Eireann Marshall
Dr. Eireann Marshall is a guide with a scholar’s eye and a storyteller’s heart—an archaeologist who brings ancient places into sharp, human focus. Raised in Italy’s Veneto region and educated across the US, UK, and Italy, she offers a rare blend of academic insight and personal connection to the Mediterranean landscapes she knows so well.
Her Story
Her journey into the ancient world began at Barnard College, Columbia University, and deepened during her doctoral studies at the University of Exeter, where her PhD explored questions of ethnic identity in ancient Libya. Today, she is a Research Associate and Associate Lecturer at The Open University, with publications spanning North African archaeology, classical women’s history, and the lived experience of illness and death in the ancient world.
But Eireann’s approach is never purely academic. Having grown up in a 15th-century villa surrounded by Roman ruins and Renaissance charm, she developed an early and instinctive curiosity about the layers of human life beneath the surface of every place. On her tours, she asks not just “What happened here?” but “What did it feel like to live here?”—connecting stone, soil, and story in ways that are both intellectually rich and deeply personal.
She has led cultural and archaeological journeys throughout Italy, Sicily, Tunisia, and the wider Mediterranean—each tour marked by her bilingual fluency (English and Italian), her warmth, and her award-winning ability to make ancient worlds vivid and meaningful. (Wanderlust Magazine named her Top History & Culture Guide—a testament to her skill in crafting unforgettable experiences.)
Whether walking a Roman road, standing in a ruined forum, or watching the light change on a Venetian mosaic, Dr. Marshall offers more than a history lesson—she offers a conversation with the past. Her tours invite curiosity, reflection, and a lasting connection to the cultural roots of our world.
Tours Curated by Eireann Marshall
Rome & Pompeii: Echoes of an Empire
Step into history with this exclusive author-led tour by Eireann Marshall, a renowned expert in ancient Roman culture. From the monumental heart of Rome to the haunting ruins of Pompeii, she brings the past to life through vivid storytelling and deep insight.
Moments with Eireann Marshall
Intereviw with
Eireann Marshall
Can you share a bit about your background and what first drew you to archaeology?
I grew up in Somerset, where I accidentally dug up an old pottery fragment in my grandmother’s garden. It wasn’t ancient, but it sparked a lifelong fascination with the stories objects carry. I went on to study Classical Archaeology and Near Eastern History and have spent more than twenty years directing excavations and leading academic journeys across the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, and the Middle East.
You’ve worked on sites across regions and periods. What keeps you passionate about this field?
For me, archaeology is a human science. Every site—whether Roman, Byzantine, or Ottoman—reveals how people lived, built, believed, and adapted. Watching travellers connect emotionally or intellectually with a place is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. That moment when someone “sees” history come alive is incomparable.
How does your archaeological approach shape the travel experiences you design and lead?
I aim for complete immersion. Rather than simply viewing monuments, I help travellers understand their engineering, symbolism, and social function. We discuss how a site sounded, looked, and felt in antiquity. I also bring guests into the world of archaeological interpretation—showing what we know, what we debate, and what remains a mystery.
Is there a fieldwork memory you often share with your groups?
One of my favourites is from a dig in western Turkey, when a student uncovered a beautifully preserved terracotta figurine. She whispered, “I’m the first person to see this in over two thousand years.” That sense of connection across time is something I hope everyone experiences on a journey.
Many Creatour travellers are mature, well-educated, and eager for depth. How do you adapt your guiding to them?
I genuinely enjoy working with intellectually curious travellers. I approach each site as a dialogue rather than a lecture—encouraging questions, comparisons, and reflections. I’m also very careful with pacing; a well-designed program should feel enriching without being overwhelming.
What destinations or themes excite you the most right now?
I’m drawn to crossroads landscapes such as Anatolia and the Caucasus, where cultures and empires overlapped. These regions challenge linear historical narratives and offer extraordinary archaeological diversity. I’m also increasingly focused on heritage preservation and responsible cultural tourism.
What do you hope travellers take away from a journey with you?
A deeper sense of curiosity and connectedness. Archaeology reminds us that societies evolve, ideas travel, and human creativity is universal. If guests return home seeing the world—and themselves—with new perspective, the journey has done its job.