Before 1492 A.D.
The Greek myths are filled with magical tales of transformation and legions of gods and heroes. But perhaps the most compelling stories are those of creatures like the one eyed cyclops and the ferocious half-lion half-eagle known as the griffin. Ancient Monster Hunters follows a group of paleontologists as they explore newly translated evidence and examine remains that just may have inspired tales of these legendary monsters.
As the world approaches the 21st centurythis new series hosted by Michael Woods and produced in 1991, reminds us that other nations and cultures prospered for hundreds or even thousands of years. Now all that remains is the legacy of their civilizations, present and influential in our own. Shot on location on four continents, Legacy takes a different viewpoint from other series that concentrate primarily on the the Western view of history. Visiting China, India, Egypt, the Middle East, Greece and Meso-America, this series traces the rise of both Asian and western civilization. Iraq The Cradle of Civilization – After thousands of years as a hunter/gatherer, man built the first cities 5,000 years ago on the banks of the Euphrates in Southern Iraq. Civilization began. City life transformed the human race with the glorious cultures of Mesopotamia such as Ur and Babylon.
Horizon puts Graham Hancock’s controversial theories about the past to the testdissecting his evidence for a lost civilization. Although scientists believe they have categorically disproved the myth of Atlantis, the idea is more popular now than ever before. Graham Hancock offers various pieces of evidence to support his theory. He claims that the mysterious lost civilization left its mark in ancient monuments, which he calculates were built to mirror certain constellations of stars. Horizon journeys across the world to examine Hancock’s evidence for a lost civilization and puts his theory to the test. In a film full of contentious debate and powerful arguments, Graham Hancock’s claims are pitted against cutting edge scientific analysis to discover whether his popular theory could be true.
From the dawn of civilization to the 20th centuryA History of Britain re-animates familiar tales and illuminates overlooked aspects of England’s past. Hosted by Simon Schama, this series discards timelines and tiresome lineages for a lively look at the personalities and cultures that infuse British history. Epic themes and towering figures that transformed an island at the edge of the world into the greatest empire on earth. Episode 1 Beginnings – Covering the period 3100 BC – 1000 AD starts in the stone age village of Skara BraeOrkney. Over the next four thousand years Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Danes, and Christian missionaries arrive, fight, settle and leave their mark on what will become the nations of Britain.
As the world approaches the 21st centurythis new series hosted by Michael Woods and produced in 1991, reminds us that other nations and cultures prospered for hundreds or even thousands of years. Now all that remains is the legacy of their civilizations, present and influential in our own. Shot on location on four continents, Legacy takes a different viewpoint from other series that concentrate primarily on the the Western view of history. Visiting China, India, Egypt, the Middle East, Greece and Meso-America, this series traces the rise of both Asian and western civilization. Egypt The Habit of Civilization – Ancient Egypt was the first great nation on earth and endured for thousands of years. The god like Pharaoh was the rock on which this civilization was built. Ancient traditions come together in the Moslem culture that is the Middle East today.
Historian Michael Wood returns to his first great lovethe Anglo-Saxon world, to reveal the origins of our literary heritage. Focusing on Beowulf and drawing on other Anglo-Saxon classics, he traces the birth of English poetry back to the Dark Ages. traveling across the British Isles from East Anglia to Scotland and with the help of Nobel prize winning poet Seamus Heaney, actor Julian Glover, local historians and enthusiasts, he brings the story and language of this iconic poem to life.
Throughout the agescivilizations have risen up and then disappeared. Traditionally, the disappearance of certain ancient civilizations has been left to the theologians and historians to explain. Now scientists have entered the fray. In this series geologists, archaeologists and climatologists explain their findings. Ancient Apocalypse seeks to explain how human achievements were destroyed by the forces of nature. Episode Mysteries of the Minoans – A look at how the Minoan civilization, situated on the Mediterranean island of Crete, was wiped out 3,500 years ago by a volcanic eruption on the nearby island of Thira.
After thousands of years of debate and question this series explores many of the greatest tales of Scripture. Filmed on location throughout the Holy Land and utilizing modern scientific techniques and newly found archaeological discoveries Mysteries of the Bible reveals surprising facts and theories behind the legendary figures and fabled stories of the Bible. The acclaimed A and E series Mysteries of the Bible provide a wealth of astonishing discoveries and unforgettable revelations. Biblical Angels – They are quiet figures at the center of some of the Bibles most miraculous moments. They steeled David against Goliath warned Abraham of Sodoms destruction and freed Peter from jail. But while the work of angels has long stirred popular imagination wonder and debate cloud the details of their holy purpose. What do the Scriptures tell us about them? Are they messengers from Heaven? What do they look like? Do they continue to guide and help us today? And what happened to the fallen angels? This extraordinary program searches for clues in the stories of the Bibles heavenly spirits from the archangels Michael and Gabriel to the ethereal forms that announced Christs birth and resurrection.
