Ancient Mysteries

A look at the grave robbery that led to the discovery of the magnificent Royal Tombs of Peru, the richest burial site of golden artifacts known.

A look at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, which contains some of the earliest dwellings in North America, including the 19 towns of the Pueblo Indians.

Examines the efforts of scholars who have tried to discover which books of the Bible were written first and by whom.

Teotihuacan is a 2,000-year-old urban wonder. Claimed by Aztecs as the City of the Gods, it was not until the turn of this century that archaeologists realized that the city was not Aztec at all.

Does Shangri-La really exist or is it just fiction? This documentary takes viewers to remote parts of China, Nepal, and Tibet in search of the fabled utopia.

A fascinating exploration of the amazing tens of thousands of mounds left behind by the people of Cahokia, an ancient city in North America. The huge structures include temple, platform, and effigy mounds.

Explores the fascinating and foreboding site of the ancient temple city of Palenque; and, investigates the possibility that children were sacrificed to honor the Lord Pacal, king of the Mayans.

Do the movements of the stars and planets really hold the secrets of human destiny?

Were King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table fictional characters or real people? This fascinating hour takes viewers on a magical quest through England and Wales in search of clues.

A fascinating profile of Hatshepsut, who became female pharaoh of Egypt 3,000 years ago. The males who followed her reign did everything in their power to obliterate her name from history.

A look inside the sacred walls of the Temples of Karnak and Luxor--the site of ancient Egyptian secret societies, priests, scholars and scribes.

A look at China's amazing Forbidden City, which was built in the 15th century by over one million laborers and was the home of 24 emperors.

A two-hour exploration of the myths and realities of voodoo. Includes a look at the sources of voodoo in ancient African religion, current day practitioners, and the startling phenomenon of possession.

How did the Egyptians create mummies that lasted for 4,000 years? Why did Hindu widows throw themselves into their husbands' funeral pyres?

Looks at the mysterious disappearance of the wooden castles that once were the most dominant fortifications of the Middle Ages, with a focus on the ancient castles of England.

Why does the legend of Troy still intrigue after more than 3,000 years? Scholars attempt to answer this question by researching Homer's texts and comparing against archaeological sites.

A fascinating portrait of the most fearsome ancient people in Europe, The Celts.

Carved into the bedrock, there lies a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers constructed for the dead. Pagans, Christians, and Jews were entombed here for 300 years. But then the city of the dead was sealed off and forgotten for ten centuries.

An exploration of the mysterious seers of the past and their amazingly accurate predictions. Includes an account of the Titanic disaster written 16 years before it occurred.

Search for evidence that Norsemen discovered the New World 500 years before Christopher Columbus, trace the explorations of Leif Ericson, and examine clues about the Vikings' travels.

Explores the ancient belief in vampires in many different cultures worldwide, and reveals the startling truth behind our deepest fears of the undead.

A look at the Parthenon, Acropolis, and the Agora. Pericles, herald of the Golden Age, commissioned tremendous monuments dedicated to Athena, protectress of the city.

A look at age-old rites around the globe. Includes a visit to Singapore, where Hindus pierce their bodies with dozens of rods, and New Guinea, where boys must go through a bloody ritual of manhood.