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An international team of archaeologists explores the heart of Saudi Arabia and the Black Desert of Jordan to find out more about the oldest megastructures in human history. An extraordinary story with spectacular discoveries and breathtaking landscapes.

In the North of Saudi Arabia and South of Jordan lie thousands of mysterious geoglyphs whose shape, when seen from the air, reminds us of giant kites. The oldest of these immense stone structures were built around 7000 BC, predating the Egyptian pyramids and the spectacular Stonehenge monument by over 4,000 years. Who designed these structures and why were they built? Using cutting-edge technologies, an international team of archaeologists led by French researcher Rémy Crassard and Franco-Jordanian research fellow Wael Abu-Azizeh are trying to solve this mystery, as they are determined to shed a new light on the little-known Neolithic period.

Today, the Louvre Museum picks up where the Egyptologist Auguste Mariette left off in 1850! Join a team of archeologists and get exclusive access to (re)discover the Serapeum tomb of the Bull Apis, one of the most sacred places in Saqqara, Egypt.

He also managed to map out a network of underground tunnels leading to other burial sites he did not have time to uncover. We have exclusive access to follow a team of archeologists, commissioned by the Louvre Museum, to pick up where Mariette left off.

Where did the Inca people come from, how were they organized, and why did they disappear so suddenly? 10 years of recent archeological research has allowed us to uncover another truth that contradicts history books which are based on the conquistadors‘ point of view.

A few decades ago, here is what we thought we knew about this mythical people, considered as a bloodthirsty giants with feet of clay. Born on the shores of Lake Titicaca in the 14th century, the Incas would have conquered, in just a hundred years, a boundless land of over a million km2, comparable to the Roman Empire. Valley after valley, mountain after mountain, the Incas would have tamed the entire Andes.
 
This ruthless Empire, which had no written language and was ruled with an iron fist by the Inca, the Son of the Sun, an inflexible and cruel ruler, would have collapsed like a house of cards in the face of just a few Conquistadors. These are the preconceptions that have long prevailed, and which archaeology is working to correct.
 
As a travelling investigation Incas, The New Story recounts how a giant reveals itself and is first and foremost a field study which, as the story unfolds, will shed light on the course of Inca history by answering 3 major questions: - Where did the Incas come from? Were they really born on the shores of the mythical Titicaca? Is Pachacutec really the founder of the Empire? - How did the Inca giant develop: Was violence the only weapon the Incas had? How could they rule over such a vast empire without having a written language? - How did the Inca Empire collapse? How was their resistance organized? Where is their last stronghold? Through these questions, which will guide the story, the movie will ultimately answer a big question: who was the Inca giant?

In 1945, Nasser’s project to build a lake in Southern Egypt threatened to submerge hundreds of ancient temples, including of Ramses II and Cleopatra. Thanks to an unprecedented international mobilization, discover how this exceptional heritage was saved.

When they returned from southern Egypt, travelers reported the existence of temples between the Nubian desert and the Nile. Majestic stone colossi emerging from the sands kept the doors and their secrets. For centuries, Abu Simbel, Dendur, Amada and other monuments were victims of looting, earthquakes, desert encroachment and floods, only to end up almost being swallowed up by the waters in the 20th century. In 1954, the announcement of the construction of a dam threatened the whole of Nubia and more than 20 ancient shrines. Some temples were dismantled in a hurry and relocated to artificial islands, others were even shipped abroad in places such as Madrid, Turin or even New York. Former construction site workers attest to the grueling working conditions during operations. We also present archives revealing the ingenious rescue plans explained in 3D animations.
 
This documentary directed by Olivier Lemaître won the "Alfredo Castiglioni" prize from the technical jury and the audience prize at the Archeofilm festival 2020 in Varese (Italy).

Almost 100 years after the discovery of King Tut's Tomb, it is time to tell the story in a new light. This film uses 2D and 3D imagery to reconstruct the tomb, the mummy, the funerary objects and the topography of the famous Valley of the Kings. 

Ninety years later, for the first time, most of these objects will finally be brought together in the precinct of the great Museum of Giza. Some of them will make their way to the U.S.A. and Paris, where they will be exposed at the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industries in the autumn of 2018 - and then in London, Berlin, Tokyo and Sidney. This film is the story of the discovery of a treasure of which we know only a few artefacts. It is also an investigation, and these objects will be so many clues along the way. What do these artefacts tell us about the king and the period of his reign ? In what circumstances were they discovered and taken away from the pharaoh’s tomb ? These are some of the many elements of this documentary narrative. 
 

Best film prize for its scientific contribution at the 17th International Archeology Film Festival ICRONOS in 2020

This science documentary is led like a police investigation into pre-Colombian mummies from Chile and Peru, one of whom, RASPAR CAPAC, inspired The Seven Crystal Balls from The Adventures of Tintin by famous Belgian cartoonist Hergé. 

In reality, the mummy Rascar Capac arrived at the Art & History Museum in Brussels in the middle of the 19th century under unknown circumstances. By uncovering the origins of Rascar Capac, the film reveals previously unknown facts about his life, the reasons for his death and even which illnesses he had.
 
