The Naked Archaeologist

2010
4.6
17 reviews
TV-PG
Rating
Eligible
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Season 1 episodes (26)

1 Delilah's People
9/5/05
Season-only
Calling someone a Philistine is the ultimate insult but archeology turns the insult into a compliment. The Philistines were actually a highly cultured people who left behind a rich legacy.
2 Who Invented The Alphabet
9/12/05
Season-only
Everyone assumes the Greeks invented the alphabet, but what are its real origins? Archaeological finds tell us that it originated in Egypt.
3 Jerusalem and The Black Prince
9/12/05
Season-only
It’s been an enduring mystery for two thousand years; what stopped the brutal Assyrian army from sacking Jerusalem in 701 BCE? The army was poised outside the walls of Jerusalem but at the last moment, according to the Bible, “an angel of God” intervened.
4 What Killed Herod?
9/26/05
Season-only
On the one hand Herod was famous for impressive public works and architecture; on the other, for the Biblical slaughter of the firstborn sons of Israel and murdering his own family. Was he suffering from disease that affected his judgment?
5 Real Or Fake?
10/3/05
Season-only
The antiquities market has always been plagued by fakes and forgeries. Can science actually prove what’s real and what’s fake, and how did it all get so political?
6 Fame And Forgery
10/3/05
Season-only
We discover an early and sensational fake artifact, the fabrication of an entire culture complete with artifacts that made their way into some of the world’s greatest museums.
7 Accidental Archeology
10/17/05
Season-only
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.
8 Biblical Food
10/17/05
Season-only
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.
9 Jesus: The Early Years
10/17/05
Season-only
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.
10 John The Baptist
11/7/05
Season-only
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.
11 Royal Blue
11/14/05
Season-only
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?
12 Return of the Hallazon
11/21/05
Season-only
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?
13 The Last Man Standing
11/28/05
Season-only
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?
14 Crucifixion
12/5/05
Season-only
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 (a foot with a nail through it) in an Israeli museum.
15 King David
12/12/05
Season-only
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.
16 Jezebel: Bible Bad Girl
12/19/05
Season-only
How did this Phoenician princess become one of the Bible’s best, or worst, femme fatales? Jezebel married Israelite King Ahab but the new queen didn’t move into alone. She brought the pagan god Baal and 450 of his priests into the Israelite Holy Land.
17 The Oldest Leper
12/26/05
Season-only
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.
18 Joshua
1/2/06
Season-only
The Bible says Joshua conquered Canaan, the land God promised the Israelites. From Joshua came Israel, from Israel Jesus, from Jesus, Christianity and much of the Western World. But did the Old Testament's fiercest warrior even exist?
19 Masada
1/9/06
Season-only
After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, legend has it that about 1,000 politicized Jews made a legendary last stand on the Herodian palace in the desert, Masada. Besieged by the 10th Legion, they committed suicide rather than be taken into slavery by Rome.
20 Who Wrote The Dead Sea Scrolls?
1/16/06
Season-only
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.
21 Holy Hot Spot
1/16/06
Season-only
For Jews, Christians and Muslims the Temple Mount or Al-Haram al-Sharif, is one of the holiest places on the planet.
22 Biblical Epicentre
1/30/06
Season-only
The Temple Mount or Al-Haram al-Sharif, is one of the most dangerous flash points in the Middle East. Wrapped in myth, scripture and headlines, what does archaeology reveal reveal about this holiest piece of the Holy Land?
23 The Mother of Archaeology
2/6/06
Season-only
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.
24 Who Wrote The Bible?
2/13/06
Season-only
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?
25 Where Is Mount Sinai?
2/20/06
Season-only
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.
26 Where Is Mount Sinai?
2/27/06
Season-only
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.

About this show

Ever wonder why boiled fish guts are considered ancient civilization's condiment of choice? Or how kohl is made? In its third season, The Naked Archaeologist takes viewers on yet another fun, fact-filled journey into the fascinating world of Biblical archaeology.

Ratings and reviews

4.6
17 reviews
Rob Rivera
March 27, 2016
I LOVE this show! I use to watch this on The History Channel, and I miss not seeing this anymore. If you haven't already seen this one, do so! You will LOVE it too! Simcha ROCKS!
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