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the ancient world on television             june 14 - 20, 2004
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All times Eastern

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n.b. official descriptions are provided by the respective
networks' websites
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Monday, June 14
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5.30 p.m. |DCIVC| Ancient Clues: Mass Death in Marseille
dna

6.00 p.m. |HINT| Lost City of Pirates 
Roam the seas with Blackbeard and women buccaneers like Anne Bonny;
and visit a sunken city once known as the "wickedest place on earth."
 

9.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Saving the Sphinx
dna

10.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Lost Mummy of Imhotep
dna
 
10.15 p.m. |HISTU| Investigating History: The Curse of King Tut
Tutankhamun died young, forgotten by his people, but gained
everlasting glory for the treasures buried with him--and infamy for
the deaths of those who uncovered his tomb. Now, 82 years after the
opening of his tomb, epidemiologist Mark Nelson examines biological
agents left in his tomb and looks at the life, death, and possible
murder of the Boy-King. Egyptologist Emily Teeter, police profiler
Mike King, and Dr. James Harris, the last man allowed to X-ray Tut's
skull, add their deductions.
 
11.15 p.m. |HISTU| Flying Pyramids Soaring Stones
How did the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids and lift obelisks?
These spectacular feats of engineering defy explanation. Theories
about ropes, ramps, ingenuity, and brute force abound. Even aliens
have been credited. But no definitive answer to this enigma exists.
Now, an extraordinary new theory is being tested. Expert sailors,
Egyptians used wind power on the Nile. Could they also harness the
power of the wind on land and use land sails, or kites, to help lift
heavy stones?
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Tuesday, June 15
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6.00 p.m. |HISTC| Desert Explorer: Gertrude Bell
Gertrude Bell (1868 -1926) was a bright star in a constellation of
Victorian aristocrat archaeologists, journalists, botanists,
linguists and diplomats in the Middle East. At the height of her
powers she was something of all of these. She was also a lone woman
in a world dominated by men.

7.00 p.m. |HINT| Mysteries of the Bible: Pilot, Pt. 1 
Explores people and events described in the Bible to ask: Did these
people really exist and did these incidents happen? Can they be
confirmed by natural phenomena? Includes the parting of the Red Sea,
the Lost Ark of the Covenant, David and Goliath, the Lost Tribes of
Israel, and others.
 
9.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Stone Age Columbus
dna

9.00 p.m.|HISTC| Immortal Emperor
The famous Chinese terracotta army, 8,000 warriors strong, was
buried over 2,000 years ago to defend the tomb of Qin Shihuang,
China's "First Emperor". The documentary recreates the world of the
emperor, telling an extraordinary tale of wealth and power.

10.00  p.m. |DCIVC| Archaeology IV: Clash of the Maya Kings
dna

10.30 p.m. |DCIVC| Meet The Ancestors: The Lady of the Sands
dna

11.00 p.m. |HISTU| Terry Jones' Medieval Lives: The Monk
From France, Terry Jones investigates the Monk. A peaceful life of
prayer in service to God? Not for many medieval monks, who devoted
their lives to making lots and lots of money. Religion was big
business in those days and the merchandising opportunities were
endless. Filmed on location at Citeaux, France, headquarters of the
Cistercian Order, Terry discovers that monks were also pioneers in
architecture, technology, and business. (Half-hour version) 
 
11.30 p.m. |HISTU| Terry Jones' Medieval Lives: The Minstrel
Supposedly wandering gaily from town to town, medieval minstrels
were written off as an effete and ineffectual footnote to history.
But, according to Terry Jones, this is unfair. Medieval showbiz could
prove a risky career choice, with minstrels often caught up in wars
and political wranglings. (Half-hour version)
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Wednesday, June 16
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5.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Ancient Warriors: The Vikings
dna

5.30 p.m. |DCIVC| Ancient Clues: Murder in the Bog
dna

7.00 p.m. |HINT| Mystical Monuments of Ancient Greece   
A look at the Parthenon, Acropolis, and the Agora. Pericles, herald
of the Golden Age, commissioned tremendous monuments dedicated to
Athena, protectress of the city. Was their real purpose to promote a
new brand of politics called democracy, or to serve as a platform for
a brutally intense cult? We also visit the city's marketplace.
 
