The Naked Archaeologist - Episode Guide

Calling someone a Philistine is the ultimate insult - but archaeology turns the insult into a compliment.. We examine the tribe of Delilah and Goliath, their fertility cults, a temple like the one Samson may have destroyed with his bare hands, see some surprising artifacts and get the scoop on who the Philistines really were.

Everyone assumes the Greeks invented the alphabet, but what are its real origins? From desert caves to urban graffiti, we trace the origins and evolution of simple shapes that democratized communication as it spread through the ancient world.

It's been an enduring mystery for two thousand years; what stopped the brutal Assyrian army from sacking Jerusalem in 701 BCE? Scholars around the world have puzzled over this mystery for hundreds of years, but now, a Canadian journalist, Henry Aubin, thinks he has the answer. He asserts that an Egyptian army saved the day, lead by a black Nubian Pharaoh.

One of the most brutal and brilliant leaders of ancient times, the first century King left a disconcerting legacy. And, he died the most gruesome and mysterious death. He was famous for impressive public works and architecture; and, for the Biblical slaughter of the firstborn sons of Israel and extraordinary cruelty including murdering his own family.

The antiquities market has always been plagued by fakes and forgeries. We also discover an early and sensational fake, the fabrication of an entire culture complete with artifacts that made their way into some of the world's greatest museums.

The antiquities market has always been plagued by fakes and forgeries. We also discover an early and sensational fake, the fabrication of an entire culture complete with artifacts that made their way into some of the world's greatest museums.

In North America it would be pretty unusual to have a bulldozer hit anything besides a hidden gas line or cable...but in Israel the cumbersome building tool often unearths ancient treasure. While digging a foundation for a new home, it's not uncommon to find the remains of an ancient city. We explore the four level basement of a Jerusalem home and find relics that are two thousand years old.

The Bible is full of references to the kinds of food ancients ate - but there are no recipes. Simcha learns what archaeology tells us about what people ate in ancient times; shops in Jerusalem for ingredients noted in the Bible and attempt to cook a meal fit for a king.

The Gospels sometimes contradict each other in their descriptions of Jesus' early years and not much is known about how he spent his childhood. Now archaeology can help uncover some clues about his early influences and even his birth. Could the manger where Jesus was born be in a different Bethlehem?

New archaeology has revealed what may be the cave where St. John baptized new converts to Christianity. Simcha checks out the cave and learns more about this major Christian saint. He also discovers why, in the Church of St. John the Baptist, there is a painting by a Canadian artist complete with beavers carved on the frame.

Why is a debate about a colour so intensely important to some Orthodox Jews? How did the recipe for the true Royal Blue become lost? What is the Hillazon - part fish, part snake with legs coming from its head - the mysterious creature described in the Bible as the source for the dye? Does archaeology have the answer?

Why is a debate about a colour so intensely important to some Orthodox Jews? How did the recipe for the true Royal Blue become lost? What is the Hillazon - part fish, part snake with legs coming from its head - the mysterious creature described in the Bible as the source for the dye? Does archaeology have the answer?

The first century historian, Flavius Josephus, is the most frequently quoted scholar when it comes to the history of Jesus' time. His vivid descriptions of historic events give us a clear picture of Roman times. But is it an accurate picture? Is there archaeological proof? We get a profile of the controversial historian.

In ancient times, before the crucifixion, it was common practice to use this method of execution to deter others from opposing Roman rule. Despite the fact that so many were crucified, little physical evidence of it remains. We investigate why there is so little archaeological proof and visit the only known artifact in an Israeli museum.

The Bible paints a picture of King David as a mighty hero - capable of slaying giants, conquering enemies, and starting the messianic line that leads to Jesus. But for decades archaeologists have been struggling to find evidence of David's mighty kingdom. Now the archaeological remains of three sets of gates in three ancient cities might just hold the key to verifying David's story.

How did this Phoenician princess become one of the Bible's best, or worst, femme fatales? Jezebel married Israelite King Ahab. But the Israelites new queen didn't move into the bridal chamber alone. She brought the pagan god Baal and 450 of his priests into the heart of the Israelites Holy Land. The prophet Elijah was not pleased.

