Dr Philip Boyes
@philipjboyes.bsky.social
Archaeologist and linguist working on the Bronze and Iron Age Levant. Research Associate with the VIEWS Project at the University of Cambridge. Formerly with the CREWS Project. Geek.
I was expecting to wake up this morning and see my timeline awash with reactions to that Sea Devil thing. Not one. I suspect that tells me everything I need to know.
(I was in bed at 6pm last night. Still not well.)
(I was in bed at 6pm last night. Still not well.)
December 7, 2025 at 10:02 AM
I was expecting to wake up this morning and see my timeline awash with reactions to that Sea Devil thing. Not one. I suspect that tells me everything I need to know.
(I was in bed at 6pm last night. Still not well.)
(I was in bed at 6pm last night. Still not well.)
The baby isn't quite old enough for real food and has no teeth, but that doesn't mean she won't stare intently at you while you eat, making chewing motions with her mouth and with big puppy-dog eyes because you're not sharing.
December 6, 2025 at 5:51 PM
The baby isn't quite old enough for real food and has no teeth, but that doesn't mean she won't stare intently at you while you eat, making chewing motions with her mouth and with big puppy-dog eyes because you're not sharing.
Strepsils for breakfast. Urrrrrgh.
Feel like I'm getting my second cold of the season. I blame the baby event we went to at the museum on Wednesday.
December 6, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Strepsils for breakfast. Urrrrrgh.
Doctor Who: The Masque of Mandragora (1976)
December 5, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Doctor Who: The Masque of Mandragora (1976)
Feel like I'm getting my second cold of the season. I blame the baby event we went to at the museum on Wednesday.
December 5, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Feel like I'm getting my second cold of the season. I blame the baby event we went to at the museum on Wednesday.
Reposted by Dr Philip Boyes
Obviously this is impossible because Alan Moore looks like he's genetically a wizard, it's simply impossible to imagine what he would look like as a schoolboy oh there he is.
Spot Alan Moore in his 6th form Northampton Grammar School photo, taken two days before he was expelled
December 2, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Obviously this is impossible because Alan Moore looks like he's genetically a wizard, it's simply impossible to imagine what he would look like as a schoolboy oh there he is.
Reposted by Dr Philip Boyes
I like that the Royal Mail parcel tracking says 'Item leaving Overseas'. That's only one step up from 'Item leaving Foreign'.
I don't like that there's no way to pre-pay the customs fee you know you're going to get and avoid the £12 handling fee.
I don't like that there's no way to pre-pay the customs fee you know you're going to get and avoid the £12 handling fee.
December 4, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I like that the Royal Mail parcel tracking says 'Item leaving Overseas'. That's only one step up from 'Item leaving Foreign'.
I don't like that there's no way to pre-pay the customs fee you know you're going to get and avoid the £12 handling fee.
I don't like that there's no way to pre-pay the customs fee you know you're going to get and avoid the £12 handling fee.
Pseudo-Lego advent calendar day 4. We've had 2 Black Falcons and one griffin knight. The Falcons were identical but I swapped out a few parts on the second one for a different look. The new shield is a sticker I made myself.
December 4, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Pseudo-Lego advent calendar day 4. We've had 2 Black Falcons and one griffin knight. The Falcons were identical but I swapped out a few parts on the second one for a different look. The new shield is a sticker I made myself.
I'm torn about that new Doctor Who season 21 box set. On the one hand, the extras look fantastic; on the other, even in the trailer the AI overuse is really offputting. Everyone looks like they're made of wax. Don't make me buy it and keep the old DVDs too!
December 4, 2025 at 1:15 PM
I'm torn about that new Doctor Who season 21 box set. On the one hand, the extras look fantastic; on the other, even in the trailer the AI overuse is really offputting. Everyone looks like they're made of wax. Don't make me buy it and keep the old DVDs too!
Reposted by Dr Philip Boyes
james cameron every couple of years for some reason:
December 2, 2025 at 7:05 AM
james cameron every couple of years for some reason:
I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole of looking at mediaeval hats yesterday, and I think it's a great shame there wasn't an early Troughton Doctor Who set in the 15th century. I should like a hat like that, indeed.
December 2, 2025 at 5:52 AM
I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole of looking at mediaeval hats yesterday, and I think it's a great shame there wasn't an early Troughton Doctor Who set in the 15th century. I should like a hat like that, indeed.
Pseudo-Lego minifigure advent calendar day 1. Surprisingly nice! An original design as far as I can tell, not a knock-off. The quality is good, there's more printing than I expected and the general style and level of detail is on par with a Lego one. It came with a skeleton head but I swapped it out
December 1, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Pseudo-Lego minifigure advent calendar day 1. Surprisingly nice! An original design as far as I can tell, not a knock-off. The quality is good, there's more printing than I expected and the general style and level of detail is on par with a Lego one. It came with a skeleton head but I swapped it out
Come to think of it, we're well on our way to a one-baby D&D party.
December 1, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Come to think of it, we're well on our way to a one-baby D&D party.
The baby's now just about big enough for my old baby poncho. She wears it better, it has to be said. Embracing her Chilean heritage!
December 1, 2025 at 5:13 PM
The baby's now just about big enough for my old baby poncho. She wears it better, it has to be said. Embracing her Chilean heritage!
