Secrets of Modern Archaeology

Objects found at archaeological sites reveal unsuspected truths about the past, but risk destruction without expert preservation; scientist Philippe Walter travels to France, Egypt and Greece, using new technology to analyse antiquities.

Explores how cutting-edge technology has advanced the DNA analysis of ancient skeletons, so much so that they help determine eye, hair and skin colour, as well as sex and ancestry.

Explores how LIDAR has transformed knowledge of important archaeological sites and how experts are on their way to create the first virtual archive for the future, using technology to digitise archaeological sites with precision and accuracy.

From reconstructing an ancient Neanderthal cave, to retracing an ancient woman's footprints, to decoding the Herculaneum scrolls, scientists decipher the past by examining traces of history that have disappeared.