Shows
Peopling the PastLooking Forward: Ethical Futures for Archaeological Practice with Yannis HamilakisJoin us for the final episode of season 4, featuring Dr. Yannis Hamilakis, who talks to Chelsea and Melissa about his vision for a decolonial future for ancient archaeology. Listen in as Yannis tells us about how archaeology is a living, breathing practice that must recognize its relationship to the present and discusses his work with his students at Brown University as well as in the field in Greece.
2025-07-2935 min
Peopling the PastProtecting Heritage in Times of Conflict with Isber SabrineIn times of ongoing war, how can antiquities be protected from damage and looting? On today's episode, Dr. Isber Sabrine, the co-founder of Heritage for Peace, joins us to talk about his work preserving cultural heritage in the midst of armed conflict. Listen in as Isber discusses the importance of local communities in remembering their own pasts and the organizations working to give voice to those impacted by conflict.
2025-07-1529 min
Peopling the PastBetween the Tigris and the Thames: Heritage Practice with Zena KamashHow can archaeologists connect to the communities that share the cultural heritage they work on? Dr. Zena Kamash joins Chelsea and Melissa this week to discuss her work with Iraqi communities in the UK and in Iraq itself as she uses craftwork to bring the public together with cultural heritage and to foster wellbeing. Listen in as Zena tells us how she builds community through cautious intention and how outreach can be most effective on a personal scale.
2025-07-0834 min
Peopling the PastCritical Futures for Ancient Studies with Mathura UmachandranHow should we confront modern inequities in ancient Mediterranean studies? Is it possible to reenvision the place of Greece and Rome in the ancient world overall? In this week's episode, Dr. Mathura Umachandran joins Chelsea and Melissa to reimagine Classics through the lens of Critical Ancient World Studies (CAWS). Join us as we discuss the work of the CAWS collective in expanding our understanding of ancient studies and Mathura shares their vision of a future that embraces the complex truth of the place of "Classics" in the ancient and modern worlds.
2025-07-0137 min
Peopling the PastSelective Salvage: Archaeology and HydropoliticsWhat happens to people and antiquities when giant dams are built and lands are flooded? In this week's episode, Dr. William Carruthers joins Chelsea and Melissa to talk about the construction of dams on the Nile and their impact on Nubian communities as well as ancient sites along the river. Listen in as Dr. Carruthers explores what it means to move entire temple complexes and whole towns while preserving the tourist's view from the Nile.
2025-06-2434 min
Peopling the PastHired Hands, Silenced Voices: Archaeology and Local Communities with Allison MickelWho counts as an archaeologist? Contrary to images from popular culture, excavation teams are a diverse group working to produce knowledge of the past. In this week's episode, Dr. Allison Mickel speaks with Chelsea and Melissa about the knowledge and labour that local communities contribute to archaeological digs in Jordan and Turkey. Listen in as Dr. Mickel talks about what expertise really means, how visiting archaeologists interact with the communities they work in, and how labour issues shape archaeological practices.
2025-06-1729 min
Peopling the PastClassics, the Grand Tour, and Invented Legacies with Hardeep DhindsaWhat makes Classics classic? How did members of elite British society use ancient Greek and Roman culture to shape their own identities on the Grand Tour? In this episode, Hardeep Dhindsa joins Chelsea and Melissa to discuss the relationship between classical culture and imperialism in the 18th and 19th centuries. Listen in to find out more about early archaeology, the scandalous red wall paintings of Pompeii, and how ancient culture was used to shape selective ideas of whiteness.
2025-06-0334 min
Peopling the PastNaturalizing Inequalities: The Colonial Museum with Dan HicksHow did objects from around the globe and across millenia end up in major museums, far from their places of origin? What role has empire played in shaping modern museums? For this episode, Chelsea and Melissa Speak with Dan Hicks about how culture has been used to define and reinforce racial inequities through the collection and display of objects and human remains in cultural museums. Listen in as Dan explores the history of the cultural museum and how they might re-think their relationship to the spoils of empire.
