Ancient Mysteries

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 narrow canyons: the ancient city of Petra. Narrated by Leonard Nimoy, ANCIENT MYSTERIES® journeys into the past, unlocking the secrets long held captive behind Jordan's sandstone cliffs. Nearly 200 years after its discovery, archaeologists are still astonished at the ruins of Petra. The city evokes wonder in all who behold it--who were the people who carved these structures into solid rock, and how? Wander through what was once a thriving, sophisticated city and glean insight into the Nabataeans, the ancient people who lived and worked here. What caused their strange disappearance? Interviews with archaeologists and anthropologists and stunning location footage illuminate an incredible account of THE HIDDEN CITY OF PETRA.

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 North moved their horizon west in an odyssey of ice and uncertainity. Leaving Norway for Iceland and an inauspicious tundra they named Greenland the Norse in their long boats proved sturdy enough to reach one more distant shore--VINLAND. At the dawn of the century with the chance to settle a new home the long search seemed over and the future bright. Yet their stay proved so brief as to almost escape history until a fantastic find just thirty years ago by Helge Ingstad. Scandinavian sagas tell the tales of Leif the Lucky and the Land of Grapes but are these merely boastful yarns of magical heroes or historical finds? Five hundred years before Christopher Columbus can we find VIKINGS IN NORTH AMERICA?

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 an observatory? A pleasure retreat? Or a Fortress? This programme attempts to uncover the historical and spiritual mysteries of this magical place.

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 influenced by folklore from many centuries before. In this tale of a quest for immortality, explore the origins of the powerful belief in water mythology - said to be traced back at least as far as the third century. Listen to leading historians propose that despite the account of León's venerable pursuit, he was actually driven by dreams of gold and riches, not the fabled fountain. Or is it possible that when the famed explorer alighted on Florida's shores, he wasn't looking for the fountain at all? The Quest for the Fountain of Youth is the ultimate examination o this much-debated, timeless legend.

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.).

Exploring the existence of the lost civilization of Atlantis, which was first mentioned in Plato's writings and is said to have sunk into the ocean in a day and a night.

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.

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 obsession throughout the ages. Giants of history ranging from Attila the Hun, Charlamagne and Adolf Hitler desired possession of this artifact that supposedly contains the power of God. What is the true story of the Holy Lance, and does it exist today?

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 barbarians, and reached the height of its commercial and political prosperity in the 1500s.

“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 international art market. The artifacts were produced by the Moche people, whose civilization flourished in Peru between the 1st and 9th centuries A.D.

Examining the ruins of Pompeii and neighboring Herculaneum, which were destroyed by a volcano in A.D. 79. Included are comments from archaeological superintendent Baldassare Conticello, who explains what the sites reveal about Roman life. Also: the National Archaeological Museum in Naples and the J. Paul Getty Museum in California.

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, and was abandoned by the end of the 4th century.

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.

An examination of the Rosetta stone, discovered in 1799, which provided French scholar Jean Francois Champollion the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian documents that were written in hieroglyphics.

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 from author Deepak Chopra.

Egyptian temples are explored, including Karnak and Luxor.

Inside China's Forbidden City, an enclave of temples and palaces built in the 15th century, which served as home to emperors and their households but was closed to the public until 1911, when Emperor Pu Yi was forced to abdicate his throne.

"The Incredible Monuments of Ancient Rome," and the emperors who had these palaces, arenas and temples built.

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 its peak, Angkor was home to a million people.

“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 conquests, tactics and weapons.

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 its role in Caribbean history and visits voodoo temples.

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 stone citadels of the Feudal period were not the first castles to populate the English countryside. During the Middle Ages, the dominant fortifications of England's landscape were built using only timber and earth. Although primitive, these large wooden castles built into the soil were strategically constructed to withstand attack by providing those inside with the defensive advantage. What they were not able to withstand, however, were the indomitable effects of the elements and the unforgiving passage of time, which have all but destroyed the castles' legacy. Join Ancient Mysteries® for a journey into England's medieval past to uncover the lost secrets behind these marvels of ancient engineering.

“Secrets at Delphi,” the ancient site of a temple to the Greek god Apollo, whose priestess prophesied the fates of mortals. Delphi is located on the southern slope of Mount Parnassus in Greece.

Hailing the life and the 67-year reign of the ancient Egyptian monarch King Ramses II, who is thought to be the pharaoh mentioned in the book of Exodus. Included: a look at his extensive building program of temples and monuments.

An examination of the origins of the 12 Greek gods and goddesses, such as Zeus and Athena, who, according to mythology, ruled from Mount Olympus.