Hidden behind bullet proof glass, guarded by a mysterious order of knights, could this stone cup really be the legendary Holy Grail? And the horrific, mythical monster, half man, half bull that devoured its human victims trapped inside a terrifying labyrinth. But could the blood-curdling legend of the Minotaur be linked to a real place?
Less famous then the Shroud of Turin could the Shroud of Oviedo actually be Christ's burial cloth? NGC traces the blood-stained relic to Israel in a quest to determine whether it holds Christ's DNA, and in a most chilling discovery finds that it contains no evidence of a father's DNA. Later, a linguistic code cracker attempts to solve the riddle of one of the most mysterious ancient objects - the Phaistos Disc. The Phaistos Disc is a curious archaeological find, most likely dating from about 1700 BC. Its purpose and meaning, and even its original geographical place of manufacture, remain disputed, making it one of the most famous mysteries of archaeology. The Phaistos Disc was discovered in the basement of room XL-101 of the Minoan site of Phaistos. The site is near Hagia Triada on the south coast of Crete. Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier recovered this remarkably intact disc about 15 cm. in diameter and uniformly just over 1 cm. thick, on July 3, 1908.
Examining the medieval myth of the Philosopher's Stone, a Holy Grail-type relic which supposedly held the key to alchemy and immortality. Many noted alchemists and adventurers searched obsessively for the artefact hoping to learn its powerful secrets, a quest which allegedly drove some to madness and others to celestial encounters. It's one of the most coveted artefacts of the Bible: a gold-encrusted chest containing the Ten Commandments. Can modern scholarship explain the awful powers of the Ark of the Covenant and tell us how it vanished and where it is today?
Investigate what recent advances in science might reveal about this mysterious religious relic since the last time it was tested in 1988.
Following clues in the Old Testament, an archaeologist believes he has discovered the location of the original cities of sin, Sodom and Gomorrah.
New high-resolution images of the Mona Lisa may reveal hidden numbers and letters. Could they be the key to understanding the enigmatic painting?
Dr Sabine Hyland attempts to study the three dimensional language found in sacred knotted Incan relics and crack their intricate code.
Father Patrick Hough visits Notre Dame Cathedral to examine a relic that's said to be the crown of thorns worn by Christ at his crucifixion.
A mysterious burial 4,000 years ago and the recent discovery of a body with a missing heart leads to a search for the world's oldest vampire
Ancient artefacts that defy rational explanation come under the microscope, as this series explores the unsolved mysteries of the past.
Death Cult Temple & Bog Bodies Of Ireland: Experts explore the revolutionary discovery of Gobekli Tepe, along with brutally maimed bodies unearthed in the muddy landscape of Ireland.
Millions of Christians retrace Christ's footsteps every year, but now an archaeologist claims that they may be worshipping at the wrong sites.
Join underwater archaeologist Guillermo de Anda as he travels across Mexico and Guatemala in search of the legendary Mayan underworld, Xibalba.
After centuries of debate, archaeological evidence unearthed in Bulgaria may reveal not only where the Great Flood happened, but what caused it.
Could Joan have survived her execution? New evidence suggests that France's national heroine may not have been burnt at the stake after all.
An expert in Arthurian legend makes an unlikely journey to a remote Italian church, and a tiny pendant challenges the origins of Christianity.
