Join Dr. Richard Redding—renowned archaeologist, professor, and field researcher—as he shares stories from a life spent uncovering the past. Leading large excavations demands not just scientific skill but resilience, quick thinking, and the ability to navigate both logistical hurdles and unpredictable dangers. Whether escaping a volatile situation or managing a team in extreme conditions, Redding’s tales reveal the real world of archaeology. Through sharp insight and compelling storytelling, he shows us that archaeology is as much about the adventure as it is about the discovery.

Dr. Richard W. Redding was a world-renowned researcher, professor, author, teacher, and a devoted humanitarian. He left those whose lives he touched with indelible memories of his inquisitive nature, astonishing intellect, and profound kindness and generosity. Dr. Redding received his bachelors, masters, and bi-departmental PhD in anthropological archaeology and biological sciences at the University of Michigan.  In addition to his devotion to the University of Michigan as a professor and as a research scientist at the Kelsey Museum establishing the Zooarchaeology Laboratory, Richard was a principal investigator on archaeological projects in North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. His investigations, excavations, and surveys focused on the origin of food production and the evolution of complex societies.
 

1: The Mythical Archaeologist
 
2: What is Archaeology and What Does an Archaeologist Do?
 
3: A Day in the Life
 
4: Food and Water
 
5: Noctzitlan, Mexico
 
6: Iran, the First Time
 
7: Back to Iran
 
8: A Side Trip to Kenya - 1973
 
9: Searching for Early Humans in the Tar Seeps of Iran – 1973, 1975, and 1976
 
10: The Fayum Depression, Egypt 1981
 
11: A Summer in Cairo and the Search for an Old Kingdom Site
 
12: An Old Kingdom Village in the Nile Delta, Egypt 1984, 1986, and 1988
 
13: Ancient Coptos
 
14: Georgia 1990
 
15: Going Home