Popular cinema loves to delve into the world of archaeology for fantastical storylines that tease our fascination with history and titillate our sense of discovery. But is archaeology similarly enamored with film and its portrayal of historical science? And if not, how can archaeology, and the rich historical information it gleans, be accurately presented to the general public?

University of Lethbridge associate professor Dr. Kevin McGeough (geography) has studied these questions in the past, researching the relationship between popular cinema and archaeology. Connecting with the general public is something that McGeough sees as a priority, and this manifests in another project on which he is working; editing The Intimate Lives of Ancient People series. Here, experts of various regions and time periods explore what they know of the close relationships between people in a variety of world cultures.

"To my mind, this type of public outreach is an important component of archaeological work and one that is often left to documentary filmmakers and journalists rather than the specialists themselves," says McGeough.

In this video, McGeough talks about his involvement with the University of Lethbridge, a relationship that started in kindergarten, and how important a role the University plays in the southern Alberta community.