Channel logo

Ancient Mysteries

Season 1
"Ancient Mysteries" is a series of one-hour documentaries exploring archaeological, historical, and cultural mysteries of the ancient past.
199623 episodesTV-G
Free trial of HISTORY Vault

Terms apply

Prime membership required

Episodes

  1. S1 E8 - Blood And Treasure In Peru

    January 31, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    A look at the grave robbery that led to the discovery of the magnificent Royal Tombs of Peru, the richest burial site of golden artifacts known.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  2. S1 E12 - Secrets Of The Pueblo

    February 21, 1996
    47min
    TV-G
    A look at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, which contains some of the earliest dwellings in North America, including the 19 towns of the Pueblo Indians.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  3. S1 E13 - Who Wrote The Bible?, Part 1 Of 3

    February 24, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    Examines the efforts of scholars who have tried to discover which books of the Bible were written first and by whom.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  4. S1 E14 - The Puzzling Pyramids Of Mexico

    February 28, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    Teotihuacan is a 2,000-year-old urban wonder. Claimed by Aztecs as the City of the Gods, it was not until the turn of this century that archaeologists realized that the city was not Aztec at all.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  5. S1 E17 - The Search For Shangri-La

    March 9, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    Does Shangri-La really exist or is it just fiction? This documentary takes viewers to remote parts of China, Nepal, and Tibet in search of the fabled utopia.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  6. S1 E18 - Secret Mounds Of Pre-Historic America

    March 13, 1996
    47min
    TV-G
    A fascinating exploration of the amazing tens of thousands of mounds left behind by the people of Cahokia, an ancient city in North America. The huge structures include temple, platform, and effigy mounds.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  7. S1 E19 - The Riddle of the Maya

    March 16, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    Explores the fascinating and foreboding site of the ancient temple city of Palenque; and, investigates the possibility that children were sacrificed to honor the Lord Pacal, king of the Mayans.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  8. S1 E20 - Astrology: Secrets In The Stars

    March 20, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    Do the movements of the stars and planets really hold the secrets of human destiny?
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  9. S1 E23 - Camelot

    March 30, 1996
    43min
    TV-G
    Were King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table fictional characters or real people? This fascinating hour takes viewers on a magical quest through England and Wales in search of clues.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  10. S1 E24 - The Queen Pharaoh

    April 10, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    A fascinating profile of Hatshepsut, who became female pharaoh of Egypt 3,000 years ago. The males who followed her reign did everything in their power to obliterate her name from history.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  11. S1 E26 - Temples Of Eternity

    April 20, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    A look inside the sacred walls of the Temples of Karnak and Luxor--the site of ancient Egyptian secret societies, priests, scholars and scribes.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  12. S1 E27 - The Forbidden City: Dynasty And Destiny

    May 1, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    A look at China's amazing Forbidden City, which was built in the 15th century by over one million laborers and was the home of 24 emperors.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  13. S1 E29 - Voodoo

    May 15, 1996
    1 h 30 min
    TV-G
    A two-hour exploration of the myths and realities of voodoo. Includes a look at the sources of voodoo in ancient African religion, current day practitioners, and the startling phenomenon of possession.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  14. S1 E32 - Rites Of Death

    June 5, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    How did the Egyptians create mummies that lasted for 4,000 years? Why did Hindu widows throw themselves into their husbands' funeral pyres?
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  15. S1 E33 - Lost Castles Of England

    June 8, 1996
    44min
    TV-G
    Looks at the mysterious disappearance of the wooden castles that once were the most dominant fortifications of the Middle Ages, with a focus on the ancient castles of England.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  16. S1 E34 - Odyssey of Troy

    June 12, 1996
    45min
    TV-G
    Why does the legend of Troy still intrigue after more than 3,000 years? Scholars attempt to answer this question by researching Homer's texts and comparing against archaeological sites.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  17. S1 E35 - Naked Warriors Of Europe

    June 15, 1996
    47min
    TV-G
    A fascinating portrait of the most fearsome ancient people in Europe, The Celts.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  18. S1 E39 - Who Built The Catacombs?

    July 24, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    Carved into the bedrock, there lies a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers constructed for the dead. Pagans, Christians, and Jews were entombed here for 300 years. But then the city of the dead was sealed off and forgotten for ten centuries.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  19. S1 E44 - Ancient Prophecy

    September 18, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    An exploration of the mysterious seers of the past and their amazingly accurate predictions. Includes an account of the Titanic disaster written 16 years before it occurred.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  20. S1 E45 - Vikings in North America

    September 21, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    Search for evidence that Norsemen discovered the New World 500 years before Christopher Columbus, trace the explorations of Leif Ericson, and examine clues about the Vikings' travels.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  21. S1 E48 - Origin Of The Vampire

    October 24, 1996
    47min
    TV-G
    Explores the ancient belief in vampires in many different cultures worldwide, and reveals the startling truth behind our deepest fears of the undead.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  22. S1 E50 - Mystical Monuments Of Ancient Greece

    November 20, 1996
    44min
    TV-G
    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.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault
  23. S1 E52 - Sacred Rites And Rituals

    December 18, 1996
    46min
    TV-G
    A look at age-old rites around the globe. Includes a visit to Singapore, where Hindus pierce their bodies with dozens of rods, and New Guinea, where boys must go through a bloody ritual of manhood.
    Free trial of HISTORY Vault

Details

More info

Subtitles

None available

Cast

Leonard Nimoy

Studio

HISTORY
By clicking play, you agree to our Terms of Use.