The Queen of Sheba is one of the most alluring names in historysynonymous with the exotic and erotic, but until now her real story has remained elusive. Who was she? Did she have a child by King Solomon of Israel? And how did her nation grow so powerful, only to vanish beneath the sands of time? Produced to accompany a major British Museum exhibition, the film gained exclusive access to the excavation of the Queen of Sheba’s temple in the arid heartland of Yemen, to unveil the enigmatic riddle of this mysterious queen.
Join Monty Python’s Terry Jones on a tour of the ingenuity of our ancestors. Take a humorous yet factual look at inventions we think of as unique to modern times when really they have been around for centuries and many even longer. Some of the amazing discoveries include: automatic doorsfirst designed over 2000 years ago, accurate pregnancy tests, a regular feature of ancient Babylon, and tanks, actually devised by the Assyrians in 8 B.C. Clearly the ancient world was every bit as inventive as our own. Episode City Life – It took Christopher Columbus over eight weeks to cross the Atlantic. Nowadays, we can do it in less than eight hours in a jumbo jet. What would Columbus or Archimedes have made of it? Well, it doesn’t mean they were less intelligent than you or me. They were probably more intelligent. And maybe all this progress that modern man seems to be making is partly an illusion. Perhaps there are even things we can learn from the science and technology of ancient times. Take the city, for example. Cities seem so much the product of modern technology and yet, in fact, they are one of the most ancient of all inventions.
This is your ticket for a remarkable journey back in time. The Secrets of Ancient Empires collection takes you back many thousands of years to the mysterious days of antiquity. Featuring location footagestunning reconstructions and re-creations these programs provide a superb record of the very roots of today’s civilization and society. Episode 4 The First Armies – evolving civilization prompted the creation of organized military forces meant to protect communities. Making the most of available archival materials and artifacts, expert interviews and reenactments of important events, The First Armies re-creates military life as it was in ancient times. It tells the powerful story of the origins of organized warfare.
Stonehenge is one of the most mysterious prehistoric sites known to us and for centuries its purpose has been the source of intense speculation. Now in our ground breaking specialBritish archaeologist Professor Mike Parker Pearson unearths surprising evidence supporting a radical new vision of Stonehenge. His theory suggests that the stone circle was at the centre of one of the largest prehistoric religious complexes in the world. Parker Pearson and his team uncover the first evidence of a 4,500 year old lost settlement with at least 300 houses, it is the largest Stone Age settlement ever found in northern Europe. At its centre lie the remains of a near replica of Stonehenge built of wood. He believes that Stonehenge was built to house the spirits of the dead while the wood circle represented the living. Further evidence suggests thousands of people gathered here at the summer and winter solstices. Through CGI, dramatic recreations and narration by Donald Sutherland, we transport you to the prehistoric world of Stonehenge and provide startling revelations about this archaeological mystery.
Join Monty Python’s Terry Jones on a tour of the ingenuity of our ancestors. Take a humorous yet factual look at inventions we think of as unique to modern times when really they have been around for centuries and many even longer. Some of the amazing discoveries include: automatic doorsfirst designed over 2000 years ago, accurate pregnancy tests, a regular feature of ancient Babylon, and tanks, actually devised by the Assyrians in 8 B.C. Clearly the ancient world was every bit as inventive as our own. Episode War and Conflict – Julius Caesar never used a mobile phone, Socrates never consulted a digital watch, and Alexander the Great never flushed the lavatory. But that doesn’t mean they were stupid. Archeologists tell us the human brain is the same size now as it was 60,000 years ago, and our ancestors were every bit as intelligent as we are today, so we shouldn’t assume that the scientists and inventors of the past have nothing to teach us. In fact, when it comes to weapon’s technology none of it is as new as we think it is. Guided missiles, flame throwers, chemical weapons, tanks, even the theory of the atom bomb, they’re all ancient inventions.
The story of the number one is the story of Western civilization. Terry Jones goes on a humor filled journey to recount the amazing tale behind the world’s simplest number. Using computer graphics One is brought to lifein all his various guises, in Story of 1. One’s story reveals how celebrated civilizations in history were achieved, where our modern numbers came from and how the invention of zero changed the world forever, and saved us from having to use Roman numerals today.
