The Naked Archaeologist

Calling someone a Philistine is the ultimate insult - but archaeology turns the insult into a compliment.. We examine the tribe of Delilah and Goliath, their fertility cults, a temple like the one Samson may have destroyed with his bare hands, see some surprising artifacts and get the scoop on who the Philistines really were.

Everyone assumes the Greeks invented the alphabet, but what are its real origins? From desert caves to urban graffiti, we trace the origins and evolution of simple shapes that democratized communication as it spread through the ancient world.

It's been an enduring mystery for two thousand years; what stopped the brutal Assyrian army from sacking Jerusalem in 701 BCE? Scholars around the world have puzzled over this mystery for hundreds of years, but now, a Canadian journalist, Henry Aubin, thinks he has the answer. He asserts that an Egyptian army saved the day, lead by a black Nubian Pharaoh.

One of the most brutal and brilliant leaders of ancient times, the first century King left a disconcerting legacy. And, he died the most gruesome and mysterious death. He was famous for impressive public works and architecture; and, for the Biblical slaughter of the firstborn sons of Israel and extraordinary cruelty including murdering his own family.

The antiquities market has always been plagued by fakes and forgeries. We also discover an early and sensational fake, the fabrication of an entire culture complete with artifacts that made their way into some of the world's greatest museums.

The antiquities market has always been plagued by fakes and forgeries. We also discover an early and sensational fake, the fabrication of an entire culture complete with artifacts that made their way into some of the world's greatest museums.