The Past Macabre

The Archaeology Podcast Network
  • 5.0 (3)
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  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Join Egyptologist Stephanie Rice as she delves into topics such as the elaborate tombs built to immortalize the dead, ancient guardians of the afterlife, and the tales of heroes who defied and often triumphed over deities of death. The Past Macabre explores the diverse ways in which cultures throughout history have sought to understand, confront, and transcend death.

  1. 1D AGO

    Tombs of the Tomb Builders Part 2: Deir el-Medina - Ep 32

    In this episode, step inside Deir el-Medina, the remarkably well-preserved village of the artisans who built the royal tombs of ancient Egypt. Known in antiquity as Pa Demi or “the village”, this desert settlement near Thebes (modern Luxor) was home to the skilled workers of the Set Maat, the “Place of Truth,” where pharaohs like Tutankhamun, Ramesses II, Nefertari, and Hatshepsut were laid to rest. Through tomb art, legal documents, and everyday texts, Deir el-Medina offers one of the most intimate portraits of non-elite life in ancient Egypt. Explore the lives of three individuals whose stories survive in astonishing detail. Meet Ramose, the wealthiest man in the village, whose decorated tombs and appeals to fertility goddesses reveal private hopes for an heir. Follow his adopted successor, Qenherkhepeshef, a prolific scribe whose tomb preserved the famous “Book of Dreams,” a guide to omens written in red and black ink. Finally, Naunakhte, whose surviving will shows that women in the New Kingdom owned property and controlled how it was inherited. Offline Sources Cited: Blerk, Nicolaas J. 2021. The Contribution of Papyrus Ashmolean Museum 1945.97 (“Naunakht’s Will & Related Documents”) to Our Understanding of The Ancient Egyptian Testamentary Disposition and Succession Law. Fundamina 2021:101–142. Cerny, Jaroslav. 1945. The Will of Naunakhte and the Related Documents. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 31:29–53. Davies, Benedict. 1999. Who’s Who at Deir El-Medina: A Prosopographic Study of The Royal Workman’s Community. Egyptologische Uitgaven No. 13. Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten, Leiden. Dorn, Andreas. 2022. Tagging in the Valley of the Kings around 1200–1150 BC. Social practices and personal habits. TAG: Name Writing in Public Space. A Reader of the 2017 Conference about Tagging at Freie Universität Berlin, Edited by E. Birzin, J. Abarca and M. Hübner, Berlin 2022, 96–103. Links See photos related to episode topics on Instagram Loving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee! Website | The Will of Naunakhte at the Ashmolean Museum Website | The Book of Dreams at the British Museum Website | More Info About the latest Deir el-Medina Excavations led by IFAO Website | Dig Diaries from the 2026 Workers Cemetery Excavations led by the Museo Egizio Transcripts For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/32 ArchPodNet APN 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 Shop Affiliates Motion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    26 min

