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Jim Leary

@jimleary.bsky.social

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.

3,874 Followers  |  1,189 Following  |  459 Posts  |  Joined: 27.09.2023
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Posts by Jim Leary (@jimleary.bsky.social)

That’s rather fine! Mine is undoubtedly a David Inshaw.

03.03.2026 19:04 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yep, nope, nope.

25.02.2026 08:11 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

😝 There’s some truth in that!

22.02.2026 22:39 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks Sue. Absolutely true!

22.02.2026 19:24 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks Mike. Yes, that’s true.

22.02.2026 19:23 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Academia! πŸ™„

22.02.2026 19:22 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks Dan.

22.02.2026 19:22 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Glorious is the word!

22.02.2026 19:22 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Absolutely - a wonder monument that forces everyone to utter a β€˜wow’.

22.02.2026 09:03 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

You must! There’s nothing like it anywhere else.

22.02.2026 09:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I still remember Vicki Cummings review of the monograph in Antiquity stating that the work was β€˜small-scale’ and β€˜we’ve learnt nothing new’! A multi-million pound project in which we spent a year inside the mound fundamentally revising the phasing! Or MPP saying the we β€˜failed to find a reason’ 😜

22.02.2026 09:01 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0

I found it a huge privilege and am immensely proud of what we did. Because it wasn’t a university project it never received the recognition it deserved from Neolithic specialists - especially those involved in Avebury and Stonehenge - and that’s to their shame. It was an iconic excavation.

22.02.2026 08:39 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
A photo of Silbury Hill taken from the lay-by, showing the green grass-covered mound surrounded by a water-filled ditch.

A photo of Silbury Hill taken from the lay-by, showing the green grass-covered mound surrounded by a water-filled ditch.

The heart-quickening sight of an old friend. #SilburyHill - the largest prehistoric mound in Europe. A Neolithic monument I once spent a year inside. It is a mass of ancient matter, and quicksilver - substantial, heavy, brilliant, yet can’t be pinned down. #Neolithic

22.02.2026 08:04 β€” πŸ‘ 125    πŸ” 15    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 1

Thank you! These are very useful.

22.02.2026 08:03 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Sorry I missed this. Ditto reply to quote.

07.02.2026 12:12 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you.

07.02.2026 12:11 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you, that’s interesting! I guess repeated low heat would also eventually change the colour of the stones and heat damage them.

07.02.2026 12:10 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
A photo of York students excavating a Saxon building with Skipsea castle in the background.

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 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 York students excavating a Saxon building with Skipsea castle in the background.

A photo of a Saxon building.

A photo of a Saxon building.

Get your popcorn 🍿 ready for tonight - 8pm BBC2, our excavations at #Skipsea in Holderness will be on #DiggingforBritain.
@uoyarchaeology.bsky.social

28.01.2026 07:58 β€” πŸ‘ 35    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 3

πŸŽ‚πŸ₯³

28.01.2026 14:11 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ˜‚

28.01.2026 08:09 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A photo of York students excavating a Saxon building with Skipsea castle in the background.

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 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 York students excavating a Saxon building with Skipsea castle in the background.

A photo of a Saxon building.

A photo of a Saxon building.

Get your popcorn 🍿 ready for tonight - 8pm BBC2, our excavations at #Skipsea in Holderness will be on #DiggingforBritain.
@uoyarchaeology.bsky.social

28.01.2026 07:58 β€” πŸ‘ 35    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 3

Ha! I think I must’ve done the same.

24.01.2026 09:26 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Photo of wooden club-like handle with a greenstone axe inserted into a socket within it.

Photo of wooden club-like handle with a greenstone axe inserted into a socket within it.

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

23.01.2026 08:11 β€” πŸ‘ 140    πŸ” 24    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 2

Huge fan of Hong Kong Phooey!

23.01.2026 18:55 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes, I think far too precious for that.

23.01.2026 18:07 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ˜‚ But the Flintstones would definitely have had a stone club, not a wooden one. So there is a difference.

23.01.2026 18:07 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Excellent!

23.01.2026 18:05 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Of the things that influenced my career - Asterix, Chelmsford 123, etc - I reckon Captain Caveman was one of the biggest.

23.01.2026 11:59 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I know, right!

23.01.2026 10:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ˜‚ Loved Captain Caveman!

23.01.2026 10:36 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0