Season 2

2014 · 7 episodes

The Great Pyramid, the statues of Easter Island, Blackbeard’s ship and other mysteries of our past are examined through the lens of modern science.

1Easter IslandThe stone giants of Easter Island are some of the most recognizable statues on Earth, and some of the least understood. Why were hundreds of these enormous figures built, and how? And what prompted the Islanders to topple all of them to the ground, save for one? To answer these questions, our team of experts gathers evidence on the island and pores over a centuries-old eyewitness account. They also use modern analysis to decipher the symbolic code cut into the last statue standing, a carving that reveals a story of extraordinary struggle.
2Great PyramidThe Great Pyramid of Giza is the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence and one of history's greatest mysteries. How was the 50-story monument built by a Bronze Age society with only simple hand tools at their disposal? Follow experts Mark Lehner and Peter James as they attempt to solve this puzzle, armed with a radical new approach and a 4,500-year-old diary that gives an eyewitness account of the monument's construction.
3NefertitiQueen Nefertiti was the most powerful woman in ancient Egypt. But few would know anything about her if it weren't for her statue, discovered in the Amarna Desert in 1912. She's since become a global icon... and a very controversial figure. Many believe the unearthing of her likeness was staged, and that the bust, currently insured for $400 million, is one of the greatest art frauds of all time. Follow our team of experts as they sort through the clues, visit the sites, and put the spectacular object to the test to solve this ancient secret.
4Ark of the CovenantIt's a wooden box, covered in gold, and topped with two winged figures. It also may be the most famous lost treasure in history. The Ark of the Covenant was built by the Israelites at God's command 3,000 years ago to hold the stone tablets with the original Ten Commandments. Most scholars believe it was destroyed 25 centuries ago, if it existed at all, but some Ethiopian religious leaders claim to know exactly where it is. What is the truth? Join the investigation as we attempt to uncover the secrets of the lost ark.
5Spear of DestinyThe Spear of Destiny pierced the side of Jesus, contains a nail from the crucifix, and magically brings victory to all that possess it... at least according to 1,000 years of myth-making. Can any of these claims possibly be true? Join the investigation as we scrutinize the historic weapon layer-by-layer, with the help of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and x-ray fluorescence technology. Will experts finally cut through the fiction and unlock the secrets of this powerful blade?
6Blackbeard's ShipBlackbeard's ship, "Queen Anne's Revenge", was once the most feared vessel ever to sail the high seas. In 1718, she sank off the North Carolina coast, bringing an end to her six-month reign of terror. Now, nautical archaeologists, historians, and scientists are studying the remains of a wreckage believed to be the infamous flagship. Follow their investigation as they comb through records and artifacts to answer a 300-year-old question: Was "Queen Anne's Revenge" the victim of an accident...or sabotage committed by Blackbeard himself?
7Great Wall of ChinaThe Great Wall of China is more than just a part of history, it's part of the world's geography, a sprawling, massive edifice of mud, reeds, and billions of bricks. But why did the Chinese go to such lengths to build it? And what secrets have enabled it to survive for over 2,000 years? We unravel its mysteries and rewrite its complex history through groundbreaking science and pioneering drone technology. This is how the wall was built, what its real purpose was, how it has survived multiple earthquakes and attacks, and how long it really runs.

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