Cat Jarman is a bioarchaeologist and field archaeologist, specializing in diet, migration, the Viking Age. She is also an author and public archaeologist focused on communicating history and archaeological methods to broad audiences on a variety of platforms, including books, TV, radio, podcasts, and social media. 

In her academic work, Jarman uses scientific methods to interrogate traditional historical narratives, especially in terms of migration, chronology, and diet, investigating those elements of past societies traditionally considered harder to reach – women, children, enslaved people, and regions that have received less attention in Western academic discourse. Jarman’s research is interdisciplinary, as she draws together collaborators in related but distinct disciplines.

Jarman is currently the editor of the Council for British Archaeology’s British Archaeology magazine and works as an historical consultant to museums and television productions. She is also leading a number of ongoing research excavations across England.

She is the author of two bestselling history books for general audiences and her work as a public historian includes presenting television documentaries and hosting history podcasts. She has worked in museums and libraries teaching languages and doing reading development and outreach, working with families and young children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Jarman is affiliated with the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo and the Cultural Heritage Institute at the Royal Agricultural University. She holds a degree in archaeology from the University of Bristol (2004), an MPhil in Archaeology from the University of Oslo (2012) and a PhD in Archaeology (2018) from the University of Bristol.