Podcasts of the Past

I love listening to podcasts. They’re a nice way to pass the time on a long car trip, washing the dishes, or working out at the gym. They’re shorter than an audio-book, and are great way to learn something new.   Podcasts are also conveniently available on almost every electronic device: computer, phone, tablet - how you listen is up to you! Below is a list of archaeology and history themed podcasts I’ve come across for your listening and learning pleasure.

(Note: * indicates this podcast is no longer updated at the time of this post, but archived stories are available)

Archaeology Podcast Network (APN): https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/ - The Archaeology Podcast Network is a collection of archaeology podcasts that provide archaeological information and education from qualified field archaeologists.  Podcasts that are a part of this network listed here have (APN) at the beginning of their description.

Cooking with Archaeologists: http://www.cookingwitharchaeologists.com/ - The purpose of this podcast is to share the stories and food recipes of the people who uncover our shared past-the field archaeologist. A great way to find your new favorite dish.

Origin Stories: https://soundcloud.com/origin-stories - Origin Stories is The Leakey Foundation's podcast about why humans are the way we are and the science behind what we know about ourselves.

*The Naked Scientists: Naked Archaeology: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/archive/archaeology - Where did the Nazca Lines come from? Who built Stonehenge, and what secrets lie concealed within Egypt's pyramids? To find out, join the Naked Archaeologists as they undress the past...

CRM Archaeology: http://www.digtech-llc.com/podcast/ - (APN) This show dives into topics related to CRM Archaeology and is hosted by longtime professionals in the field.

Stuff You Missed in History Class: http://www.missedinhistory.com/tags/archaeology.htm - Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by HowStuffWorks.com.

University of Oxford Podcasts: http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/keywords/archaeology - A collection of archaeology based seminars and lectures from the University of Oxford.

*Archaeo News Podcast: http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/category/podcast - A Podcast from the online magazine Past Horizons, covering archaeology and heritage news.

Indiana Jones: Myth, Reality and 21st Century Archaeology: https://player.fm/series/indiana-jones-myth-reality-and-21st-century-archaeology-1243389 - This show explores myths surrounding this exotic, often misunderstood field of archaeology and acquaints listeners with the contemporary practice of unearthing the human past. Themes range from Dr. Schuldenrein’s own “Indiana Jones”-like adventures in the land of the Bible to his team’s archaeological forensics effort to unearth Kurdish mass graves in Iraq.

Stone Pages: Archaeo News: http://www.stonepages.com/news/podcast.xml - Stone Pages presents a weekly podcast with the latest archaeology news, mainly related to prehistory, megalithic monuments and discoveries.

The Struggling Archaeologists Guide to Getting Dirty: http://jennifermcniven.com/ - (APN) Ever want to know more about the world of archaeology AND have a good time learning it? This podcast explores what it's like to be a young professional in the field. There's also news and discussions on cool stuff going on at the other end of trowels all over the place.

Archy Fantasies: https://archyfantasies.com/tag/archyfantasies-podcasts/ - (APN) Listen to the Archaeology Fantasies podcast and learn about popular archeological mysteries. Hoax or fact? Learn to tell the difference with Dr. Kenneth Feder and cohost Sara of the Archy Fantasies blog.

Go Dig a Hole: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/crm-archaeology/go-dig-a-hole - (APN) Working to bridge the gap between classroom and careers, we bring you interviews, discussions, and more on the early stages of careers in archaeology. Recurring themes we cover throughout this series: how to get your foot in the door.

The Archaeology Show: http://www.archaeologychannel.org/audio-guide/audio-news -  (APN) The news of the week in audio, brought to you by The Archaeology Channel. Compiled and written by Michelle Hilling of Archaeologica and read by Laura Pettigrew. The audio news is compiled from Archaeologica’s daily news updates.

*Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History: http://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-58-kings-kings-iii/ - Journalist and broadcaster Dan Carlin takes his "Martian", unorthodox way of thinking and applies it to the past. Was Alexander the Great as bad a person as Adolf Hitler? What would Apaches with modern weapons be like? Will our modern civilization ever fall like civilizations from past eras? This isn't academic history (and Carlin isn't a historian) but a unique blend of high drama, masterful narration and Twilight Zone-style twists.

*A History of the World in 100 objects: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nrtd2/episodes/downloads - Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, narrates 100 programs that retell humanity's history through the objects we have made.

Backstory with the American History Guys: http://backstoryradio.org/ - A nationally syndicated, hour-long, weekly public radio show hosted by renowned U.S. historians Ed Ayers, Peter Onuf, and Brian Balogh, based in Charlottesville, Virginia at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Each week we take a topic that people are talking about and explore its roots in American history. Through stories, interviews, and conversation with our listeners, we turn the things Americans take for granted inside out.

The History Chicks: http://thehistorychicks.com/ - Beckett Graham and Susan Vollenweider: Two women. Half the population. Several thousand years of history. About an hour. Go.

Footnoting History: http://www.footnotinghistory.com/ - A bi-weekly podcast series dedicated to overlooked, unknown, and exciting stories plucked from the footnotes of history. We do our best to keep each episode brief without skimping on the fun parts. Sometimes, we get so excited about a topic that we develop an entire series around it.

How can you listen to these great podcasts? Many have their own websites where episodes can be downloaded, but most can also be found on popular podcast sources such as iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music, and more.  Enjoy!