Ancients suffered from hundreds of ailments, some of which still plague us today. Leprosy is mentioned in the Bible frequently, and now archaeology has uncovered what may be the bones of the oldest leper. Scientists studying those bones can now tell us more about the disease than we may ever want to know.

Joshua: One of the Bible's greatest generals. The Bible says he conquered Canaan, the land God promised the Israelites. But did the Old Testament's fiercest warrior even exist? It's hard to find traces of Joshua. After all, he didn't build temples or cities to leave behind. He knocked them over, or burnt them, or put them to the sword.

After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, legend has it that a group of about 1,000 politicized Jews made a legendary last stand on the Herodian palace in the desert, Masada. Besieged by the famous 10th Legion, they committed suicide rather than be taken into slavery by Rome.

In the 1950s a Bedouin shepherd's sheep stumbled upon some ancient scrolls in a cave on the shores of the Dead Sea. This accidental find would prove to be the greatest archaeological discovery of the twentieth century. Known as The Dead Sea Scrolls they are one thousand fragments of holy writings from the time of Jesus and the Second Temple Destruction. But who wrote these documents?

For Jews, Christians and Muslims the Temple Mount or Al-Haram al-Sharif, is one of the holiest places on the planet. These overlapping claims also make it one of the most dangerous flash points in the Middle East. Wrapped in myth, scripture and headlines, what does archaeology reveal about this holiest piece of the Holy Land?

For Jews, Christians and Muslims the Temple Mount or Al-Haram al-Sharif, is one of the holiest places on the planet. These overlapping claims also make it one of the most dangerous flash points in the Middle East. Wrapped in myth, scripture and headlines, what does archaeology reveal about this holiest piece of the Holy Land?

St. Helena was the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine. She convinced him to establish Christianity as the official state religion in the 4th century. She was also the first Christian pilgrim. As a sprightly 70 year-old she traveled to the Holy Land and "discovered" where Christ's cross was buried, where his tomb was and the route he walked through Jerusalem to be crucified.

The Bible is made up of dozens of books, but tradition has it that the first five books were dictated to Moses, by God. But could Moses have really written down the words that God spoke, including the Ten Commandments? The Bible says that millions of people witnessed this event - but what does archaeology say?

For thousands of years people have wondered which peak in the Sinai Peninsula is the legendary mountain where Moses is supposed to have received the 10 commandments. Our investigation demonstrates that the mountain where Popes and tourists trek on pilgrimage is not Mt. Sinai. Using the Bible and archaeology as guides, we identify the only mountain that fits all the Biblical criteria.

For thousands of years people have wondered which peak in the Sinai Peninsula is the legendary mountain where Moses is supposed to have received the 10 commandments. Our investigation demonstrates that the mountain where Popes and tourists trek on pilgrimage is not Mt. Sinai. Using the Bible and archaeology as guides, we identify the only mountain that fits all the Biblical criteria.

One hundred years after Jesus was crucified, a warrior hailed by rabbis as the Jewish messiah led a massive rebellion against Roman occupation in Israel. Who was this would-be messiah? This is the story of the rabbis' best kept secret.

At the Vatican in Rome stands the most iconic Christian church in the world, St. Peter's Basilica. It's named after the one-time fisherman turned saint St Peter. According to Christian tradition, Peter is buried deep in the catacombs underneath the basilica. But is there any actual archaeological proof that St. Peter is there?

What do a lost city, a forgotten empire, deodorant and Moses have in common? The Naked Archaeologist is on a mission to find out. The Nabateans, an ancient and mysterious people built the beautiful hidden city of Petra. It was an empire, which rested on the trade of Frankincense, which was, among other things, ancient deodorant. But who were the Nabateans?

In Genesis 6:4 of the Old Testament it says: "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." Who are these giants that the bible speaks about?

3000 years ago, in Jerusalem stood King Solomon's Temple - the holiest temple on earth for the Jews. It housed priceless treasures so marvelous that they were considered the most intimate symbols of communication between God and earth.

3000 years ago, in Jerusalem stood King Solomon's Temple - the holiest temple on earth for the Jews. It housed priceless treasures so marvelous that they were considered the most intimate symbols of communication between God and earth.