  2. FEB 16

    Tombs of the Tomb Builders Part 1: The Lost City of the Pyramid Builders - Ep 31

    In the first part of this two-episode series on the tombs of the tomb builders, host Stephanie Rice journeys beyond the iconic monuments of the Giza Plateau to explore the long-overlooked settlement of the pyramid workers. Often overshadowed by the Great Pyramids themselves, the massive wall known as Heit el-Ghurab, aka the “Wall of the Crow”, once concealed the remains of a thriving community. Ongoing excavations have revealed barracks, bakeries, administrative buildings, and, most importantly, carefully constructed cemeteries that challenge long-standing myths about enslaved labor or alien technologies. This episode examines the archaeological evidence for a socially stratified yet respected workforce: laborers buried in modest but well-built tombs, artisans interred higher on the hillside, and even small mastabas and pyramids constructed for workers. Through burial architecture, grave goods, and settlement remains, we uncover a story not of disposable bodies, but of skilled Egyptians who brought their regional traditions with them in life and in death. Offline Sources Cited: David, A. Rosalie (editor). 1996. The Pyramid Builders of Ancient Egypt: A Modern Investigation of Pharaoh’s Workforce. Routledge, London New York. Forshaw, Roger. Trauma Care, Surgery and Remedies in Ancient Egypt: A Reassessment. Lehner, Mark. 2015. Labor and the Pyramids: The Heit El-Ghurab “Workers Town” at Giza. In , pp. 397–522. Lehner, Mark. 2023. Combinatorial Evolution and Heterogeneous Cohabitation at the Giant Pyramids. Journal of Urban Archaeology 8:21–46. Steinkeller, Piotr, and Michael Hudson. 2015. Labor in the Ancient World: A Colloquium Held at Hirschbach (Saxony), April 2005. International Scholars Conference on Ancient Near Eastern Economies No. volume 5. ISLET, Dresden. TranscriptsFor transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/31 LinksThe Past Macabre Research Notes on SubstackSee photos related to episode topics on InstagramLoving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!Website | The Giza Plateau Mapping ProjectWebsite | Information about the worker's cemetery at Heit al-Ghurab from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiesArchPodNetAPN 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 ShopAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    28 min

  3. FEB 2

    The Archaeology of the Real Scorpion Kings - Ep 30

    In this episode, host Stephanie Rice shares information about the origins of Ancient Egyptian kingship during the Predynastic period. Discover the real archaeological evidence of two different rulers known as King Scorpion that inspired the Scorpion King from The Mummy franchise. But unlike the cinematic portrayal, the real kings didn't amass and sustain their power through military conquest. Explore the Tomb of Scorpion I at Abydos which was filled with imported wine, lapis lazuli, and the first evidence of writing in Egypt. Learn about the ceremonial Scorpion Macehead that depicts Scorpion II planting crops. Together, their stories reveal that Egypt’s first kings built their power through prosperity, order, and the sacred duty to sustain life not through warfare. TranscriptsFor transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/30 Works CitedBard, Kathryn A. "Political Economies of Predynastic Egypt and the Formation of the Early State." Journal of Archaeological Research, Vol. 25, No. 1, March 2017.Dodson, Aidan. "The First Dynasty." In The First Pharaohs: Their Lives and Afterlives. American University in Cairo Press, 2021.Hendrickx, Stan and Renée Friedman. "Gebel Tjauti Rock Inscription 1 and the Relationship between Abydos and Hierakonpolis during the early Naqada III Period." Göttinger Miszellen (GM) 196, 2003.Leeman, Diane. Abydos Tomb U-j of Predynastic Egypt. Compiled 2007, Revised 2018.Stevenson, Alice. "The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation." Journal of Archaeological Research, Vol. 24, 2016.Teeter, Emily, ed. Before the Pyramids: The Origins of Egyptian Civilization. Oriental Institute Museum Publications 33, 2011.Wilkinson, Toby A. H. "What a King Is This: Narmer and the Concept of the Ruler." The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 86, 2000.LinksSee photos related to episode topics on InstagramLoving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!Website | The Scorpion Macehead at the Ashmolean MuseumWebsite | Information about the Narmer Palette from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiesArchPodNetAPN 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 ShopAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    30 min

  4. JAN 19

    Ancient Fossil Finds and Mythical Creatures Part 2: The Bones of Heroes and Monsters - Ep 29

