Carved from single boulders of basalt, the giant stone heads of the Olmec have amazed and mystified archaeologists for more than 150 years. Hunter Ellis explores how a primitive civilization may have managed this astonishing feat.

The "red-rose" city of Petra stands as one of the most glorious and mysterious archaeological sites on earth. Created over 2,500 years ago, the ornate Petra cityscape was literally carved into the rose-colored walls of Jordan's Shara Mountains.

Thousands of years before the Inca ruled the nation now called Peru, a strange and unique civilization dominated the region. It was called Chavin, and its story is one of the most bizarre in history. Unlike the other civilizations of the Americas, Chavin's status as a regional superpower wasn't based on its military muscle. Instead, the rulers of Chavin exercised a cult-like control over their subjects with the aid of hallucinogenic plants. Josh Bernstein ventures deep into the miles of tunnels beneath the ruins of Chavin de Huantar, comes face to face with some of the most fearsome animals of the Peruvian Amazon, and investigates a real temple of doom. As he tries to understand this mysterious culture, he takes part in one of the ancient rituals still practiced by the country's powerful shaman-priests.

This episode goes on the most extraordinary treasure hunt ever! Host Hunter Ellis ventures on a world-exclusive search for the priceless golden artifacts of Jerusalem's Temple--lost since the Romans looted them almost 2,000 years ago.

Host Hunter Ellis continues our extraordinary treasure hunt as he ventures on a world-exclusive search for the priceless golden artifacts of Jerusalem's Temple--lost since the Romans looted them almost 2,000 years ago.

The Maya of Central America were the greatest pyramid builders of the ancient world. The Egyptians built less than a 100 pyramids--the Maya built thousands.

Five hundred years before the Inca, a remarkable band of warriors called the Chachapoya built the greatest stone monument in the Americas. Amazingly, it's three times the size of Egypt's largest pyramid.

For over 3,000 years, ancient Egyptians preserved their dead in the desert sands. Today the secrets of the Egyptian afterlife are being revealed! Join host Josh Bernstein as he enters a realm of temples, tombs, and mummies. How did the Egyptians prepare the dead for the afterlife and why did these sacred practices disappear? On his exploration, Josh explores the royal tombs at Giza, mines the key ingredient used to preserve the dead, and uncovers a secret cache of golden mummies!