2025-05-2734 min
Peopling the PastCurating with Care: Transparency in Museums with Lisa Saladino HaneyThe story of natural history museums and their relationship to ancient objects, but also people, is entangled with colonialism and capitalism. How should modern curators begin unravelling such a tangled web? In this episode, Dr. Lisa Saladino Haney joins Chelsea and Melissa to discuss her curatorial work with the Egyptian collection at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. Listen in as Dr. Haney talks about connecting collections and source communities, respectful treatment of human remains in museum collections, and the patience required to address these issues with the care they require.
2025-05-2034 min
Peopling the PastCommunities on Display: Re-centering Egyptian Voices with Heba Abd el-GawadWhat happens when Egyptomania overshadows contemporary Egyptian people? This week Heba Abd el-Gawad joins Chelsea and Melissa to discuss the relationship between modern Egyptian communities and Egyptian antiquities in museums around the world. Listen in as we learn about the work of the Egypt's Dispersed Heritage: Views from Egypt project, how Egyptian voices are being amplified in conversations about decolonizing museums, and the ongoing challenges of that work.
2025-05-1333 min
Peopling the PastFragments and Falsehoods: The Papyrus Trade with Roberta MazzaForged provenance, forensic investigations, and placing ancient papyri in dish soap! In this episode, scholar Dr. Roberta Mazza shares tales from the black market papyrus trade, taking us from Egypt to Oxford to Waco, Texas. Listen in as we learn how wealthy collectors have influenced the antiquities trade and forced us to rethink our approach to ancient texts and their contexts. And yes, we do talk about THAT Sappho fragment!
2025-05-0642 min
Peopling the PastTrafficking through the Metaverse: The Antiquities Trade in the Internet Age with Katie PaulFor the first episode of our season on cultural heritage and legacies of colonialism, we look at the role of messaging apps and social media in the black market antiquities trade. Katie Paul joins Chelsea and Melissa to discuss the 'digital underworld' that supports looting and trafficking and her work with ATHAR (Antiquities Trafficking and Heritage Anthropology Research). Listen in as Katie tells us how digital networking has transformed the way cultural properties move around the world.
2025-04-2933 min
Peopling the PastSeason 4 Promo Episode!Peopling the Past Podcast is BACK for a fourth season on a very exciting topic: Cultural Heritage and Legacies of Colonialism. Join your hosts Dr. Chelsea Gardner and Dr. Melissa Funke with special guest Dr. Christine Johnston for an introduction to SEASON FOUR of the Peopling the Past podcast! This season is slightly different from our previous three seasons, because we’re shifting our focus for these episodes to the theme from ancient people to modern issues with cultural heritage and legacies of colonialism. So, listeners, you can expect to hear from world-class scholars about on...
2025-01-1417 min
Peopling the PastSpecial Episode - Let's Talk About Podcasts, Baby! with Liv Albert On this special episode of the Peopling the Past Podcast, we are joined by Liv Albert, creator and host of Let's Talk About Myths, Baby!, the long running podcast about Greek mythology and the ancient Mediterranean. She's also the author of a couple of myth-centric books and soon to be the author of more. Learn more at mythsbaby.com. Listen in, as Liv takes us through her podcasting journey, how she approaches myths, and the voices that she amplifies in the discussion of these myths.
2024-10-1539 min
Peopling the PastHow do you Solve a Problem like Cleopatra? : Shelley Haley and the last Egyptian PharoahFor the final episode of our season on women in the ancient Mediterranean, we feature the most famous woman in antiquity: Cleopatra! Dr. Shelley Haley joins Chelsea and Melissa to untangle the image of Cleopatra as a seductive manipulator and to challenge assumptions, misconceptions, and preconceived notions about her persona and reign. Listen in as Dr. Haley talks about Cleopatra as an African ruler and unpacks the sensationalized narratives about this talented and canny Egyptian pharoah. Come for the Plutarch, stay for the Beyonce!
2024-03-1946 min
Peopling the PastThese Boots were Made for Walking: Women's Mobility and Migration in the Roman Empire with Marie-Adeline Le GuennecTravel, displacement, religious pilgrimage - these are just some of the motivations for ancient migration, but how and why did people move from one place to another in antiquity? This week, Chelsea and Melissa are joined by Dr. Marie-Adeline Le Guennec, a historian of Roman mobility and migration. Listen in as Dr. Le Guennec talks about the ways in which women moved around the Roman Empire, the few sources that document this movement, and how modern scholars examine issues of mobility in the Roman world. We guarantee: this episode will really move you!
