The slow collapse of the Roman Empire and the departure of Roman troops from Britain in about 410 AD led to the arrival of new cultures which threatened the Celts. This program claims that British king Vortigern invited the Anglo-Saxons into Britain to help defeat the Picts. Whether due to armed conflict or successful migration, Britain was soon under Saxon domination, which continued until the legendary King Arthur defeats them at the Battle of Mount...

Though sometimes in conflict with each other, the Wodaabe and Tuareg have a common enemy in the arid lands of central western Africa they call home. Filmed in part during the height of the dry season, this program offers insights into both of these warrior tribes through two of their major celebrations. For the polygynous Wodaabe it is the worso, a flamboyant courtship festival that frequently ends in the "abduction" of an additional wife. And for...

The people of the Trobriand Islands of Papua New Guinea have a rich history of rituals and war that has inspired study and intrigue for over 70 years. Western explorers discovered the islands in 1793, and the British came to the area in the early 20th century, seizing the southern portion of New Guinea. When their new settlement was established, many traders, anthropologists, and missionaries followed. As seen in this documentary, the missionaries...

Whether it's because we're time-poor or just disinterested in cooking, statistics show that the demand for convenience foods continues to grow. This program examines the evolution of the convenience food industry, from basic cake mixes to complete heat-and-eat meals. It looks at the impact microwave technology has on the types of food products being made and examines the correct way to use microwave ovens to reheat and cook food. The difference between...

Cannibalism has long been considered a dark, if isolated occurrence in human history. Now science uncovers an ancient Germanic culture known for systematically consuming its fellow man. Witness the first of the Earth's Neolithic farmers and the burial pit they left behind, found filled with expertly butchered human remains. Archaeologists have never seen anything like it. Is it possible that cannibals are hidden in Europe's ancestral closet? An ongoing...

Forensic anthropologist John Verano has been called to solve a nearly 2,000-year-old mystery of gruesome proportions. Mass graves have been discovered at an ancient Peruvian temple complex known as the Temple of the Moon, and the remains there shout accusations of violent ritual sacrifice. The Moche-a pre-Columbian agricultural civilization thriving from 100 BC to AD 800-are one of the best-known pre-Columbian cultures of South America. These remarkable...

When a trove of high-quality negatives dating back to the 19th century surfaced in a New Zealand attic, the discovery sparked much controversy over cultural sensitivity and ownership rights. In the manner of the famous Curtis photographs of Native Americans, the images depicted individual Maori people and had been used as tourist postcards during the Victorian Era's craze for all things "exotic." This program documents the discovery of William Partington's...

Reaching agreement on the legal meaning and the "spirit" of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, has led to fierce debate and violent conflict between European settlers and the Maori peoples since its signing in 1840. This program examines the events leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, consequences of the signing, the key points of difference in the two versions of the treaty, the treaty in the twentieth century,...

There is still a king or Oba of Benin today, and he still dispenses justice to his people. He lives in a very traditional world but has received a British university education. Contrasts like these are commonplace in modern Nigeria: the children shop in the tumult of a traditional market and go to a supermarket to buy plastic toys made in China. Overseas trade is not new to Benin; it was taking place long before the white man arrived. By dramatizing...

The 1970s was a period of great social and political upheaval around the world, including the push for indigenous equality and land rights. The protest movement launched by the Maori peoples of New Zealand was the result of a culmination of grievances dating back to the signing of the treaty of Waitangi in 1840. This documentary explores the reasons for the 1970s Maori protest movement, the 1975 Hikoi protest march, and the Occupation of Bastion Point...