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The Ancient World on Television                March 21-27, 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, March 21
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3.00 p.m. |DISCC| Mystery of the Shroud
Students discover a 2 000-year-old shroud at a cemetery near Jerusalem; if it is from the 1st century its discovery could undermine claims that the infamous Shroud of Turin is Christ's burial cloth.

7.00 p.m. |NGU| Return of the Mummy
dna

8.00 p.m. |HINT| Paganism
Presenter Christy Kenneally explores the art and architecture of the ancient creed of paganism. His journey takes him to the huge capstone dolmen of Pentre Ifan in Wales, and the magnificent megalithic Neolithic Passage Tomb of Newgrange, in County Meath, Ireland. In France, he explores the 3,000 standing stones of Carnac, Brittany, and in northern Spain, he rediscovers the ancient rock art-filled Altamira caves. Finally, he visits the fascinating Dogon Tribal Lands in Mali, West Africa, where he witnesses a chicken being slaughtered in a pagan ritual and joins the locals to watch a typical Dogon Mask Dance.

8.00 p.m. |NGU|The Diva Mummy
Two thousand years ago the lords and ladies of China's Han Dynasty lived lives of such opulent splendour they wanted to live forever - and some of them came close.

8.00 p.m. |SCI| What the Ancients Knew: The Egyptians
Belief in the afterlife propelled the ancient Egyptian culture and civilization. Using only rudimentary techniques and tools they created unrivaled objects of perfection.

9.00 p.m. |SCI| 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.

9.00 p.m. |NGU|Hidden Pyramids of Peru
It is one of humanity’s epic journeys. Thousands of years ago people first came out of the wild and formed civilisation. They would build huge monuments, like the pyramids and all the great cities of the Ancient World, but why did they do it? What forces gave birth to civilisation? For years archaeologists have been trying to get back to when it all began to find the answer and now at last it seems they may have done it for they are now exploring a lost city of pyramids in Peru.

9.00 p.m. |HISTU|  Secrets of the Nasca Lines
Etched into the driest desert in the world, the mysterious lines and figures of Nasca in Southern Peru are invisible from the ground. Thought to have been made by the Nasca people, who flourished between 200 BC and 600 AD, in fact, these huge drawings were not discovered until the 1930s--and only then by commercial airline pilots who happened to over-fly them. Ever since, they have intrigued the world. Who built them, and why? Host, explorer, and survival expert Josh Bernstein takes on the secrets of the Nasca Lines, while flying micro-lites and powered para-gliders, clambering through thousand-year old irrigation tunnels, and even recreating rituals with contemporary Native Americans.  

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

10.00 p.m. |SCI| Great Sphinx: Lord of the Pyramids
New theories suggest the Great Sphinx may predate the pyramids, and some believe the legendary Hall of Records may be hidden under it. Explore the mystery of the history of the Sphinx and attempts at its restoration.
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Tuesday, March 22
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3.00 p.m. |DISCC| The Mystery of the First Egyptians
The team searches in a desert valley where Egyptian culture began to take shape and in Egypt's oldest city for clues to the identity of the ancient people who created this remarkable civilization.

3.30 p.m. |DISCC| The Mystery of the Pyramids
The teams tries to piece together the logic behind the geography of the royal tombs, including Saqqara and Giza; does the answer lie in the geology of the Nile Valley, or in Egyptian religion and myth?

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| Ancient Tomb Robbers
dna

8.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Journey Through the Valley of the Kings
dna

8.00 p.m. |NGU| Egypt's Warrior King
dna

9.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Lost Empire of the Queen of Sheba
dna

9.00 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

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.  
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Wednesday, March 23
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6.00 p.m. |SCI| Archaeological Mysteries
Take a journey far back in time to explore some of the world's greatest archaeological mysteries including remnants of a floating stone city in Micronesia, sandstone dwellings in canyon cliffs in New Mexico and huge patterned lines in the Nazca desert.

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.
 
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. 

8.00 p.m. |DTC| The Assassination of King Tut
Did King Tut's gleaming death mask hide an ancient homicide? Dead since 1323 B.C. and hastily mummified, Egypt's boy king lay in an unfinished tomb until its 1922 discovery. Modern forensics sheds light on what caused the blows to the King's skull.

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. |DTC| Hannibal
No shortlist of the greatest generals in history would be complete without the name of Hannibal, who was both feared and respected by his enemies. Hannibal's tactical genius is illustrated with exciting dramatic reconstructions of his victories.

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?  

10.00 p.m. |DTC| The Pyramid of Doom: An Ancient Murder Mystery
Excavations at an ancient pyramid in Peru reveal some 70 skeletons grotesquely splayed across a mud plaza in positions of sudden, violent death. An archaeological team reveals a dark side of one of antiquity's most brilliant civilizations.

11.00 p.m. |HINT| 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, March 24
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3.00 p.m. |DISCC| Mysteries of Noah and the Flood
Despite minimal scientific evidence that the flood described in the Bible actually occurred, scientists and religious scholars have long been consumed with the search for Noah's Ark.

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| What is Truth?
This is the story of a book, which at first sight is not very impressive--a collection of 27 compositions; and 21 of them letters. All were originally written in Greek. We do not have a single page or even the smallest scrap of any of the original writings. All we have are copies of copies written many years afterwards. And yet the impact of this book on the world is hard to exaggerate; impossible to measure. Christians have confidently revered the New Testament as authoritative--the word of God. But ours is a questioning age, and this series examines the truth behind the writings of the New Testament. Part 1 looks at the most famous quartet in history--Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Were they the men who wrote the four gospels? Who were they? Why did they write them and when?  

