Pompeii's Final Hours: New Evidence

Pompeii's Final Hours: New Evidence

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Pompeii's Final Hours: New Evidence

Episode 1 | SBS | November 11, 2018

Ancient history

History

Classification: Parental Guidance

Historian Bettany Hughes, archaeologist Raksha Dave and John Sergeant reveal fresh evidence surrounding the volcano's eruption. They begin on October 22, 79 AD, two days before Pompeii is destroyed, and piece together the final hours of the doomed city. Raksha joins a live dig, and John visits nearby Naples to find out how the Roman way of life has survived for 2000 years.

Overview

Historian Bettany Hughes, archaeologist Raksha Dave and John Sergeant reveal fresh evidence surrounding the volcano's eruption. They begin on October 22, 79 AD, two days before Pompeii is destroyed, and piece together the final hours of the doomed city. Raksha joins a live dig, and John visits nearby Naples to find out how the Roman way of life has survived for 2000 years.

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Orkney - seven miles off the coast of Scotland, and cut off by the tumultuous Pentland Firth, the fastest-flowing tidal race in Europe - is often viewed as being remote. However it is one of the treasure troves of archaeology in Britain, and recent discoveries there are turning the Stone Age map of Britain upside down. Rather than an outpost at the edge of the world, recent finds suggest an extraordinary theory - that Orkney was the cultural capital of our ancient world and the origin of the stone circle cult which culminated in Stonehenge. In this episode, Andy and some local seafaring volunteers build a boat made of just willow and cow hide and set out to cross the dangerous Pentland Firth as the ancient Orcadians would have done. Neil investigates the extraordinary discovery of some human bones, Chris goes in search of whales, and Shini uncovers the powers of the tides.

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