2023-04-0428 min
Peopling the Past(Not so) Risky Business: the Potential Perils of Childbirth in ancient Rome with Anna Bonnell FreidinIn today's episode, Dr. Anna Bonnell Freidin joins Melissa and Chelsea to talk about risk, pregnancy, and childbirth in the ancient Roman empire. Listen in as we discuss the definitions of risk in various contexts, how women's lives were affected by risks associated with pregnancy, childbearing, and delivery, and how the concept of communities of care might link us to people who lived long ago. This episode discusses infant and maternal death, so might not be appropriate for our youngest listeners.
2023-03-2135 min
Peopling the PastNot a Puella, Not Yet a Femina: Roman Girlhood with Lauren CaldwellAh, youth! We are all familiar with that mysterious and formative period of life between childhood and adulthood, but how did the ancient Romans describe this time of transition? In this episode, social historian Dr. Lauren Caldwell joins Chelsea and Melissa to talk about aspects of Roman "girlhood" and the difficult transition to "womanhood". Listen in, as we dive into ancient Latin medical and legal texts to learn how the ancient Romans grappled with puberty and the various changes that took place in the female body that differentiated girls (puellae) from the women (feminae) they would become.
2023-03-0734 min
Peopling the PastDo Not Afflict the Widow: the Women of Ancient Nubia with Jacke PhillipsWe're celebrating Black History and African Heritage month with a very special episode on the women of ancient Nubia! Join Chelsea and Melissa as they welcome Dr. Jacke Phillips, an expert in Nubian history and archaeology, to the show. In this episode, we discuss women in ancient Nubia, from rulers and royals to the lives of everyday women. Listen in as Dr. Phillips introduces a variety of evidence, including graves, tattoos, statues, and historical sources. You'll also learn the origin of the name "Candace"! Don't miss this very special episode on a fascinating region of the ancient world.
2023-02-2126 min
Peopling the PastBeyond the Bare Bones: Women in the Osteological Record with Efthymia NikitaWhat better way to understand the real lives of everyday folk in the ancient Mediterranean than to look at the bones of the people themselves? On this episode, Chelsea and Melissa welcome Dr. Efthymia Nikita, a bioarchaeologist who studies the surviving skeletal remains of ancient humans. Dr. Nikita shares her research and explains how bones can provide crucial information for understanding how people in the past lived, not just how they died. Join us as Dr. Nikita explores the way in which skeletal remains of ancient women can shed light on their mobility, sickness, diet, societal roles, and more!
2023-02-0732 min
Peopling the PastPortrait of a Lady: Discovering Seianti with Judith SwaddlingCountless faces of real people survive in ancient portraiture, but how often do we know their names, or anything about their lives? In this episode, Dr. Judith Swaddling joins Melissa and Chelsea to talk about Seianti Hanunia Tlesnasa, an Etruscan woman who lived over 2000 years ago in Italy. Seianti is an incredible person to get to know, since we have a full-sized portrait of her lying atop her sarcophagus, as well as the physical remains of her skeleton. Listen in as Dr. Swaddling reveals the layers of Seianti's past and discusses the limits to how much we can actually...
2022-06-2830 min
Peopling the PastNevertheless, She Persisted: Boudicca and Imperial Resistance with Caitlin GillespieWhat can we say about Boudicca, one of the most famous women from the ancient world? Who was she, and was she even real? Why is she still so important to us today? Listen in as Dr. Caitlin Gillespie joins Chelsea and Melissa to discuss what we (think we) know about this powerful resistance fighter and how her actions against the imperial Roman army still resonate with modern women in the 21st century.
2022-06-2132 min
Peopling the PastSisters are Doing it for Themselves: Mesopotamian Free Women with Stephanie BudinWhat does it mean to be a "free woman" in the ancient Mediterranean world? Listen in as our guest, Dr. Stephanie Budin, joins Chelsea and Melissa to discuss women who lived outside of the traditional confines of the patriarchy and who were not under the direct control of a man. Dr. Budin, a historian and expert in ancient religion and sexuality, tells us about "harimatu" in ancient Mesopotamia and refutes the idea that these free women were prostitutes. This episode has it all: sex, gender-bending legal documents, and the dismantling of patriarchal assumptions about women's freedom and the origins...
