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The Ancient World on Television              January 24-30, 2005
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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, January 24
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7.00 p.m. |NGU| Into the Great Pyramid
Join Dr. Zahi Hawass as he unravels the mystery of both how the Great Pyramid of Giza was built, and who executed the awe-inspiring enterprise
 
9.00 p.m. |NGU| Egypt's Warrior King
dna

9.00 p.m. |HISTU| Who Built Egypt's Pyramids?
The great Egyptian Pyramids of Giza have inspired awe and wonder and, quite likely, fierce speculation from the moment they were built. In fact, even the date of their construction has become a topic of debate. Explorer, survival expert, and host Josh Bernstein takes a hard look at the competing theories as to who really built the pyramids--and when. Archaeologists say it was the ancient Egyptians, others argue for an even older civilization. Filmed in HDTV, this fresh and engaging series digs for the truth and goes to extremes to do it! Josh examines the evidence, explores secret chambers in the heart of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, visits the first pyramid ever built, and tries his hand at ancient stone-quarrying techniques. It's a hard-won perspective, but, with the discovery of a mysterious flooded chamber deep beneath the Sphinx, Josh learns what appears to be the final truth.

10.00 p.m. |NGU| Tomb Robbers
dna

10.00 p.m. |HISTU|  Nefertiti: The Mummy Returns
Queen Nefertiti was once the most beautiful and powerful woman in Egypt, renowned throughout the ancient world. But she vanished without a trace, lost to the sands of Egypt for more than 3,000 years. Only in the last century did archeologists discover that this legendary queen really lived at all. Since then, though, only fragments of her story have emerged. Host Josh Bernstein, an explorer and survival expert, is determined to put the pieces together and uncover the true story of Queen Nefertiti. Who was this mysterious woman? Why did she disappear? And can her mummy still be found today? To find out, he'll follow a trail of clues into Egypt's most sacred and secret places, exploring dark tombs and coming face-to-face with the truth of at least one ancient mummy's identity.

10.00 p.m. |HINT| Curse on the Gypsies
This special 2-hour investigation uncovers the mysteries of one of the most secretive and persecuted of peoples--the Gypsies. Though they call themselves Roma or Romani, the term "gypsy" probably comes from a corruption of Egypt, which is where medieval Europeans believed they originated. Most likely, they came from India in the Punjab region. One theory claims they were a warrior caste in India, and after losing a battle to Muslims, they were driven out around 1000 AD and have been wandering ever since. Today represented in the United Nations, by some estimates, 500,000 Roma were slaughtered during the Holocaust.

11.00 p.m. |HISTU| Crypts, Coffins, and Corpses
The manner in which a society deals with the dead reveals a great deal about how it views life. From mummification and cannibalism to cremation, cryonics, and interments in space, our final tributes to loved ones have been as varied and bizarre as the methods used to treat the deceased body. Starting at the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, where we view a modern embalming, we'll turn back in time and travel the world to witness the many historical methods of dealing with the deceased.
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Tuesday, January  25
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7.00 p.m. |HINT| The Bible's Greatest Secrets
In the Holy Land, specialized archaeologists sift through the living sands to uncover civilizations that succumbed to time. We trace biblical archaeology's history and profile some of its prominent figures like the eccentric professor who had his head preserved for posterity, and a husband and wife team who have spent their lives digging the sands of Israel. We also explore the future of biblical archaeology and examine the high-tech tools that will someday make digging with pick and shovel obsolete.

7.00 p.m. |NGU| Curses of Ancient Egypt
dna

8.00 p.m. |NGU| Quest for Noah's Flood
The oxygen-deprived waters of the Black Sea hold many ancient mysteries. National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, Dr. Robert Ballard leads a National Geographic expedition to look for proof that people were living here at the time of an ancient flood - 

8.00 p.m. |DCIVC| The Assassination of King Tut
dna

9.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Egypt's City of the Dead
dna

9.00 p.m. |NGU| King Solomon's Tablet
dna

10.00 p.m. |NGU| Hidden Pyramids of Peru
dna

11.00 p.m. |HINT|  The Sunken City
The ancient Roman city of Ostia was once a vital seaport. Yet it died a slow, painful death. This documentary explores the reasons for its demise and looks at the abandoned wasteland today.  

