2016

S1.E1 ∙ Pachacamac: the "Lourdes" of the Pre-Columbian Era (Peru)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In Peru, on the shores of the Pacific, an Inca city buried under the desert sands has intrigued archaeologists for almost a hundred years. Surrounded by sandy and shadowless landscapes, and with temperatures rising to 40°C, this ancient city is known as "Pachacamac". Archaeologist Peter Eeckhout has been excavating this site for over twenty years. The archaeologist guides us through his own work. According to Eeckhout, Pachacamac used to host what was probably the most spectacular pilgrimage of the Inca Empire, gathering believers from all corners of the Andes. Yet in the fifteenth century, within a few years, the Inca city was deserted. Today, Peter Eeckhout has finally discovered the reason for this strange desertion.

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S1.E2 ∙ The Origins of Angkor

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In the mountains of Cambodia, 50 km from Angkor and its famous temples, archaeologist Jean-Baptiste Chevance tirelessly excavates the remains of Mahendraparvata, another vast ancient Khmer city. Thanks to Chevance's work, this ancient capital hidden beneath jungle is gradually revealing its secrets. Founded in the 9th century, it is thought to be the first capital of the Khmer Empire. In many ways, it prefigures Angkor.

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S1.E3 ∙ Mayan Astrology: an Instrument of Political Power (Guatemala)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Capable of predicting eclipses, equinoxes and solstices, the Maya were one of the most knowledgeable pre-Columbian peoples of Central America. For almost two millennia, their civilization flourished in the forests of Guatemala and Chiapas, before the arrival of the conquistadors in the sixteenth century. According to the recent findings of a team of archaeologists in Guatemala, astronomy was more than science for the Maya. In fact, it was a political propaganda tool.

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S1.E4 ∙ Easter Island, the Big Taboo (Chile)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

What if the veil was finally lifted on one of the greatest enigmas in the history of mankind, namely the disappearance of the Rapa Nui, the inhabitants of the mysterious Easter Island lost in the Pacific? It was long thought that the Rapa Nui people had decimated themselves to the point of extinction a few centuries ago. Yet the findings of Nicolas Cauwe, a world-renowned archaeologist who conducted meticulous field investigations for over fifteen years, tell a different story.

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S1.E5 ∙ Hegra: in the Footsteps of the Nabataeans (Saudi Arabia)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In the Hijaz desert, in the north-west of Saudi Arabia, lies a mysterious ancient city called Hegra. Until recently, the site had never been thoroughly excavated. In this region, considered to be one of the most arid in the world, ancient people have left their mark, carving hundreds of tombs into the rock. These vestiges are the signature of a legendary people called the Nabataeans. Lost in the middle of the desert, this lost necropolis had fallen into oblivion until UNESCO listed the site as World Heritage in 2008, prompting the Saudi government to launch major excavations. A team of Franco-Saudi archaeologists are now shedding light on these forgotten pre-Islamic vestiges. When and why did this city emerge in the middle of the desert? How powerful was it? And why was it abandoned? Scientists are finally able to answer these questions.

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S1.E6 ∙ Yakoutia, a Siberian Mystery (Siberia)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Yakutia - one of the coldest inhabited areas of the globe - extends beneath the polar circle to the east of Siberia. This land of extremes is home to a unique people whose origins were completely unknown until the recent discoveries of a team of archaeologists and geneticists. During wintertime in Yakutia, temperatures can reach -70° C, whereas in summer the thermometer regularly displays 30° C, 100° more than in winter. Yakuts are basically divided into two groups, which despite having their own language and culture, have lived together in this region for centuries. The northern Yakuts are largely nomadic reindeer hunters, while southern Yakuts raise cattle and horses. The former Yakuts have practically disappeared, while the latter has survived to the present day. Where do the Yakuts come from? How did they manage to survive in this land of ice? Archaeologists will tell us the story of a successful adaptation.

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S1.E7 ∙ The Great Book of the Aboriginals (Australia)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In the Dampier archipelago, in north-western Australia, archaeologists are deciphering one of the greatest books of history ever written by man. This rugged landscape, littered with hundreds of thousands of red rocks, was formed millions of years ago. Aborigines, the first humans to have inhabited Australia, have left their mark here, engraved in the stone. This unique heritage - a million motifs carved in the passing of time - is now threatened by industrialization that is gradually eroding this territory. For the past five years, archaeologists have been working to urgently decipher this great book of stone.

