Career in Ruins
| Career in Ruins | |
|---|---|
| Presentation | |
| Hosted by | Derek Pitman; Lawrence Shaw |
| Language | English |
| Updates | Irregular |
| Length | Varies |
| Production | |
| No. of episodes | 66 (as of August 2025) |
| Publication | |
| Original release | May 2019 – present |
| Provider | Podbean |
| Website | careerinruins |
Search Career in Ruins on Amazon.
Career in Ruins is a British archaeology podcast and YouTube channel hosted by archaeologists Derek Pitman and Lawrence Shaw.[1][2]. The programme combines interviews with archaeologists, heritage professionals and historians, with episodes exploring career paths, field discoveries and the role of archaeology in contemporary society.[3][4]
The show has been profiled by the Council for British Archaeology[3], featured in sector round-ups by DigVentures, and partnered with organisations such as the Festival of Archaeology, which has led to its inclusion in independent commentary and institutional collaborations[3][5][6]. The podcast has also been listed as an educational resource by multiple institutions[7][8][9].
Format and content
Episodes typically take the form of interviews and conversations with practitioners across archaeology and heritage, reflecting on field techniques, analytical science, policy and public engagement.[3]
Video content
Alongside the audio feed, the hosts produce video content on their YouTube channel. This includes the Career in Ruins in the Field series, filmed on location during archaeological excavations and events such as the Festival of Archaeology in Belfast.[10][6] They also run live-streamed Minecraft archaeology sessions, where archaeological methods are demonstrated and discussed in a gaming context[11]
History
The podcast launched in May 2019, presented by Pitman and Shaw to “share the world of archaeology and heritage” through interviews and discussion.[12] The Council for British Archaeology has profiled the show and collaborated on programming, including a 2025 Festival of Archaeology special recorded at Divis Mountain, Belfast.[3][6]
Distribution
The podcast is distributed via Podbean, with listings on major platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.[13][14][15][16]
Reception
Career in Ruins has been well received in the UK archaeology sector[17][18][19]. The podcast was highlighted by DigVentures as one of the best listens for archaeology and ancient history fans,[5] and was described by BAJR Press as an innovative way of engaging new audiences in heritage discussion.[12] The Council for British Archaeology has repeatedly featured the show on its website and festival programmes, calling it “a fantastic resource for anyone interested in what archaeologists actually do”.[3][20]
Listener reviews on Apple Podcasts and Spotify generally rate the show positively, praising the relaxed and humorous style of the hosts alongside serious discussion of archaeological practice.[14][15]
Selected episodes
- S7 Ep2: "A career in death and burial" — interview with Mike Parker Pearson, professor of British Later Prehistory, noted for his research on Stonehenge.[21][22]
- S4 Ep3: "A career in geophysics" — conversation with John Gater, archaeological geophysicist known from Time Team.[23][24]
- S6 Ep3: "An inspirational career" — interview with cultural historian Gus Casely-Hayford, Director of V&A East.[25]
- S6 Ep4: "A Contrary Career" — interview with Helen Geake, archaeologist and Time Team contributor.[26]
- S6 Ep7: "A career behind the camera" — interview with Karen Kirk, producer/director on archaeology/history television, including Digging for Britain.[27]
Hosts
- Derek Pitman, Associate Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology at Bournemouth University, and presenter on Time Team.[3]
- Lawrence Shaw, Lead historic environment advisor for Forestry England, and presenter on Time Team.[3]
See also
- List of archaeology podcasts
- Time Team
References
- ↑ "Podcasts". Dig Monkeys. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ "Career in Ruins (Podcast Series 2019– ) | Biography". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 "Career In Ruins – Podcast". Council for British Archaeology. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "Career in Ruins – YouTube channel". YouTube. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Best Podcasts for Archaeology and Ancient History Fans". DigVentures. 29 January 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Career In Ruins – Festival of Archaeology 2025". Council for British Archaeology. 31 July 2025. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ Pierce, Wren. "Subject Guides: Archaeology: Other Resources". libguides.gvsu.edu. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ Winfrey, Amanda. "LibGuides: Anthropology 245: Find Multimedia". spcc.libguides.com. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ Towrie, Sigurd (2021-04-12). "Career in Ruins - in the field". Archaeology Orkney. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ "Career in Ruins in the Field: Part 1". YouTube. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ Building Maiden Castle in Minecraft! Roundhouse competition. Retrieved 2025-08-23 – via www.youtube.com.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "New podcast engages audiences in a 'Career in Ruins'". BAJR Press. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "Career in Ruins". Podbean. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Career in Ruins". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Career in Ruins". Spotify. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "Career in Ruins". Amazon Music. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "GtR". gtr.ukri.org. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ Tegle, Kimberly (2022). "The 'Survey like a girl' podcast: a project aimed at celebrating female archaeological geophysicists". The Archaeologist. 117: 22–23.
- ↑ "Podcast Feed". Queer Archaeology. 2018-03-07. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ "Discover archaeology podcasts (blog index)". Council for British Archaeology. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "S7 Ep2: A career in death and burial". Podbean. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "S7 Ep2: A career in death and burial". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "S4 Ep3: A career in geophysics". Podbean. 30 January 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "S4 Ep3: A career in geophysics (video edition)". YouTube. 30 January 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "S6 Ep3: An inspirational career". Podbean. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "S6 Ep4: A Contrary Career". Podbean. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ↑ "S6 Ep7: A career behind the camera". Apple Podcasts. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
External links
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