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!
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!
29 Jan 2026
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?
15 Jan 2026
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.
1 Jan 2026
PROMO: The Past Macabre Ep 17
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.
4 Dec 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!
20 Nov 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.
6 Nov 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.
23 Oct 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.
9 Oct 2025
Field Notes: The Bare Bones - Ep 07
It’s time to dig up some old bones! In this episode, Ash and Judith have left Tilly in her sickbed to sift through the bones of history to explore the theme of The Bare Bones! They discuss how this theme is so important within the field of archaeology and medieval life, as well as their own person anecdotes on death, happy skeletons and medieval memes!
25 Sept 2025
Book Worms: Melodies of Memories - Ep 06
It’s part two of a discussion from our Archaeo Book Club admins talking about the current monthly theme of “Melodies of Memories”. This episode, Tilly, Ash, and Judith chat about how the theme is represented in fiction and popular non-fiction, especially in relation to depictions of the past. Listen in to hear all about the complexity of organs, why music might be limited by a lack of diversity in traditional publishing, and some personalised reading recommendations from our hosts.
11 Sept 2025
Field Notes: Melodies of Memories - Ep 05
It’s time to delve into our memories through the theme of music. This episode, Tilly, Ash, and Judith venture back in time, singing as they go! The three hosts discuss how this theme is explored within the field of archaeology, share their favourite musical anecdotes, and listen to Judith harping on (pun intended) about her current hyper-focus.
4 Sept 2025
Book Worms: Vikings! - Ep 04
Join Tilly, Judith, and Ash as they dive into the July reading theme: Vikings!
In this “book worms” episode, the hosts share their thoughts on how Vikings feature in literature—exploring whether the theme lends itself best to fiction or popular non-fiction, and how well Viking culture is researched in popular stories. They discuss their group’s book choice, Valkyrie by Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir, and give a brief rating summary, inviting listeners to join the conversation on their Discord.
Highlights include Judith’s Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless, Ash’s The Goddess of Nothing At All by Cat Rector, and Tilly’s Valhalla by Tom Holt—each offering a unique take on Viking and myth-inspired storytelling.
4 Sept 2025
Field Notes: Vikings! - Ep 03
Join Tilly, Judith, and Ash in Episode 3 as they set sail into the July reading theme: Vikings!
In this “field notes” episode, they share their own experiences with Viking archaeology, history, and literature, swapping favourite stories and first impressions. They discuss why Vikings remain such a popular and important topic, how research has changed over time, and why this theme continues to capture imaginations across disciplines.
Next episode, they’ll dive into the book club’s pick, Valkyrie by Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir, along with personal reading recommendations, so stay tuned!
29 Aug 2025
Book Worms: Under the Sea - Ep 02
Join Tilly, Judith, and Ash as they dive into the June theme, Under the Sea, from a literary perspective. They discuss how this watery theme lends itself to fiction and non-fiction, reflect briefly on their book club pick Mudlarking by Lara Maiklem, and share their own favourite reads inspired by the sea.
Highlights include Judith’s pick The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey, Ash’s Whispers of the Deep by Emma Hamm, and Tilly’s Seafaring Lore and Legend by Peter D. Jeans—three very different takes on underwater stories and myths!
Monthly Book: Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames by Lara Maiklem
29 Aug 2025
Field Notes: Under the Sea - Ep 01
Welcome to the first episode of the Archaeo Book Club, now part of the Archaeology Podcast Network!
Join Tilly, Judith, and Ash as they wade into our June reading theme: Under the Sea.
In this “field notes” discussion, we share our own experiences with watery archaeology, from shipwrecks and submerged cities to muddy river finds, and talk about how this theme has surfaced in our work, studies, and reading. We swap favourite anecdotes, explore why underwater and riverway archaeology matters, and look at how interest in the topic has evolved over time.
Monthly Book: Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames by Lara Maiklem
Other books mentioned:Doggerland: Lost World Under the North Sea
28 Aug 2025
Welcome to the Archaeo Book Club! - Ep 0
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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