Secrets

The Shroud of Turin. Is it the burial cloth of Jesus Christ? A work of art? Or the greatest prank ever pulled? The Vatican itself refuses to take an official position on its authenticity, and with limited access to the cloth for testing, there's seemingly no way for scientists to end the debate. Or is there? Join four experts as they explore four radically different theories, using groundbreaking research and archeological expertise. Their one goal: to decode a treasure that has been revered, rejected, and argued about for more than 600 years.

It stands as tall as a six-story building and is the length of a jumbo jet. Egypt's Great Sphinx is the biggest single stone statue in existence, and the mysteries surrounding it are equally sizable. When was the monument built, and why? Was it an act of devotion or part of a much larger plan? Join a team of international investigators as they attempt to shed new light on these age-old questions, using the latest research and techniques in order to solve the complex riddle of the Sphinx once and for all.

A ten-inch golden statue discovered in a cave near Bogota may be the key to the greatest treasure never found: El Dorado. For centuries, rumors of a "Lost City of Gold" attracted explorers and fortune hunters to the Colombian Andes in search of riches. Now, after 500 years of futility and bloodshed, investigators try to finish the job, using the found statue, a beautiful model of a golden raft, as their guide. See legend and fact collide as we apply forensic techniques and decipher ancient documents to uncover the truth behind the myth.

Most kings of England get a grand tomb when they die, but not Richard III. His body vanished after being killed in battle, leaving just his terrible reputation behind. But 500 years later, he may have finally been found. Follow this remarkable story, from the historic excavation of a city parking lot, to the battery of tests that followed. From skeletal analysis to CT scans to DNA profiling, watch scientists unlock this skeleton's secrets, confirm its true identity, and perhaps even clear the name of one of history's most reviled kings.

The Vinland Map was allegedly created 50 years before Christopher Columbus set sail, but amazingly, it features the coast of North America. If it's authentic, it threatens to rewrite history as we know it. Join the investigation as our experts look for clues in the fabric of the map. They'll test the theory that the document is based on Viking maps created centuries before Columbus was born, and they'll name a 1930s scholar who may have faked the whole thing.

"Jesus said to them, my wife." These six words caused international debate when they were recently discovered on an ancient piece of papyrus thought to be a lost passage from the Bible. If proven to be authentic, the artifact, which insinuates that Jesus was married, serves to rewrite one of the most famous parables of religious history. So what's the inside story of this startling discovery? Join Dr. Karen King, Harvard professor, as she explores its origins and controversial implications.

The stone giants of Easter Island are some of the most recognizable statues on Earth, and some of the least understood. Why were hundreds of these enormous figures built, and how? And what prompted the Islanders to topple all of them to the ground, save for one? To answer these questions, our team of experts gathers evidence on the island and pores over a centuries-old eyewitness account. They also use modern analysis to decipher the symbolic code cut into the last statue standing, a carving that reveals a story of extraordinary struggle.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence and one of history's greatest mysteries. How was the 50-story monument built by a Bronze Age society with only simple hand tools at their disposal? Follow experts Mark Lehner and Peter James as they attempt to solve this puzzle, armed with a radical new approach and a 4,500-year-old diary that gives an eyewitness account of the monument's construction.

Queen Nefertiti was the most powerful woman in ancient Egypt. But few would know anything about her if it weren't for her statue, discovered in the Amarna Desert in 1912. She's since become a global icon... and a very controversial figure. Many believe the unearthing of her likeness was staged, and that the bust, currently insured for $400 million, is one of the greatest art frauds of all time. Follow our team of experts as they sort through the clues, visit the sites, and put the spectacular object to the test to solve this ancient secret.

It's a wooden box, covered in gold, and topped with two winged figures. It also may be the most famous lost treasure in history. The Ark of the Covenant was built by the Israelites at God's command 3,000 years ago to hold the stone tablets with the original Ten Commandments. Most scholars believe it was destroyed 25 centuries ago, if it existed at all, but some Ethiopian religious leaders claim to know exactly where it is. What is the truth? Join the investigation as we attempt to uncover the secrets of the lost ark.

