Hidden in the Amazon
Recent discoveries and technological advances are shedding new light on our understanding of pre-Columbian societies in the Amazon. Scientists speculate the rainforest was home to between 8 and 10 million people living in large, well-established communities.
Episodes
-
Hidden in the Amazon
S20 E4 - 55m 25s
Recent discoveries and technological advances are shedding new light on our understanding of pre-Columbian societies in the Amazon. Scientists speculate the rainforest was home to between 8 and 10 million people living in large, well-established communities.
-
Decoding Hieroglyphics
S20 E3 - 55m 25s
A review of how ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics were first translated 200 years ago, and a look at the archaeological work now being done in Egypt to understand one of the empire’s most important scribes.
-
Last Days of Pompeii
S20 E2 - 55m 30s
What were the last days in Pompeii like before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years ago? The dazzling discovery of an intact wooden chariot, the only one ever found, provides new insight into the social classes of the ancient city.
-
Archaeology at Althorp
S20 E1 - 55m 30s
Discover one of the most significant British archaeological finds of the century at the Althorp estate, ancestral home of the Spencer family, including Diana, Princess of Wales. What treasures will this extensive excavation reveal?
Extras + Features
-
Wasps Surround Oldest Traces of Human Settlement in Amazonia
S20 E4 - 2m 5s
Archaeologist Edithe Pereira travels deep into the heart of the Monte Alegre region of Brazil to study paintings found on the rockface there. Careful to avoid the surrounding wasp nests, she and her team have dated these paintings to 12,000 BCE — the oldest known traces of human presence in the whole of Amazonia.
-
Hidden in the Amazon Preview
S20 E4 - 32s
Recent discoveries and technological advances are shedding new light on our understanding of pre-Columbian societies in the Amazon. Scientists speculate the rainforest was home to between 8 and 10 million people living in large, well-established communities.
-
Decoding Hieroglyphics Preview
S20 E3 - 32s
A review of how ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics were first translated 200 years ago, and a look at the archaeological work now being done in Egypt to understand one of the empire’s most important scribes.
-
Understanding Ancient Artists through 'Handwriting' Analysis
S20 E3 - 1m 41s
Egyptologist and paleography expert Elizabeth Bettles analyzes hieroglyphs painted on the walls of tombs in the Theban necropolis. By identifying different "handwriting" techniques — distinct shapes, styles, spellings — she learns more about the artists themselves.
-
Last Days of Pompeii Preview
S20 E2 - 32s
What were the last days in Pompeii like before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years ago? The dazzling discovery of an intact wooden chariot, the only one ever found, provides new insight into the social classes of the ancient city.
-
Ancient Pompeii's Modern Solution to Traffic Jams
S20 E2 - 2m 7s
Professor Eric Poehler is an expert at understanding the patterns left behind by the estimated 10,000 carts and wagons that rolled around ancient Pompeii. He examines the archaeological evidence, carved into the stone streets, to show how the city dealt with its relentless flow of traffic.
-
Archaeology at Althorp Preview
S20 E1 - 32s
Discover one of the most significant British archaeological finds of the century at the Althorp estate, ancestral home of the Spencer family, including Diana, Princess of Wales. What treasures will this extensive excavation reveal?
-
Evidence of the Iron Age Emerges at Althorp
S20 E1 - 2m 15s
During an archaeological dig at Althorp, the ancestral estate of the Spencer family, archaeologist Cat Jarman and her team begin to uncover fragments of manmade artifacts from the late 17th century. Further excavation uncovers even more evidence of human activity, suggesting an Iron Age settlement may have once existed on the property.
Schedule
WETA Passport
Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.
Similar Shows

The Civil War
History

Lucy Worsley Investigates
History


Her War, Her Story: World War II
History

Slavery by Another Name
History

Tales from the Royal Bedchamber
History

Queen Elizabeth's Secret Agents
History



Iconic America
History