Excavating Horror
@excavatinghorror.com
This is a terrific online conference
What's that I see before me? A new Romancing the Gothic conference! Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Radcliffe's last publications with a conference on the work of women and people of marginalised genders in the Gothic and horror...
romancingthegothic.com/2025/10/15/r...
romancingthegothic.com/2025/10/15/r...
Romancing the Gothic 2026 Conference CFP
More Terrors than her Reason Could Justify A 200th Anniversary Celebration of Ann Radcliffe’s Posthumous Publications 2026 marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of Ann Radcliffe’s final po…
romancingthegothic.com
October 16, 2025 at 9:29 PM
This is a terrific online conference
The early Gothic has so much to show us about the social conditions which inspired tremendous numbers of women to read & write about moldering ruins, cursed heirlooms, predatory men manipulating & stealing inheritances & property rights & autonomy. This talk was inspiring.
What roles did women play in theorising, popularising, writing, publishing and reading the early Gothic?
Come find out!
youtu.be/ZYXmHoErwL8
Come find out!
youtu.be/ZYXmHoErwL8
Women and the Early Gothic with Dr Sam Hirst
YouTube video by Romancing the Gothic
youtu.be
October 15, 2025 at 7:45 PM
The early Gothic has so much to show us about the social conditions which inspired tremendous numbers of women to read & write about moldering ruins, cursed heirlooms, predatory men manipulating & stealing inheritances & property rights & autonomy. This talk was inspiring.
Reposted by Excavating Horror
This month on Fabulous Folklore Presents, I'm chatting to @odavies9.bsky.social
& @cerihoulbrook.bsky.social about their new book Folklore: A Journey through the Past and Present. There's even a mention of ice cream van folklore!
youtu.be/xuX87Hcp53U?...
& @cerihoulbrook.bsky.social about their new book Folklore: A Journey through the Past and Present. There's even a mention of ice cream van folklore!
youtu.be/xuX87Hcp53U?...
October 15, 2025 at 12:37 PM
This month on Fabulous Folklore Presents, I'm chatting to @odavies9.bsky.social
& @cerihoulbrook.bsky.social about their new book Folklore: A Journey through the Past and Present. There's even a mention of ice cream van folklore!
youtu.be/xuX87Hcp53U?...
& @cerihoulbrook.bsky.social about their new book Folklore: A Journey through the Past and Present. There's even a mention of ice cream van folklore!
youtu.be/xuX87Hcp53U?...
Marvelous new @helleborezine.bsky.social! Looking forward to digging in to this article to find out what’s going on here & if there’s any chance I’m ever going to get my lipstick just right ever again
October 15, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Marvelous new @helleborezine.bsky.social! Looking forward to digging in to this article to find out what’s going on here & if there’s any chance I’m ever going to get my lipstick just right ever again
Reposted by Excavating Horror
It's October! Hurrah!
I've specially curated 5 of our spookier titles, and discounted the eBooks to just $2. Grab a couple, or all 5 for $10. It's your choice.
@seanbirnie.bsky.social @acwise.bsky.social @stevetoase.bsky.social
undertowpublications.com/ebooks
I've specially curated 5 of our spookier titles, and discounted the eBooks to just $2. Grab a couple, or all 5 for $10. It's your choice.
@seanbirnie.bsky.social @acwise.bsky.social @stevetoase.bsky.social
undertowpublications.com/ebooks
October 1, 2025 at 2:03 PM
It's October! Hurrah!
I've specially curated 5 of our spookier titles, and discounted the eBooks to just $2. Grab a couple, or all 5 for $10. It's your choice.
@seanbirnie.bsky.social @acwise.bsky.social @stevetoase.bsky.social
undertowpublications.com/ebooks
I've specially curated 5 of our spookier titles, and discounted the eBooks to just $2. Grab a couple, or all 5 for $10. It's your choice.
@seanbirnie.bsky.social @acwise.bsky.social @stevetoase.bsky.social
undertowpublications.com/ebooks
Reposted by Excavating Horror
My periodic call for pitches to the 19th-Century Networks section of ✨Literature Compass✨:
Do you have a state-of-the-field essay to propose on #Romantic or #Victorian topics? a little-known or understudied author to spotlight?
Please get in touch!
compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1741...
Do you have a state-of-the-field essay to propose on #Romantic or #Victorian topics? a little-known or understudied author to spotlight?
Please get in touch!
compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1741...
