between “Ned” a famous Neanderthal reconstruction and a well-known Scottish actor. Finally, in keeping with the football theme, one of Jen’s team gets dramatically “sent off… for cannibalism. Thank you to everyone for supporting Season 1, we’ll be back after the summer with Season 2. Our new theme tune... The Archaeology of... Everything Find out more on Ricks work on Neanderthal’s in Pontnewydd and the Elwy Valley Caves Wales Jens work on Neanderthals in Spain The BBCs reconstruction of a Neanderthal’s sound, almost as good as Jims. A classic Jackanory Little Nose from 1983 The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠⁠Archaeology team⁠⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj.

  3. Apr 29

    The Archaeology of… Childhood part 2

    Human childhood is so unusually long Jim and guest host Dr Jennifer Jones decide a second episode is needed to dive deeper and explore its later stages such as the teenage years. After a book advertising power move, Brenna shocks Jim and Jennifer with orangutangs parenting habits, before moving into the importance of later childhood in knowledge transition. Ranging from ancient Sumerian tablets to Iron Age salt miners, via Gorilla K-pop boy bands and hot tubbing Brenna discusses how archaeologists are trying to identify childhood and children on archaeological sites. With toys, dolls and footprints all in the mix. Jim and Jennifer are surprised at the jobs children do in ancient Egypt… it involves baboons, and together they discuss the cultural choices we make in children’s education. Brenna’s book is available from all good and bad booksellers. The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠⁠Archaeology team⁠⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj.

  4. Apr 15

    The Archaeology of… Childhood part 1

    Friend of the show and original listener Dr Jennifer Jones joins Jim as co-host as Brenna moves across the table to discuss why humans are so weird and outliers in terms of childhood when compared with other mammals. Starting off by thinking about the biology of childhood allows Brenna to explore how humans ended up with such a long childhood. Along with some excellent puns and some sad stories about animals being abandoned, Brenna asks why human childhood is untethered from how long we live as a species, pointing out it’s all about being a better monkey. This leads to a big research project Brenna is running using a host of scientific methods exploring how humans started to extend childhood. We return to teeth which Brenna has been thin sectioning to look in depth at individual life events like birth, weaning and disease. Much to Jen’s joy, isotope analysis of these teeth allows archaeologists to investigate even more detail into these events, allowing social practices to be explored. With a digression into the calorific value of Mars bars and how much knowledge of female biology male archaeologists have, Brenna questions if the Neolithic was all about cereals and carbs or did something else push us towards a longer childhood.  Brenna’s book is available from all good and bad booksellers. You can find out more about Brennas project here The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠⁠Archaeology team⁠⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj.

  5. Apr 1

    The Archaeology of… Norman Castles part 2

    In this second part, Brenna and guest host Dr Rick Peterson widen the trench and turn their attention to Jim’s excavations of the Norman ringwork castle and associated village at Lowther, Cumbria. Jim explores the idea that the castle and settlement may have been a plantation site, raising the possibility that people were forcibly relocated to Cumbria. This prompts a wider discussion ranging from the simple pleasure of finding pottery, to the strategic importance of controlling the Eden Valley south of Penrith, an important event in AD927, and the significance of Viking hogback tombs. After a brief digression into castles built beside fast‑food restaurants, the episode also underlines the value of archaeologists investigating so‑called ‘failed’ sites. The Excavations are Lowther are supported by the Lowther Castle and Gardens Trust, the Castle Studies Trust and Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society  Watch the Digging for Britain visit to the first season of Lowther excavations here.  The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠⁠Archaeology team⁠⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj.

  6. Mar 18

    The Archaeology of… Norman Castles part 1

    Brenna is joined by guest host Dr Rick Peterson, as Jim takes a turn in the expert chair to discuss the Archaeology of… Norman Castles. It turns out Brenna knows next to nothing about castles, so this conversation turned into our first two-parter. Jim ruins Brenna’s preconceptions about castles by discussing their origins as earth and wooden structures that come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Leading to a discussion of the history and archaeology of the Norman conquest, how castles fulfilled several functions, and why Feudalism is a dirty word. After digressing into the Harrying of the North, via a survey of pigs, Jim talks about his excavations at a Norman ringwork castle in Lowther, Cumbria. The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠⁠Archaeology team⁠⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj. You can read more on Jims research on Lowther Castle ⁠here⁠.

