The archaeologist Francis Pryor tells Shahidha Bari about a lifetime of building vistas of our history and prehistory through the evidence of pottery shards, holes in the mud and broken bones and palaeo-archaeologist Paul Pettitt who co-discovered Britain's first cave art explains why darkness informed a critical component in the development of the human brain and archaeologist Ruth Whitehouse reflects on the use of caves for ritual. They are joined by Sharon Robinson-Calver who has been tasked with the on-going conservation of a piece of London's fatberg and poet Sean Borodale whose latest collection arises from field studies in grave yards, caves and mines. Together they discuss why the past draws them back and how that past signposts itself.



Francis Pryor 'Paths to the Past' is out on March 1st 2018

Paul Pettitt, Professor of Archaeology, University of Durham and Member of the Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre

Ruth Whitehouse, Emeritus Professor of Prehistoric Archaeology, University College London

Sean Borodale 'Asylum' is out on March 1st 2018

Sharon Robinson-Calver, Head of Conservation and Collection Care at Museum of London: Fatberg! on show until July