Each half hour episode looks at a major fighting people or force and charts the reasons for their rise to dominance and subsequent fall. The show explores the motivations of ancient soldiersas well as how they lived, fought, trained, died, and changed the world. It also uses battle re-enactments and computer graphics to demonstrate military strategy. This series from the Discovery Channel is especially good for the lesser known groups of warriors. Episode 6 Soldiers of the Pharaoh – Hieroglyphics depict Egyptian chariots. In the 17th century B.C. the ancient kingdom of Egypt was suddenly overthrown. Unexpectedly from the region to the east invaders from an obscure race marched in confidence across our land. They burned our cities ruthlessly raised to the ground the temples of the gods and treated all the natives with cruel hostility. Humiliated by the defeat the Egyptian Pharaoh vowed to reclaim his country. Out of the desert sprang an army of warriors burning with vengeance.
The world’s largest democracy and a rising economic giantIndia is now as well known across the globe for its mastery of computer technology as it is for its many armed gods and its famous spiritual traditions. But India is also the world’s most ancient surviving civilization, with unbroken continuity back into prehistory. Like other great civilizations – Greece or Egypt for example, over the millennia it has enjoyed not just one but several brilliant golden ages in art and culture. Episode 1 Beginnings – Through ancient manuscripts and oral tales Wood charts the first human migrations out of Africa. He travels from the tropical backwaters of South India through lost ancient cities in Pakistan to the vibrant landscapes of the Ganges plain. Wood also attempts to re-create soma, an ancient drink recorded in the Rig Veda.
LuciferBeelzebub, The Beast, Satan. He has been called many names and taken many strange different forms over the ages. So where does the concept of the traditional evil come from? The History of the Devil goes back to the ancient Middle East, even before the Old Testament to find the roots of Satan. In Zoroastrianism it was believed that the all knowing good God was Ahura Mazda, the one Uncreated, Creator, and Ahriman was his antithesis, the God of chaos, the dark and evil one.
Ancient X Files travels around the world to solve some intriguing riddles. Each story is a piece of detective work by an expert trying to make sense of some puzzling ancient artifactto find the truth behind some extraordinary legend, to discover the origins of a bizarre myth or to establish the authenticity of a venerated religious relic. Join intrepid investigators as they delve into some of mankind’s most enduring mysteries. Episode Philosophers Stone the Lost Ark – Examining the medieval myth of the Philosopher’s Stone, a Holy Grail-type relic which supposedly held the key to alchemy and immortality. Many noted alchemists and adventurers searched obsessively for the artefact hoping to learn its powerful secrets, a quest which allegedly drove some to madness and others to celestial encounters. It’s one of the most coveted artefacts of the Bible: a gold-encrusted chest containing the Ten Commandments. Can modern scholarship explain the awful powers of the Ark of the Covenant and tell us how it vanished and where it is today?
Time Life’s Lost Civilizations combines cutting edge digital effects technology (for 1995) with powerful dramatization. Dazzling spectacles re-create rituals and events original location cinematography in 25 countries. Computer graphics make lost worlds live again! Episode 2 Ancient Egypt Quest For Immortality – Discover the enduring legacy of the pharaohs in the magnificent riches of their tombs and among the fragile relics of their mummies. Explore the ancient Egyptians’ fascination with death and their quest for immortality.
Based on the best selling book by Karen ArmstrongA History of God descents into the ancient roots of Abrahamic religions and analyses today’s three major monotheistic religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This searching, profound comparative history of the three major monotheistic faiths fearlessly illuminates the sociopolitical ground in which religious ideas take root, blossom and mutate. Armstrong also acknowledges that the idea of a personal God can be dangerous, encouraging us to judge, condemn and marginalize others.
Britain BC – seeks to change our view of the way British civilization had developed prior to Roman arrival and to restore some of the knowledge we have lost about our thrivingpre-Roman, purely British civilization. Dr. Francis Pryor’s mission is to show us how British civilization was flourishing long before the Roman Legions invaded our shores. Our history books tell us that the island was a land of wild savages speaking strange languages, performing barbaric rituals and with no real civilization of the population having taken place. Debunks this notion with some interesting archaeological finds, and shows us how an independent, civilised and deeply spiritual nation had been developing for over 10,000 years before the Romans took over.
Time Life’s Lost Civilizations combines cutting edge digital effects technology (for 1995) with powerful dramatization. Dazzling spectacles re-create rituals and events original location cinematography in 25 countries. Computer graphics make lost worlds live again! Episode 3 Aegean Legacy of Atlantis – Follow the trail of clues that lead from the ancient myths of the Aegean world to their real life counterparts. Experience the lives of the legendary heroes as they are rediscovered in the ruins of this ancient Mediterranean world.