8.00 p.m. |DCIVC| The Mystery of the Miami Circle
dna

9.00 p.m. |HINT|  Lost Civilizations: Inca: Secrets of the Ancestors 
Join us as we travel back through time to explore the secrets of the
Incan ancestors--the Moche, the Nazca, and the Paracas--and relive
the glory of the Incan emperors, Machu Picchu, and the 15,000-mile
Incan road system. Sam Waterston narrates this Emmy Award-winning
series that sweeps through 7,000 years of history and transports
viewers across the ages using dramatic reenactments, location footage
from 25 countries, and recent archaeological discoveries to
reconstruct the ancient past. 
 
10.00 p.m. |HINT| Time Team: Kemerton, Worcestershire
Tony Robinson (Baldrick on "Blackadder) and the Time Team unlock the
secrets of an entire Iron Age village in Malvern Hills in
Worcestershire, England, and roping in some local oxen, they learn to
plough the same way as did our ancestors--and all in three days!
 
11.30 p.m. |HISTU| Terry Jones' Medieval Lives: The Peasant
Terry Jones, who possesses a passion for the Middle Ages, looks at
the life of the peasant, and finds that contrary to the accepted
version--miserable, dirty, poor, and ignorant--peasants had more
holidays than we do! Very often their houses were bigger, they
frequently ate better, and arguably had more influence in the
corridors of power. The politicized working class depicted in "Monty
Python and the Holy Grail" was not so far from the truth after all!
(Half-hour version)  [I suspect there is another installment in this
series at 11.00, but it's not listed]
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Thursday, June 17
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8.00 p.m. |DISCU| Debunked! - Secrets of the Stone Spheres
In the last century, almost 300 ancient stone spheres were unearthed
in Costa Rica's tropical forests. Alexei Vranich and Paul Harmon have
teamed up to unravel the mystery of where the balls came from, how
they were made and who made them.

9.00 p.m. |DISCU| Seven Wonders of Ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians showed the world how boundless ambition and
vast quantities of human labor could transform rock and stone into
the most incredible monuments ever created. Meet the pharaohs,
engineers and laborers who built the wonders of Egypt.

10.00 p.m. |DISCU| Building the Great Pyramid
Of the many myths surrounding the construction of the Great Pyramid,
none is more difficult to eradicate than the belief that it was built
by slaves. Find out the truth as to how and why this extraordinary
human monument was made.

11.00 p.m. |HINT| Terry Jones' Medieval Lives: The Knight
Former Monty Python member Terry Jones possesses a passion for the
Middle Ages, and tackles--occasionally tumbling--iconic characters
from medieval England. First, Jones looks at the role of the Knight
and asks--Was he a noble hero in shining armor, or a murdering,
looting, underpaid mercenary rapist? Discover some unsavory truths--
and the dark side of chivalry. Shot on the great battlefields of
Italy and at the Warkworth Castle in Northumberland, England.
 
11.30 p.m. |HINT| Terry Jones' Medieval Lives:  The Outlaw
Unlike the altruistic Robin Hood of legend, outlaws were often
members of the gentry who robbed the poor to give to the rich.
Remarkably, these outlaws gained a place of respect in society.
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Friday, June 18
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3.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Hidden History of Rome with Terry Jones
dna

5.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Meet The Ancestors: The Tomb That Time Forgot
dna

5.30 p.m. |DCIVC| Meet The Ancestors: Treasures of the Dark Age
dna

6.00 p.m. |HISTU| The Enduring Mystery of Stonehenge   
For 5,000 years, the sacred site of Stonehenge has stood on the
plain of Salisbury, England, silent witness to myriad mysteries. Who
built the prehistoric stone circle? Druids? Merlin the Magician? Was
it an altar for human sacrifice, or landing pad for UFOs? Experts,
anthropologists, and astronomers assess the mystery.
 
7.00 p.m. |HISTU| Hadrian's Wall 
74-miles long and 2,000 years old, Hadrian's Wall winds over the
hills and valleys of Northern England, marking the northernmost
extent of a long-dead empire. Built of stone and mortar by Roman
soldiers, it is the most significant Roman ruin in England. Ordered
built by the Emperor Hadrian around the time of his visit in 122 AD,
it was more a permanent demarcation and less a defensive barrier.
We'll visit this archaeological treasure, which teaches us much of
what the Roman era was like for Britain.
 
