Ancient Mysteries - Season 3 (1995)

Before Columbus's epic 1492 voyage to the Americas, it was believed he was beaten by the Vikings. Is this legend true?

The structure of Machu Picchu, originally built by the Incas, is one of the most archaeologically stunning mysteries of the past. However, even today we are still unsure what its purpose was. Was it an observatory? A pleasure retreat? Or a Fortress? This program attempts to uncover the historical and spiritual mysteries of this magical place.

It is one of the most puzzling tales to come out of the European Age of Discovery. And yet, the alleged search for the Fountain of Youth by explorer Ponce de Leon was almost certainly influenced by folklore from many centuries before.

The history of the timber castles that once populated medieval England, but are only mounds of earth today.

Explore some of the most intriguing archaeological sites on earth--the puzzling pre-historic mounds built by the ancient residents of North America. Narrated by Leonard Nimoy.

A tale told through the centuries of a lost, hidden civilization that lives in an euphoric state of peace and harmony enclosed by impassable mountains.

An investigation of the origins of Stonehenge, the prehistoric megaliths on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, believed to have been erected during the Neolithic period (circa 2000 B.C.).

It was a myth first told by Plato in the late 4th century B.C. - a dramatic tale of a powerful civilization living on an island that one day mysteriously disappeared underneath the rolling waves of the Atlantic. In the many thousands of years that have passed since Plato's time, questions about the fabled city under the sea have continued to captivate millions across the globe. Did the island of Atlantis really exist, and, if so, where? Throughout the ages, Atlantis has been linked to the island of Bimini, the Canary Islands, Santorini, and Troy, among other places. ...

Efforts to locate the remains of Alexander the Great. Included: the discovery of treasures in northern Greece that appear to have belonged to his father, Phillip II of Macedonia.

The Maya temple city of Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico, abandoned by the Mayans around 835 A.D., is explored. Included: the Temple of Inscriptions, a sarcophagus, and the great Palace.

Examination of the sophisticated system of housing built by the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon over 1,000 years ago.

An examination of the Celts, whose culture reached its zenith in Europe between the 5th and 1st centuries B.C. Included: their artwork, religious practices and fighting tactics.

A look at British theater in the Elizabethan age.

A Roman soldier takes his spear and pierces the side of Christ as he hangs on a crucifix. Thus, the legend of the Holy Lance is born. Relics associated with the life of Christ have inspired awe and obsession throughout the ages. Giants of history ranging from Attila the Hun, Charlamagne and Adolf Hitler desired possession of this artifact that supposedly contains the power of God. What is the true story of the Holy Lance, and does it exist today?

A look at the first Olympic competitions in Greece, circa 776 B.C.

The ancient city of Ostia, Italy, used at one time as the port of Rome, from its founding by Ancus Marcius (641-616 B.C.) to its eventual decline and abandonment over a 1600-year period.

"The Miraculous Canals of Venice" looks into why - and how - Venetians built their city on 120 islands in the Adriatic.

A grave robbery in 1987 leads to the discovery of the Royal Tombs of Sipan, Peru, and the richest burial site ever found in the Western Hemisphere. Soon afterwards, the art market was flooded with ancient artifacts made of solid gold and silver. Art historians identified the treasure as belonging to the Moche, a pre-Columbian civilization in Peru, but were unable to locate its source. Where were these riches found? Soon the looters themselves provided the answer. One thief, unhappy with his share of the take, confessed to the police in Peru and implicated his partners...

Two-thousand years ago, Rome was an all-powerful empire and Pompeii was one of its prosperous provincial towns - until Mount Vesuvius exploded in the largest eruption ever recorded. In a matter of hours the thriving city was entombed under a thick layer of ash and debris, undiscovered for centuries. This episode recreates the events leading up to the explosion and shows how the ash kept the city and its inhabitants - the only significant discovery of Roman Bodies ever - in a unique state of preservation. Wander through the ancient streets of this sophisticated society...

