Belief and Superstition (Episode 5)

This episode explores Ancient Egyptian beliefs and superstitions. We discover how environmental scientist; studying Twister Bristlecone Pines in the White mountains of California believe these trees hold vital clues in the search for an explanation of the biblical plagues. We solve the mystery of 180 thousand feline corpses, spread upon farmland in Victorian England, and investigate the role of different animals in Egyptian religion, both in this life and the next. We investigate the deadly curse cast by King Tutankhamen from beyond the grave and chart the science that separates curse from coincidence. What’s more, we test a mummified baboon using state of the art technology and unlock the secrets of the Ancient Egyptian’s ‘paradise on earth’ – the land of Punt.

Episode 1 reveals how the Ancient Egyptians built their monuments and constructed an unrivalled legacy on the road to becoming an Ancient superpower.

We explore the mysteries behind the Ancient Egyptians’ obsession with death and the afterlife. Using cutting edge new science, we reveal the secrets of the extra-terrestrial artefacts buried with a…

This episode explores Crime and Punishment in ancient Egypt. We reveal a civilisation riven by homicidal royalty, rampant tomb raiding and acts of extreme punishment.

Using cutting edge science, experts unravel the mysteries of Ancient Egypt’s Elite. How did Ramesses II battle a biblical drought? Where is the lost tomb of Imhotep? And who was Ancient Egypt’s first…

This episode explores Ancient Egyptian beliefs and superstitions. We discover how environmental scientist; studying Twister Bristlecone Pines in the White mountains of California believe these trees…

This episode delves into the brainpower behind ancient Egypt's revolutionary breakthroughs in science, art and medicine. Archaeologists from Yale University discover some of the earliest hieroglyphs…

Science shines a light on the dark side of ancient Egypt. Forensic archaeologists investigate a 5,000-year-old cold case, to uncover the story of a man murdered in the chaos of Egypt's earliest…

This episode explores the truth and lies behind ancient Egypt’s best known and loved icons, including the Great Sphinx, Tutankhamun or the lost city of Tanis.

This episode uses modern science to uncover the secrets of health and wealth in Ancient Egypt, from the revelation of how Queen Hatshepsut may have accidentally killed herself, to the discovery of…

This episode explores the dramatic final years of the Pharaohs in Egypt. Scientists and historians combine forces to investigate claims that colossal volcanic eruptions around the globe helped topple…