Dr Cat Jarman

Dr Cat Jarman

Author and Broadcaster

Dr Cat Jarman is a bioarchaeologist and field archaeologist specialising in the Viking Age, Viking women, and Rapa Nui.  She uses forensic techniques like isotope analysis, carbon dating, and DNA analysis on human remains to untangle the experiences of past people from broader historical narratives.

Her book “River Kings”, about connections between Vikings in the west and the Silk Roads, will be published by HarperCollins in 2020.

Dr Jarman is an Honorary Senior Research Associate at the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol and the director of the archaeological research unit Munin Archaeology.

She completed her PhD in Archaeology at the University of Bristol in December 2017, on the late 9th century Viking Great Army at Repton in Derbyshire. Her thesis research combined complex bioarchaeological and forensic analyses of Viking Age burials, including a mass grave of almost 300 individuals, alongside new excavations of the Viking winter camp and Early Medieval Monastery. This research formed the basis of the 2019 documentary “Britain’s Viking Graveyard” (Channel 4) / “The Lost Viking Army” (PBS/Nova).

Dr Jarman has also researched and published on the diet, resource use, and origins of the ancient populations of Rapa Nui (Easter Island). She now directs ongoing excavations at the Anglo-Saxon and Viking site of Repton and a newly discovered Viking winter camp at nearby Foremark. She also directs excavations of a Viking Age Rus fortified settlement at Vypovzyv in Ukraine.

She is an experienced public speaker and communicator, recently speaking at TEDxBath on the topic of archaeology, migration, and forensics. She frequently shares her expertise in the media (recent examples include New Scientist, New York Times, and BBC radio) and on podcasts (e.g. HistoryHit with Dan Snow) and her research has been covered by print and online news outlets internationally.

Dr Jarman has contributed to numerous TV documentaries as both an on-screen expert and historical consultant, including programmes for the BBC, Channel 4, History, Discovery, and more.

Cat Jarman joins historian Matt Lewis in a new History Hit podcast Gone Medieval as they delve into the depths of the so-called dark ages and shine a light on one of the most fascinating yet misunderstood periods of history: the Middle Ages.

Currently, she is a senior adviser on academic content development for the new museum of the Viking Age at the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo. She is also a research fellow at the Cultural Heritage Institute, Royal Agricultural University. In addition, Cat was recently elected as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Publications

Dr Cat Jarman @@CatJarman

The warders are often referred to as ‘Beserkers’. Warriors who went into battle semi-naked, in a wild, magic-mushroom fuelled frenzy. How much of this image is fact or fiction? Listen to @CatJarman and @Berserkjablogg discuss some of the latest research: https://play.acast.com/s/gone-medieval/theberserkers

Lovely review in ⁦@thetimes⁩ for ⁦@RevRichardColes⁩ ⁦@CatJarman⁩ and my podcast, The Rabbit Hole Detectives - so thrilled it’s keeping people amused and entertained! #therabbitholedetectives

Next time you're at the Museum, be sure to visit the Alfred Jewel in our England 400–1600 Gallery on the second floor.

🔎Find out more about this incredible object on our website: https://www.ashmolean.org/alfred-jewel https://twitter.com/CatJarman/status/1639319817738911757

Next adventure beckons: T - one week!
😉 ⚔️ ⛏️

#GreatHeathenHunt

An old favourite for #FindsFriday: The Alfred Jewel 😍

Found in Somerset in 1693 and bearing the words ‘Alfred ordered me to be made’, this likely dates to the 9th century. Made of gold, rock crystal, and enamel, we think it’s an aestel used for turning pages of a manuscript.

*OPEN ACCESS* Results of genomic analyses of hair from Ludwig van Beethoven. New publication by @UCamArchaeology @CamBioAnth researchers, including lead author @BeggTristan and his PhD supervisor, Dr Robert Attenborough

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982223001811?via%3Dihub

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗼𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴 - 𝗔𝗻 #𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 2️⃣7️⃣th: Red River Archaeology Group launches Season 2 of The Shindig; watch our video preview here! 🎬

Subscribe now, wherever you get your podcasts: https://shows.acast.com/shindig

Thanks for your kind comments about my imminent departure from Saturday Live. With @cspencer1508 and @CatJarman each week I’m discussing in the most indisciplined way the history of STUFF. It’s available from all your usual podcast providers.
https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ma0O4ayh17NSMbhsPYASL?si=84w9bUvDT6qe1wTydpwOGA

Thrilled to see that The Rabbit Hole Detectives podcast with @cspencer1508 @revRichardColes
@CatJarman is now number 7 on Apple Podcasts ! 🐰🔍

This is why I love Twitter! Thanks all for the responses - sauna is the main answer but apparently not quite the only!

If anyone is interested in buying a signed copy of River Kings, there are plenty available in the lovely @WaterstonesPicc (Waterstones Piccadilly). Thanks for having me!

Apparently, there’s only one word in the English language that comes from Finnish. Any idea which one?

(And is it true??!)

#RabbitHoleDetectives

And episode 5 of The Rabbit Hole Detectives podcast - with @RevRichardColes @CatJarman and me - is out today, wherever you get your podcasts. Cat on saunas is not to be missed. Richard, as ever, is ridiculously well informed. This is our weekly antidote to grim news….

Coming from a country with a language that doesn’t have a word for ‘posh’, this is very amusing.

But a lovely article about our new podcast and our reasons for doing it!

Nail varnish accessorised to match cover! We had a LOT of fun recording this podcast! https://twitter.com/CatJarman/status/1638115399068790786

Really loved this book by @profcarolyne.

⚡️If you have any interest in Norse mythology I’d highly recommend it: utterly readable, combining background on the myths & an eye-opening commentary on how they have been used & abused.

🎧 https://podfollow.com/gone-medieval for a taster!

A piece I wrote yesterday on The Rabbit Hole Detectives - the podcast @RevRichardColes @CatJarman and I present each week. Being part of this podcast does not seem like work - and I know how lucky it is to be able to say that; especially on a Monday, with the sky lead-grey again.

Tonight we travel to central and eastern #Türkiye. Our hearts are with those affected by the terrible earthquakes in the region. Please watch, share and continue to support @decappeal in any way you can. @bettanyhughes’ #TreasuresoftheWorld #DelightsoftheEast 6.50pm on @Channel4.

Good luck to all parkrunners this morning!

Managed to sneak in a shout-out to @parkrunUK in this week’s episode of the Rabbit Hole Detectives, when talking about the sinister history of the treadmill… 🏃‍♀️

https://pod.fo/e/16d873

#parkrun #TheRabbitHoleDetectives

This is still one of my favourite places to write. 😍