Literature Compass
Click on the title to browse this journal
compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
September 30, 2025 at 2:19 PM
My periodic call for pitches to the 19th-Century Networks section of ✨Literature Compass✨:
Do you have a state-of-the-field essay to propose on #Romantic or #Victorian topics? a little-known or understudied author to spotlight?
Please get in touch!
compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1741...
Do you have a state-of-the-field essay to propose on #Romantic or #Victorian topics? a little-known or understudied author to spotlight?
Please get in touch!
compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1741...
Reposted by Excavating Horror
I probably should have just included this in the original post. Captain America: the First Avenger includes the obligatory “Nazis hunting for occult artifacts” trope. The Winter Soldier has something cooler: this glass elevator fight scene.
Elevator Fight Scene | Captain America: The Winter Soldier | Official Clip
YouTube video by Marvel Entertainment
youtu.be
September 6, 2025 at 1:12 PM
I probably should have just included this in the original post. Captain America: the First Avenger includes the obligatory “Nazis hunting for occult artifacts” trope. The Winter Soldier has something cooler: this glass elevator fight scene.
Reposted by Excavating Horror
D&D actually received an early 1980s sales bump thanks to the Satanic Panic. The free advertising from Christian organizations allowed teenagers to feel like total, edgy rebels for buying D&D.
there has never been and there never will be a better evangelist for roleplaying games than a bug eyed Christian with access to rudimentary desktop publishing software, a Xerox printer and a fevered imagination
everything these honkers ever produce is just absolute 100% solid gold
everything these honkers ever produce is just absolute 100% solid gold
September 6, 2025 at 10:31 AM
D&D actually received an early 1980s sales bump thanks to the Satanic Panic. The free advertising from Christian organizations allowed teenagers to feel like total, edgy rebels for buying D&D.
Who’s going to sort out the issues with all the edited collections of non-fiction essays? Sigh.
Many authors have searched The Atlantic's LibGen database of pirated titles to see if they are listed there. However, I've uncovered that authors of short fiction aren't always discoverable there.
Here's how I discovered more of my short fiction in the list. 1/
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Here's how I discovered more of my short fiction in the list. 1/
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI
Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.
www.theatlantic.com
September 6, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Who’s going to sort out the issues with all the edited collections of non-fiction essays? Sigh.
In which I expand on my obsession with the idea that Greendale Community College sits on top of a secret military installation, which is not strange at all no matter what @fishinnards.bsky.social says.
Looking below the surface of Community (2009-2015)
I love the NBC sitcom Community (2009-2015). I try not to suck out the joy by overthinking, but the copious references to Indiana Jones and an Anthropology course that quickly goes off the rails ar…
excavatinghorror.com
September 5, 2025 at 11:00 PM
In which I expand on my obsession with the idea that Greendale Community College sits on top of a secret military installation, which is not strange at all no matter what @fishinnards.bsky.social says.
Reposted by Excavating Horror
'This archaeology is often a dramatic, action-packed endeavor in which the fate of the world rests in the hands of a plucky group of scholars who can’t remember where they parked their car but can translate a dead language and navigate a series of complex traps and devious puzzles.' 🤣
I had the great pleasure of writing an article about archaeology in horror fiction for @nightmare-magazine.com. It was tremendous fun & I hope you enjoy it, too!
www.nightmare-magazine.com/nonfiction/p...
www.nightmare-magazine.com/nonfiction/p...
Plumbing the Depths: Archaeology in Horror Fiction - Nightmare Magazine
Archaeology is a method and practice which resurfaces the past. It can help us reconstruct the history and culture of ancient (or not so ancient) people, and give us insight into what it means to be h...
www.nightmare-magazine.com
August 27, 2025 at 9:56 PM
'This archaeology is often a dramatic, action-packed endeavor in which the fate of the world rests in the hands of a plucky group of scholars who can’t remember where they parked their car but can translate a dead language and navigate a series of complex traps and devious puzzles.' 🤣
Haven’t give this a listen yet but I’m a big @baladria.bsky.social fan & you better believe I snapped up a deck of her ancient Egyptian-inspired OFMD tarot cards!
Another film we covered this season was The Pyramid (2014). Joined by Dr. Briana Jackson @baladria.bsky.social, we discussed some of the best known tropes for archaeology films, including the ability to translate ancient texts on the spot. What other ones can you think of? Episode now available!
August 27, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Haven’t give this a listen yet but I’m a big @baladria.bsky.social fan & you better believe I snapped up a deck of her ancient Egyptian-inspired OFMD tarot cards!