The Spear of Destiny pierced the side of Jesus, contains a nail from the crucifix, and magically brings victory to all that possess it... at least according to 1,000 years of myth-making. Can any of these claims possibly be true? Join the investigation as we scrutinize the historic weapon layer-by-layer, with the help of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and x-ray fluorescence technology. Will experts finally cut through the fiction and unlock the secrets of this powerful blade?

Blackbeard's ship, "Queen Anne's Revenge", was once the most feared vessel ever to sail the high seas. In 1718, she sank off the North Carolina coast, bringing an end to her six-month reign of terror. Now, nautical archaeologists, historians, and scientists are studying the remains of a wreckage believed to be the infamous flagship. Follow their investigation as they comb through records and artifacts to answer a 300-year-old question: Was "Queen Anne's Revenge" the victim of an accident...or sabotage committed by Blackbeard himself?

Five hundred years before Columbus arrived, a metropolis flourished in North America. It was bigger than Paris and London and featured a towering pyramid that still stands today. What happened to this ancient mega-city and why has it remained one of Western archaeology's best-kept secrets? Using modern technology, we explore this lost empire and reveal its shocking past that marked the dramatic rise and fall of America's first great city.

In a cave by the Dead Sea, a copper scroll treasure map from the time of Jesus was found, promising riches estimated to be worth billions by today's standards. Over half a century later, mystery still surrounds this ancient manuscript. Could these fragments of corroded metal really hold the clues to a massive buried fortune? If so, where did these vast treasures come from? Why were they buried? And are they still out there? Join the investigation as we reveal the secrets behind this very unique and valuable Dead Sea Scroll.

The quest for the Holy Grail has consumed knights and crusaders, and has inspired legendary tales and Hollywood blockbusters. Could it be that the epic search is finally over? One church in Spain says they have found the sacred chalice, and that they have evidence to prove it, but some experts believe this is just the latest in a long line of false claims. Our team traces the extraordinary story behind this ultimate relic and uses forensic and historic analysis in an attempt to solve this 2,000-year mystery.

Ramesses II was the most powerful pharaoh ever to rule Egypt, and his capital city, Pi-Ramesses, was his crowning achievement. It was the biggest building program since the pyramids, but somehow, this metropolis completely vanished from history. What happened? Where did it go? And where was it built to begin with? Join us on the hunt for the lost city of Ramesses the Great, a story of dramatic ruins that misled archaeologists for decades and the brilliant detective work that finally uncovered the fate of this magnificent city.

Since its discovery nearly a century ago, archaeologists have been trying to unlock the secrets of King Tut's tomb, but many questions remain. Why does the tomb appear to be so hastily built? Why is there a strange, black mold peppering the walls? And most intriguingly, does the tomb also house the mummy of ancient Egypt's most iconic queen, Nefertiti? Travel with us to the Valley of the Kings, where Howard Carter made his spectacular discovery in 1922, as we use the latest in digital technology to solve these puzzling mysteries.

Around 360 B.C., the Greek philosopher Plato recorded the legend of Atlantis, the great civilization swallowed by the sea. For centuries, adventurers and archaeologists have searched in vain for the lost city. But now, an international team of experts has uncovered evidence of an epic catastrophe that wiped out a technically advanced and wealthy Mediterranean civilization 3,500 years ago. Join us as we detail a devastating natural disaster and the cataclysmic events that changed history and inspired a myth.

Inside the legendary city of Babylon in modern-day Iraq lie the remains of a vast structure, which ancient records suggest was the Tower of Babel. Is it possible that this biblical stairway to heaven actually existed? Experts think it did, and thanks to satellite technology and new discoveries, they have pinpointed exactly where the legendary tower once stood, and what it looked like. Join us as we revisit the inspiration for one of the strangest stories in the Bible, and then recreate the spectacular skyscraper in all its glory.

