The Archaeologist's Notebook

In the summer of 1381, an army of tens of thousands of ordinary people marched on London, triggering the largest social uprising in medieval English history. It was the only time the Tower of London was ever overrun, resulting in broken prisons, burned palaces, and royal executions. But what actually caused this massive revolt, and what clues did these rebels leave behind in the archaeological record? Through examining plague pits and remains, Giselle has the answers!

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Did our prehistoric ancestors love a cold pint as much as we do? Spoiler: YES. 

Today, archaeologist Giselle pulls up a bar stool and explores the most incredible archaeological discoveries of ancient alcohol—from 2,300-year-old liquid beer buried in China to a 13,000-year-old Natufian brewery that might prove humans started farming for beer /before/ bread.

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Did you know that Stonehenge isn't actually a "true" henge? And what about Seahenge, Woodhenge, or the massive superhenges scattered across the UK?

In today’s video, Giselle unpacks the truth behind Britain’s most iconic prehistoric features. Breaking down what actually makes a henge a henge, we explore the history and engineering of these massive Neolithic settlement sites!

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Think the modern flushing loo is a recent invention? Think again! In today's video, we’re taking a look into the fascinating, gross, and unbelievable history of human waste disposal. From 2,400-year-old palace thrones in Ancient China to 5,000-year-old Bronze Age plumbing, uncover how toilets shaped human civilisation long before Thomas Crapper or the Romans came along.

We’re also sifting through medieval cesspits to look at 800-year-old lost notebooks, 1,200-year-old fossilised Viking poos (yes, really!), and the preserved diet secrets of ancient Roman towns.

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Think the modern flushing loo is a recent invention? Think again! In today's video, we’re taking a look into the fascinating, gross, and unbelievable history of human waste disposal. From 2,400-year-old palace thrones in Ancient China to 5,000-year-old Bronze Age plumbing, uncover how toilets shaped human civilization long before Thomas Crapper or the Romans came along.

We’re also sifting through medieval cesspits to look at 800-year-old lost notebooks, 1,200-year-old fossilized Viking poos (yes, really!), and the preserved diet secrets of ancient Roman towns.

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What does a real archaeologist think about Indiana Jones? Today, working archaeologist Giselle reacts to and breaks down Hollywood's most popular archaeology in movies and judges them based off of how accurate (or inaccurate) they are! From Indiana Jones to Jurassic Park, is your favourite film on the chopping block?

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What can you learn about a person from their skeleton? What do you do if you find a dead body? And how much do your bones really reveal about your life, health, and death? In today's video, Giselle (with the help of Patrice) walks you through how you can become an osteologist too by learning to read bones!

Breaking down the expert forensic techniques used on dig sites and police cases to analyze human remains, Giselle reveals how specialists determine age, sex, and stature, identify ancient diseases like scurvy and rickets, and detect gruesome trauma like sword wounds and decapitations!

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The Franklin Expedition is considered one of the worst exploration disasters in history. After 170 long years, more scientific evidence is coming out to help figure out what actually happened to these men. 

In today's episode, new DNA evidence is found from the infamous Franklin Expedition, 2,000-year-old Roman bread, and a Roman well made of wood found at Rolls-Royce: Giselle has three exciting new stories in the world of archaeology to share with you!

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Humans have had beloved animal companions for longer than you think! When did humans start treating animals as true family? Today, Giselle explores the deep, thousands-of-years-old history of human-pet relationships. From 14,000-year-old puppies nursed through severe illness to the oldest cat with a name, the archaeological record proves that our bond with animals goes far beyond work and utility!

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Why were ancient mummies buried with golden foil tongues inside their mouths? What hidden Iron Age secrets lie trapped inside a fused 2,000-year-old block of soil and copper? And how did a metal detectorist in Norway stumble upon the largest Viking silver hoard discovered in over a century? 

In today’s video, Giselle digs deep into three remarkable archaeological breakthroughs that are reshaping our understanding of the ancient world. Join Giselle and historian Tristan Hughes (host of ‘The Ancients’ podcast) to discuss “one of the most amazing discoveries in Britain”!

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Source Materials:

Alamy

Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Anne Engesveen, Innlandet County Council

Innlandet County Council

May-Tove Smiseth, Innlandet County Council

1,700-year-old sock by Manchester Museum (https://multilingualmuseum.manchester.ac.uk/object/1700-year-old-sock/) 

License: CC 4.0 International Attribution https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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