The story of Lot and his daughters is racy. Few people remember that Lot had a drunken fling with his daughters after his wife was killed as they all escaped from Sodom. But why is Lot venerated as a Saint. And more to the point, what were they doing in Sodom that was so bad it makes incest look good?

King Solomon has been the source of great debate in recent years: Was he, or wasn't he, a real historical figure? Taking clues from the Bible, the Naked Archaeologist attempts to separate fact from fiction and figure out what legacy King Solomon left behind.

In part two, the Naked Archaeologist takes his investigation of King Solomon up a notch, and makes some amazing discoveries that just might prove that Solomon really was the King of Israel in the 10th Century BCE.

Since the beginning of time, man has searched the heavens for answers to the meaning and purpose of life. But what did the ancients know about the make-up of the universe? And what archaeology is out there that can tell us how they mapped the stars?

The Catacombs, the Vatican, the Churches--to much of the world Rome IS Christianity. But with the oldest European Jewish community in the world, is there another story under Rome? Starting in the historic streets of the Jewish Ghetto and ending in the rarely seen Jewish Catacombs, the Naked Archaeologist digs down to an older, deeper layer of Rome--one that predates Christianity by centuries.

Everybody knows Chanukah: that holiday in mid December that doesn't involve reindeer. But where does it come from? The Naked Archaeologist explores the "miracle of the oil" and the Maccabees, who freed the Temple in Jerusalem and without whom we wouldn't celebrate Chanukah.

King David, biblical king of Israel, was a man of many talents. He slew Goliath. He conquered the Philistines. His sex life was X rated, but he also played the harp. Apparently he got pretty good at it. How do we know? There's a passage in I Samuel that says King Saul wanted a "cunning harp player" to calm his nerves when the evil spirit was upon him.

The earliest Christians were in fact Jews - essentially, a Jewish sect of Jesus followers. They followed Jesus and respected his teachings as if he were much like a modern-day rabbi. And they adhered to the laws of Moses - which means they circumcised, ate Kosher, and respected Saturday as the Sabbath. So why is there such a separation between Judaism and Christianity today?

The earliest Christians were in fact Jews - essentially, a Jewish sect of Jesus followers. They followed Jesus and respected his teachings as if he were much like a modern-day rabbi. And they adhered to the laws of Moses - which means they circumcised, ate Kosher, and respected Saturday as the Sabbath. So why is there such a separation between Judaism and Christianity today?

It was the kiss heard round the world, and in its wake a new religion was born. But was Judas Iscariot really the man who betrayed Jesus, or just a handy scapegoat? Following clues in the Bible and investigating archaeology in the Holy Land, the Naked Archaeologist is on the trail of the world's most famous traitor.

A miracle is a concrete example of divine intervention and proof of the supernatural power of God. The Christian Bible tells us that Jesus performed at least 36 miracles in his lifetime, most of them in the Galilee. But was Jesus the only miracle maker of his time? What if we look at the Jesus miracles through the lens of first century Judaism?

Shlomo Moussaieff has one of the most impressive, and most controversial collections of antiquities in the world. We profile this fascinating character and get a rare look at artifacts that are rarely seen. From 2500-year-old magic bowls to erotic temple cult objects, the Naked Archaeologist is hands-on with the Moussaieff collection...and he starts a collection of his own.

Who was Pontius Pilate? Was he a brutal dictator with a habit of crucifying dissenters, or just an easy-going guy who had a fetish for keeping his hands clean? Following the latest evidence and talking to leading experts the Naked Archaeologist is determined to find out.

The earliest Christians were in fact Jews - essentially, a Jewish sect of Jesus followers. They followed Jesus and respected his teachings as if he were much like a modern-day rabbi. And they adhered to the laws of Moses - which means they circumcised, ate Kosher, and respected Saturday as the Sabbath. So why is there such a separation between Judaism and Christianity today?

Prostitution: the world's oldest profession. The Hebrew Bible mentions prostitution in lots of places. But the juiciest sex story involving a prostitute is the one about Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38--where prostitution is the lynch pin to the whole plot.