7.00 p.m. |DTC| The Riddle of the Desert Mummies
The most amazing thing about 4,000-year-old mummies discovered in
the Chinese desert is that they were not Asian, but Caucasian. DNA
analysis is helping scientists piece together the mystery of these
fair-haired people in the heart of Asia.

8.00 p.m. |DTC| Deities and Demons
In order to understand the forces of nature, Egyptians had gods for
everything. Only priests and pharaohs were allowed to enter the
temples of the gods, but during festivals, the common people could
communicate with the gods.

8.00 p.m. |HINT| Egypt's Great Pharaohs, Pt. 1 
A chronicle of the legendary rulers of ancient Egypt and the immense
monuments they built to their own greatness. Their wonders include
the Great Pyramid of Giza, the temples of Karnak and Luxor, and the
treasures of King Tut. 
 
9.00 p.m. |HINT|  Egypt's Great Pharaohs, Pt. 2  
A visit to the newly opened pyramid complex of the Pharaoh Snefru
and the ancient burial ground of Abydos. Explore the lives of the
most powerful kings in history, who were worshipped as gods on earth,
and whose lasting achievements still appear to have been built by gods.

9.00 p.m. |DTC| Secrets of the Colosseum
Visit the ruins of this massive triumph of Roman building and
engineering for clues to its ingenious design. Built in a remarkably
short span of 10 years, the structure combined travertine stone,
iron, concrete, brick and lava rocks from nearby Vesuvius.

10.00 p.m. |DTC| Dead Sea Scrolls: The Haunted Desert
Retrace the history of the scrolls and widespread suspicion of a
religious cover-up. For years the scrolls changed hands in very
dramatic ways. Scholars of the last fifty years work with
archeologists for an in-depth study of the scrolls.

10.00 p.m. |HINT| Egypt's Great Pharaohs, Pt. 3
Akhenaten the Heretic King and Queen Nefertiti rock Egypt to its
foundations, and King Seti the First wages brilliant military
campaigns against Egypt's enemies.
 
11.00 p.m. |HINT| Egypt's Great Pharaohs, Pt. 4
Cleopatra uses her cunning mix of politics and seduction in a
desperate bid to maintain her power, but fails. With a self-inflicted
fatal snakebite, Cleopatra ends her life and brings to a close the
3,000-year reign of pharaohs.
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Saturday, June 19
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6.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Discovery Time Capsule: Ancient Mysteries
dna
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Sunday, June 20
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7.00 p.m. |HINT| Lost Civilizations: Inca: Secrets of the Ancestors
Join us as we travel back through time to explore the secrets of the
Incan ancestors--the Moche, the Nazca, and the Paracas--and relive
the glory of the Incan emperors, Machu Picchu, and the 15,000-mile
Incan road system. Sam Waterston narrates this Emmy Award-winning
series that sweeps through 7,000 years of history and transports
viewers across the ages using dramatic reenactments, location footage
from 25 countries, and recent archaeological discoveries to
reconstruct the ancient past.
 
9.00 p.m. |HINT|  The Quest for King Arthur
For centuries, the adventures of King Arthur and his fabled court
have dominated the imagination of the western world. But how did this
overpowering legend begin and what truth lies behind the enduring
story of Arthur, King of Britons? In this 2-hour exploration of the
Arthurian medieval myths, we examine the tantalizing historical facts
behind the story of this band of deathless heroes and illuminate the
contemporary quest by researchers to establish if the 6th-century
warlord truly existed.
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                        Channel Guide

A&E     The Arts and Entertainment Channel (cable)
DTC     Discovery Times Channel (U.S. Cable)*
DCIVC   Discovery Civilization (Canadian Cable)
DISCC   Discovery Channel (Canadian Cable)
DISCU   Discovery Channel (U.S. Cable)
HINT    History International (U.S. Cable)
HISTU   The History Channel (U.S. Cable)
HISTC   History Television (Canadian Cable)
NGU     National Geographic Channel (U.S. Cable)*
PBS     Public Broadcasting System (U.S. National Schedule)
TLC     The Learning Channel (cable)

*n.b. Canadian versions of these two channels have recently
been made available although the Canadian versions don't seem
to be making their schedules available yet. For what it's worth,
the Canadian version does seem to 'match up' in regards to
ancient programming most of the time.
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Copyright (c) 2004 David Meadows. Feel free to distribute these
listings via email to your pals, students, teachers, etc., but
please include the title and this copyright notice. These
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Thanks!
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11:13:06 AM