Since 1884, Bigfoot has provoked controversy within the scientific community as the most-sighted mythical beast in the world. Is he real, or merely a popular legend passed through the generations? Ve…

Exploring the myths and legends surrounding vampires, the “immortal monsters that prey on the living and survive by drinking [blood].”

One of the holiest relics on earth, the Ark of the Covenant is the symbol of the agreement of faith made between God and the Israelites. The Ark is said to contain the tablets of the Ten Commandments,…

A 1980 Canadian documentary on Pharaoh Akhenaten and the archaeological detective work that shed light on his reign. Akhenaten ruled for 17 years in the 14th century B.C.; his successor was his son-in…

A chronicle of Charles Fellows' archaeological excavation of Xanthos and other Lycian cities in Asia Minor.

"The Northern Lights," a documentary exploring scientific findings on the aurora borealis. Also, how an auroral display can affect power lines and radio waves; past theories on the phenomenon.

The "Enigma of the Dead Sea Scrolls," which contain most of the books of the Old Testament. Included: the accidental discovery of the scrolls in 1947 and subsequent findings; interviews with archaeolo…

A look at the making of "Rapa Nui," which speculates on the native inhabitants of Easter Island, who built strange giant statues before the Dutch arrived in 1722.

"The Odyssey of Troy" seeks evidence of historical accuracy in Homer's account of the Trojan War in the 13th century B.C. Included: a recap of archaeological digs on the Trojan Plain of northwestern T…

The Shroud of Turin, long thought to be Jesus Christ's burial garment, has inspired the faithful for centuries. But one very important question remains is it authentic, or merely a medieval forgery? S…

A report on the mystery surrounding the Shroud of Turin, thought by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus. Scientists in three countries investigating the shroud's authenticity are observed using carbo…

Tracing the rise and fall of Knights Templars, a religious-military order that fought for Christ during the 12th and 13th centuries, according to narrator Henry Lincoln. Included: a look at their acti…

Examining the Upuaut project, in which robotic cameras explored the Great Pyramid of Cheops. Included: comments from writers Robert Bauval and Adrian Gilbert (“The Orion Project”), and Emma Freud.

An examination of the Catholic Church's orthodoxy court asserts that it was a victim of a Protestant "propaganda campaign." Included: interviews with historians; excerpts from silent films; a Monty Py…

A report on the ongoing search for the Loch Ness monster examines eyewitness accounts and scientific evidence. Included: footage of Nessie (maybe); sonar readings; an uncovered hoax.

"Easter Island: The Secrets" offers theories concerning the origin of the ancient stone statues that populate the island, who carved them, and why.

It remained hidden behind walls of sheer rock for more than 2,000 years. In 1812, Johann Burckhardt ventured into the Jordanian desert and discovered hundreds of structures stretching for miles along …

Palenque was a Maya city state in southern Mexico that flourished in the 7th century.

The court of King Arthur, Camelot was at the center of a world of magic and honor. But what lies behind this captivating legend?

The exploits of Eric the Red. The legend of Leif Ericson. The struggle for power the bond of a family and the courage to sail beyond a dark and dangerous ocean. Guided by their hopes the explorers of …

The structure of Machu Picchu, originally built by the Incas, is one of the most archaeologically stunning mysteries of the past. However, even today we are still unsure what its purpose was. Was it a…

It is one of the most puzzling tales to come out of the European Age of Discovery. And yet, the alleged search for the Fountain of Youth by Spanish explorer Ponce de León was almost certainly influenc…

The history of the timber castles that once populated medieval England, but are only mounds of earth today.

Explore some of the most intriguing archaeological sites on earth - the puzzling pre-historic mounds built by the ancient residents of North America.

A tale told through the centuries of a lost, hidden civilization that lives in an euphoric state of peace and harmony enclosed by impassable mountains.

An investigation of the origins of Stonehenge, the prehistoric megaliths on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, believed to have been erected during the Neolithic period (circa 2000 B.C.).

It was a myth first told by Plato in the late 4th century B.C. - a dramatic tale of a powerful civilization living on an island that one day mysteriously disappeared underneath the rolling waves of th…

Efforts to locate the remains of Alexander the Great. Included: the discovery of treasures in northern Greece that appear to have belonged to his father, Phillip II of Macedonia.