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S1.E8 ∙ Lake Titicaca, the Sea of the Tiwanaku (Peru)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In the heart of the Andes, Peru and Bolivia share one of the most sacred places in Latin America: Lake Titicaca. This immense water mirror, roughly the size of Corsica, was considered a sacred site by the Incas. In the 15th century, they made it the cradle of their civilisation, the sun's place of birth. And yet, beneath the lake's waters, lies a different story. A team of Belgian and Peruvian archaeologists are shedding light on the Tiwanaku, a great civilisation eclipsed by the Incas.

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S1.E9 ∙ Fragrances of Antiquity (Italy)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In southern Italy, an archaeologist and a chemist are joining forces to achieve the impossible. They are bringing back to life the perfumes of Antiquity. A vestige so fragile it was thought to be lost for eternity. 2500 years ago, in the Mediterranean region, fragrance permeated every stage of life and guaranteed beauty, vitality, and success to the wearer. What did ancient perfumes smell like? What scents and essences did people appreciate the most? Until recently, answering these questions was deemed impossible. Today, thanks to scientific advances and the alliance of archaeology and chemistry, it is now possible to rediscover these forgotten fragrances.

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S1.E10 ∙ The Legend of Lalibela (Ethiopia)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

A small town lost in the heart of the Ethiopian mountains, Lalibela has attracted tens of thousands of Orthodox pilgrims every year for the past 800 years. They come to visit one of the 12 rock-hewn churches, listed as world heritage by UNESCO. Until now, the origins of these monolithic churches were shrouded in legend. Yet archaeologists are now providing a more scientific - though less poetic - perspective on the history of this holy place.

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S1.E11 ∙ Persepolis, the Persian Paradise (Iran)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Nestled in the Iranian highlands, lies the cradle of the Persian Empire, one of the greatest civilisations of Antiquity. Skilled builders, the Persians built the city of Persepolis, an architectural masterpiece. Until now, the site was mainly known for its imposing royal terrace, used by Persian Kings a few months during the year. Recent discoveries are nevertheless shedding new light on Persepolis. It appears to have been one of the most opulent cities of the ancient world, an Eden in the Persian mountains.

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S1.E12 ∙ Great Zimbabwe, Rediscovering the Past (Zimbabwe)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In Zimbabwe, at the heart of the Zambezi plateau, African archaeologists are attempting to shed light on the long-contested history of Great Zimbabwe, one of the most fascinating sites in sub-Saharan Africa. For a long time, local archaeologists working on this site had struggled to make their voices heard. According to late-nineteenth century explorers, the monumental ruins of Great Zimbabwe could not possibly have been built by native African people. They dated the ruins back to Antiquity and attributed them to the Phoenicians, a Mediterranean people. Yet ever since Zimbabwe became independent in 1980, local archaeologists have been trying to reclaim the history of their land.

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S1.E13 ∙ Twilight of the Mochicas (Peru)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

One of the driest deserts in the world lies at the foot of the Andes. 1,500 years ago, the Mochica culture - alternatively called the Moche -, one of the most brilliant people of South America, flourished in this hostile environment. Between the 2nd and 8th century AD, they tamed the desert, and built huge adobe pyramids called "huacas". Although it was the most powerful in South America in its time, little is known about this civilization, which fell into oblivion long before the Spanish conquest. For decades, most archaeologists believed that the Moche had disappeared in 600 AD, decimated by an abrupt climate change. The recent discoveries of Peruvian archaeologist Santiago Uceda undermine this theory. According to him, the Moche actually rebelled against the theocracy that administered them, using ritual sacrifice as a political weapon. A popular revolution, which gradually led the Moche to abandon their buildings, their rites, their culture - These discoveries finally lift the veil on one of the most enduring enigmas of contemporary archeology, namely the disappearance of the Moche.

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S1.E14 ∙ Orkney Islands: a Neolithic Pilgrimage (Scotland)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

On the borders of Scotland, in the Orkney Islands, archaeologists have been digging for nearly 13 years the remains of a mysterious set of very large buildings surrounded by a massive stone wall erected during the late Neolithic. Located on a small peninsula between two megalithic stone circles, these old buildings are unlike anything known before. What does this place - nowadays known as the "Ness of Brodgar" - reveal about the beliefs of civilizations which populated the United Kingdom 3000 years BCE?

