Mysteries of Ancient Medicine

s01e01 Etruscan Gold Teeth, Soutra Aisle, The Two Toes 2026-05-01 01:00 ⌄

Etruscan Gold Teeth, Soutra Aisle, The Two Toes

s01e01 · 2026-05-01 · 01:00

From gold dental bands in Etruscan tombs to the blood stained remains of a medieval hospital in Scotland, archaeologists reveal the gritty realities of ancient care. A crafted Egyptian prosthetic adds a final twist, raising new questions about innovation in early medicine.

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s01e02 Rivers of Mercury, Ethics of Anatomy, The Black Death 2026-05-01 02:00 ⌄

Rivers of Mercury, Ethics of Anatomy, The Black Death

s01e02 · 2026-05-01 · 02:00

A Chinese emperor gambles on a glittering elixir promising eternal life, while a fearless Renaissance anatomist challenges ancient medical doctrine. As the black death spreads across continents, desperate physicians search for answers in a race against unimaginable devastation.

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s01e03 Poison Panacea, A Shocking Treatment, Cannabis in China 2026-05-08 01:00 ⌄

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Poison Panacea, A Shocking Treatment, Cannabis in China

s01e03 · 2026-05-08 · 01:00

Toxic medieval paranoia sparks the use of a lurid stone; in ancient Egypt, a fascination with a shocking creature leads to curious treatments; and in ancient Chinese burials, traces of cannabis are found.

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s01e04 Mummy Medicine, King of Poisons, Maya Sweat Baths 2026-05-15 01:00 ⌄

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Mummy Medicine, King of Poisons, Maya Sweat Baths

s01e04 · 2026-05-15 · 01:00

Egyptian mummies are looted to fill the shelves of European dispensaries; a community in the Alps defies science with a toxic supplement; and in an ancient Mayan kingdom, remnants of a sweat bath provide clues to early maternal health.

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s01e05 James Cook's Cup, Roman Army Hospital, Bamboo Scrolls 2026-05-22 01:00 ⌄

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James Cook's Cup, Roman Army Hospital, Bamboo Scrolls

s01e05 · 2026-05-22 · 01:00

An 18th-century cup promising universal healing conceals a deadly secret. Roman army medics display remarkable ancient care. And fragile bamboo scrolls hint at the origins of ancient Chinese medical traditions.

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s01e06 Queen Anne's Revenge, Tribal Trepanation, Thunderbolt 2026-05-29 01:00 ⌄

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Queen Anne's Revenge, Tribal Trepanation, Thunderbolt

s01e06 · 2026-05-29 · 01:00

Grim discoveries aboard a sunken wreck reveal the horrors of pirate medicine at sea. The remains of ancient Peruvians bear the markings of strange surgical experimentation. And a drug-laced latrine leads us to a historic American foot trail.

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s01e07 Abracadabra, Longmen Recipes, Belemnites 2026-06-05 01:00 ⌄

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Abracadabra, Longmen Recipes, Belemnites

s01e07 · 2026-06-05 · 01:00

A Roman incantation is wielded to ward off disease, unusual remedies carved in Chinese grottos provide ancient medical advice, and a fossilised squid in a medieval Polish grave reveals ancient medical magic.

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s01e08 Barber Surgeons, Astrologist-Physicians, Ancient Indian Medicine 2026-06-12 01:00 ⌄

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Barber Surgeons, Astrologist-Physicians, Ancient Indian Medicine

s01e08 · 2026-06-12 · 01:00

During times of war and plague, barber surgeons provide medical interventions. Astrologer-physicians look to astrological charts to treat their patients. And groundbreaking surgical practices arise from an innovative figure in ancient India.

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s01e09 Relitto del Pozzino, Ancient Opium, Liang Tebo 2026-06-19 01:00 ⌄

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Relitto del Pozzino, Ancient Opium, Liang Tebo

s01e09 · 2026-06-19 · 01:00

A Roman shipwreck reveals the oldest known medical tablets, poppy-shaped jars in a Canaanite tomb trace the roots of opioid use and a Stone Age skeleton with an amputated leg challenges our understanding of prehistoric medicine.

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s01e10 The King's Evil, The Leper Skull, Ancient Cancer Treatment 2026-06-26 01:00 ⌄

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The King's Evil, The Leper Skull, Ancient Cancer Treatment

s01e10 · 2026-06-26 · 01:00

Royal relics expose a healing ritual once believed to cure with a touch. An ancient skull reveals how far healers go to fight leprosy. And new evidence from Egypt reveals how early medicine confronted cancer.

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