Time life's lost civilizations

Learn how archaeologists are penetrating Egypt's long-buried mysteries, from the science of preparing a mummy for eternity, to the art of composing a love letter in hieroglyphs, to the technology capable of raising the largest stone buildings ever erected by human beings. (36 min.).

See what researchers have discovered about life in ancient Rome, from the harsh life of a legionnaire on guard at Hadrian's Wall to the gladiators in the Colosseum. See how the awesome military might that gave rise to Rome's spectacular empire became a double-edged sword, helping carve the path to its chaotic fall.

Traversing the highest mountain passe on Earth, enter a kingdom so remote it was virtually unknown to outsiders until recent times. Experience an enigmatic way of life that challenges the very concept of western civilization. Discover how, as the world's last surviving theocracy, Tibetans voluntarily abandoned their warlike past to worship their ruler, the Dalai Lama, as the living manifestation of God on Earth.

Join archaeologists unearthing physical clues to the truth behind the Biblical stories of Noah and the Ark, the Great Flood, the Tower of Babel and more. Witness the invention of writing, the wheel and the concept of law.

Exploring archaeological ruins reclaimed from the jungles of Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala, you'll discover the secret of the power at the center of this glittering civilization, and the still-debated mystery of its sudden cataclysmic demise.

Join researchers as they unravel the enigmas of the Nazca, creators of the earth-drawings once believed the workings of extraterrestrial beings. Discover the erotic art and exquisite gold artifacts of the Moche, all that remains of a highly developed society that vanished centuries ago. Marvel at the ancient Paracas, performers of medical miracles in brain surgery using only crude metal instruments.

Discover the architectural, intellectual and artistic achievements of the period, and the elements that led to the end of the glorious moment of excellence.

See the remote site of Great Zimbabwe, a fabulous lost city, which reached the height of its glory in the 14th century. Then sift through the sands of time to uncover the equally splendid culture of Africa's Swahili Coast. The fabulously wealthy center of the thriving gold and ivory trades until the 16th century, its cities now lie all but forgotten, buried under centuries of indifference.

Archaeologists unearth intriguing new data regarding the history of the region's fascinating, early civilizations. Visit a candidate for the site of Atlantis on the Greek isle of Thera, where 3,000 years ago a highly advanced culture was destroyed by the most violent volcanic eruption in human history.

Western and Chinese archaeologists discover the powerful dichotomy haunting China's past, where the ruling elite lived in opulent splendor, while peasant masses endured unimaginable hardships.