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S1.E15 ∙ El Argar: a Forgotten Civilization (Spain)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Everyone has heard of the Greeks, the Romans, and the Celts. These brilliant and prosperous civilizations have marked the history of Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. Nevertheless, another ancient culture - what archaeologists call the "El Argar" civilization - has been wiped out of our collective memory. This civilization ruled over all of southern Spain between 2200 and 1550 BCE, until it suddenly disappeared. It gradually sank into oblivion for thousands of years. Spanish archaeologists have nevertheless found traces of the Argaric culture a few kilometres from the city of Murcia. They have just recently uncovered a remarkable edifice, an ancient palatial construction, which makes up the oldest political precincts in Europe. This discovery sheds light on this strange and previously unknown civilisation.

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S1.E16 ∙ Ichijôdani: a Return to the Source (Japan)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In Ichijôdani, Japan, deep beneath the rice fields, archaeologists have excavated a medieval town abandoned 400 years earlier. In fact, they discovered an entire city as it was during the 16th century, with its streets, houses, and palaces. This discovery is the equivalent of a time capsule, representing a great source of knowledge about certain traditions still practiced in Japan today.

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S1.E17 ∙ The Secret of the Lines of Nazca (Peru)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

The craziest theories have attempted to explain the famous Nasca lines. Astronomical calendar, divine frescoes, extra-terrestrial signals - Since 1997, German archaeologist Markus Reindel has been trying to bring science back at the forefront of this search for meaning. After almost 20 years of research, his theory now seems to win unanimous support among scientists. In his view, the Nasca lines were places used for religious ceremonies.

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S1.E18 ∙ Nero's Folly (Italy)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In Italy's capital city, archaeologists of the École française de Rome have discovered an exceptional building that had been sought for centuries - On the terraces of the Palatine Hill, they have uncovered an extravagant and astonishing piece of architecture dating back to the time of Nero: a revolving dining room, constantly rotating day and night.

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S1.E19 ∙ The First Americans (Brazil)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In Serra Capivara, a national park in the Northeast Region of Brazil, a Franco-Brazilian team found traces of the very first Americans - In this renowned prehistoric site, archaeologist Eric Boëda has discovered man-made tools fashioned out of quartz pebbles, and dated between 22,000 and 25,000 years BC.

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S1.E20 ∙ Troy, Close to the Myth (Turkey)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Has the legendary city of Troy described by Homer in the Iliad ever existed? For centuries, the question has sparked much controversy. And if the answer is positive, did the Trojan War really take place? Early explorers of the 19th century tried their best to match their findings with the descriptions scattered in the famous ancient epic poem. But doubt remained. Today, modern archaeological techniques finally provide answers and give voice to the remains unearthed at the Hissarlik site in Turkey.

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S1.E21 ∙ Greenland: a Viking Epic (Greenland)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

The Vikings are undoubtedly the greatest explorers of the Middle Ages. These Scandinavians were capable sailors who colonized a number of islands such as England, Ireland, and further north, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. Greenland was long thought to be the only territory to have resisted the Vikings. According to the most commonly accepted theory, they failed to establish settlements in this land, due to their inability to adapt to the extreme rigours of the climate. Yet the recent discoveries of a Franco-Danish team tell a completely different story.

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S1.E22 ∙ The Forgotten History of the Swahili People (Tanzania)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Along the eastern coast of Africa, the Swahili people has long intrigued scientists. They became Muslims long before the Islamization of Africa, and their language - Swahili - is infused with Arabic - It is believed that between the 10th and 15th centuries, the Swahili erected dozens of stone-built opulent cities in this area. Today, swallowed up by the jungle, these cities have disappeared along with an entire part of the history of the Swahili people. And yet, thanks to the excavations of Kilwa, Tanzania's most majestic stone city-state, a team of archaeologists is shedding light on the forgotten past of the Swahili. Arkeo - The Forgotten history of the Swahili People (Tanzania) won "CinemAMore" trophy at the Festival of Arhaeological Film Rovereto 2018 and a special mention at the Internationl Film Festival of Archeology 2018 "ICRONOS"

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S1.E23 ∙ The Unknown People of the Amazon Rainforest (Amazonia)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In the heart of the Amazon rainforest, archaeologists are busy debunking one of the most powerful myths put forward by colonisation. The so-called primeval forest, described in 1492 by Christopher Columbus and the Europeans as unsullied by human presence, never existed.