2022-06-1435 min
Peopling the PastCall the (Roman) Midwife: Ancient Delivery and Childbirth with Tara MulderIn today's episode, our featured guest Dr. Tara Mulder tells us all about the oldest profession in the world: midwifery! Listen in on a discussion between Dr. Mulder and hosts Dr. Chelsea Gardner and Dr. Melissa Funke that covers the sights, sounds, smells, and experiences of childbirth in ancient Rome, from the perspective of professional midwives. We look at a gravestone of a known midwife and talk about training and approaches to the birthing process. Dr. Mulder brings a unique perspective to the conversation, as she herself the daughter of a professional midwife! Don't miss it, this is an...
2022-06-0730 min
Peopling the PastSo Long as There is Hope: Wonder Women in Classics and Comics with Natalie SwainWelcome to the first ever LIVE episode of Peopling the Past! Join our featured expert, Dr. Natalie Swain, and hosts Drs. Chelsea Gardner and Melissa Funke, for the premiere of our season on Women in the Ancient Mediterranean. Dr. Swain is an expert on the reception of Classics in modern comics and during this episode we discuss how ancient women, both real and mythological, figure into comics of the 20th and 21st centuries. You will hear about well-known favourites like Wonder Woman, but you'll also have a chance to learn about newer comics, like Lore Olympus, Nubia, and Three. T...
2022-05-3133 min
Peopling the PastSeason Three Trailer!Peopling the Past Podcast is BACK for a third season on a very exciting topic: Women in the Ancient Mediterranean! Join your hosts Dr. Chelsea Gardner and Dr. Melissa Funke for an introduction to SEASON THREE of the Peopling the Past podcast! This season, listeners will hear about real women from all over the ancient Mediterranean world, from Britain to Nubia, Italy to Cyprus, Greece to Mesopotamia, and more! Let us take you on a journey into the lives of all kinds of women, from the most famous (yes, we've got Cleopatra and Boudicca!) to...
2022-05-0507 min
Peopling the PastBreaking the Bond: Forced Marriage and Cursed Freedom in Ancient Rome with Katharine HuemoellerWhat does it mean to be free? In our Season 2 finale episode, archaeologist and historian Dr. Katharine Huemoeller joins the podcast to tell us all about her research on the female, forced, and reproductive aspects of ancient Roman slavery and how manumission and marriage can become intertwined. Join us as we dive into the story of woman named Acte and a cursed grave monument from Rome whose inscriptions reveal some dark secrets about the reality of living as an enslaved - and freed - person in antiquity.
2021-08-3134 min
Peopling the PastSeize the Clay: Pottery Workshops in Sagalassos with Elizabeth MurphyYou might call ceramics the "plastics" of the ancient world...ubiquitous, indestructible, and incredibly useful! But how do we identify the spaces where ancient potters once made these everyday objects? Dr. Elizabeth Murphy joins the podcast to tell us all about the discovery and excavation of ancient tableware workshops at the site of Sagalassos in modern Turkey. Listen in as artisanal techniques are brought to life and the everyday lives of ancient potters are revealed through archaeological exploration.
2021-08-2432 min
Peopling the PastThere's Something about Mary: Early Cult and Veneration of the Virgin with Sabrina HigginsIt's all about Mary this week on the podcast! We are joined by archaeologist and PtP webmaster Dr. Sabrina Higgins, who takes us through catacombs, churches, and monasteries in Egypt, Syria, and Rome to trace the emergence of the cult of the Virgin Mary in the Mediterranean. Dr. Higgins discusses how Mariologists uncover signs of early worship of the mother of Jesus Christ, and emphasizes the role of artistic depictions of the saint and other material culture in tracing the diffusion of Marian veneration.
