Ancient Civilizations

For the first time in 70 years, archaeologists have uncovered new areas of ancient Pompeii. With exclusive access to the dig, see how the latest artifacts and DNA science are changing history and discover the real stories of what happened to the unfortunate souls who didn’t escape the city gates.

Over the past few decades, significant discoveries have been made on the very site where the pyramids were built. Authentic archaeological experiments have been filmed in real-time, revealing ancient techniques and methods, unlocking certain secrets of these ancient great builders.

The story of humans is often driven by events from the prehistoric past. How did physics, geology, biology, chemistry shape our history?

Examining the most incredible architectural constructions of antiquity, those that inspired our engineers and helped build the modern world.

Three centuries after the first discoveries, Egypt still reveals new buried treasures, and its inexhaustible myths continue to exist.

Nearly a century after the discovery of King Tut's tomb, archaeologists uncover the lost city of Luxor revealing new details about life in the Golden Era of ancient Egypt.

An exclusive series on the brand-new discoveries made by renowned Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass in Saqqara.

On a faraway island ruled by giant dragons since prehistoric times, archaeologists uncover the tiny remains of ancient humans and ignite fierce controversy. These fossils reveal a long-lost world and a spellbinding chapter of human evolution: the life and times of Homo floresiensis, the Hobbits.

The Celts. A society that thrived over 2000 years ago and continues to fascinate us today. In this series, we uncover their untold story.

Druids, the mysterious wizards of the Celts, have always fascinated the world. They are an integral part of ancient literature, as heroes of Irish legends and stars of modern fantasy worlds. But who were they really?

Modern science reveals the environmental forces that have shaped human history

Their ships plied the seas and rivers of half the globe. They were bloodthirsty warriors and fine craftsmen. They were the Vikings.

Gjellestad, Norway. Archaeologists made the discovery of a lifetime: a 20-meter-long, 1200-year-old Viking funeral ship. Who is hiding in the grave? Is Gjellestad one of the oldest Viking settlements? What can this coffin tell us about the daily lives, beliefs, and traditions of the Vikings?

A fascinating look at how modern day structures and engineering technologies have been inspired by ancient discoveries.

Cleopatra may be the most famous ancient monarch, but she is only one in a long line of Egyptian queens, spanning 3,000 years of history.

Who were the Celts? Mystical druids from the British Isles, or gruesome, barbaric warriors? Evidence in the European Alps shows that they were an advanced, 3,000-year-old civilization. Now, another Celtic puzzle inside an ancient tomb: the mysterious remains of an aristocratic woman and two men.

Beneath the volcanic pumice and ash that buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii nearly 2,000 years ago, Italian archaeologists have uncovered a modern city street—complete with "fast food" roadside taverns—and a chariot that some call the "Lamborghini of the ancient world."

This series explores three cities that today are home to the vestiges of the industrious Roman civilization.

Go behind the scenes with archaeologists, architects and historians as they collaborate to restore Rome's Colosseum.

A historical and scientific investigation into a priceless archaeological relic: a mysterious mummified hand that could be the last remains of ancient Egypt’s legendary queen.

An unprecedented archaeological discovery of hundreds of sacrificed children in Peru unlocks the secrets of one of the most powerful and mysterious civilizations in South American history.

The Egtved Girl was a Nordic Bronze Age girl whose well-preserved remains were discovered outside Egtved, Denmark in 1921. For the first time, scientists have successfully tracked the migrations of a pre-historic being and we can accompany her during the last 15 months of life. Who was this girl?

International scientists use the latest archaeological technology to scan the Nile river. What secrets will they find?

Homicide detective Rod Demery and scientist Professor Turi King investigate history’s most intriguing murders to find long-lost killers.

This immense embroidery of nearly 70 meters recounts the invasion of the Kingdom of England in 1066 by William, Duke of Normandy. It traces an unparalleled odyssey through a period of major upheavals in History: the end of the Vikings and the beginning of the Knights and the feudal system in Europe.

The Roman Empire was built by engineers: from the roads and bridges that let its legions conquer half the world, to the aqueducts that brought water to millions of subjects, to the mighty Coliseum, which still stands as a monument to the glory of Rome.

This is the extraordinary story of how silver shaped the history of our world, from the 16th century to the present day.

State-of-the-art technology meets archaeology! This 4-part series will shed light on the past with a level of detail never seen before.

Take a deep dive into the great armed conflicts that made the Normans one of the world’s most powerful dynasties.

Once considered to be the poorest region of the Soviet Union, Turkmenistan is one of the most closed-off countries in the world. Today, oil and gas have made the country wealthy.

In ancient Mesopotamia, engineers made the bricks that built the first cities—and founded civilizations. While Europe was in the Dark Ages, the Middle East became home to the Golden Age of Islamic tech and architecture.

The Ancient Egyptians built canals and irrigation systems to harness the Nile’s life-giving waters, allowing them not just to survive but to thrive in the desert—ultimately producing the glory of the pyramids and the golden treasures of the Pharaohs.

Crusading knights and Ottoman armies battle for control of four of the medieval world’s greatest fortresses.

China has been at the forefront of engineering for centuries. From the Great Wall that defined and protected its borders, to crossbows, clocks, and gunpowder, its engineers left a legacy that still resonates today.

From ancient caves and catacombs in Israel and Italy, to enigmatic passages in the gospels, evidence shows that Jesus had 12 female disciples who also played a critical role in the birth of Christianity. These indispensable women preached, healed, baptized and even bankrolled the movement.

Travel back in time to the dawn of democracy and the birthplace of Western Civilization. Through modern archaeology, scientists uncover the secrets of one of the world's most enlightened societies: Ancient Greece. Nia Vardalos narrates.

Just because a mystery is 4,500 years old doesn't mean it can't be solved. Scientists are on a mission to "see through" the Great Pyramid of Giza and determine, without moving or destroying a single stone, if there are hidden chambers and passages inside. What will they find?