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S1.E24 ∙ Teotihuacan: the Birth of a Metropolis (Mexico)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

When one thinks of America, images of bustling cosmopolitan cities immediately come to mind. Mexico City illustrates this well. With a population of 22 million, it is North America's second largest urban agglomeration after New York City - In fact, according to a team of archaeologists, this urban lifestyle takes its roots in Mexico. They claim that tens of thousands of migrants from all over Mesoamerica populated the ancient city of Teotihuacan, America's oldest metropolis, located a few kilometres from Mexico City.

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S1.E25 ∙ Crete, the Myth of the Labyrinth (Greece)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Between 3000 and 1400 BC, the Minoan civilization flourished in Crete, a large island located in the Mediterranean Sea. Particularly sophisticated for its time, the Minoans were the first great civilization of the Greek world. Indeed, the Minoans were the first European civilization to use a written language. Long before the ancient Greeks - who were still a people of barbarian warriors - built the Parthenon, the Minoans demonstrated a high level of craftsmanship through the creation of greatly refined frescoes and sculptures. They built sumptuous buildings, whose monumental and complex architecture has long intrigued archaeologists. A labyrinth sheltering a minotaur, royal palaces housing a tyrannical king - For a long time, the Greek myths served as the sole explanation for the architecture of these legendary edifices. Yet thanks to meticulous archaeological excavations in the monuments of Knossos, Phaistos, and Sissi, combined with mathematical research, archaeologists have developed new ways to decipher the architecture of these buildings. The results of this archaeological project calls into question our initial interpretation of a civilization we thought we knew so well.

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S1.E26 ∙ The Lost City of the Tairona People (Colombia)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

For nearly 400 years, in north-eastern Colombia, one of the largest pre-Columbian cities remained unnoticed, submerged in the rainforest. Known for its gold, "cuidad perdida" - the lost city - remained a mystery until a team of Colombian archaeologists rediscovered it in the late 1970s. Beyond the gold, the researchers shed light on the capital city of an entire people, the Tairona.

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S1.E27 ∙ The Sacred Geography of the Incas (Peru)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Situated in the heart of the Peruvian Andes, 160 km north of Cusco, Choquequirao is one of the greatest achievements of Inca architecture. Standing at an altitude of over 3000 meters, Choquequirao overlooks one of the deepest canyons in the world. In the 15th century, the Incas truncated the mountain with the strength of their arms to build this spectacular architectural ensemble. Why did they deploy such effort? Why did they want to imprint the mark of their civilization in this steep landscape? French and Peruvian archaeologists believe they have found the answer to this question. Choquequirao seems to correspond to a sacred geography, a worldview inscribed in the Andean landscape.

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S1.E28 ∙ The Builders of Stonehenge (England)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Located in South London, Stonehenge is one of the world's most famous and most enigmatic prehistoric monuments. Dozens of huge standing stones were erected here during the Neolithic period, around 2900 BC - Who were the men and women who erected such a monument? And why did they do it? These questions have long remained unanswered until recently. Thanks to the use of cutting-edge technologies, scientists are gradually lifting the veil on the identity of the amazing builders of Stonehenge.

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S1.E29 ∙ The First Shamans of South Africa (South Africa)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

For thousands of years, men have painted no less than 35,000 rock paintings on the walls of these caves. Nowhere else in the world can one find such a high number of rock artworks - What do these works tell us? What messages, what stories have these rock painters left behind? After years of research, archaeologists have finally managed to decode these images. They have uncovered the intimacy of the first shamans of South Africa.

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S1.E30 ∙ Chachapoyas, Living with the Dead (Peru)

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

The Chachapoyas were long considered the fiercest warriors of the Andes. Described as ruthless decapitators, they were said to engage in terrifying worship of the dead practices. Everywhere on their territory, one finds mummies, skeletons, bones, graves hanging from cliffs or buried in caves - However, recent archaeological discoveries paint a completely different portrait of the Chachapoyas. In fact, far from being bloodthirsty and morbid, this people actually maintained an intimate and happy relationship with the deceased. In their view, the destiny of the living was intimately linked to that of the dead.

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