2021-08-1733 min
Peopling the PastRolling in the Dough: Bread-Making and Roman Bakeries with Jared BentonThe sights, smells, and sounds of an ancient Roman bakery might surprise you...in this episode, historian and archaeologist Dr. Jared Benton joins the show to tell us all about the economics of ancient Roman bread-baking, from the household level to industrial-scale production. Come break bread with us as we talk about capitalism, social classes, Ostia, Djemila, and...donkeys!
2021-08-1031 min
Peopling the PastBreaking the Mold: Quasi-Official Coinage in Roman Egypt with Irene Soto MarínMoney makes the ancient Mediterranean world go round...but what happens when there's not enough metal to make official coinage? In this episode, archaeologist Dr. Irene Soto Marín shares her research on quasi-official (not counterfeit!) coinage in Roman Egypt during the 4th century CE, a period of instability and uncertainty. Join us as we learn how the Roman army created a cheap and effective monetary system to meet the needs of the local populations and how they literally "broke the mold" in doing so!
2021-07-2027 min
Peopling the PastPractical Magic: Ancient Roman Smells and Spells with Britta AgerToday's episode is simply magical! Join us as we welcome Dr. Britta Ager - an expert in ancient Mediterranean magic, spells, and curses - to the show and hear about her experimental work re-creating some sweet and smelly spells based on surviving recipes from the Egyptian Greek Magical Papyri. Listen in to learn about evidence for how and why people practiced magic in antiquity, from getting the gods on your good side to taking care of your animals, with a few surprises thrown in for good measure!
2021-07-1333 min
Peopling the PastUsing Olive It: Sustainable Fuel Production in the Ancient Mediterranean with Erica RowanWaste not, want not! In this episode, learn all about ancient Mediterranean olive oil production and how real people producing this delicious food used the manufacturing byproducts to create a closed-loop, sustainable system. Dr. Erica Rowan, an expert on archaeobotanical (plant!) remains, joins us to explain how the ancient Romans in North Africa, Spain, and Italy used industrial olive oil waste as a fuel source to heat their homes, kilns, bakeries, and even to power the olive presses themselves!
2021-07-0628 min
Peopling the PastIn Living Colour: Painting and Pigments with Hilary BeckerEver wonder how ancient artists created the vividly-coloured frescoes that adorned the houses of Pompeii and Herculaneum? Dr. Hilary Becker joins Chelsea and Melissa to tell us all about nature's palette and the raw materials that were used to create the reds, yellows, blues, whites, blacks, greens, and purples of the Roman world. Focusing on the archaeological remains of the only surviving pigment shop in ancient Rome, join us on a colourful journey from dangerous extraction to elusive transaction!
2021-06-2928 min
Peopling the PastGoing with the Flow: Water Systems in North Africa with Mark LociceroWater, water, everywhere...but how much of it can we drink? In this episode, Chelsea and Melissa chat with Dr. Mark Locicero about Roman drainage systems in the ancient North African town of Volubilis (modern Morocco) and the Italian port city of Ostia. Find out how ancient Mediterranean people controlled and accessed clean drinking water and how that differed based on status, class, and location. In this episode we explore issues that are still very relevant to our lives today, including global water shortages, waste, and inequality, through a discussion about how archaeologists interpret the "invisible footprint" of ancient w...
2021-06-2233 min
Peopling the PastPortrait of a Palmyran Man: Ancient Syrian Identity with Blair Fowlkes ChildsWhat do our choices say about who we are? In this episode, Dr. Blair Fowlkes Childs joins Chelsea and Melissa to talk about clothing, status, dress, identity, preservation, commemoration, and cultural heritage! Focusing on art historical analyses of ancient funerary portraits from Palmyra (modern Syria), we explore memory and permanence, and dive into issues of protecting our collective past for the future.
2021-06-1532 min
Peopling the PastGrave Matters: Resting Places for Regular People with Liana BrentIn this episode, Dr. Liana Brent joins Chelsea and Melissa to talk about the archaeological remains of burials in Roman Italy at the ancient cemetery of Vagnari. Find out how archaeologists and anthropologists discover information about the real lives of ancient people through their commemorative practices, funerary rituals, and graves.
