The Past Macabre

Join Egyptologist Stephanie Rice as she delves into topics such as the elaborate tombs built to immortalize the dead, ancient guardians of the afterlife, and the tales of heroes who defied and often triumphed over deities of death. The Past Macabre explores the diverse ways in which cultures throughout history have sought to understand, confront, and transcend death.

Murray Cook on Stirling's Archaeology: From the Last of the Free Caledonians to the Scottish Wars of Independence and the World Wars - Ep 19
Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

Murray Cook on Stirling's Archaeology: From the Last of the Free Caledonians to the Scottish Wars of Independence and the World Wars - Ep 19

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.

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The Archaeology of Boudica pt 1: Late Iron Age Britain and the Iceni - Ep 17
Rachel Roden Rachel Roden

The Archaeology of Boudica pt 1: Late Iron Age Britain and the Iceni - Ep 17

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.

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Welcome to The Past Macabre! Where we dive into humanity’s enduring obsession with death—and what lies beyond it!