    In this continuation of The Past Macabre’s exploration of fossils and myth, host Stephanie Rice examines how ancient cultures interpreted fossil discoveries and connected them to tales of monsters, heroes, and gods. Through oral traditions, archaeological finds, and texts from the Mexica (Aztecs) and Maya of Mesoamerica, the Hopi, Zuni, and Dine (Navajo) of the American Southwest, pre-Christian Ireland, and Classical Greece, this episode explores what these stories tell us about humanity’s enduring curiosity about the natural world. Offline Sources Cited: Bierhorst, John. 1992. History and Mythology of the Aztecs: The Codex Chimalpopoca. University of Arizona Press.Mayor, Adrienne. 2000. The First Fossil Hunters. Princeton University Press.Newman, Sarah E. 2016. Sharks in the Jungle: Real and Imagined Sea Monsters of theMaya. Antiquity 90(354):1522–1536.Romano, M., 2024. Fossils as a source of myths, legends and folklore. Rend. Online Soc. Geol. It, 62, pp.103-117.Solounias, Nikos and Adrienne Mayor. 2004. ANCIENT REFERENCES TO THE FOSSILS FROM THE LAND OF PYTHAGORAS. Earth Sciences History 23(2):283–296.TranscriptsFor transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/29 LinksSee photos related to episode topics on InstagramLoving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!Website | More information about the Hopi from the HopiWebsite | More information about the Zuni from the ZuniWebsite | More information about the Dine (Navajo) from the DineWebsite | Paleontology of ancestral lands of the Hopi, Zuni, and Dine - Petrified Forest NPWebsite | One woolly mammoth's journey at the end of the Ice Age (NPR's coverage of Élmayųujey’eh, a very well preserved wooly mammoth found near one of the oldest sites of human habitation in Alaska)Open Access Article | A Kachina by Any Other Name: Linguistically Contextualizing Native American CollectionsOpen Access Article | Pleistocene record of mammals and pollen from Mexico (Las Tazas, Valsequillo, Puebla) and their paleoenvironmental interpretationOpen Access Book | The Popol Vuh: The Mythic and Heroic Sagas of the Kichés of Central AmericaOpen Access Book | The Codex Borgia (Pre-European text of the Aztec deities, rituals, and calendar)Open Access Book | The Eskimo about Bering strait (19th century ethnography documenting Yup'ik and Inuit culture)Open Access Book | Traces of the Elder Faiths in Ireland (19th century ethnography of pre-Christian beliefs in Ireland)Video | Megaloceros the Giant Deer ~ with Dr Roman Croitor (information about Irish elk from Evolution Soup)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 ShopAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    44 min

  5. JAN 5

    PROMO - Heritage Voices - Ep 98

    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. Please enjoy this episode of the Heritage Voices Podcast! Heritage Voices: Nunalleq Digital Museum - Ep 98 For this episode of Heritage Voices, Jessica Yaquinto speaks with Charlotta Hillerdal (University of Aberdeen), Jaqueline Nalikutaar Cleveland (Native Village of Kwinhagak), Lonny Alaskuk Strunk (Native Village of Kwinhagak), and Alice Watterson (University of Iceland). The team explains how climate change was causing artifacts to erode out on the shoreline, so the Native Village of Quinhagak (Kwinhagak)  requested an archaeological excavation so that their heritage would be documented. They describe how what would happen to those artifacts and how to educate the community and larger public about their heritage remained a constant concern and area of discussion. The team described the process of creating this public education resource and how they conveyed the sense of place and focused on incorporating the language into the digital exhibit. LinksHeritage Voices on the APNNunalleq Digital Museum: multi-vocal narration of a Yup'ik pastNunalleq Digital MuseumNunalleq: Archaeological Excavation and Conservation LabNunalleq 2024Rick receives Friends of First Alaskans Ted Stevens AwardNunalleq Education ResourceYugtunHow Did You Live? Writing A Song for NunalleqClimate & NunalleqEllavut Cimirtuq (Our World Is Changing) – TrimTab MediaArchPodNetAPN 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 ShopAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1 hr