2021-06-0835 min
Peopling the PastIf the (Roman) Shoe Fits: Elizabeth Greene and Footwear from VindolandaIn the Season 2 premiere episode, Dr. Elizabeth Greene joins Chelsea and Melissa to talk about the archaeological remains of Roman shoes from the site of Vindolanda on Hadrian's Wall in present-day England. Why do shoes survive here, and what can they tell us about the men, women, and children who lived at this military fort hundreds of years ago? Listen to find out!
2021-06-0132 min
Peopling the PastSeason Two Trailer!Join your Season 1 host, Dr. Chelsea Gardner, as she welcomes new co-host Dr. Melissa Funke for an introduction to the second season of the Peopling the Past podcast! This season, we'll take listeners on a journey through under-explored aspects of archaeology, history, material culture and everyday life in the ancient Roman world, from Egypt to Italy, Syria to England, Morocco to Turkey, and more! Follow us on our website, https://peoplingthepast.com, on Twitter @peoplingthepast with #peoplingpodcast, on our Instagram at peoplingthepast, and on our Facebook page Peopling the Past.
2021-05-1809 min
Peopling the PastThrown Together: Potters, Painters, and Ceramic Production with Sanchita BalachandranIn this episode, Sanchita Balachandran joins us to speak about the sensory experience of ancient potters and painters, her experimental archaeology project at Johns Hopkins, and the underdrawings on Greek painted pottery.
2020-12-0135 min
Peopling the PastMaking Waves in the Aegean: Lana Radloff and the Milesian SeascapeIn this episode, Dr. Lana Radloff speaks about seascapes, the ancient sensory experience of the Mediterranean, and the ancient city of Miletus.
2020-11-2430 min
Peopling the PastGolden Years and Silver Hair: The Greek Art of Aging with Susan MathesonIn this episode, Susan Matheson joins us to speak about representations of old age and the elderly in Greek art.
2020-11-1733 min
Peopling the PastLiving in a Material World: Jennifer Stager and Technicolour StatuesIn this episode, Dr. Jennifer Stager discusses her work on Greek art, polychromy, and materiality.
2020-11-1033 min
Peopling the PastExtreme Home Makeover, Ancient Greece Edition: Bronze Age Houses with Rebecca WorshamIn this episode, Dr. Rebecca Worsham discusses her work on Bronze age houses, deliberate destruction, and home renovation.
2020-10-2724 min
Peopling the PastNo Bones About It: Climate Change in the Ancient World with Flint DibbleIn this episode, Dr. Flint Dibble joins us to discuss his work on zooarchaeology and climate change in the Iron Age.
2020-10-2032 min
Peopling the PastThe Sound of Music: Art and Ritual with Carolyn M. LaferrièreIn this episode, Dr. Carolyn M. Laferrière discusses her work on Greek art, music, and religious ritual by taking a close look at the Vari Cave on Mount Hymettos.
2020-10-1334 min
Peopling the PastBuilding a Mystery: Festival Processions with Laura GawlinskiIn this episode, Dr. Laura Gawlinksi joins us to discuss her work on religious processions, ancient dress, inscriptions, and the festival at Andania.
2020-10-0634 min
Peopling the PastAthenashville: Parallel Parthenons with Katie PetroleIn this episode, Katie Petrole joins us to discuss the Nashville Parthenon, its history, and its relationship with the Athenian Parthenon.
2020-09-2931 min
Peopling the PastLife Aquatic with Dylan Rogers: Monumental Water Displays in the City of VictoryIn this episode, Dr. Dylan Rogers joins us to discuss his work on the sensory experience of water in ancient cities, monumental water displays, and the site of Nikopolis.
2020-09-2229 min
Peopling the PastSpindles and the CityIn this episode, Dr. Katherine Harrington joins us to discuss her work on women's labour, weaving and textiles, and Bau Z in the Kerameikos.
2020-09-1537 min
Peopling the PastIntroducing Peopling the PastJoin your hosts Dr. Carolyn M. Laferrière and Dr. Chelsea A.M. Gardner for an introduction to Peopling the Past. This season, we'll take listeners for a journey through under-explored aspects of material culture and everyday life in ancient Greece. Follow us on our website, peoplingthepast.com, on Twitter @peoplingthepast with #peoplingpodcast, on our Instagram at peoplingthepast, and on our Facebook page Peopling the Past.
2020-09-1111 min