The Past Macabre

Dr. Murray Cook is an archaeologist, author, co-founder and co-director of a field school, and Honorable Research Fellow at Stirling University. His research focuses on the area around Stirling, Scotland and its expansive history.

There are Neolithic stone circles, Bronze Age burials, late Iron Age sites that offer a glimpse of life just before the Romans arrived, and artifacts that mark the Roman presence itself.

Stirling Castle, built in the 12th century, became the most used royal residence in Scotland for centuries. It is the site where William Wallace defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, and where Robert the Bruce claimed victory at the Battle of Bannockburn during the First War of Scottish Independence. The royals of the House of Stewart lived here for generations, including Mary, Queen of Scots. Nearby lie medieval and historic cemeteries with burials of both the famous and the infamous.

In this episode, Dr. Cook discusses his research that spans all of Stirling’s history, the benefits of slowing archaeological research down to focus on a single area, the importance of telling the stories of humanity’s shared past, and the vital role of public outreach in securing the future of archaeology.

For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/19

• Stirling Archaeology Substack
• Murray Cook’s Author Bio and Links to Books
• Rampart Scotland Field School - Open to All!
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In the second part of a two-episode series, The Past Macabre continues the story of one of history’s most iconic figures of resistance: Boudica. After decades of uneasy alliances and Roman expansion, the fragile peace in Britain shattered—leading to one of the most famous rebellions the Roman Empire ever faced.

In this episode, we'll look at archaeological clues that bring us closer to the truth behind the queen with no known tomb and the rebellion that nearly changed the course of Britain’s history. Explore the evidence of scorched buildings, desecrated temples, and buried Roman treasure hoards that reveal the growing unrest that led to Boudica's Revolt that left cities like Londinium (London) and Camulodunum (Colchester) in ruins.

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• University of Warwick Teaching Resources - Boudica
• Colchester Archaeological Trust on the treasure hoard found under a department store
• Free English Translation of The Agricola by Tacitus
• Free English translation of Roman History by Cassius Dio

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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.

Learn about the hoards of treasure, settlements, burials, and hillforts found across England and what they can tell us about the world Boudica was born into at a time of rapid social, economic, and political change.

For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/17

• See photos related to episode topics on Instagram
• Loving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!
• University of Warwick Teaching Resources - Boudica
• East Anglian Archaeology Report on Excavations in Thetford 1980–82
• New Discovery of Horse Gear Hoard in North Yorkshire
• Experimental Archaeology Video: What did Iron Age women wear?

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This episode is a special preview of the Kingdom of Pylos exhibit at the Getty Villa ahead of the livestream on June 27. Step into the Late Bronze Age with special guest Claire Lyons, curator of antiquities at the Getty. She provides insight on the exhibit, from the collaborative efforts that went into putting it together to details about some of the fascinating Mycenaean artifacts that will be on display.

Most of the artifacts on display come from the tomb of the Griffin Warrior, a completely intact burial discovered in 2015 that changed what archaeologists knew about Mycenean Greece. We'll explore the archaeological site where this important discovery was made known as the Palace of Nestor, its role in ancient Pylos, and the legendary King Nestor from Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.

• For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/16

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• Pylos regional Archaeological Project
• Smithsonian: "This 3,500-Year-Old Greek Tomb Upended What We Thought We Knew About the Roots of Western Civilization"
• Book - The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Mycenaean Greece
• Video - Flint Dibble on his experience excavating the tomb of the Griffin Warrior

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In this episode of The Past Macabre, we explore the fascinating world of funerary food—from bread buried with Egyptian pharaohs to tamales sealed in Mayan tombs. Discover how ancient meals, cookware, and food offerings reveal powerful beliefs about the afterlife, social status, and the rituals of mourning.

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For centuries, the story of the Nile has been dominated by Egypt but just beyond its borders, another great empire thrived. The Kingdom of Kush, rising in what is now Sudan, was a formidable force that conquered Egypt, commanded vital trade routes, and even stood against the mighty Roman Empire. But what truly set Kush apart was that its queens were warriors, monument builders, and sometimes they even ruled as sovereigns in their own right.