  6. 12/22/2025

    PROMO: The Rock Art Podcast Ep 144

    The APN is taking a holiday break. In the mean time, enjoy this special episode from one of our other great podcasts. Rock Art Podcast: Kimberly Rock Art wth Dr. Damien Finch - Episode 144 PROMO: In this episode, Dr. Alan Garfinkel speaks with Dr Damien Finch from the University of Melbourne about Kimberly Rock Art and his work on the application of radiocarbon dating to determine the age of rock art. They discuss how scientific techniques can be applied to past human activity and, of course, rock art! Rock Art Podcast Page LinksDr Damien Finch Biography Australia’s oldest known Aboriginal rock paintings Light and shade: how the natural 'glazes' on the walls of Kimberley rock shelters help reveal the world the artists lived in This 17,500-year-old kangaroo in the Kimberley is Australia's oldest Aboriginal rock painting 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 Shop AffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    39 min

  7. 12/08/2025

    Ancient Fossil Finds and Mythical Creatures Part 1: Here Be Dragons - Ep 28

    Throughout history, people have uncovered fossils and tried to explain them using the knowledge and stories of their time. In this episode of The Past Macabre, host Stephanie Rice explores how ancient discoveries of prehistoric bones may have inspired some of humanity’s most enduring myths about dragons and other legendary creatures. From China’s loong, whose image appeared in tombs thousands of years before the first dynasties, to the Greek and Roman tales of sea monsters and winged serpents, this episode traces how archaeology and paleontology overlap in uncovering the roots of these mythical beings and the human fascination with what fossils. Offline Works Cited: Boaz, Noel T., and Russell L. Ciochon. 2004. The Bones of Dragon Hill. In Dragon Bone Hill: An Ice Age Saga of Homo Erectus, edited by Noel T. Boaz and Russell L. Ciochon. Oxford University Press.Crump, J., & Crump, I. 1963. Dragon Bones in the Yellow Earth: The story of archaeological exploration & research in northern China in the present century. Dodd, Mead, and Company.Romano, M., 2024. Fossils as a source of myths, legends and folklore. Rend. Online Soc. Geol. It, 62, pp.103-117.TranscriptsFor transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/28 LinksSee photos related to episode topics on InstagramLoving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!Open Access Article | Finding the origins of dragons in Carboniferous plant fossilsWebsite | Educational resources for teaching grades 8-12 about Greek myths related to fossils (interesting info for anyone, not just students)Open Access Article | Sea Monsters in Antiquity: A Classical and Zoological InvestigationOpen Access Book | Palaephatus, On Unbelievable Things (English Translation)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 ShopAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    34 min

  8. 11/24/2025

    Resurrected Funerary Spaces Within the Grand Egyptian Museum - Ep 27

    After two decades of anticipation, the Grand Egyptian Museum has finally opened and it is wonderful in every sense of the word! In this episode of The Past Macabre, host Stephanie Rice explores how the world’s largest archaeological museum breathes new life into ancient funerary traditions. Join her on a journey through three extraordinary exhibits that reimagine Egypt’s afterlife: the digital recreation of Khnumhotep II’s tomb; the complete collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures that have been reunited for the first time since they were excavated; and the solar boats that were buried next to the Great Pyramid that were meant to carry Khufu in the afterlife. Through technology, artistry, and careful conservation, these exhibits at the Grand Egyptian Museum bring Ancient Egyptian lives to modern visitors. TranscriptsFor transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/27 LinksSee photos related to episode topics on InstagramLoving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!Website | GEM OfficialWebsite | Egypt's Ministry of TourismWebsite | Tutankhamun's GalleriesWebsite | Conservation Center at the GEMVideo | Digital Tomb of Khnumhotep IIVideo | Original Tomb of Khnumhotep IIArchPodNetAPN 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 ShopAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    28 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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out of 5
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About

Join Egyptologist Stephanie Rice as she delves into topics such as the elaborate tombs built to immortalize the dead, ancient guardians of the afterlife, and the tales of heroes who defied and often triumphed over deities of death. The Past Macabre explores the diverse ways in which cultures throughout history have sought to understand, confront, and transcend death.

Information

  • Creator
    The Archaeology Podcast Network
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (c)2025 Archaeology Podcast Network
  • Show Website
    The Past Macabre