I'm featured in this month's Blocks magazine! With a Lego model I made over a decade ago. They spelt my name wrong but I got a free contributor's copy so I'll forgive them. Incidentally my last Lego build featured in a magazine was also a ship - in Stingray comic about 35 years ago.
December 1, 2025 at 4:40 PM
I'm featured in this month's Blocks magazine! With a Lego model I made over a decade ago. They spelt my name wrong but I got a free contributor's copy so I'll forgive them. Incidentally my last Lego build featured in a magazine was also a ship - in Stingray comic about 35 years ago.
While compiling a handbook bibliography, I've had occasion to re-encounter the legendary 400-page book review that I had almost started to believe I had dreamt.
I'm not even criticising it. It's a useful piece of scholarship. I'm just in awe of the fact that such a thing exists and got published.
I'm not even criticising it. It's a useful piece of scholarship. I'm just in awe of the fact that such a thing exists and got published.
December 1, 2025 at 6:19 AM
While compiling a handbook bibliography, I've had occasion to re-encounter the legendary 400-page book review that I had almost started to believe I had dreamt.
I'm not even criticising it. It's a useful piece of scholarship. I'm just in awe of the fact that such a thing exists and got published.
I'm not even criticising it. It's a useful piece of scholarship. I'm just in awe of the fact that such a thing exists and got published.
Reposted by Dr Philip Boyes
Fucking idiot
December 1, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Fucking idiot
Reposted by Dr Philip Boyes
Part 2: youtu.be/u9E5wVUa_eg
Daleks' Master Plan - The Nightmare Begins Animation. Part 2
YouTube video by JanjyGiggins
youtu.be
November 13, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Part 2: youtu.be/u9E5wVUa_eg
Reposted by Dr Philip Boyes
I've spent the last 3 years animating episode 1 of the Daleks' Master Plan for its 60th anniversary today! Yes, we had a slight technical hitch when I realised I'd uploaded the wrong version of the file, but we're good now!
And you might want to keep watching to the very end..
youtu.be/2--OWFrTXUI
And you might want to keep watching to the very end..
youtu.be/2--OWFrTXUI
Daleks' Master Plan - The Nightmare Begins Animation. Part 1
YouTube video by JanjyGiggins
youtu.be
November 13, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I've spent the last 3 years animating episode 1 of the Daleks' Master Plan for its 60th anniversary today! Yes, we had a slight technical hitch when I realised I'd uploaded the wrong version of the file, but we're good now!
And you might want to keep watching to the very end..
youtu.be/2--OWFrTXUI
And you might want to keep watching to the very end..
youtu.be/2--OWFrTXUI
I finished watching the Underwater Menace animation yesterday. And sure, 'You're not turning me into a fish!', 'I could feed you to my pet octopus' and 'Nuffink in ze vorld can shtop me now!' get a lot of attention but I don't feel we talk enough about the Doctor's 'Oh dear, have I dropped a brick?'
November 30, 2025 at 6:24 PM
I finished watching the Underwater Menace animation yesterday. And sure, 'You're not turning me into a fish!', 'I could feed you to my pet octopus' and 'Nuffink in ze vorld can shtop me now!' get a lot of attention but I don't feel we talk enough about the Doctor's 'Oh dear, have I dropped a brick?'
What if she's not a Sea Devil at all. What if she's a Fish Person from Underwater Menace? Then the design would make so much more sense.
Just a week now until the start of a series that fans of colour grading are sure to love.
#DoctorWho
#TheWarBetweenTheLandAndTheSea
#WuBbLeS
#DoctorWho
#TheWarBetweenTheLandAndTheSea
#WuBbLeS
November 30, 2025 at 6:09 PM
What if she's not a Sea Devil at all. What if she's a Fish Person from Underwater Menace? Then the design would make so much more sense.
Was getting dressed to start my middle of the night work shift when I realised I had no memory of the alarm going off or of starting. Checked the time and it was about 2 hours early. I can only conclude that I began getting ready in my sleep and only actually woke up at the end.
November 28, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Was getting dressed to start my middle of the night work shift when I realised I had no memory of the alarm going off or of starting. Checked the time and it was about 2 hours early. I can only conclude that I began getting ready in my sleep and only actually woke up at the end.
Did a mock interview for a pupil from my old school who's applying to Cambridge. Told my mum and her response was 'I hope you were supportive', like she thinks I'm going to give up my time to do something like that just to trash their confidence or something.
November 28, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Did a mock interview for a pupil from my old school who's applying to Cambridge. Told my mum and her response was 'I hope you were supportive', like she thinks I'm going to give up my time to do something like that just to trash their confidence or something.
Bedtime got away from us a bit last night, and it started so well.
7 pm: Baby fell asleep instantly when I placed her in the cot.
10 pm: Baby is wide awake, not in bed and armed.
7 pm: Baby fell asleep instantly when I placed her in the cot.
10 pm: Baby is wide awake, not in bed and armed.
November 27, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Bedtime got away from us a bit last night, and it started so well.
7 pm: Baby fell asleep instantly when I placed her in the cot.
10 pm: Baby is wide awake, not in bed and armed.
7 pm: Baby fell asleep instantly when I placed her in the cot.
10 pm: Baby is wide awake, not in bed and armed.