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Dr Matt Pope

@mattpope.bsky.social

8.2K followers 1K following 19K posts

Archaeologist & Associate Professor in Palaeolithic Archaeology at UCL, where we run the PaPa MSc programme. Researching Neanderthal archaeology in La Mancheland & Western Doggerland, from Boxgrove to La Cotte. Provide Geoarch expertise to ASE. He/Him 🏺

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · Jan 9

Our book, Repeopling La Manche, is available direct from Oxbow Books.
Sharing research the Neanderthal archaeology of #LaCotte and the Ice Age landscapes of Jersey and La Mancheland.
www.oxbowbooks.com/978178925152...
🏺🦣🇯🇪

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Dr Tess Machling @tessmachling.bsky.social · 1d

I made these for friends last year, but seeing if anyone else would be interested for xmas? They're painted plaster of paris, modelled from real arrowheads.

£35 a set incl. gift box, gift tag & 24hr SignedFor postage (sorry, can only do UK).

(... & there's more artefacts to come!)

#Archaeology 🏺

Rainbow coloured arrowheads on rainbow coloured ribbons.

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 10h

It's just one tiny file I need, but Ive been totally unable to track it down

Reposted by Dr Matt Pope

The Daily Show @thedailyshow.com · 12h

The following is REAL footage from Portland, 2025. Viewer discretion is advised.

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 10h

Gosh we have a Daryll Forde lecture theatre next door in anthropology, I'd never given who that person might be was much thought and now I'm wondering why it took me so long.

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 21h

Asking in a little bit of desperation, does anyone know how to unify the colours for BGS mapping polygons or point me in the direction of some help? I've hit a wall, even though I know I've done it before. Is the a file I need to apply?
What I have now is funky but not helpful. @bgs.ac.uk? 🙏

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 1d

Waning but still awesomely beautiful.

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 1d

Great interview with Svante Pääbo Source: EL PAÍS English
search.app/WcjQz
🏺🦣🧪 🧬

Svante Pääbo, father of paleogenetics: ‘The reason for the Neanderthals’ extinction lies in how numerous we’ve become’

The Nobel Prize winner in Medicine is investigating genetic changes that could have given our species a competitive advantage, and the possibility of extracting the genome of the Flores hobbit

search.app

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Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 2d

This strikes me as pretty bad

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Melanie D’Arrigo @darrigomelanie.bsky.social · 2d

I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 1d

Such brilliant recognition for a really transformative scheme. @archsoutheast.bsky.social is thriving and the closer working relationship with the @uclarchaeology.bsky.social is reaping huge benefits in terms of teaching, fieldwork and professionalisation. 🏺

UCL Archaeology South-East @archsoutheast.bsky.social · 1d

We’re excited to share that our Placement Year has been shortlisted for the 2025 Archaeological Achievement Awards in the Learning, Training and Skills category!

We’ll be crossing our fingers when the winners are announced on 28 November!

@uclarchaeology.bsky.social @archaeologyuk.bsky.social

Four students in high visibility vest smile for a group photo on an archaeological site. Text on the image says Archaeological Achievement Awards, Learning, Training and Skills.

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UCL Institute of Archaeology @uclarchaeology.bsky.social · 3d

David Wengrow to give the Tanner Lectures on Human Values for 2026 @utah.edu entitled 'The Elementary Forms of Human Freedom.'

More here:

📱 www.ucl.ac.uk/social-histo...

Image: @davidwengrow.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk Institute of Archaeology (Image credit: Tom Jamieson)

#LocalAndGlobal

David Wengrow to give the Tanner Lectures on Human Values for 2026

David Wengrow (UCL Institute of Archaeology) has been invited to give the Tanner Lectures on Human Values at the University of Utah in March 2026.

www.ucl.ac.uk

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Hana Morel @hanamorel.bsky.social · 2d

Philip Nelson from the UK’s @greenparty.org.uk outlining very welcome understandings of #heritage. Also positive for #climateheritage contributions to sustainability as well.

www.linkedin.com/pulse/greene...

A Greener Future for Heritage and Tourism

Putting People, Nature and Place at the Heart of the Conversation The Green Party this weekend adopted a comprehensive new Heritage and Tourism Policy at its Autumn Conference — setting out a bold vis...

www.linkedin.com

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 2d

Oh that's every, great colours

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 2d

If you are still awake, take a moment you look up at the moon. Currently untroubled by living humans. Still a place of ghosts, gods and 20th century wreckage.

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 2d

I feel my narratives are too realistic and dull to compete with nationalist and pseudoarcg myths, she hyperbole is so exhausting. Im grateful to others who get it right

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 2d

That must have been hard to see and hard to take on as a conceptual challenge. Anything archaeologists did to challenge and continue to challenge that devasting perspective is to be lauded

Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 2d

As archaeologists we bear witness to the destruction of the natural environment. Up close. In real time. We are entangled in that destruction and it impacts us. A callous and uncaring approach to planning behind Reeve's comments should be sickening to everyone involved in such grave undertakings. 🏺

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 2d

Next week I'm really looking forward to hosting a real-life heritage crime fighter, Daryl Holter, for the 1st of the online @sussexpast.bsky.social winter lectures. Book now, via the link, join us from the comfort of your home to hear how we can fight threats to our archaeology.
tinyurl.com/3h2jac86

Book Autumn Talk: Daryl Holter - Heritage Crime, the threats to our shared heritage - Sussex Past

Join us for our first Autumn Talk of the season, as we welcome Daryl Holter, Heritage Crime Officer for Sussex Police We are all custodians of our heritage – past, present and future. Too often we tak...

tinyurl.com

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Prof Bill McGuire @profbillmcguire.bsky.social · 2d

"Rachel Reeves unblocked a development of 20,000 homes that were being held up by a rare snail, after being approached by a developer with whom she said, 'we have a good relationship'

Not only stupid and ignorant, but crooked with it

Indefensible

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Rachel Reeves clears planning blockage amid ‘good relationship’ with developer

Chancellor says 20,000 homes were being held up due to ‘some snails that are a protected species or something’

www.theguardian.com

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Dr Tess Machling @tessmachling.bsky.social · 2d

YES!!! Now keep everything crossed they can find the gold!
🙏🤞🙏🤞

#Archaeology 🏺

www.south-wales.police.uk/news/south-w...

St Fagans burglary update: Two men arrested

www.south-wales.police.uk

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 2d

As a term frequently used in archaeological discourse ‘The Natural’ expresses ignorance of, or disinterest in, the archaeological record. 🏺

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 2d

I'm feeling certain they are on the case..

Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 2d

I think, I'm the absence of any popular or DCMS support for anything different, the Green Book approach is pragmatic. But in media discourse and heritage comms we need to play down monetary value, eradicate the word treasure and focus on heritage, scientific and cultural value.

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 3d

It really is

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Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 3d

We need to utterly transform how we protect our heritage: more funding for museums, more education and disrupting our equation of heritage with monetary value. This isn't a one off. From our fiekds to our museum cases, antiquities are seen as objects for personal acquisition and monetary gain.
🏺

Dr Matt Pope @mattpope.bsky.social · 3d

Awful news from Wales, the St Fagan's Museum has been broken into and prehistoric goldwork has been taken. Its painful to think what objects might now be at risk. Thoughts with the museum team who must be devastated, all speed to the police and a curse on the crooks.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

St Fagans: Bronze Age gold jewellery stolen from musuem

Police are investigating a burglary at St Fagans museum in the early hours of Monday morning.

www.bbc.co.uk

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