11.00 p.m. |HISTU|  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.
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Friday, March 25
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5.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Lost Treasures of the Ancient World: The Celts
dna

7.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Ancient Ancestors: The Princess and The Pauper
dna

7.00 p.m. |SCI| Mummies
Thousands of years before Egyptians began mummifying their dead, Chileans mastered the art. Mummies discovered under a sand dune in Chile were wrapped in embroidered cloth depicting severed human heads and hallucinogenic plants.

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.

9.00 p.m. |DISCC| The Holy Grail & Noah's Ark
Sought for millennia by kings, knights and adventurers, the Holy Grail represents the ultimate treasure to its possessor; researchers combines science with theology to prove that Noah and his ark actually existed.

9.00 p.m. |HISTU|The Search for John the Baptist
John the Baptist's time on the biblical stage was brief, yet he left an indelible mark on Christianity. We know that he began the sacrament of baptism, but was he also the man behind the message of Jesus? Does a secretive Middle Eastern sect practice ancient rituals handed down directly from John? Despite mentions in the Gospels and the works of the Jewish historian Josephus, little was known about the historical John until now. We follow in the footsteps of the prophet and examine startling new archaeological evidence that provides the first concrete proof of the life of this enigmatic biblical character.    

9.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Mary: Mother of Jesus
dna

9.00 p.m. |NGU| Quest for Noah's Flood
dna

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

10.00 p.m. |DCIVC| Conquerors: Peter the Great
dna
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Saturday, March 26
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4.00 p.m. |HISTU| Jesus of Nazareth
Movie. In this reverent depiction of the life of Christ, director Franco Zeffirelli uses the Gospel accounts and an all-star cast to mighty effect. Beginning before the Nativity, Part 1 stars Olivia Hussey as Mary and Yorgo Voyagis as Joseph. The Three Wise Men are portrayed by James Earl Jones, Donald Pleasence, and Fernando Rey. Christopher Plummer plays King Herod Antipas, who has John the Baptist (Michael York) put to death.

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

9.00 p.m. |NGU| Unlocking Da Vinci's Code : The Full Story
dna
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Sunday, March 27
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10.00 a.m. |DISCU| Discovery Channel is running a marathonish sort of thing on Jesus-related matters beginning at 10.00 a.m., interrupted by a program on Genghis Khan at 3.00 p.m. and one on Kublai Khan at 4.00.

4.00 p.m. |HISTU| The Lost Youth of Jesus
Thousands of Christians make pilgrimages to the Holy Land yearly to visit sites connected to Jesus. But are they authentic? The search for the historical Jesus began with the first pilgrim--Constantine the Great's mother Helena Augusta. Scholars have been trying to prove--or disprove--her amazing claims ever since. Traveling to Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Sepphoris in the footsteps of Jesus, we run into heated debate about where he was born, baptized, and grew up, and reveal startling new discoveries. 

5.00 p.m. |HISTU|  From Galilee to Jerusalem
Following in the footsteps of Jesus, we dig for the truth behind "accepted" Holy Land sites and review archaeological controversy about these important religious places. We examine: an Israeli scholar's 1987 discovery of the lost city of Bethsaida, where Jesus called his first disciples, healed a blind man, and fed the multitudes; a boat on the Galilee's shoreline dating to the time of Jesus; a house in Capernaum that may have belonged to St. Peter; and the possible grave of Lazarus.

6.00 p.m. |HISTU| The Way of the Cross
The search for evidence of Jesus's life moves to Jerusalem and the traditional sites associated with his final days. Deep beneath the city, we explore the buried remains of Herod's temple and tread a pavement where Jesus may have walked. Delving into the mysterious histories of the Cenacle Room, Gethsemane, and the Roman Praetorium, we investigate the latest archaeological theories concerning probable sites of Jesus's last supper, arrest, and trial. Does science support or refute biblical accounts?

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?

7.00 p.m. |HISTU| The Mysteries of Golgotha
Recounting the final footsteps in the life of Jesus, we explore the traditional sites of his crucifixion and burial. Does the Church of the Holy Sepulcher truly contain the Rock of Calvary and the tomb of Jesus, or could the Garden Tomb be the authentic site? We investigate the most recent archaeological evidence and learn how it may finally answer this fascinating question.
 
8.00 p.m. |DISCC| Spear of Jesus
In the Hofsburg Museum in Vienna, Austria, lies a metal spearhead said to have been used to pierce the side of Christ during his crucifixion; for the first time, scientific testing establishes if this ancient relic really is the Spear of Christ.
 
9.00 p.m. |DISCC| Noah's Ark: The True Story
Search for the truth behind the story of Noah and his ark; find out how Noah could have built such a structure and whether or not a great flood took place on Earth; the search for remains of the ark continues today.

9.00 p.m. |NGU| The Crucifixion
dna

9.00 p.m. |DISCU| Real Family of Jesus, The - Part One
Little is known about Jesus' family—who they were and what role they played in his public life. Uncover evidence from the gospels and archeology that reveals Jesus as a part of a large extended family that spearheaded the spread of Christianity.

10.00 p.m. |DISCU| Real Family of Jesus, The - Part Two
The traditional image of the Holy Family includes Jesus, Mary and Joseph, but Jesus lived in a society in which the extended family was the norm. Find out how Jesus' network of relations inspired and supported his work as founder of Christianity.

10.00 p.m. |SCI| Who Killed Julius Caesar?
Historians, writers and film-makers have puzzled over the assassination of Julius Caesar for centuries. Using the latest technology and modern profiling techniques, experts reveal the truth behind history's most famous crime.
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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) 2005 David Meadows. Feel free to distribute these
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::Sunday, March 20, 2005 9:12:05 AM::
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