An ancient bronze disk adorned with gold may contain the oldest images of the cosmos ever discovered; using new research and the latest tech, experts investigate if this artefact could be the work of a prehistoric astrologer. Is it just a decorative disc or is there some hidden meaning? A strange 11,000-year-old deer skull can have links to a British Atlantis.
An ancient piece of corroded metal is more than it seems: an alien-looking device of intricate dials and cogs; there are over 30 gears inside and some gears have up to 65 teeth on them. Using cutting-edge imaging technology, experts examine what could actually be a 2,000-year-old computer. How can an ancient Roman cup change colour? It's not an optical illusion. It really does change colour from red to green.
The Phaistos Disc is one of the greatest mysteries of the Bronze Age. A strange 3,000-year-old relic found in an ancient Minoan palace marked with enigmatic images that no one has ever managed to decode. But now, using cutting-edge technology, experts might finally reveal its secrets. How can this corroded scrap of metal change the history of a continent? And is this dead woman's face the most kissed in history?
The jeweled-encrusted pectoral of King Tut is a hieroglyphic artefact of stunning craftsmanship and one of the greatest treasures of the pharaohs. Was this ancient glass scarab in Tutankhamun's tomb created by forces from beyond our world? Using new research and the latest tech, experts confront the ancient mystery of its flawless glass scarab. Is a 4,000 year old clay tablet the original instruction manual for Noah's ark? And how can a bizarre red moon rock contain signs of life?
It's 79 AD and Mount Vesuvius is about to blow. In 24 hours time, the people of Pompeii and Herculaneum are going to die. They will be part of the death toll of one of the worst natural disasters in history. Starting with a forensic examination of their remains, Bettany Hughes pieces together the final 24 hours of their lives in incredible detail.
David Attenborough joins an archaeological dig uncovering Britain’s biggest mammoth discovery in almost 20 years. In 2017, in a gravel quarry near Swindon, two amateur fossil hunters found an extraordinary cache of Ice Age mammoth remains and a stone hand-axe made by a Neanderthal. Professor Ben Garrod joins the team at DigVentures during the excavation as they try to discover why the mammoths were here and how they died. Could the Neanderthals have killed these Ice Age giants?
A strange 11,000-year-old deer skull can have links to a British Atlantis.