11.00 p.m. |HISTU| Who Killed Crazy Horse?
The young, mystical Sioux leader Crazy Horse (Tasunka Witko) personifies Native-American resistance to white advancement westward. His leadership in the 1876 defeat of Custer's 7th Cavalry at Little Big Horn made him the most famous Indian warrior in America. Ironically, Crazy Horse is a controversial figure among his own people. We know that he died on September 5, 1877, while resisting arrest; but the manner of his death, and just who was responsible for it, remain a hotly debated topic. Was there a military conspiracy led by General Sheridan (Custer's mentor) and General Crook? Did Red Cloud and other agency chiefs spread rumors to panic soldiers into eliminating this threat to their rule? And what about Frank Grouard, an army interpreter who mistranslated Crazy Horse? Finally, what role did the mysterious Crazy Horse play in his own demise?
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Wednesday, January 26
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7.00 p.m. |HINT|  Death Cult of the Incas
The Catholic conquistadors who conquered the Incas received many cultural shocks--particularly the Inca cult of the dead. We'll journey back to discover why the Incas held lavish banquets with mummified ancestors, sought their advice, and built lavish estates in their honor.

7.00 p.m. |NGU| Unlocking Da Vinci's Code : The Full Story
dna (repeated at 9.00, I think)
 
8.00 p.m. |HINT|  The Forgotten Civilizations of Anatolia
Throughout the course of history, many great civilizations have flourished in the area we now identify as Turkey, which forms a natural bridge between Europe and Asia. Join us on a virtual tour of Gordiyon (also known as Gordium), the domain of King Midas, Hattusa, the famous Hittite capital with its spectacular royal citadel, and the later cities ruled by the Greeks during the days of the Byzantine Empire. Using state-of-the-art computer technology and the latest in archaeological exploration, we walk viewers through ancient sites along with the citizens of the time.

8.30 p.m. |HINT| Travels through Greece
By the 2nd century AD, Greece had long been steeped in myth, tradition, and a rich history that made it a major tourist destination even then. In this episode, we travel with a Roman senator as he journeys to artistic and cultural treasures of Greece, including Corinth's welcoming agora (the center of civic activity), the acoustically perfect Theater at Epidaurus, and the famous sporting competitions and chariot races of Olympia, as well as its majestic Temple of Zeus. Experience the cutting edge of archaeological exploration as we explore these celebrated ancient sites and see them as only the original inhabitants could. 
 
9.00 p.m. |HISTC| Huns
The Huns were a mysterious people who fell upon the European continent like the vengeance of God. Some say the Chinese built the Great Wall to keep them out, and they swept in from the east with a savagery that was almost unparalleled in warfare.

10.00 p.m. |HINT|  Time Team: Thetford, Norfolk
Time Team goes back to school when they are invited to investigate a mystery at Thetford Grammar School in Norfolk, England, where clues in the school grounds may lead to the remains of a Norman cathedral and prove that the site might also have been the ancient ecclesiastical center of East Anglia. They are also assigned another task: to trace the origins of the medieval walls in the school playground. Were they part of a 14th-century friary? Can they solve the mysteries in the 3-day time limit?  

11.00 p.m. |NGU| Da Vinci and The Mystery of the Shroud
dna

11.00 p.m. |HISTU| Ancient Egypt: Quest for Immortality
Beneath the sands of Egypt in 1922, Howard Carter prepares to breach the final barrier between the modern world and the most coveted prize in archaeology--the tomb of the Boy-King, Tutankhamun, intact and untouched for thousands of years. Join us as we probe the enduring legacy of the pharaohs in this Emmy Award-winning series narrated by Sam Waterston. Features dramatic reenactments, location footage, and recent archaeological discoveries to help reconstruct the ancient past.
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Thursday, January 27
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3.00 p.m. |DISCC| Nubia: The Forgotten Kingdom
Discovery Channel joins archaeologists Julie Andersen and Salah Ahmed who have discovered Dangeil a 2 000-year-old Nubian city a civilization that came to rival Egypt; witness the dig for clues to the mysterious departure of Dangeil's people.

7.00 p.m. |HINT| The Greatest 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.