Speculation on why the Roman emperor Hadrian constructed a wall along the empire's British frontier in the 2nd century.

An examination of the 19 Pueblo towns located in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon, believed to be some of the earliest dwellings in North America.

An examination of the pyramids in the Mexican city of Teotihuacan. Also: the Temple of the Feathered Spirit and the Avenue of the Dead.

In 1799, the breakthrough needed to decipher the hieroglyphs was accidentally discovered. The Rosetta Stone -- a cryptic, black stone tabled -- held the key to knowledge of ancient Egypt.

The mysterious gravesite of an ancient Chinese emperor, who had an "army" of 7000 terra cotta statues built around the tomb to guard it against intruders.

Since the dawn of time, humankind has looked to the heavens for answers to earthly problems. Do the movements of the stars and planets hold the secrets of human destiny? Can the stars and planets determine one's hidden character? Over 4,000 years ago, astrology was born in the fertile crescent known as modern day Iraq and Iran. The Babylonians created the first zodiac, which basically remains unchanged today. Who were these first sky-watchers? Why did they develop astrology? Today, science denies any validity to astrology. Yet for 4,000 years, millions of people have ...

No other religion is as misunderstood, vilified, or viewed with as much hatred and racism. The common impression is that Voodoo is a garbled mix of black magic, witchcraft and zombies! But the truth is that Voodoo is one of the greatest achievements of people of African descent. Travel to Africa to uncover the origins of this vibrant, enigmatic practice. Voodoo roots are in the ancient religions of Yorubaland, Dahomey and Kongo. Infused with a major dose of Roman Catholicism, and tempered by the arduous experiences of the slaves, it is widely practiced in Haiti, Cuba,...

An examination of the Kamasutra, the Hindu text that details "the delights of the human sexual experience," focuses on its religious origins and whether it is sacred or profane. Included: comments from author Deepak Chopra.

Egyptian temples are explored, including Karnak and Luxor.

Ancient Mysteries takes a look at the history and architecture of the Forbidden City in China. It looks at the lives of the emperors and their families who made it their home.

They stand today as testaments to the glory and grandeur of ancient Rome. But what brutal and murderous price was paid to build and maintain these imperial monuments?

A visit to the ruins of the imperial city of Angkor in Cambodia, built over 75 square miles between the 9th and 12th centuries. Angkor's landmark was Angkor Wat, a temple to the Hindu god Vishnu.

"Lost Legions of Rome" explores the efficacy and the legacy of Rome's military machine, which was sometimes more powerful than the emperors it was supposed to serve. Examined: the Roman army's conquests, tactics and weapons.

A survey of voodoo, an amalgam of African religions and Christianity, which is still practiced in the Caribbean, South America and the U.S.

Beneath the former capital of the Roman Empire hides a maze of secret passages and chambers. It is the underground cemetery used by the Christian and Jewish communities in ancient Rome, a labyrinth of more than 60 miles of burial chambers.

How did the Egyptians create mummies that lasted for 4,000 years? Why did Hindu widows throw themselves into their husbands' funeral pyres? The program travels the world to find the answers to these and other riddles about ancient burial rituals.

Ancient Mysteries examines the wooden castles of England. Although they are less well known today, they were far more common in medieval times than castles of stone.

Delphi is an Ancient Greek site shrouded in legend. Dedicated to Apollo, god of sunlight, arts and prophecy, it was home to a priestess who, 2500 years ago, allegedly could communicate with the gods on Olympus.

Explore the life of the last great pharaoh of Egypt, and uncover mysteries behind the life of the legendary ruler. King of Egypt (1304-1237 BC), whose long and prosperous reign marks the last great peak of Egyptian power.

Thousands of years ago, the ancient Greeks believed that Mount Olympus was the home of their powerful gods, ruled over by Zeus. However, what is the truth behind these legends.