Archaeology Of The Ear is a series of hour-long listening programmes exploring historic places and examining artifacts and narratives that have sonorous or musical stories to tell. Created by bass clarinettist and composer Chris Cundy, each programme involves a series of interviews with a range of historians, crafts people, subject experts, musicians and songwriters.

In this episode we hear from Cambridgeshire beekeeper and sound recordist Richard Youell about his experiences of listening to bees and we also contemplate the ancient cave paintings of the Iberian peninsula which show the very earliest depictions of a swarm. We also hear how bees have inspired popular songs and we hear a polyphonic setting by viola player Benedict Taylor. Narratives are read by Canadian singer Ladan Hussein (aka Cold Specks) and Mike Ward of the electronic music group Longstone who provide sonic interludes inspired by the humming of bees and the curious sound of their hives.