8.00 p.m. |HINT|Who Wrote the New Testament? Maintaining the Truth
Part 2 investigates the letters of the New Testament, many of which warn the early Christian communities against heretics and their teachings. We examine the letters of the brothers of Jesus, James and Jude, and look at how the Jewish movement in Jerusalem, led by James, eventually clashed with Paul's preachings on Christ. And speaking of Paul, we look at Saul's conversion to Paul, and how his subsequent correspondences with the Mediterranean congregations helped Christianity grow from a seed movement in its homeland into a pullulating global movement.  
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Friday, January 28
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7.00 p.m. |DTC| Sodom and Gomorrah
Examine geological clues to a natural disaster responsible for one of the most dramatic apocalyptic events in history. Search for evidence of earthquakes and landslides that sparked the fires that consumed the Biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

7.00 p.m. |HINT| Augustus: First of the Emperors
Story of the bloodthirsty leader who was also one of the most able statesmen in world history. His rule launched the Pax Romana (Roman Peace) that marked the high point of the empire.

8.00 p.m. |DTC| Death on the Nile
The Egyptian Empire tottered as the monsoon failed and the desert moved in. Journey to the Giza pyramids in the remote deserts of southern Egypt and visit the archaeological excavation where newly discovered skeletons show that people here died in agony.

9.00 p.m. |DTC| Moses and the Exodus
Lawgiver and liberator, spiritual leader and magician, enigmatic and mysterious; Moses is one of the most fascinating characters in the Bible. This film peels back the layers of myth to expose the dramatic truths that lie at the heart of the Moses story.

9.00 p.m. |HISTC| Napoleon: Episode 2
1800-1807. During a First Council meeting, Napoleon Bonaparte narrowly escapes an attempt on his life and organizes the capture of Duke of Enghien, cousin to Louis XVI. The execution of Enghien promotes Bonaparte to the Emperor of France, although other countries in Europe do not recognize him as the legitimate leader and declare war.

10.00 p.m. |DTC| Finding Atlantis
The search for the lost civilization of Atlantis has captured the imagination for the last 2,000 years. Examine the evidence gathered by three teams, each with its own theory. Discover mysterious links to ancient civilizations lost to time.

11.00 p.m. |HISTU| Agincourt's Dark Secrets
A battlefield investigation of Henry V's English victory over the French, made famous by William Shakespeare. The English were heavily outnumbered, battle-weary, retreating, and--according to contemporary chronicles--suffering from dysentery. Yet they still beat the French. How could this have happened? Was it simply the power of the English longbow?
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Sunday, January 30
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7.00 p.m. |HINT|  Time Team: Thetford, Norfolk
Time Team goes back to school when they are invited to investigate a mystery at Thetford Grammar School in Norfolk, England, where clues in the school grounds may lead to the remains of a Norman cathedral and prove that the site might also have been the ancient ecclesiastical center of East Anglia. They are also assigned another task: to trace the origins of the medieval walls in the school playground. Were they part of a 14th-century friary? Can they solve the mysteries in the 3-day time limit? 

8.00 p.m. |HINT| The Weapons That Made Britain: Armor
The knight in shining armor is the most enduring and evocative image of the medieval period; his armor a reminder of an age when warriors were encased in steel. At the height of its evolution, armor reached a peak of artistic achievement--a sculptural medium that made the knight look splendid, intimidating, and invulnerable. Throughout history, armor and weapons competed in an arms race--one designed to protect the warrior, the other intent on his destruction. At no time in medieval history was this contest fiercer than on the bloody battlefields of the Hundred Years' War. For almost a century, English archers reigned supreme. But in 1424, outside the French town of Vernueil, English archers got a terrible shock when they encountered a cavalry force with arrow-proof armor! Join medieval weapons expert Mike Loades as he puts various types of armor to the test.

9.00 p.m. |DISCU and DISCC| Pompeii: The Last Day
On August 24, 79, Mount Vesuvius showered the city of Pompeii with ash, smoke and rock. The city lay undisturbed under volcanic debris for more than 1,500 years. Follow a compelling account of the city's final 24 hours, based on the buried evidence.
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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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::Sunday, January 23, 2005 3:07:48 PM::
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