2: The Prehistoric Afterlife

In this episode we discuss the earliest evidence that has been discovered for prehistoric ideas about the afterlife, including cave art, early totemic sculptures, as well as burial practices. We also consider the Neanderthal and Denisovans, our hominid cousins and whether they too might have believed in "the world to come." The episode concludes with a conversation about Göbekli Tepe and other early ritual sites in addition to skull cults, the best (?) kind of cult.This episode was originally recorded in August 2025 as part of The End of the World with Michael and Stu.