Searching for traces of a mysterious age. Could a sword with magical powers really have existed? Was there really a camelot? Who was King Arthur and the knights of the round table? Where was the legendary grail castle located? The first step in the journey for the holy grail brings us into the mysterious world of the celts. They came to europe from the east. With them they brought their culture rituals and tradition of burying a prince with his belongings as a gift to the gods. The celts believed in resurrection of the dead. A relief on a bronze vessel from the 1st century B.C. shows a prince placing dead warriors into huge drinking vessels to bring them back to life. This documentary argues the celtic magic vessel as the origin of the medieval holy grail story.
Britain BC – seeks to change our view of the way British civilization had developed prior to Roman arrival and to restore some of the knowledge we have lost about our thrivingpre-Roman, purely British civilization. Dr. Francis Pryor’s mission is to show us how British civilization was flourishing long before the Roman Legions invaded our shores. Our history books tell us that the island was a land of wild savages speaking strange languages, performing barbaric rituals and with no real civilization of the population having taken place. Debunks this notion with some interesting archaeological finds, and shows us how an independent, civilised and deeply spiritual nation had been developing for over 10,000 years before the Romans took over.
Time Life’s Lost Civilizations combines cutting edge digital effects technology (for 1995) with powerful dramatization. Dazzling spectacles re-create rituals and events original location cinematography in 25 countries. Computer graphics make lost worlds live again! Episode 5 China Dynasties Of Power – Witness the glory of ancient China’s greatest rulers and the secrets of their giant tombs. Learn the ruthless military tactics and weapons technology of these all powerful rulers and discover how the building of the Great Wall would unify that nation.
Over three thousand years ago legend has it that Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s first female pharaoh, sent a fleet of ships to the wonderful, distant land of Punt. A bas-relief in the temple where she is entombed in Luxor shows them bringing back extraordinary treasures. But did this expedition really happen? And if it did, where exactly is the land of Punt?
They were built by the ancients in the time before Christ to a scale that is unbelievable. They dared their creators to push engineering to new heights which still astound us today. Architecture and sculpture continue to stand in the shadow of their genius. Now by revealing the secrets of the past we can unlock the mysteries of their construction which earn them the highest distinction as the seven wonders of the ancient world. Episode 2 PyramidGardens, Rhodes and Lighthouse – The rough appearance of the great pyramid masks the precision of its construction it remains the most accurately built stone structure on earth. With only geometry and rope to help them it is baffling how they created a perfect square. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built high above ground displaying their color in a middle of a desert. The ancient gardeners had a great knowledge of horticulture but what plants were they able to grow in the hanging gardens? Some scholars doubt whether they could have existed at all. The Island of Rhodes was attacked by Antigones, against all odds the Rhodians defeated Antigones and his huge fleet and celebrated by building a giant bronze statue of their savior, the sun god Helios, the Collosus of Rhodes. The last of the seven ancient wonders was built in Alexandria it was the worlds first metropolis and its world wonder, the Pharos, was the first skyscraper. it was a lighthouse standing over 400 feet high and it expressed the power, control and prestige of the Ptolemic dynasty.
Through the lens of modern science the grave has become a window on the past. Today we can learn intimate detail about how the ancients lived and how they died. Bit by bit their portraits emerge from flesh bones and DNA. The unearthing of the past reveals the tangled roots ofvour family tree. But some see only the desecration of our ancestors. Through this documentary listen to the voices of the dead. Ancient human grave sites speak volumes to those who listen. These haunting human time capsules have been uncovered all over the world. Some even reach a certain level of fameThe Ampato maiden sacrificed on an Andes peak. The Alpine Ice Man, the oldest frozen mummy ever found. England’s 9,000 year old Cheddar Man. Others’ stories are known only to the ages, like a cache of elaborately adorned 7,000 year old mummies unearthed in Chile, and the thousands of Egyptian mummies actually burned as train fuel in the 19th century. Modern science now allows us to explore these human treasures without destroying them, and connects us all to the secrets of the ancient dead.
It is the most legendary war in history. It begins with a beauty contest and ends with a giant horse unleashing destruction and annihilation. A tale so powerful it inspires 3,000 years of myth and legend. It is a story of armies divided, stolen treasure, an ancient world trade center, and a war without end. Now archaeologists, literary detectives and military analysts are uncovering evidence that the mythological city destroyed by beauty and vengeance, may be real. This is the true story of troy. For thousands of years fortune seekers and archaeologists have been searching these shores for evidence of the Trojan war and now some say they have found it. In turkey an international team is excavating what they believe to be the site of legendary Troy.
Decoding the Past is a series that decodes the past by looking for unusualparanormal, and mysterious things written about throughout history that may give clues as to what will happen in the future. Episode Bible Code 2 Apocalypse and Beyond – continues discussion of Bible codes began in previous episode.