The Maya temple city of Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico, abandoned by the Mayans around 835 A.D., is explored. Included: the Temple of Inscriptions, a sarcophagus, and the great Palace.

Examination of the sophisticated system of housing built by the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon over 1,000 years ago.

An examination of the Celts, whose culture reached its zenith in Europe between the 5th and 1st centuries B.C. Included: their artwork, religious practices and fighting tactics.

A look at British theater in the Elizabethan age.

A Roman soldier takes his spear and pierces the side of Christ as he hangs on a crucifix. Thus, the legend of the Holy Lance is born. Relics associated with the life of Christ have inspired awe and ob…

A look at the first Olympic competitions in Greece, circa 776 B.C.

The ancient city of Ostia, Italy, used at one time as the port of Rome, from its founding by Ancus Marcius (641-616 B.C.) to its eventual decline and abandonment over a 1600-year period.

"The Miraculous Canals of Venice" looks into why - and how - Venetians built their city on 120 islands in the Adriatic. The city was first settled in the 5th century by people fleeing invading barbari…

“Blood and Treasure in Peru” chronicles the discovery - by grave robbers - of the royal tombs of Sipan, a treasure trove of artifacts produced about A..D. 400, and the find's effect on the internation…

Two-thousand years ago, Rome was an all-powerful empire and Pompeii was one of its prosperous provincial towns - until Mount Vesuvius exploded in the largest eruption ever recorded. In a matter of hou…

Speculation on why the Roman emperor Hadrian constructed a wall along the empire's British frontier in the 2nd century. The wall (and accompanying fortifications) was built between A.D.122 and 136, an…

An examination of the 19 Pueblo towns located in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon, believed to be some of the earliest dwellings in North America. Included: a history of the Pueblo tribe.

An examination of the pyramids in the Mexican city of Teotihuacan. Also: the Temple of the Feathered Spirit and the Avenue of the Dead.

For thousands of years, the rich history of ancient Egypt was sealed off from the world, a mystery obscured by the pictorial language of hieroglyphics. But in 1799, the breakthrough needed to decipher…

The mysterious gravesite of an ancient Chinese emperor, who had an "army" of 7000 terra cotta statues built around the tomb to guard it against intruders.

Are the secrets truly written in the heavens, or is the ancient practice of astrology further evidence of mankind's need to seek fate and meaning beyond the "real" world?

A profile of Egypt's Queen Hatshepsut attempts to explain why the male rulers who followed her tried to erase her name from history, despite her leadership on the battlefield and in government.

An examination of the Kamasutra, the Hindu text that details "the delights of the human sexual experience," focuses on its religious origins and whether it is sacred or profane. Included: comments fro…

For 500 years, China's Forbidden City was a sacred site of power, passion, and perversity. Conceived in a dream and doomed by a curse, the magnificent 15th-century architectural marvel remains shroude…

They stand today as testaments to the glory and grandeur of ancient Rome. But what brutal and murderous price was paid to build and maintain these imperial monuments? The celebrated Roman monuments w…

A visit to the ruins of the imperial city of Angkor in Cambodia, built over 75 square miles between the 9th and 12th centuries. Angkor's landmark was Angkor Wat, a temple to the Hindu god Vishnu. At i…

“Lost Legions of Rome” explores the efficacy and the legacy of Rome's military machine, which was sometimes more powerful than the emperors it was supposed to serve. Examined: the Roman army's conques…

A survey of voodoo, an amalgam of African religions and Christianity, which is still practiced in the Caribbean, South America and the U.S. The program searches for voodoo's roots in Africa, examines …

Beneath the former capital of the Roman Empire hides a maze of secret passages and chambers. It is the underground cemetery used by the Christian and Jewish communities in ancient Rome, a labyrinth of…

A look at burial customs throughout history. Cultures examined include India, Tibet and ancient Egypt.

