Lost Treasures of Angkor – King's Gold
The discovery of gold and silver artifacts in Laos, dating to the early days of the Khmer Empire, leads scientists to investigate how the priceless objects were made and where they might have originated. On their journey, they retrace the steps of the ancient kings and explore the sacred landscape around Vat Phou to learn more about this ancient civilization.
Episodes
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Lost Treasures of Angkor – King's Gold
S22 E4 - 55m 15s
The discovery of gold and silver artifacts in Laos, dating to the early days of the Khmer Empire, leads scientists to investigate how the priceless objects were made and where they might have originated. On their journey, they retrace the steps of the ancient kings and explore the sacred landscape around Vat Phou to learn more about this ancient civilization.
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Lost Treasures of Angkor – The Discovery
S22 E3 - 55m 15s
Angkor was the capital of the Khmer empire, which controlled much of the region between the 9th and 15th centuries. The stunning accomplishments of Angkor’s great kings are clear to see—but the period preceding the foundation of their great city is shrouded in mystery. Now, the discovery of an incredible hoard of stunning artifacts is providing surprising new clues about this early Khmer society.
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Field of Vampires
S22 E2 - 55m 15s
In 2022, a terrifying discovery: a female skeleton dating from 1650, buried with a sickle across her neck and giant padlock on her toe—double protection to keep her from rising from the dead. All the evidence points to her being buried as a vampire... and she’s not alone, with more than 50 deviant burials around her. Who was she and what did these burial rituals mean?
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The Civil War's Lost Massacre
S22 E1 - 55m 23s
Originally a supply depot for Union forces in Kentucky, Camp Nelson became the site where 10,000 Black soldiers trained in the Civil War. But in the war’s last months, these soldiers were attacked by bitter Southerners. Their remains have never been found, and a team is dedicated to finding them to memorialize their service and heroism.
Extras + Features
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Preview | Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part Two)
S22 E6 - 32s
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse’s role in post-war America. Lohse established relationships with curators at some of the nation’s most important cultural institutions and became an invisible hand, dealing in looted art – even as the families of the original owners pursued the restitution of works rightfully theirs.
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How Americans Profited Off Looted Art
S22 E6 - 1m 46s
The explosion of new museums in post-war America increased the demand for art –while, at the same time, those looking to shrink their taxable income were being given tax breaks for charitable donations. These two factors created a “very murky” market, explains restitution attorney Raymond Dowd, as “museums became filled with toxic assets. Almost no one had a motivation to look into provenance.”
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Extended Preview | Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief
S22 E5 - 2m 49s
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the life of Bruno Lohse and his role in the Nazi looting operation, interviewing Lohse himself, as well as curators, art investigators, Lohse’s associates, and descendants of the victims of Nazi art theft. With a look at stunning masterpieces and a deep archive of personal letters, Plunderer reveals the dark underbelly of the international art world.
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The ERR and the Nazi Party’s Systematic Looting of Europe
S22 E5 - 3m 13s
After initially joining the German Army as a soldier at the outset of World War II, Dr. Bruno Lohse – an art historian by training – was selected to join the ERR, the Nazi Party agency tasked with plundering Europe. Headquartered in Paris, the ERR carried out, in the words of journalist Hector Feliciano, “the largest looting that has ever happened in history.”
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Ascending the Summit of Mt. Phu Kao
S22 E4 - 2m 8s
The holy temple of Vat Phou sits at the foot of Mt. Phu Kao. Evidence suggests ancient Khmer kings made grand processions to worship at the temple -- and then continued up the mountain, by foot, to pray at the summit. Christophe Pottier and his archaeological team are recreating the challenging ascent, in search of evidence of religious ceremonies from the pre-Angkorian era.
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Preview | Lost Treasures of Angkor – King's Gold
S22 E4 - 32s
The discovery of gold and silver artifacts in Laos, dating to the early days of the Khmer Empire, leads scientists to investigate how the priceless objects were made and where they might have originated. On their journey, they retrace the steps of the ancient kings and explore the sacred landscape around Vat Phou to learn more about this ancient civilization.
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Signs of Human Habitation in Kurukshetra
S22 E4 - 2m 11s
A team of archaeologists led by Christine Hawixbrock is excavating a site in what was the ancient Khmer city of Kurukshetra. And after digging through multiple "cultural layers" of earth, they make a breakthrough -- a clear sign of human occupation of this ancient royal city.
