8.00 p.m. |HISTU|Ancient Discoveries: Superships
In recent years there have been a number of extraordinary
discoveries of ships from the ancient world. But what do these finds
say about the societies which created them, and the techniques they
used in their construction? Travel back to ancient Egypt and learn
about the "Khufu Boat" which had not one metal nail in its
construction, and uncover huge sailing vessels, dating from 3000
B.C., in Abydos near the Nile. Some of the most exciting discoveries
that have been made include the warship, and one carried as many as
7000 crewman.
8.00 p.m. |HISTC| BRITAIN AD KING ARTHUR'S BRITAIN
According to received wisdom, native British culture was suppressed
by 400 years of Roman rule and then the withdrawal of the mighty
imperial army in 410AD threw the country into a state of primitive
barbarism, which only came to an end with the invasion of the more
advanced Anglo Saxons. With detailed archaeology, cutting-edge
academic research and his own brand iconoclasm, writer and
broadcaster, and presenter of Britain BC , Francis Pryor argues that
we have got this version of our history wrong. In the second
programme of the series, Francis sheds light on the so-called 'Dark
Ages'. He shows that far from a 'Dark Age' archaeologists are
discovered evidence of a resurgence of native culture. The classic
image of the Romans departing and 'turning out the lights' is shown
to be completely false. Francis finds a world inhabited by
Christianised, literate Britons engaging in trade and diplomacy with
the Byzantine Empire. So far reaching are the implications of these
discoveries that the 'dark age' period in Britain has been renamed
Late Antiquity.
8.00 p.m. |HINT| The Seven Wonders
Egypt, land of the pyramids, mighty monuments constructed in the
early days of history. Monuments that endure to this day attracting
visitors across the world. Many visitors come to Egypt to see one
pyramid in particular, the Great Pyramid of Cheops at Giza, one of
the Seven Wonders of the World, the most celebrated man-made
constructions of all time. Of the seven, only the Great Pyramid of
Cheops survives, but history and archaeology are able to tell us the
stories of all seven, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the
Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Pharos of
Alexandria. And for the first time in some 3,000 years, viewers see
the Seven Wonders restored to their original glory. Features expert
commentary.
9.00 p.m. |HISTU| Ancient Discoveries: Mega Machines
In 2004 the American School of Classical Studies in Greece made a
surprising discovery of two limestone coffins which dated back 3000
years. Archaeologist Guy Sanders was not only surprised by the
quality of the sarcophagi but shocked by their size and weight. The
coffins weighed 3 tons, and he concluded that the people of the
Geometric Period must have used massive machines to move them. From
the Pharos of Alexandria to the Parthenon on the Acropolis we will
delve into the world of the ancient heavy engineers, and discover how
their machines were used to build and transport some of the most
amazing structures in Antiquity.
HISTU = History Channel (US)
HISTC = History Television (Canada)
HINT = History International
In recent years there have been a number of extraordinary
discoveries of ships from the ancient world. But what do these finds
say about the societies which created them, and the techniques they
used in their construction? Travel back to ancient Egypt and learn
about the "Khufu Boat" which had not one metal nail in its
construction, and uncover huge sailing vessels, dating from 3000
B.C., in Abydos near the Nile. Some of the most exciting discoveries
that have been made include the warship, and one carried as many as
7000 crewman.
8.00 p.m. |HISTC| BRITAIN AD KING ARTHUR'S BRITAIN
According to received wisdom, native British culture was suppressed
by 400 years of Roman rule and then the withdrawal of the mighty
imperial army in 410AD threw the country into a state of primitive
barbarism, which only came to an end with the invasion of the more
advanced Anglo Saxons. With detailed archaeology, cutting-edge
academic research and his own brand iconoclasm, writer and
broadcaster, and presenter of Britain BC , Francis Pryor argues that
we have got this version of our history wrong. In the second
programme of the series, Francis sheds light on the so-called 'Dark
Ages'. He shows that far from a 'Dark Age' archaeologists are
discovered evidence of a resurgence of native culture. The classic
image of the Romans departing and 'turning out the lights' is shown
to be completely false. Francis finds a world inhabited by
Christianised, literate Britons engaging in trade and diplomacy with
the Byzantine Empire. So far reaching are the implications of these
discoveries that the 'dark age' period in Britain has been renamed
Late Antiquity.
8.00 p.m. |HINT| The Seven Wonders
Egypt, land of the pyramids, mighty monuments constructed in the
early days of history. Monuments that endure to this day attracting
visitors across the world. Many visitors come to Egypt to see one
pyramid in particular, the Great Pyramid of Cheops at Giza, one of
the Seven Wonders of the World, the most celebrated man-made
constructions of all time. Of the seven, only the Great Pyramid of
Cheops survives, but history and archaeology are able to tell us the
stories of all seven, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the
Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Pharos of
Alexandria. And for the first time in some 3,000 years, viewers see
the Seven Wonders restored to their original glory. Features expert
commentary.
9.00 p.m. |HISTU| Ancient Discoveries: Mega Machines
In 2004 the American School of Classical Studies in Greece made a
surprising discovery of two limestone coffins which dated back 3000
years. Archaeologist Guy Sanders was not only surprised by the
quality of the sarcophagi but shocked by their size and weight. The
coffins weighed 3 tons, and he concluded that the people of the
Geometric Period must have used massive machines to move them. From
the Pharos of Alexandria to the Parthenon on the Acropolis we will
delve into the world of the ancient heavy engineers, and discover how
their machines were used to build and transport some of the most
amazing structures in Antiquity.
HISTU = History Channel (US)
HISTC = History Television (Canada)
HINT = History International