  7. Mar 4

    The Archaeology of… Cave Bears

    Jim and a very excited Brenna are joined by our original listener Dr Jennifer Jones to discuss the Archaeology of... Cave Bears. A prehistoric species of bear that went extinct around 25,000 years ago. Using isotope analysis of Cave Bears from across Europe Jennifer discusses what we know about their ecology and what may have caused their extinction – climate change or modern humans. This leads to the discovery that Brenna’s personal scale works on Lada’s, the old Russian car. Jim goes all hippish and thinks Cave Bears and humans could have been friends and all discuss the merits of Jean Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear. We also delve into Brenna’s reinterpretation of the ‘lion man’. The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠⁠Archaeology team⁠⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj. You can read more on Jennifers research on Cave Bears ⁠here⁠.

  8. Feb 18

    The Archaeology of… the earliest northerner

    Jim and Brenna are joined by Dr Rick Peterson to discuss the Archaeology of... the earliest northerner, ‘Ossick Lass’ a 11,000 year old early Mesolithic burial.  Rick discusses his detailed work with local archaeologist Martin Stables at a cave in Great Urswick on the Furness peninsula, Cumbria, UK. Including the discovery of a series of prehistoric burials along with tiny early Mesolithic jewellery. Ancient DNA and osteological work shows ‘Ossick Lass’ is a female child between 2.5 and 3.5 years old, buried between 9290 and 8925 cal BC, making her the 3rd oldest Mesolithic burial in northwestern Europe and the oldest burial from Northern Britain. This allows Jim and Brenna to dive down into why Mesolithic hunter-gathers would be burying people in caves, with Rick highlighting a possible European wide Mesolithic burial rite. The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠⁠Archaeology team⁠⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj. You can read more on Ricks research on Ossick lass ⁠here⁠.

  9. Feb 4

    The Archaeology of… Dental Biographies

    Jim and Brenna are joined by Dr Allie Stewart to discuss the Archaeology of... Dental Biographies, which is a fancy way of saying… teeth, little treasure troves of information. Whilst giving a good excuse for anyone who doesn’t want to floss, Allie explains how dental biographies can inform on familial connections and individual stories.  Using the example of two early medieval burials (apologies to ep1 guest Duncan for not using Anglo-Saxon), Allie tells us how teeth can help us think about micromobility – people moving shorter distances between places within their lifetime, for a variety of personal reasons. This allows Brenna to rant about Risk, Jim to get excited about a cow and all to think about women moving for childbirth and care, connecting the early medieval to the modern day.   The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠Archaeology team⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj. You can read more on Allie’s research here.

  10. Jan 20

    The Archaeology of… Drugs

    Jim and Brenna are joined by Prof Dave Robinson to discuss the Archaeology of... drugs, yes we’ve gone for sensationalism in only the 2nd episode.   Dave discuses one of the first confirmed archaeological findings of hallucinogens with rock art, in California. Jim and Brenna learn some cool new words, including entheogen, why they really shouldn’t take datura and get shocked by drugged hawkmoths! We delve into the deep appreciation of hallucinogenic plants, for many purposes including medicine, and hear how Indigenous American people discuss how these might have been used at rock art sites, along with the link between a rock art site, drugs, midsummer solstice and even those intriguing hawkmoths.   The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠Archaeology team⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj. You can read more on Dave’s research into datura here

  11. Jan 19

    The Archaeology of... Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries

    In the first episode of the series Jim and Brenna are joined by Prof Duncan Sayer to discuss the Archaeology of... Anglo-Saxon Cemeteries.  Duncan explains why Brenna should care about Anglo-Saxon burials and how she might even get her own chair at a funeral. Jim gets excited about modifying Anglo-Saxon swords and we delve into the detail of Oakington early Anglo-Saxon (6th-7th Century AD) cemetery to explore how they were a community affair.  The Archaeology of.. is produced by the ⁠Archaeology team⁠ from the University of Lancashire. It is presented by Drs James Morris and Brenna Hassett. Filming and editing by Mariusz Kuczaj. Duncan's current excavation in Kent features on 2026 Digging for Britain. Those in the UK can view it at ⁠this link⁠ S3:EP3 from 13min23sec You can read Duncan's book ⁠online⁠

  • 11 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Archaeology of... is your detailed deep dive into the fascinating, surprising, and sometimes downright quirky corners of our past. From Anglo-Saxons teeth to Zooarchaeology, British archaeologist Dr Jim Morris and American Bioarchaeologist Dr Brenna Hassett with a host of friends bring you lively conversations uncovering the material traces of human life, revealing stories that connect us across centuries and continents. Grab your metaphorical trowel (yes we are that cheesy) and come along for the ride. Subscribe now and discover the archaeology of… well, everything.

Information

  • Creator
    Centre for Field Archaeology and Forensic Taphonomy, University of Lancashire
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Centre for Field Archaeology and Forensic Taphonomy, University of Lancashire
  • Show Website
    The Archaeology of...

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