Along with chivalry, romance, and royalty, the image of the great stone castle with lofty towers, a drawbridge, and a deep moat has always been associated with medieval England. Yet, these formidable…

One of the holiest sites of ancient Greece, Delphi was the pre-eminent shrine of Apollo. Cradled by Mount Parnassos and a valley of olive groves, it was also sacred to Dionysus, who was supposedly bur…

Explore the life of the last great pharaoh of Egypt, and uncover mysteries behind the life of the legendary ruler. King of Egypt (1304–1237 BC), whose long and prosperous reign marks the last great p…

Twelve great gods, overlooking classical Greece from atop Mount Olympus. Their anger was capable of boiling the oceans, electrifying the skies or splitting the earth. They seduced mortal women and cas…

Hawaii emerged steaming from the sea millennia ago, the product of thousands of years of continual volcanic eruptions that finally broke the sea's surface and gave birth to a tropical paradise famed t…

When the pyramids were being built and Stonehenge was new, the world was a magical and mysterious place. Throughout the world, man built incredible monuments and mysterious buildings to mark the passi…

Although experts today have been able to decipher artifacts and ruins from once flourishing ancient civilizations, questions remain as to why so many monuments of antiquity seem to refer to certain st…

If you thought the drug culture peaked in the 1960s, you're only off by a few millennia. In fact, since the beginning of civilization, humans have explored means of altering their consciousness in sea…

From Central African tribes to American Indians, prophecy has held an esteemed place in various cultures throughout the world. In this revealing program, journey back thousands of years for a riveting…

Known varyingly as a sorceress, an enchantress, and a devil's consort, the witch has haunted the human consciousness and captured the imagination for thousands of years. While a general fear of witch…

The glorious temples of Athens's Acropolis bear silent witness to the high point of Ancient Greece's legendary civilization. Built during the reign of Pericles, the most powerful leader in Athenian h…

The Great Pyramids of Giza are recognizable throughout the world and are tangible links to powerful secrets from the pre-dynastic days of Ancient Egypt. In this fascinating program from Ancient Myste…

It is the largest, most famous, and most valuable gemstone in the world. It has been the plaything of kings and sultans and has decorated the necks of many an heiress and empress. But, could this noto…

Few modern authors have not been influenced by THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. But what is the origin of THE ARABIAN NIGHTS stories? Over a thousand years ago, a legend is told about a beautiful young woman who w…

More than 70 thousand years ago, a clan of cave dwellers roamed the cliffs of Le Conte in Southwestern France. They were Neandertals, distant cousins to modern man. The caves, among other archaeologic…

Human blood. In the ancient world, this precious substance was believed to be the ultimate gift that could be offered up to appease the omnipotent gods and goddesses who held the fate of the people in…

Roam the high seas in search of adventure and booty with Blackbeard the pirate and women buccaneers like Annie Boney. Visit a suken city once known as "the wickedest place on earth" and learn the true…

It is one of ancient Egypt's most recognizable and enduring icons. Situated on the west bank of the Nile River, this great creature has watched over the Giza Plateau for an untold number of years. Kn…

They appear in countless myths and stories from around the world. Could dragons have actually existed, and could they still remain hidden in some remote corner of the earth?

Documentary explores the seven wonders of the ancient world: The Great Pyramid of Giza, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the statue of Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Temple of Artemis, the Hanging G…

"Black Death" looks at the plague that, beginning in the 6th century, killed millions on three continents.

In this episode of Ancient Mysteries, Leonard Nimoy narrates the story of the Borgias family. The legendary Italian Renaissance political family members included two Popes, and filled with exciting ta…

For thousands of years, people of almost every culture have decorated their bodies with elaborate tattoos - but few realize the significance of this ancient practice. Ancient Mysteries goes "beneath-…

It has been called the city of miracles - where the blind are made to see, the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk. Could the waters of Lourdes in fact contain mysterious healing properties? The story…

Did masters of alchemy possess secret wisdom? What were they really seeking? These are but a few ANCIENT MYSTERIES. Nearly two thousand years ago, a shadowy group called alchemists embarked on a myst…

It is one of the holiest relics of Christianity and has inspired many a knightly adventure. But does this fabled chalice really exist?

Nine hundred years ago, Muslims fighting Christians were suddenly assaulted by a strange and terrifying force...a legion of sword wielding monks called the Knights Templar. Their fanatical courage str…

Can the soul transcend death to inhabit another body? Can one person be born again as another? Numerous cultures and religions believe in reincarnation, but is there any evidence to support the claims…

The Incas held lavish banquets for their mummified chiefs, where corpses were dressed in fine clothes, exquisite jewelry and offer the choicest food and drink. This programme tries to uncover the secr…

Take a mesmerizing journey into the ancient, enigmatic culture of Australia's Aborigines, the oldest on earth. They are the oldest continual culture on earth. Enshrined in oral traditions stretching b…