Reposted by Excavating Horror
A colleague of mine just sent me this and I said "Even before clicking, I'll bet that this is @urbanprehistorian.bsky.social ". And I was right. XD
The next question was "Did he skate?"
So, Kenny, did you catch some air? Pull off a sick grind maybe? ;)
www.bbc.com/news/article...
The next question was "Did he skate?"
So, Kenny, did you catch some air? Pull off a sick grind maybe? ;)
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Scotland's first skatepark to be dug up by archaeologists
A University of Glasgow team will undertake excavation and survey work at the former Kelvin Wheelies park.
www.bbc.com
August 27, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I did a thing
I had the great pleasure of writing an article about archaeology in horror fiction for @nightmare-magazine.com. It was tremendous fun & I hope you enjoy it, too!
www.nightmare-magazine.com/nonfiction/p...
www.nightmare-magazine.com/nonfiction/p...
Plumbing the Depths: Archaeology in Horror Fiction - Nightmare Magazine
Archaeology is a method and practice which resurfaces the past. It can help us reconstruct the history and culture of ancient (or not so ancient) people, and give us insight into what it means to be h...
www.nightmare-magazine.com
August 27, 2025 at 12:49 PM
I did a thing
Reposted by Excavating Horror
Thanks to @meanlouise.bsky.social from @excavatinghorror.com for the shout out for Dirt Upon My Skin in this great article on archaeological horror at @nightmare-magazine.com www.nightmare-magazine.com/nonfiction/p...
Plumbing the Depths: Archaeology in Horror Fiction - Nightmare Magazine
Archaeology is a method and practice which resurfaces the past. It can help us reconstruct the history and culture of ancient (or not so ancient) people, and give us insight into what it means to be h...
www.nightmare-magazine.com
August 27, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Thanks to @meanlouise.bsky.social from @excavatinghorror.com for the shout out for Dirt Upon My Skin in this great article on archaeological horror at @nightmare-magazine.com www.nightmare-magazine.com/nonfiction/p...
Just informed the phrase “hold on to your butts” isn’t scholarly. Which is delightful! Not bc I’m gonna change my blogging style, but bc it’s always nice to know someone read the footnotes. Anyway, here’s a bit of chatter about the Gothic mode & a book recommendation, if you like that sort of thing.
Gothic America
Keeping up with The Scholarly Literature is a wild academic fantasy, even for those with a neatly bounded subject area. When I was a kid I thought the expression “trying to shovel a waterfall…
excavatinghorror.com
August 25, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Just informed the phrase “hold on to your butts” isn’t scholarly. Which is delightful! Not bc I’m gonna change my blogging style, but bc it’s always nice to know someone read the footnotes. Anyway, here’s a bit of chatter about the Gothic mode & a book recommendation, if you like that sort of thing.
So good I was able to resist a joke about how this is a chilling tale about the consequences of digging without a permit.
Almost.
Almost.
Robert Lloyd Parry’s live dramatic performance of MR James’ “A Warning to the Curious” is the perfect way to conclude the online #WarningToTheCurious conference.
www.nunkie.co.uk/the-mr-james...
www.nunkie.co.uk/the-mr-james...
The M R James Project — Nunkie Productions
Recreating the stories that M R James would tell in his rooms at Cambridge, the M R James Project is the perfect evening out in Cambridge. Lit by candlight and with a perfect impersonation of James, n...
www.nunkie.co.uk
August 24, 2025 at 7:48 PM
So good I was able to resist a joke about how this is a chilling tale about the consequences of digging without a permit.
Almost.
Almost.
Reposted by Excavating Horror
The end of day 1 of the #WarningToTheCurious conference and what a day!
A great keynote from Darryl Jones! 13 fascinating papers! A workshop on haunted objects that has me writing a VERY weird little story and, of course, the cocktail/mocktail hour!
Love that for us!
A great keynote from Darryl Jones! 13 fascinating papers! A workshop on haunted objects that has me writing a VERY weird little story and, of course, the cocktail/mocktail hour!
Love that for us!
August 23, 2025 at 10:01 PM
The end of day 1 of the #WarningToTheCurious conference and what a day!
A great keynote from Darryl Jones! 13 fascinating papers! A workshop on haunted objects that has me writing a VERY weird little story and, of course, the cocktail/mocktail hour!
Love that for us!
A great keynote from Darryl Jones! 13 fascinating papers! A workshop on haunted objects that has me writing a VERY weird little story and, of course, the cocktail/mocktail hour!