Over 2,000 years ago, Petra was a flourishing capital city in the Arabian Desert, but at some point, its inhabitants fled the majestic metropolis. Why they abandoned it has remained one of the great mysteries of the ancient world. But now, archaeologists have uncovered incredible new evidence that is unlocking the secrets and rewriting the history of this desert city. Join us as we examine the remarkable history of Petra, how the Nabataeans transformed it into a thriving oasis, and why and when the tribe's luck eventually ran out.

Stonehenge is a marvel of prehistoric architecture. For centuries, archaeologists have been piecing together its history and its meaning, but the reason for its location in a remote corner of England remains one of its biggest mysteries. Now, after years of investigation, a team of experts has discovered an ancient mass grave at the Stonehenge site, a revelation that is overturning and reshaping the 5,000 year history of this massive edifice. Join us as we reveal new secrets about the world's most famous surviving monument from the Stone Age.

It remains one of the grisliest finds in ancient archaeology: the skeletons of over 80 battle-scarred men, many of them ritualistically decapitated and then buried nearly 2,000 years ago in York, England. Who were these people? Now, after more than a decade, a team of archaeologists and scientists believe they've finally solved the mystery. Could this site actually be the largest gladiatorial cemetery ever found? Join us as we apply modern day technology to reveal the secrets hidden in these ancient bones and remains of the Roman Empire.

It's one of the greatest and strangest stories ever told, the biblical tale of God unleashing 10 plagues on Egypt until its pharaoh released his Hebrew slaves. Scholars have categorized this as a parable, but now, new evidence found in the ruins of an ancient Egyptian temple suggests that an apocalyptic natural disaster rocked the world 3,500 years ago and may be the true cause of the ten plagues. If the experts are right, our understanding of the Bible, and 3,500 years of Egyptian history, will change forever.

In the 1840s, Western explorers entered the Amazon rainforest and stumbled upon the ancient ritual of head shrinking. This isolated ceremonial practice soon became an obsession to trophy collectors, setting off a bizarre international trade, and a deadly new chapter in the history of the Shuar tribe. Follow a team of anthropologists, historians, and scientists as they use DNA, forensic science, and computer modeling to examine the ancient craft of head shrinking and the story of a society of victims, who were also perpetrators.

The story of Jonah and the Whale is one of the most famous, and most mysterious, tales in the Old Testament. Recent finds by archaeologists in the ruins beneath Jonah's shrine in Iraq make a compelling argument that many of the events and characters in this biblical parable are based on fact. See treasures that date back over 2,500 years and discover a lost world where the prophet Jonah himself may have preached.

From the 8th to 11th century, the Vikings ruled what is now Scandinavia and terrorized Northern Europe. But a thousand years ago, these fearsome fighters disappeared from history. Now, a remarkable discovery in Denmark may finally explain what defeated this seemingly invincible nation. Follow a team of archaeologists as they excavate a fascinating burial site, use state-of-the-art X-ray technology to analyze their findings, and examine the life of an elite warrior.

Until recently, the Egyptian pharaoh known as Psamtik I was little more than a footnote in history. That all changed in 2017 when archaeologists excavating a site in a Cairo suburb stumbled upon the remnants of a massive statue made in his honor. See how this remarkable find has led to the rediscovery of a game-changing ruler who rescued his crumbling country from vicious invaders, brought a golden era to ancient Egypt, and had a far greater impact on western civilization--and western art--than history had led experts to believe.

Egypt's Valley of the Kings is a royal cemetery unlike any other. For over 200 years, archaeologists have combed over every inch of it in search of knowledge and treasure. Many believed the valley had no more secrets to reveal, but that all changed in 2011 when an unidentified tomb was found, a discovery that has rewritten what we know about ancient Egypt's royal burials. Join us as we investigate the mysteries inside the burial site involving a dismembered princess, a second coffin, and evidence of state-sponsored tomb raiding.

