Early Man (film) - Prehistories 24
I give Early Man the Prehi/stories treatment with James Dilley, an ancient technology specialist, and Erin Kavanagh, who is interested in how the past is represented whether that's the prehistoric past or the footballing past. The film is just a bit of Aardman fun, of course, but it opens up wider topics for discussion about how the past is discussed. With plenty of political prehistory in the news, where does this fit in? The fact it was storyboarded as far back as 2011 suggests we may be reading a little too much into it...
Guests
James Dilley @ancientctaftUK; Erin Kavanaugh @geomythkavanagh
Host: Kim Biddulph @kimbiddulph
Links
Boy with the Bronze Axe - Prehistories 23
The Boy with the Bronze Axe by Kathleen Fidler is set in the Neolithic Orkney settlement of Skara Brae. Though written for children this book is also really interesting for adults thinking about how interpretations of Skara have changed over the years. Kim talks to Orkney resident and specialist Caroline Wickham-Jones about the archaeology behind the book when it was written in 1968 and how it could be updated for the 21st century
Guests
Caroline Wickham-Jones https://www.mesolithic.co.uk/contact-me/
Host: Kim Biddulph @kimbiddulph
Links
- Buy The Boy with the Bronze Axe by Kathleen Fidler: http://amzn.eu/75Jo45n
- Podcast on Schools Prehistory (Kim's website) about Boy with the Bronze Axe: http://www.schoolsprehistory.co.uk/2015/01/19/book-review-the-boy-with-the-bronze-axe-by-kathleen-fidler/
- Buy Caroline Wickham-Jones's non-fiction book about Orkney - Between the Wind and the Water: http://amzn.eu/fAbc9Qz
- Silverskin by Joan Lennon - a book about Skara Brae written in 2016: https://www.birlinn.co.uk/Silver-Skin.html
- Clips from the BBC's documentary Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08819tl
- Episode 2, Series 4 Expedition Unknown: Origins of Stonehenge: http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/expedition-unknown/episodes/origins-of-stonehenge
- Historic Scotland's webpage about visiting Skara Brae: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/skara-brae/
- Orkneyjar - for all things Orkney: http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/sites.htm
- Ness of Brodgar excavations website: http://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/
Archaeologists preparing a raft to take cores in the loch of Skaill. This picture also illustrates how different Skara Brae is from the era depicted in The Boy With The Bronze Axe . The picture is taken by Sue Dawson and the work is funded by Historic Environment Scotland.
Warrior Scarlet - Prehistories 22
Warrior Scarlet by Rosemary Sutcliff is a book set in the transition from Bronze to Iron Age, but that's the least interesting thing about it. I talk to Dr. Helen Chittock of the University of Oxford and Dr. Julia Farley of the British Museum about the history of archaeological theory as demonstrated by this book written in 1958.
Guests
Julia Farley @julia_farley; Helen Chittock @DrChittock
Host: Kim Biddulph @kimbiddulph
Links
One Million Years BC to The Last Hunter - Prehistories 21
Take a few archaeologists who think they're film buffs and what have you got? A prehistoric film special! From fur bikinis to inter-species rape, we look at the best that we could find of a very small film genre with a sometimes critical and sometimes fond eye.
Links
- Article about evidence for Neanderthal cannibalism
- Article about possible artwork by Neanderthals in Gorham's Cave, Gibraltar
- Article about Neanderthals possibly using magnesium to start fires
- Article about Neanderthal and H. sapiens interbreeding
- Article about Neanderthal speech
Contact
- @kimbiddulph
- @mattpope Matthew Pope
- @alices_films Alice O'Mahoney
A Night in an Iron Age Hillfort - Prehistories 20
Kim Biddulph and friends spent the night in an Iron Age Hillfort sharing food, exchanging stories, and discussion ideas. It was an amazing night full of fun and excitement. The audio is a bit challenging at times, as you would expect it to be in this situation, but we've cleaned it up a bit and most should be OK.
Contact
- Kim Biddulph @kimbiddulph @schprehistory
Archer, Journey to Stonehenge - Prehistories 19
Jane Brayne has written and illustrated a comic strip style picture book on the journey of the Amesbury Archer, and kindly appears as a guest on the podcast to talk about it. The original excavator of the early Bronze Age burial the book is inspired by, Andrew Fitzpatrick, also talks about the background evidence for the book.
Links
- Buy Jane's book here
- Jane Brayne's website for Archer Journey to Stonehenge
- Jane's blog
- Andrew Fitzpatrick's profile page on Leicester University's website
- Link to Andrew's report on the Amesbury Archer
- Wessex Archaeology pages about the Amesbury Archer
- Page about the Amesbury Archer at Salisbury Museum, where he is on display
Contact
- Kim Biddulph @kimbiddulph @schprehistory
- Jane Brayne @SmallBoatBooks
- Andrew Fitzpatrick af215@le.ac.uk