27. Pleistocene Rock Art of Sahul

Around 13,000 years ago, a wide range of large animal species started disappearing. The circumstances strongly implicate humans.Support the show 

13,000 to 12,000 years ago... From megafauna hunters in Tierra del Fuego to Amazonian rock painters, the formation of early South America hunter gatherer societies was a complex process, and a sudden burst of distinct human cultures appeared at the end of the Ice Age.Support the ... Show More

The first North American cultures appeared around 13,000 years ago, when megafauna roamed a continent still largely devoid of humans. Support the show 

From the arrival of the first humans reaching the Japanese archipelago some 50,000 years ago to the enduring Jomon culture, Japan has a fascinating prehistory. This is discovered in the rich archaeological record that includes stone circles, intricate ceramics and evidence of the ... Show More

The Stone Age is the foundational period of human history, stretching from roughly 3 million to 5,000 years ago, and accounting for over 99% of humanity’s time on earth. It’s the era when modern humans evolved and migrated out of Africa to populate the globe, developed language a ... Show More

Archaeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes. Archaeology can be considered both a social science and a branch ... Show More

Sophie (age 7) and Ellie (age 5) tell of the start of the Stone Age. Neanderthals, Woolly Mammoths and Sabre Tooth tigers roam the world for millions of years. But a new breed of humans, Homo Sapiens, comes out of Africa. Within a few tens of thousands of years they are the only ... Show More

The prehistoric archaeology of South America is fascinating and constantly developing. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Tom Dillehay to discuss how early humans navigated their migration from North to South America, adapting to diverse environments and leaving a rich archaeologica ... Show More

Tristan Hughes explores Ancient America's true age; how 19th-century fossil discoveries across North America revealed a history far older than previously believed, challenging the notion that the Americas were a 'New World.' Tristan is joined by Professor Caroline Winterer as the ... Show More

Tristan Hughes goes on an exploration of Hawaii's earliest settlers, guided by the insights of Dr. Patrick Kirch, a leading expert on Hawaiian archeology. From the arrival of Polynesians around AD 1000, using sophisticated double-hull canoes, to their unique agricultural practice ... Show More

1200 - 1722 - Understanding the hazy origins of a society isolated in the Pacific Ocean and their motivations and capabilities for creating some of the most iconic stone statues in the history of humankind. 

A group of hunter-gatherers encounter diverse habitats full of creatures they’ve never seen before. A land of opportunity, but also danger. Join host Tristan Hughes and expert Dr David Meltzer as they delve into the Ice Age in North America, over 10,000 years ago, a land of saber ... Show More

In the heart of ancient Nigeria, a mysterious civilisation flourished - known today only through archaeology. The Nok Culture, symbolised by its striking terracotta figurines, remains one of Africa’s most fascinating yet overlooked ancient societies. In this episode of The Ancien ... Show More