Jim Leary
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Jim Leary
@jimleary.bsky.social
3.8K followers 1.2K following 440 posts
Archaeologist & writer. Senior lecturer at Uni of York. Books: The Story of Silbury Hill; The Remembered Land; Footmarks, a journey into our restless past. Agent: JP Marshall.
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jimleary.bsky.social
Get your popcorn 🍿 ready for tonight - 8pm BBC2, our excavations at #Skipsea in Holderness will be on #DiggingforBritain.
@uoyarchaeology.bsky.social
A photo of York students excavating a Saxon building with Skipsea castle in the background. A photo of York students excavating an early medieval timber hall with Skipsea castle in the background. A photo of York students excavating a Saxon building with Skipsea castle in the background. A photo of a Saxon building.
January 28, 2026 at 7:59 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
Get your popcorn 🍿 ready for tonight - 8pm BBC2, our excavations at #Skipsea in Holderness will be on #DiggingforBritain.
@uoyarchaeology.bsky.social
A photo of York students excavating a Saxon building with Skipsea castle in the background. A photo of York students excavating an early medieval timber hall with Skipsea castle in the background. A photo of York students excavating a Saxon building with Skipsea castle in the background. A photo of a Saxon building.
January 28, 2026 at 7:59 AM
Reposted by Jim Leary
jimleary.bsky.social
The Ehenside Tarn axe, found in Cumbria in 1869, now in the British Museum. An early Neolithic stone axe from Langdale, with its original wooden handle still attached. The haft always reminds me of Captain Caveman’s club!
#FindsFriday
Photo of wooden club-like handle with a greenstone axe inserted into a socket within it.
January 23, 2026 at 8:11 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
The Ehenside Tarn axe, found in Cumbria in 1869, now in the British Museum. An early Neolithic stone axe from Langdale, with its original wooden handle still attached. The haft always reminds me of Captain Caveman’s club!
#FindsFriday
Photo of wooden club-like handle with a greenstone axe inserted into a socket within it.
January 23, 2026 at 8:11 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
Hello old friends! A trip to London isn’t complete without a visit to say hello to the Folkton Drums. These Neolithic carved chalk cylinders found in a child’s burial in Yorkshire. I love their surprised little faces.
#FindsFriday
A photo of three cream coloured chalk cylinders with geometric patterns carved on them. They also have little eyes and monobrows.
January 16, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Jim Leary
royalarchinst.bsky.social
𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐚𝐭 𝟓 𝐩𝐦 Dr Jim Leary and Dr Elaine Jamieson will be presenting our next lecture on ‘Life on the lake: The prehistory and history of Skipsea, Holderness’. At Burlington House and on youtu.be/dTxePLmT25I
Life on the lake: The prehistory & history of Skipsea, Holderness Dr Jim Leary & Dr Elaine Jamieson
YouTube video by Royal Archaeological Institute
youtu.be
January 12, 2026 at 9:29 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
Today’s fire path. The sun a flame-throwing marmalade ball.
December 13, 2025 at 5:13 PM
jimleary.bsky.social
Well, I was startled and delighted to hear that the Chinese-language edition of my book #Footmarks has won an Openbook Best Book of the Year award at a ceremony in Taipei. I wish I could’ve been there - instead I recorded my acceptance 👇

www.openbook.org.tw/article/p-71...
2025Openbook好書獎．年度翻譯書》足跡：考古學家眼中的故道、遠古人類與動物足印、史前車轍、朝聖路徑 | Openbook閱讀誌
▉評審推薦語 魏明毅（《受苦的倒影》、《靜寂工人》作者） 當考古學家將目光跨越到古蹟遺址外的足跡——行走、漫遊、土地、抵抗、自由、穿越、遷徙、顛覆、創造、發掘路線、連結、聚集；流動的複雜與豐富，串起百萬年前的過往與如今。從考古學家的眼，一處處散落的靜止定點，成了被接連起來的閃亮珍珠。輻射出來的神話佚事、物質演變、歷史事件，彷彿油然躍現的活生生、動感畫面。 閱讀是知識的來源之一，卻理應不僅止於此。《...
www.openbook.org.tw
December 12, 2025 at 7:00 AM
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jimleary.bsky.social
For #FindsFriday I offer this gorgeous 15,000 year old engraving of a reindeer calf, nervously standing next to its mum. Found in the Madeleine rock shelter in the Dordogne, France. Part of the excellent Ice Age Art exhibition at the Cliffe Castle Museum in Keighley, Bradford. 🏺
A photo of a fragment of bone with the outline of a reindeer calf carved onto it.
