Archaeo Book Club
Archaeo Book Club is a monthly podcast for lovers of archaeology, history, heritage, and books. Hosted by Tilly, Judith, and Ash, each episode explores a new thematic focus related to the past, blending scholarly insight with personal reading journeys.
Born from an active online community, the podcast brings together accessible archaeological discussion and book recommendations, inviting listeners to think deeply about the material and imagined worlds of the past. In conjunction with our online Discord bookclub!
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!
Book Worms: It Belongs in a Museum! - ABC 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.
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.
Book Worms: The Bare Bones - ABC 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.
Field Notes: The Bare Bones - ABC 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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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!