In this episode of The Past Macabre, we explore the lives and legacies of the Kandakes, the queens of Kush who wielded power like no other women of their time. These queens led armies into battle, oversaw the construction of vast temples and pyramids, and ensured that Kush flourished as a wealthy and influential empire. Through archaeology and ancient texts, we’ll uncover how they ruled, how they resisted foreign invaders, and how they shaped the destiny of their people.

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Learn More About Meroe from Sankofa Pan African Series

Project Africa Playlist - A Collaboration by History YouTubers

The Naga Project - Website Dedicated to the Excavations at Naga

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For the first time since the discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, archaeologists have unearthed the tomb of a pharaoh! It belongs to Thutmose II of Egypt’s powerful 18th Dynasty, who was the husband of Hatshepsut, the woman who ruled on her own as king. But that’s not all, near Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri, incredible new finds are shedding fresh light on one of Egypt’s most powerful women, and those who came before her. What do these discoveries reveal about the golden age of ancient Egypt? Tune in for the latest on these groundbreaking discoveries!

• For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/13

• Theban Mapping Project - Repository of information about the Theban Necropolis
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Before Valentine’s Day became a celebration of romance, and even before it was associated with a Roman Catholic saint, this was a time of celebration and feasting in Rome. From February 13th through the 21st, the Romans observed the overlapping festivals of Parentalia, Lupercalia, and Feralia to celebrate fertility, life, and honor the dead so their ghosts wouldn't haunt the living.

Join me to compare the mythological and historical versions of St. Valentine and explore these Roman festivals of ancestor worship and their links to older Etruscan traditions.

• For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/12

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Uncover timeless displays of romantic affection or "true love" that were intended to endure long after death. We'll explore some remarkable examples, starting with the gold foil figures found at pre-Christian sites across Scandinavia that depict both mortal couples and the wedding of the Norse god Freyr to the jötunn Gerd. Then we'll examine a pre-Columbian stone pendant found on the ancestral lands of the Timbisha Shoshone (now known as Death Valley, California) that immortalized one couple's journey together. We'll discover the shared brass memorial over the adjacent graves of Elizabeth Etchingham and Agnes Oxenbridge, two English noblewomen who lived during the Tudor period, and the popular uprising in the previous century that helped pave the way for their public declaration of devotion.

We'll visit the Etruscan necropolises once again for examples of masterwork sarcophagi depicting affectionate couples lounging on couches called Klinai or lying in bed and facing one another. After that we'll delve into Ancient Egyptian tomb art and monuments like the tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum, two elite men from the 5th dynasty of Ancient Egypt who's tomb art depicts them in ways typically seen in heterosexual couples to show they were married. And we'll learn about the intricate art from the tomb of King Tutankhamun that show him and his wife Ankesenamun in affectionate moments during their brief reign from 1332 – 1323 BCE. Last but not least, we'll explore the monuments Ramses the Great built during his reign in 1279-1213 BCE that display his devotion to his Great Royal Wife Nefertari, like her beautifully decorated tomb in the Valley of Queens or the temple dedicated to her at Abu Simbel.

• For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/11

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Explore the ancient Etruscan burial practices and deities of the underworld.

The Etruscans began rising to power around 900 BCE in Etruria, modern day Tuscany. They dominated the Italian peninsula and became a major political and economic force in the Mediterranean that left a legacy that shaped the region. Etruscan kings ruled over Rome until 509 BCE when an uprising removed the tyrannical monarch and people created the Roman Republic.

In this episode, we'll discover the Etruscan view of the journey to the underworld and the important role of horses in carrying the soul and the body to it's eternal destination. Learn about the elaborate celebrations that helped shape some of the most iconic Roman traditions. Uncover the cities for the dead with rock cut tombs shaped like family homes that reflect their emphasis on family connections in life. Then meet the guides, gatekeepers, and guardians of the Etruscan afterlife from the sun god who's dark side rules the underworld to goddesses who protect the deceased, and see how they changed over time as cultural exchange happened across the Mediterranean region.

• For transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/10

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