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Preview | Lost Treasures of Angkor – The Discovery
S22 E3 - 32s
Angkor was the capital of the Khmer empire, which controlled much of the region between the 9th and 15th centuries. The stunning accomplishments of Angkor’s great kings are clear to see—but the period preceding the foundation of their great city is shrouded in mystery. Now, the discovery of an incredible hoard of stunning artifacts is providing surprising new clues about this early Khmer society.
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Cymbal Found at Ancient Khmer Temple Site
S22 E3 - 1m 30s
Archaeologist Christine Hawixbrock and her team discover a small cymbal during the excavation of an ancient Khmer temple complex. Artifacts like this would have been used as part of a religious ceremony, and suggest the presence of a royal elite here during the pre-Angkorian period.
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A Gruesome Discovery in Rural Poland
S22 E2 - 2m 50s
Residents of the rural Polish town of Pień have long avoided a particular hill in the village – and in 2022, a team of archaeologists led by Dariusz Poliński and Magdalena Zagrodzka learned why. They discovered the body of a woman buried with a sickle across her neck, and a triangular padlock attached to her toe. Had they dug up a gruesome crime scene – or evidence of the supernatural?
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Reconstructing the Face of a 17-Century Woman
S22 E2 - 1m 44s
Forensic artist Oscar Nilsson has worked alongside Swedish police forces for decades, modelling the faces of crime scene victims. Now, he is tasked with reconstructing the face of “Zosia,” a woman buried as a vampire in 17-century Poland – and hopes to restore her human dignity in the process.
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Preview | Field of Vampires
S22 E2 - 32s
In 2022, a terrifying discovery: a female skeleton dating from 1650, buried with a sickle across her neck and giant padlock on her toe — double protection to keep her from rising from the dead. All the evidence points to her being buried as a vampire... and she’s not alone, with more than 50 deviant burials around her. Who was she and what did these burial rituals mean?
Schedule
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Secrets of the Dead
Bombing Auschwitz
Thursday
Jan 30
1 Hour
Upon hearing the stories of two Jewish prisoners who escaped Auschwitz, the Allies consider bombing the Nazi prison camp in an effort to save lives in the future. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
Bombing Auschwitz
Thursday
Jan 30
1 Hour
Upon hearing the stories of two Jewish prisoners who escaped Auschwitz, the Allies consider bombing the Nazi prison camp in an effort to save lives in the future. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
Bombing Auschwitz
Friday
Jan 31
1 Hour
Upon hearing the stories of two Jewish prisoners who escaped Auschwitz, the Allies consider bombing the Nazi prison camp in an effort to save lives in the future. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
Bombing Auschwitz
Saturday
Feb 1
1 Hour
Upon hearing the stories of two Jewish prisoners who escaped Auschwitz, the Allies consider bombing the Nazi prison camp in an effort to save lives in the future. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
Bombing Auschwitz
Sunday
Feb 2
1 Hour
Upon hearing the stories of two Jewish prisoners who escaped Auschwitz, the Allies consider bombing the Nazi prison camp in an effort to save lives in the future. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
Bombing Auschwitz
Sunday
Feb 2
1 Hour
Upon hearing the stories of two Jewish prisoners who escaped Auschwitz, the Allies consider bombing the Nazi prison camp in an effort to save lives in the future. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
Bombing Auschwitz
Sunday
Feb 2
1 Hour
Upon hearing the stories of two Jewish prisoners who escaped Auschwitz, the Allies consider bombing the Nazi prison camp in an effort to save lives in the future. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
Galileo's Moon
Tuesday
Feb 4
1 Hour
Using observations of the Earth's moons and Jupiter's moons, Galileo's "Sidereus Nuncius" proves Earth is not the center of the universe. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
Galileo's Moon
Wednesday
Feb 5
1 Hour
Using observations of the Earth's moons and Jupiter's moons, Galileo's "Sidereus Nuncius" proves Earth is not the center of the universe. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
Galileo's Moon
Wednesday
Feb 5
1 Hour
Using observations of the Earth's moons and Jupiter's moons, Galileo's "Sidereus Nuncius" proves Earth is not the center of the universe. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Wednesday
Feb 5
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Wednesday
Feb 5
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Thursday
Feb 6
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Thursday
Feb 6
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Friday
Feb 7
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Friday
Feb 7
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Saturday
Feb 8
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Sunday
Feb 9
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Sunday
Feb 9
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans. -
Image
Secrets of the Dead
King Arthur's Lost Kingdom
Sunday
Feb 9
1 Hour
Archaeological evidence suggests that the legend of King Arthur began in a 5th-century trading village following the departure of the Romans.
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