Ancient Roots podcast with Joseph Ogbonna, executive coach and African enthusiast

Prof Bayo Is a Professor of Archaeology and former Head of Department, Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Ibadan.  His research interest includes ethnoarchaeology, historical archaeology and cultural resources management. Engages in consultancy in archaeological research and has published papers on African farming and promoting African Archaeology.

Dr Tunde is the Andrew Mellon Postdoc at the British Museum, United Kingdom, and a Marie Curie post-doctoral fellow at the Cyprus Institute’s STARC.  He was the Smuts fellow at the Centre for African Studies, University of Cambridge, the McMillan Stewart fellow at the Hutchins Centre of Africa and African American Research, Harvard University, and a Postdoc at the Department of Anthropology, Harvard University.  His research focuses on high-temperature technologies in pre-colonial West African societies, the role technology played in the emergence of complex society, and the ontology, sociality, and cultural processes of technology. He is the Director of the “Archaeology of Glass” project in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Dr Tunde is the Andrew Mellon Postdoc at the British Museum, United Kingdom, and a Marie Curie post-doctoral fellow at the Cyprus Institute’s STARC.  He was the Smuts fellow at the Centre for African Studies, University of Cambridge, the McMillan Stewart fellow at the Hutchins Centre of Africa and African American Research, Harvard University, and a Postdoc at the Department of Anthropology, Harvard University.  His research focuses on high-temperature technologies in pre-colonial West African societies, the role technology played in the emergence of complex society, and the ontology, sociality, and cultural processes of technology. He is the Director of the “Archaeology of Glass” projectin Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

An Environmental archaeologist who has excavated in southern Nigerian, Igboland and Yorubaland.  With his major interest on archaeopalynology, he uses the study of pollen, spores and certain microscopic plankton organisms as a tool to understand human-environment interactions with the aim of uncovering natural and cultural phenomena, and processes which drive landscape evolution. He is currently British Academy Newton International Fellow McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, UK.

An Environmental archaeologist who has excavated in southern Nigerian, Igboland and Yorubaland.  With his major interest on archaeopalynology, he uses the study of pollen, spores and certain microscopic plankton organisms as a tool to understand human-environment interactions with the aim of uncovering natural and cultural phenomena, and processes which drive landscape evolution. He is currently British Academy Newton International Fellow McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, UK.

The President of the Society of Africanist Archaeologists, Kevin describes himself as an archaeological generalist, with specialities in earthen architecture, pottery and animal remains, from which he gleans the societies of ancient Africa. Most of his excavations have been in West Africa (Mali), and the United States (Louisiana).  He is Professor of African Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, becoming the Institute’s tenth Director in 2022.  He has researched the early complex societies of arid West Africa including the Empires of Ghana (Wagadu) and Mali for over 30 years.

The President of the Society of Africanist Archaeologists,  Kevin describes himself as an archaeological generalist, with specialities in earthen architecture, pottery and animal remains, from which he gleans the societies of ancient Africa. Most of his excavations have been in West Africa (Mali), and the United States (Louisiana).  He is Professor of African Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, becoming the Institute’s tenth Director in 2022.  He has researched the early complex societies of arid West Africa including the Empires of Ghana (Wagadu) and Mali for over 30 years.

Prof Akin Ogundiran is a distinguished specialist in early African history and archaeology, Editor-in-Chief of African Archaeological Review, and Director, The Oyo Empire Archaeology and Heritage Project.  He is presently a Professor of History at Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences of Northwestern University, USA. His research addresses the deep-time history of social complexity and emergent communities in the Yoruba region of western Africa since 400 BC.

Prof Akin Ogundiran is a distinguished specialist in early African history and archaeology, Editor-in-Chief of African Archaeological Review, and Director, The Oyo Empire Archaeology and Heritage Project. He is presently a Professor of History at Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences of Northwestern University, USA.  His research addresses the deep-time history of social complexity and emergent communities in the Yoruba region of western Africa since 400 BC.

George Abungu is an archaeologist from Kenya, and former director of the National Museums of Kenya.  As Chairman of the International Standing Committee on the Traffic of Illicit Antiquities, he has been responsible for the return of stolen artifacts to Kenya and the curtailing of the illegal antiquities trade. Abungu is the Director of Okello Abungu Heritage Consultants and Associate Professor of Heritage Studies at the University of Mauritius.