Secrets of the Dead

Premiere dates and destinations, not current availability.

1. 1

   Queens of Combat source at TVmaze

   Jan 28, 2026 · Originally aired on PBS

   What if women were hidden among the ranks of Ancient Rome's fearsome gladiators? A group of experts searches for evidence to prove women once fought in the arena just like men. Combining history, archaeology, and forensic investigation, journey across Europe in a quest for answers. If a female gladiator's existence can be proven definitively, what can we learn about their lives?

2. 2

   The Quest for Camelot source at TVmaze

   Feb 4, 2026 · Originally aired on PBS

   Can the stories about King Arthur be proven true? Was the legendary court of Camelot a real place? Join Prof. Mark Horton on his journey across Britain to prove real events and places inspired the chivalric myths. Horton scours medieval texts and archaeological sites for a new understanding of the Arthurian legends and what Britain was like after the Romans left in the fifth century.

3. 3

   China's Bronze Kingdom source at TVmaze

   May 27, 2026 · Originally aired on PBS

   A mysterious ancient city lies hidden in the mountains of Sichuan – remnants of a kingdom consigned to oblivion for thousands of years, until the chance discovery of a jade artifact in 1986. More than 10,000 unusual items have been found at the site which experts believe may be as archaeologically important as the Terracotta Army of Xi'an. Could this be the capital of the ancient Shu kingdom?

4. 4

   Africa's Golden City source at TVmaze

   Oct 14, 2026 · Originally aired on PBS

   Great Zimbabwe was one of the most prominent ancient civilizations of the African continent. Built between the 11th and 15th centuries by ancestors of today's Shona people, it was the thriving capital of a massive trading empire — but for hundreds of years was dismissed by European explorers. Now, new archeological discoveries are revealing the true scope of the ancient city's global importance.

5. 6

   Raising Lady Liberty source at TVmaze

   Oct 21, 2026 · Airs on PBS

   She has stood at the entrance to the New York City harbor for nearly 150 years, welcoming millions who have come to start new lives. The Statue of Liberty is an enduring symbol of freedom and a metaphor for the American dream. With unseen documents and new sources, witness the story of how France and the United States came together to produce one of history's greatest monuments.

6. 7

   Saving Tangier Island source at TVmaze

   Nov 4, 2026 · Airs on PBS

   Welcome to tiny Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Pivotal in the War of 1812, it‘s where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write "The Star-Spangled Banner" and where hundreds of self-emancipated men joined the British to take up arms against their former masters. Now, rising sea levels threaten the island, and the race is on to ensure Tangier will remain a witness to American history.

7. 8

   Who Fought the American Revolution source at TVmaze

   Nov 11, 2026 · Airs on PBS

Episode data from TVmaze.

Cast and crew

Cast

Jay O. Sanders