September 12, 2025 at 5:57 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
For #FindsFriday I offer this gorgeous 15,000 year old engraving of a reindeer calf, nervously standing next to its mum. Found in the Madeleine rock shelter in the Dordogne, France. Part of the excellent Ice Age Art exhibition at the Cliffe Castle Museum in Keighley, Bradford. 🏺
A photo of a fragment of bone with the outline of a reindeer calf carved onto it.
September 12, 2025 at 5:57 AM
Reposted by Jim Leary
jimleary.bsky.social
I loved Galway, but this is so sad to see - lines of drying peat cut to fuel heaters and warm homes. This is an incalculable loss to the environment and to archaeology🏺. It's not big business doing this, but small householders keeping a tradition alive that should be long dead.
A photo of long, parallel lines of stacked drying lengths of peat on grass. The remnants of a raised bog in the background. A photo of long, parallel lines of stacked drying lengths of peat on grass. The remnants of a raised bog in the background.
August 24, 2025 at 6:43 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
I loved Galway, but this is so sad to see - lines of drying peat cut to fuel heaters and warm homes. This is an incalculable loss to the environment and to archaeology🏺. It's not big business doing this, but small householders keeping a tradition alive that should be long dead.
A photo of long, parallel lines of stacked drying lengths of peat on grass. The remnants of a raised bog in the background. A photo of long, parallel lines of stacked drying lengths of peat on grass. The remnants of a raised bog in the background.
August 24, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Reposted by Jim Leary
jimleary.bsky.social
For #StandingStoneSunday I offer the Stone of Destiny, Lia Fáil, a one-metre granite pillar on a raised platform on the Hill of Tara in Co. Meath, Ireland. According to legend, High Kings of Ireland were crowned at the stone, which cried out if it was the true king. 🏺
A photo of a pale pillar-like standing stone surrounded by a circular bricked area on grass in the foreground, with views out across the landscape in the background.
August 17, 2025 at 6:09 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
For #StandingStoneSunday I offer the Stone of Destiny, Lia Fáil, a one-metre granite pillar on a raised platform on the Hill of Tara in Co. Meath, Ireland. According to legend, High Kings of Ireland were crowned at the stone, which cried out if it was the true king. 🏺
A photo of a pale pillar-like standing stone surrounded by a circular bricked area on grass in the foreground, with views out across the landscape in the background.
August 17, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Reposted by Jim Leary
jimleary.bsky.social
I love Irish round towers! Like giant grey pencils or a child’s drawing of a rocket. They date to the medieval period and were probably used as belfries or places of refuge. This one is at Kilmacduagh monastery in Co. Galway. It’s over 30m tall and has a decidedly eccentric lean. 🏺
A photo of a long thin grey rocket-like tower surrounded by gravestones. A photo of a long thin grey rocket-like tower surrounded by gravestones. From a different angle. A photo of a long thin grey rocket-like tower surrounded by gravestones. Further away.
August 13, 2025 at 6:29 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
I love Irish round towers! Like giant grey pencils or a child’s drawing of a rocket. They date to the medieval period and were probably used as belfries or places of refuge. This one is at Kilmacduagh monastery in Co. Galway. It’s over 30m tall and has a decidedly eccentric lean. 🏺
A photo of a long thin grey rocket-like tower surrounded by gravestones. A photo of a long thin grey rocket-like tower surrounded by gravestones. From a different angle. A photo of a long thin grey rocket-like tower surrounded by gravestones. Further away.
August 13, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Reposted by Jim Leary
jimleary.bsky.social
Topping off the top four megalithic sites in Ireland is Carrowmore in Co. Sligo. It is classified as part of the Neolithic passage tomb tradition, but many monuments look more like dolmens to me. It is a gorgeously striking site (and sight) though. 🏺
A photo showing a grey stone dolmen on green grass and with cloudy skies above. Another stone, a single surviving kerb stone is located slightly further away. A photo of a ring of stones - all that remains of a passage tomb. A photo of a grey mushroom-like dolmen on green short-cropped grass. A photo of a chunky dolmen within a passage tomb.
August 8, 2025 at 6:28 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
Topping off the top four megalithic sites in Ireland is Carrowmore in Co. Sligo. It is classified as part of the Neolithic passage tomb tradition, but many monuments look more like dolmens to me. It is a gorgeously striking site (and sight) though. 🏺
A photo showing a grey stone dolmen on green grass and with cloudy skies above. Another stone, a single surviving kerb stone is located slightly further away. A photo of a ring of stones - all that remains of a passage tomb. A photo of a grey mushroom-like dolmen on green short-cropped grass. A photo of a chunky dolmen within a passage tomb.
