
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
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.


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.
Welcome to The Past Macabre! Where we dive into humanity’s enduring obsession with death—and what lies beyond it!
- August 2025
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July 2025
- Jul 21, 2025 The Archaeology of Boudica pt 2: Roman Occupation and Evidence of Her Revolution - Ep 18 Jul 21, 2025
- Jul 7, 2025 The Archaeology of Boudica pt 1: Late Iron Age Britain and the Iceni - Ep 17 Jul 7, 2025
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June 2025
- Jun 23, 2025 Claire Lyons on The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Mycenaean Greece - Ep 16 Jun 23, 2025
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March 2025
- Mar 31, 2025 Food for the Afterlife - Ep 15 Mar 31, 2025
- Mar 17, 2025 The Kandakes of Kush - Ep 14 Mar 17, 2025
- Mar 3, 2025 New Discoveries From Ancient Egypt - Ep 13 Mar 3, 2025
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February 2025
- Feb 17, 2025 Ghosts of Valentine's Past - Ep 12 Feb 17, 2025
- Feb 3, 2025 Death Cannot Stop True Love - Ep 11 Feb 3, 2025
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January 2025
- Jan 20, 2025 Etruscan Death and Divination: Gods and Goddesses of Death (Part 4) - Ep 10 Jan 20, 2025
- Jan 6, 2025 Chthonic Mysteries of Greece: Gods and Goddesses of Death (Part 3) - Ep 09 Jan 6, 2025
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December 2024
- Dec 23, 2024 Winter's Cold Embrace: Gods and Goddesses of Death (Part 2) - Ep 08 Dec 23, 2024
- Dec 9, 2024 Guardians of Eternity: Death Gods and Goddesses (Part 1) - Ep 07 Dec 9, 2024
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November 2024
- Nov 25, 2024 The Journey Through the Ancient Egyptian Underworld, The Duat - Ep 06 Nov 25, 2024
- Nov 11, 2024 Entrances to the Underworld - Ep 05 Nov 11, 2024
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October 2024
- Oct 28, 2024 The Neolithic Origins of Halloween - Ep 4 Oct 28, 2024
- Oct 14, 2024 Uncovering the Secrets of the Pyramids - TPM 03 Oct 14, 2024
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September 2024
- Sep 30, 2024 Tombs from the Dawn of Egypt pt 2 - Ep 02 Sep 30, 2024
- Sep 30, 2024 Tombs from the Dawn of Egypt pt 1 - TPM 01 Sep 30, 2024
- Sep 22, 2024 Introducing The Past Macabre Podcast - Ep 0 Sep 22, 2024