The Archaeologist's Notebook

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”!🪏 You can become a certified Dirt Nerd by becoming a channel member here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCJyzOQzeHJfZJMZ9-r_h3A/joinSource Materials:AlamyEgyptian Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiesAnne Engesveen, Innlandet County CouncilInnlandet County CouncilMay-Tove Smiseth, Innlandet County Council1,700-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/

Was the mystery of the Neolithic population collapse caused by an ancient plague long before the Black Death? Join archaeologist Giselle as we explore three revolutionary archaeological discoveries that are changing our understanding of ancient burials, Greco-Egyptian mummification, and prehistoric epidemics.Thank you to History Hit for sponsoring this video! Sign up to History Hit and start watching today: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0gFQZ50🪏 You can become a certified Dirt Nerd by becoming a channel member here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCJyzOQzeHJfZJMZ9-r_h3A/join--Source Materials:Images & Videos Courtesy of AlamyEgyptian Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiesEygpt Exploration Society / Faculty of ClassicsUniversity of Oxford & Oxford Cotswold ArchaeologySeersholm, F.V., Sjögren, KG., Koelman, J. et al. Repeated plague infections across six generations of Neolithic Farmers. Nature 632, 114–121 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07651-2UB_IPOA / Professor Ignasi-Xavier Adiego

In 1951, archaeologists in Russia made a startling discovery in Novgorod: over 1,200 incredibly preserved birch bark letters dating back to the 12th century. Among these 800-year-old artefacts are the charming drawings and schoolwork of a six-year-old boy named Onfim. These rare texts changed what we know about medieval literacy, revealing that everyday people—and children—were reading and writing long before paper became common. Join Giselle as she investigates these rare remains and attempts to recreate an 800-year-old birch bark drawing herself!Thank you to History Hit for sponsoring this video! Sign up to History Hit and start watching today: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0gFQZ50

Why did Europeans spend centuries eating ancient Egyptian mummies? Today, Giselle delves into the dark history of Europe’s obsession with Ancient Egypt, from medieval apothecary remedies to the high-society mummy unwrapping parties of Victorian London.Learn the true story behind the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb by Howard Carter, how Harry Burton’s iconic photography shaped modern Egyptology, and how the legend of the Pharaoh's Curse forced archaeologists to abandon tomb raiding in favour of modern scientific preservation.

Did Odysseus actually exist, or was Homer’s epic a work of fiction? Following the release of Christopher Nolan's blockbuster adaptation of 'The Odyssey', Giselle traces the real-world journey of Greece's most famous legendary hero. From the ruins of Troy's nine stacked cities to the mapping of a tsunami-destroyed port in Corfu, Giselle investigates the physical evidence behind the legend.

It's the question every archaeologist gets asked all the time: "What's the best thing you've ever found?" Today, Giselle reveals some of her favourite archaeological discoveries that she's gotten to keep at home. From a neolithic hand axe to 10,000 year old hazelnuts, take a look at Giselle's fascinating treasure trove of finds!