Secrets of the Dead

History Series / 9 Seasons

Secrets of the Dead is part detective story, part true-life drama that unearths evidence from around the world, challenging prevailing ideas and throwing fresh light on unexplained events.

55m 23s / TV-PG

The June 1962 Alcatraz Escape

3m 3s

On the night of June 11, 1962, three Alcatraz inmates set out in a raft made of raincoats into the treacherous waters of San Francisco Bay. They were never seen again. Who were the escapees? Where did they go?

Preview | Jamestown’s Dark Winter

30s

Jamestown, Virginia. The site of the first permanent English colony the Americas settled in 1607 and the home of the archaeological site “Historic Jamestowne” today. It has long been speculated that the harsh conditions faced by the colonists during the winter of 1609, often referred to as the “starving time,” might have made them desperate enough to participate in the unthinkable.

The struggles of Jamestown in the early 1600s

3m 1s

In the summer of 1609, a fleet of English ships sails across the Atlantic – bound for the American colony in Jamestown, Virginia. It carried over 500 settlers, 9 ships. Jamestown had been founded two years earlier but had not prospered and in fact the first couple of years of Jamestown’s history is pretty much a colossal failure.

Dark rumors surrounding Jamestown

3m 29s

The archaeologists and scientists examine the bones excavated in the cellar at Jamestown. Unlike the bones of the burials, these bones have unusual cut marks, which were pointing to a possibility even more bizarre than murder. Could this be evidence of cannibalism?

Vampire-Slaying Ritual in Romania

3m 5s

In 2004, 1500 miles from England, a story makes headlines in Romania. A group of villagers has performed a vampire-slaying ritual on a recently buried corpse. The incident occurred in the remote town of Marotino de Sus when a 26-year-old woman began complaining of a mysterious illness.

Bram Stoker's Notes and Research for Dracula

3m 19s

Pop culture has fixated on vampires, thrilling audiences with the horror of a deadly monster A nocturnal predator from Eastern Europe who rises from the grave to feed off the blood of its victims. But what if Dracula, and all the other vampires that have captured the public imagination, have a basis in reality?

Preview | Vampire Legend

38s

Follow scientists as they uncover “deviant” burials dating back to medieval England, pointing to a belief that the dead could rise from their graves. Predating Eastern European legend, these discoveries force a re-examination of modern vampire lore.

Preview | The Real Trojan Horse

39s

The Trojan Horse... It was the ultimate sneak attack, bringing a city that would withstood nine years of battle to its knees. But was it simply a work of fiction? Or did the Greeks really trick the Trojans into defeat with a giant wooden horse that concealed enough soldiers to reduce the powerful city to rubble?

Did the City of Troy Exist?

3m 14s

To find the truth behind the tale of the wooden horse, the experts need to prove that the city of Troy existed and that it really was an almost impregnable fortress. Homer's poems say that Troy stood by the Aegean sea.

Horses and Troy

2m 14s

Horse bones found in the archaeological record show that at a time when they were still scarce elsewhere, these prized beasts were plentiful in Troy. Horses were also a symbol of the power of Troy. Could the Greeks have dazzled the Trojans with a symbolic horse and gotten them to let down their guard?

Preview | JFK & LBJ: A Time for Greatness

35s

In many ways, President Lyndon B. Johnson was the most unlikely champion of Civil Rights. But his actions in the White House told a different story when he dared to champion two laws that changed America and the world — the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Preview | Ben Franklin's Bones

30s

In November 1997, when the skeletal remains of at least 28 bodies were unearthed in the basement of an elegant townhouse, police feared it was the work of a serial killer. But when research indicated the bones actually dated to the mid-1700s, the implications became even more dramatic. This was no ordinary house: 36 Craven Street was the former residence of Benjamin Franklin.

The Rise of the Body Snatchers

2m 37s

In the 18th century, private anatomy schools were set up across London to give medical students the opportunity to learn anatomy by dissecting human cadavers. But supply lagged behind demand. Anatomists needed many more bodies than the ones of hanged murderers, which were the only bodies legally available at that time for their study. This created a business for body snatchers.

Ben Franklin’s Scientific Achievements

3m 23s

America’s Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was intellectually curious about the world and he operated in it as a gentlemanly scientist. He pursued experiments related to electricity, he looked at better ways to make clocks and improve bifocal lenses. In 1752, he had won world-wide fame when he proved that lightening was not an act of God but in fact electricity.

William Hewson’s Experiments and the Craven Street Bones

2m 21s

William Hewson, Benjamin Franklin’s neighbor at 36 Craven Street, was no ordinary physician. He was an anatomist. Hewson had conducted extensive research into the human lymphatic system and his detailed findings were recorded by leading anatomical artists of the day. Are the bones at Craven Street connected to William Hewson?

Preview | Resurrecting Richard III

43s

In 2011, a group of amateur historians made an incredible archaeological find: the bones of King Richard III, hunchbacked, with an arrow through the spine. Richard is thought of as the most evil king to have ruled England and also as a fearsome warrior, despite the extreme curvature of his spine. Now, scientists are testing the bones to find out more about the king.

Richard’s Body Double

3m 39s

26-year-old Dominic Smee has the exact kind of scoliosis to the same degree as Richard III. The team studying Richard III will train and test Dominic to find out exactly what Richard was capable of. Resurrecting Richard III premieres on Wednesday, September 24th at 10 p.m. on PBS. (Check local listings)

Did Richard III Maintain a Healthy Diet from Birth to Death?

2m 20s

A team of scientists has traveled to Richard’s birthplace in Northamptonshire to find out if he was a fit and capable warrior at the Battle of Bosworth. By analyzing the chemical isotopes in Richard’s teeth, legs and ribs, they can create a complete profile of Richard’s diet over the course of his life. Resurrecting Richard III premieres on Wednesday, September 24th at 10 p.m. on PBS.

Preview | The Mona Lisa Mystery

30s

Discover a portrait of a younger and more beautiful Mona Lisa that predated the famous Louvre masterpiece. In September 2012, headline news shook the art world. A secret da Vinci had been uncovered, a portrait of a younger and more beautiful Mona Lisa that predated the famous Louvre masterpiece.

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