August 8, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Reposted by Jim Leary
jimleary.bsky.social
Another iconic monument ticked off the bucket list. Poulnabrone dolmen is one of Ireland's most photographed and photogenic monuments. It is set in the desolate and magnificent landscape of the Burren, Co Clare.
#TombTuesday #Neolithic #Ireland
A photo of grey, limestone box-like monument made of flat slabs of stone. A photograph of the flat, stoney landscape of the Burren. Wildflowers grow between the cracks in the stone.
August 5, 2025 at 7:43 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
🏺
jimleary.bsky.social Jim Leary @jimleary.bsky.social · Aug 5
Another iconic monument ticked off the bucket list. Poulnabrone dolmen is one of Ireland's most photographed and photogenic monuments. It is set in the desolate and magnificent landscape of the Burren, Co Clare.
#TombTuesday #Neolithic #Ireland
A photo of grey, limestone box-like monument made of flat slabs of stone. A photograph of the flat, stoney landscape of the Burren. Wildflowers grow between the cracks in the stone.
August 5, 2025 at 7:46 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
Another iconic monument ticked off the bucket list. Poulnabrone dolmen is one of Ireland's most photographed and photogenic monuments. It is set in the desolate and magnificent landscape of the Burren, Co Clare.
#TombTuesday #Neolithic #Ireland
A photo of grey, limestone box-like monument made of flat slabs of stone. A photograph of the flat, stoney landscape of the Burren. Wildflowers grow between the cracks in the stone.
August 5, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Reposted by Jim Leary
jimleary.bsky.social
Carrowkeel in Co Sligo, Ireland, is one of the most extraordinary Neolithic sites I’ve visited. The passage tombs are set in the Bricklieve Mountains (Speckled Mountain) and overlook Lough Arrow. The views, the sky, the purpling heather - magical! 🏺
#StandingStoneSunday
A photo of one of the Carrowkeel passage tombs. Grey stones piled over bright green grass and a doorway like a portal into the mound. A photo of one of the Carrowkeel passage tombs. Grey stones forming a mound surrounded by green grass and purple heather. A photo of one of the Carrowkeel passage tombs. A grey stony doorway forms the portal into the mound. A photo of one of the Carrowkeel passage tombs in the distance and surrounded by green grass and purple heather. Two people walk around the mound and a dog lies in the heather in the foreground.
August 3, 2025 at 9:49 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
Carrowkeel in Co Sligo, Ireland, is one of the most extraordinary Neolithic sites I’ve visited. The passage tombs are set in the Bricklieve Mountains (Speckled Mountain) and overlook Lough Arrow. The views, the sky, the purpling heather - magical! 🏺
#StandingStoneSunday
A photo of one of the Carrowkeel passage tombs. Grey stones piled over bright green grass and a doorway like a portal into the mound. A photo of one of the Carrowkeel passage tombs. Grey stones forming a mound surrounded by green grass and purple heather. A photo of one of the Carrowkeel passage tombs. A grey stony doorway forms the portal into the mound. A photo of one of the Carrowkeel passage tombs in the distance and surrounded by green grass and purple heather. Two people walk around the mound and a dog lies in the heather in the foreground.
August 3, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Reposted by Jim Leary
jimleary.bsky.social
This exquisitely carved 5000-year-old ceremonial macehead is one of Neolithic Europe’s finest works of art. Excavated from the passage tomb at Knowth in the Boyne Valley, Ireland, it is less than 8cm long and made of a hard, mottled cream-coloured flint. #FindsFriday #Neolithic
A photo of the Knowth macehead on mottled brown and white stone and showing a spiral pattern. A photo of the Knowth macehead on mottled brown and white stone and showing a spiral pattern.
August 1, 2025 at 7:55 AM
jimleary.bsky.social
🏺
jimleary.bsky.social Jim Leary @jimleary.bsky.social · Aug 1
This exquisitely carved 5000-year-old ceremonial macehead is one of Neolithic Europe’s finest works of art. Excavated from the passage tomb at Knowth in the Boyne Valley, Ireland, it is less than 8cm long and made of a hard, mottled cream-coloured flint. #FindsFriday #Neolithic
A photo of the Knowth macehead on mottled brown and white stone and showing a spiral pattern. A photo of the Knowth macehead on mottled brown and white stone and showing a spiral pattern.
August 2, 2025 at 6:06 AM