Who was the Beloved Disciple? Mentioned five times in the gospel of John, but never named, scholars have speculated about the identity of the "disciple whom Jesus loved" for centuries. Could it be John himself, or Peter, or even Mary Magdalene? Or is it a code for a disciple whose identity had to remain secret? It's a two thousand year old mystery, and the Naked Archaeologist is on the case.

There's a curious sentence in Judges 5:17, "and Dan remained in ships." In this episode of the Naked Archaeologist we try to determine whether some of the Dan took to the sea and became part of a Mediterranean confederation of Sea Peoples.

A talking donkey, an angel of the lord, and a curse against the Children of Israel. These are just a few of the clues that the Naked Archaeologist investigates as he uncovers archaeology about Balaam, the pagan prophet who tried to stop the Jews from entering the Holy Land.

Can ancient rags and roots and herbs lead us to the famous coat of many colours that the Bible tells us Joseph wore? Well, pretty close...The Naked Archaeologist takes a CSI look at remnants of ancient material, brews up some dyes made of roots and plants, and gives viewers a pretty accurate look at the coat that made Joseph's brothers so jealous.

The Bible instructs men to wear fringes on the corners of their garments as a constant reminder of God. Can we trace these holy threads back to ancient times and learn more about their significance? One of the threads of these fringes is supposed to be a particular colour blue - made from the blood of a shellfish.

The Bible says that Moses was the first person to bring the idea of Monotheism - the worship of one God and one God only - to the ancients. But Sigmund Freud has a different idea. The famous psychoanalyst wrote a book crediting a little known Pharaoh named Akhenaten with the idea. He says Moses heard about it from Akhenaten, not directly from God.

A giant slab of glass is discovered in the middle of an ancient cemetery where important Rabbis are buried. What's it doing there?

Simcha investigates ancient fashions and scents in this trend-setting episode.

When David saw Bathsheba bathing, he was in love. They were married and history was changed. What are the impacts of the most important bath in history?

The Bible is not a picture book so even though it's chock full of references to hair we have no idea what ancient Israelite hair-dos looked like. Did women braid or cover their hair? And did men sport long hair and long beards or just Elvis style sideburns? The Naked Archaeologist goes on a quest to find out.

Over two thousand years ago, the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, but now it is being rebuilt in some surprising places. Simcha travels from Texas to Jerusalem to London to visit model builders obsessed with discovering what Solomon's Temple looked like. For decades, they have studied all the evidence and are making spectacular models of computer and clay. But why do they do it?

he Gospels tell us Jesus was a 'tekton' or a builder but there's not a single stone mason or carpenter among his disciples. Why were fishermen so important to Jesus' ministry and why did he choose to spread his word among the fishing culture of the Sea of Galilee?

According to a rabbinical interpretation of the Book of Genesis, Adam's first wife wasn't Eve, but a woman named Lilith. But where did the rabbis get the idea of Lilith from? Tracking backwards in time, The Naked Archaeologist uncovers evidence that Lilith was actually a child-killing demon who first shows up in Ancient Babylon.

Simcha follows a spy checklist to see if St. Paul was a secret agent, working for the Romans to infiltrate the Jesus movement. Paul hits every item on the list, and archeology shows that James, the brother of Jesus, may have gotten short shrift in the Gospels, thanks to Paul's espionage tricks.

The Book of Esther tells us that a 5th Century bad guy named Haman wanted to kill all the Jews in Persia. He relied on a game of chance to select the day. But which game of chance was it? The Naked Archaeologist goes on a hunt to uncover archaeological clues that will unravel this ancient mystery.

A letter addressed to a royal found in the Dead Sea Scrolls sheds light on an apparent rift between the message of St. Paul and the message of James, brother of Jesus. The Scrolls letter leads Simcha to a stunning archeological site in Jerusalem, where walls of what appears to be a royal palace points to an early convert to a version of Christianity that is all James, not Paul's.

Simcha answers letters sent in to The Naked Archaeologist. Viewers' questions take him from Israel to Egypt to Istanbul, as he investigates ancient sports, Biblical sex quandaries, and we learn fascinating things about our forbearers, everything from their fashion sense to where their bones ended up.