Love that for us!
As you may have guessed, I’m looking forward to this conference!
This conference is always delightful, informative & online. A fascinating range of scholars, authors (look at those authors!), guest appearances by the cats of Gothicists around the world, & mocktail & cocktail recipes! I'm Chairing the Archaeology & Archives panel Saturday - hope to see you there!
Have you got your ticket?
A live performance and a cocktail/mocktail hour with specially designed recipes also happening!
Tickets can be purchased from the Eventbrite- www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/romancing-...
You can also get tickets here - buytickets.at/romancingthe... (we pay less fees)
A live performance and a cocktail/mocktail hour with specially designed recipes also happening!
Tickets can be purchased from the Eventbrite- www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/romancing-...
You can also get tickets here - buytickets.at/romancingthe... (we pay less fees)
August 22, 2025 at 10:28 PM
As you may have guessed, I’m looking forward to this conference!
Reposted by Excavating Horror
Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
And Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!
And Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!
Have you got your ticket?
A live performance and a cocktail/mocktail hour with specially designed recipes also happening!
Tickets can be purchased from the Eventbrite- www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/romancing-...
You can also get tickets here - buytickets.at/romancingthe... (we pay less fees)
A live performance and a cocktail/mocktail hour with specially designed recipes also happening!
Tickets can be purchased from the Eventbrite- www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/romancing-...
You can also get tickets here - buytickets.at/romancingthe... (we pay less fees)
August 22, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
And Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!
And Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!
I feel I should clarify that what made this all super-creepy was that I opened @stevetoase.bsky.social ‘s book to that page THE SAME DAY I got the field school question. Does it matter? No, not really, except to me & maybe the ghost in the Total station.
Here’s a silly story to start your Wednesday. Or end your Wednesday. Which I meant because of time zones, not to suggest it’s the last thing you might read because you’ve been tamping down that sense of vague dread that something terrible lurks in your lab 1/
August 22, 2025 at 10:23 PM
I feel I should clarify that what made this all super-creepy was that I opened @stevetoase.bsky.social ‘s book to that page THE SAME DAY I got the field school question. Does it matter? No, not really, except to me & maybe the ghost in the Total station.
In case you’re here for actual archaeology & not worried about the thing that’s definitely probably not slithering around in your storage closet, Dr. Daniel Sayers published The Archaeology of the Homed & the Unhomed w UP of Florida in 2023 & also Justin Uehlein recently defended his dissertation 👇
grad school classmate Justin Uehlein recently defended his dissertation based on one of the field sites, the Delta Trestle Hobo Jungle in Delta, Pennsylvania, for those who're here for the actual archaeological intersection aura.american.edu/articles/the...
They Traveled, They Worked, They Lived: An Archaeology of Hobos and Other Transient Workers at the Delta Trestle Hobo Jungle (Circa 1880-1940)
This dissertation examines the lived experiences of hobos and other transient laborers in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, focusing on the material, economic, and ideological structures t...
aura.american.edu
August 21, 2025 at 2:33 PM
In case you’re here for actual archaeology & not worried about the thing that’s definitely probably not slithering around in your storage closet, Dr. Daniel Sayers published The Archaeology of the Homed & the Unhomed w UP of Florida in 2023 & also Justin Uehlein recently defended his dissertation 👇
Here’s a silly story to start your Wednesday. Or end your Wednesday. Which I meant because of time zones, not to suggest it’s the last thing you might read because you’ve been tamping down that sense of vague dread that something terrible lurks in your lab 1/
August 21, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Here’s a silly story to start your Wednesday. Or end your Wednesday. Which I meant because of time zones, not to suggest it’s the last thing you might read because you’ve been tamping down that sense of vague dread that something terrible lurks in your lab 1/
Reposted by Excavating Horror
Join us at Writing the Occult: Belief on 6 Sept when we ask: What’s it like to live in a cult? Why do we get swept away by charismatic leaders? Why might someone *not* believe? Where do conspiracy theories come from? Let’s ask if the truth really is out there.
Details: writingtheoccult.carrd.co 🧵⬇️
Details: writingtheoccult.carrd.co 🧵⬇️
August 12, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Join us at Writing the Occult: Belief on 6 Sept when we ask: What’s it like to live in a cult? Why do we get swept away by charismatic leaders? Why might someone *not* believe? Where do conspiracy theories come from? Let’s ask if the truth really is out there.
Details: writingtheoccult.carrd.co 🧵⬇️
Details: writingtheoccult.carrd.co 🧵⬇️