DONATE
Back to: Secrets of the Dead
S21E6
The Herculaneum Scrolls
October 16, 2024
Making headlines around the world, Brent Seales and his team of computer scientists set out on a mission to read the 2,000-year-old carbonized scrolls found in the remains of a villa in Herculaneum. Mt. Vesuvius’s eruption in 79 AD transformed the papyri, fusing together the layers of the scrolls and making them impossible to read. Can particle physics and AI finally reveal what the scrolls say?
TV Schedule
Full Episodes
Preview | The Rise & Fall of the Colosseum
S22E7
The spectacular arena showcasing Ancient Rome’s power also contributed to its downfall.
Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part Two)
S22E6
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the post-war life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno...
Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part One)
S22E5
Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse....
Lost Treasures of Angkor – King's Gold
S22E4
Priceless artifacts in Laos reveal holy sites from the early days of the Khmer Empire.
Preview | Lost Treasures of Angkor – The Discovery
S22E3
The discovery of priceless artifacts in Laos sheds light on the ancient Khmer Empire.
The Civil War's Lost Massacre
S22E1
A search for the remains of Black Union soldiers murdered toward the end of the Civil War....
Mozart's Sister
S21E5
Learn the untold story of Maria Anna Mozart, Wolfgang’s older sister and collaborator.
Returning to Babylon
S21E4
Archaeologists search for Assyrian artifacts that survived the Isis occupation of Mosul.
The Princes in the Tower
S21E3
Find out if the 15th-century murder of two princes in the Tower of London can be solved.
Eiffel's Race to the Top
S21E1
Discover the untold story of Paris’ most famous landmark and the race to top 1,000 feet....
Jurassic Fortunes
S20E6
Discover the world of dinosaur fossil collecting, an unusual hobby with a growing market.
The Sunken Basilica
S20E5
Explore the sunken remains of an early Christian basilica in western Turkey.
Decoding Hieroglyphics
S20E3
Research is revealing the hieroglyphic texts from within the tomb of an Egyptian scribe.
The End of the Romans
S18E6
What if climate change and pandemics caused of the decline of the Roman Empire?
Last Days of Pompeii
S20E2
What were the last days in Pompeii like before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius 2,000 years
Clips and Previews
Fall 2025 Season Preview
August 19, 2025
Catch new episodes of Secrets of the Dead on Wednesdays starting October 8 at 10/9c.
Support WFYI. We can't do it without you.