Sacred Sites on Smithsonian Channel on StarSat web

Sacred Sites

Sacred Sites on Smithsonian Channel on StarSat mobile

Digging Up Dirt for Knowledge

There are no species on planet earth that’s as good at building things as we are. Building structures is so integral to human life that the point at which “civilization” started was when the first buildings were built. Even thousands of years later we keep uncovering structures built by our ancestors that have stood the test of time and survived the terrible forces of nature.

Humanity, unfortunately, isn’t all that good at writing things down. All of our histories were passed down through word of mouth in the form of dramatic stories and art, all of which is subject to romantic idealization and open interpretation. Our best bet to what life was like in the past comes to us though archaeology. Archaeologists spend their days using the latest technology to find and dig up relics and artefacts that give us glimpses into a past unembellished by legends and ballads.

In this series, we get to see what archaeologists have discovered in ancient ruins all over the world and hear their best theories on what might have happened hundreds or even thousands of years ago. From discovering what caused the sudden disappearance of ancient Malta’s Temple People to figuring out whether the fabled King Arthur actually existed, join us on this journey of discovery.

Wednesdays at 10:10 p.m. on Smithsonian Channel (ch 226)