Hierakonpolis was once one of the ancient world's forgotten cities, only of passing interest to archaeologists. That changed with the discovery of a prehistoric cemetery containing the remains of Egypt's first kings and those of wild and exotic animals. Evidence suggests these beasts were gathered from across the continent, but why? Follow archaeologists as they explore this 6,000-year-old cemetery, unlocking secrets that are redefining everything scholars thought they knew about Egypt in the time before the pharaohs.

In the Old Testament, Solomon was painted as a wise king who amassed a fortune. For centuries, historians and treasure seekers have been on the hunt for the source of his legendary wealth. Now, recent discoveries in the Timna Valley in Israel have revealed an industrial complex from the time of the king that could have made him rich beyond man's wildest dreams. Could archaeologists have found proof that King Solomon's mines are real?

Tutankhamun's tomb remains the greatest archaeological find of all time. For almost a century, its dazzling treasures have told the story of the Boy King's short life. As all 5,000 artifacts from his tomb are being brought together at the Grand Egyptian Museum, a far stranger tale is emerging of the young pharaoh's supernatural experiences after death. Join Egyptologists as they gather evidence and attempt to decode the secrets of Tut's underworld adventure.

It's a gruesome mass murder no one knew about until a 2011 excavation revealed the sinister secret. Discover the story of a pre-Viking warrior tribe that was massacred in Swedish ringfort Sandby Borg and left to rot where they fell. Follow investigators as they piece together what happened 1,500 years ago, using cutting-edge modern forensic analysis. It's a tale of betrayal and power struggles that has haunted the island of Oland for centuries.

The ancient Roman city of Pompeii is best known for the volcanic eruption that both buried and preserved it. Now, experts are reexamining a 2,000-year-old crime scene that suggests this was a city where the fear of death loomed long before Mount Vesuvius covered it in ash. Delve into a world of lawlessness, political intrigue, and underworld godfathers.

Ancient records marked a modest Tunisian coastal town as the location of a one-time thriving Roman metropolis called Neapolis, but for centuries there was little archaeological evidence to support such a claim. That all changed when a massive storm exposed the ruins of ancient streets and buildings beneath in the Mediterranean Sea. Join a team of scientists as they investigate the submerged city in hopes of revealing new secrets about the rise and fall of the world's greatest empire.

Not only was Cleopatra's Roman lover and protector Julius Caesar murdered in 44 B.C., but the world itself seemed to have turned against her. Ominous celestial visions filled the skies, and Egypt became gripped by drought, famine, and disease. New evidence found in Greenland's ice sheets suggests the fall of ancient Egypt shouldn't entirely be linked to Cleopatra; it may have been hastened by a colossal volcanic eruption.

In 2006, a construction team in Italy stumbled upon an isolated skeleton from a Roman-era burial. Experts believed it was the remains of a man who was crucified. If so, the skeleton would only be the second example found of crucifixion in Roman times. Could this be the key that unlocks one of the Bible's secrets regarding the death of Jesus? Join us as we use modern technology to examine this rare archaeological find, learn more about this barbaric form of execution, and gain new insights into the most famous crucifixion of them all.

Cutting-edge technology and dedicated digging have unearthed new secrets about ancient Egypt's fabled sunken city.

See how a 1,900-year-old battlefield in Scotland is revealing new insights into ancient Rome's military tactics.

Could a sunken, 9,000-year-old stone circle be the origins of the world's most famous prehistoric monument: Stonehenge?

Follow archaeologists as they examine a tomb they hope will reveal the mysterious origins of the ancient Greeks.

See why the discovery of strangely elongated skulls in an ancient cemetery is giving new insights into the fall of Rome.

See how the gruesome discovery of a mutilated pharaoh in 2014 has rewritten the history of ancient Egypt.