The documentary follows the investigation in the field, in specialised laboratories in Belgium and France and along the wild Pacific coast of Chile and Peru. Using modern technology to research and carry out tests on Rascar and other similar mummies will allow us to understand a lot more about these pre-Columbian mummies who, compared to their Egyptian counterparts, we still know very little about. 
 
©Panoramique Terre/Un film à la patte

Jules Vernes Prize at the Amiens Archeology Film Festival 2020 

Famously known as the great builder and warrior of ancient Egypt, this series reveals the lesser-known facts about Ramesses II, Egypt's most famous pharaoh. It uncovers the man behind the myth through his military triumphs and monumental architectural achievements, as well as his personal and political challenges. Through 3D visual reconstructions and interviews with leading experts on ancient Egypt from around the world (French, American, English, German, Canadian), the series offers a unique insight into the life of this extraordinary leader.

Each 52-minute episode delves into a specific aspect of Ramesses II's life, shedding light on his exceptional reign which lasted over sixty years. Leading scholars, archaeologists and ancient history experts share recent discoveries lifting a new veil on this legendary ruler. Explore his enduring legacy which transcended eras and geographical boundaries through state-of-the-art 3D visual reconstructions and interviews and travel back in time to understand the man behind the legend.

Tales of love, sex, power, betrayal, heinous crimes, unbearable separations, atrocious revenge, and metamorphoses - the poetic force of the myths has crossed the centuries. 

This series sets out to recount these ancient stories using animations created especially for the occasion, and illustrations chosen from the entire history of art. This dynamic blend, a bridge between modernity and history, ancient narrative and contemporary dramatic art, is a new way to discover or re-discover this part of our universal heritage.

The story of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas is always portrayed the same: the explorer travelling in a caravel, planting the Christian cross one knee on the ground and meeting with a new people. By following Caribbean, European and American researchers as they investigate the remains that were left behind by Indigenous peoples, this archaeological and scientific the documentary sets out to destroy the myths that have persisted to this day. From Puerto Rico to Cuba, from Martinique all the way to French Guiana, this investigation takes us on an adventure to appreciate exceptional landscapes and make incredible discoveries following in the footsteps of the pre-Columbian Indigenous Caribbeans.

When Christopher Columbus landed on an island in the Bahamas in October 1492, he didn't just discover a new world, he also met a whole new people. He called them “Indians” and perceived some of them as “good savages” and others as “ferocious cannibals”. This documentary tells the story of how two different worlds met, and it does so through the eyes of the people of the West Indies. Rock paintings, ritual objects, bones and pottery shards tell a new narrative, quite different from the one that was passed down by European settlers. So, who were the pre-Columbian people of the West Indies? How did they meet the Europeans? And finally, did they really disappear, as is often claimed? To answer these questions, we will be unveiling archaeological sites and presenting new scientific experiments to try and learn more about this fascinating civilization.

Museums and monuments give visitors the opportunity to contemplate ancient Greek works in sparkling white. Yet science reveals what time has erased from the colossi to the facades of temples and statues: a profusion of gold and colors. With the help of new technologies and through experiments, researchers are trying, between controversy and amazement of the public, to tell us this other story in polychromy. 
 

In the nineteenth century, researchers in Italy, Egypt, and Greece rushed to excavate archaeological sites, often washing ancient artifacts and stripping away their original colors. This reflected a period mindset that ignored the vibrant polychromy of the past. Today, scientists challenge this long-standing misconception, seeking to reveal the colorful truth of ancient art. Although clues have surfaced over time, the full spectrum of these works remains elusive. Using advanced technologies, researchers now are looking to understand the significance, techniques, and use of pigments in historical civilizations. Through interdisciplinary efforts, they reconstruct the original appearance of sites like ancient Knossos and the Parthenon marbles, as well as iconic sculptures like the Venus de Milo. By bringing these "bleached" masterpieces back to life in 3D and color, they offer a new perspective on the past. This ongoing investigation puts the spotlight on the work of ancient painters and invites us to see history through new, vivid lenses. 

A historical cold case: an investigation led by the best experts demonstrates that a significant temperature drop along with successive deadly diseases undermined the foundations of the Roman Empire.

165 AD. A pandemic strikes the Roman Empire when Marc Aurèle was campaigning against the barbarian armies. At the same time, the climate experienced a sudden cooling: the study of old wood suggests a drop in temperatures of about 3 degrees. In the Roman catacombs, scientists discover collective graves. They thought they were seeing signs of smallpox: it would have decimated 15 to 20% of the population. This double environmental crisis led to a military crisis: for the first time, the inner Empire was hit by barbaric incursions.
 
The second crisis begins in 260 AD. A new epidemic hits the Empire. It corresponds to the first major defeats of the Roman army. In Abrittus, 25,000 Roman soldiers are killed: archaeologists exhume the remains of this battle. It is the beginning of the 3rd century crisis: invasions, usurpations, monetary crisis bring the Empire to its knees. No sooner has it started to recover that a new climate crisis in Eurasia is coming: scientists find its origin in the Altai Mountains. It pushes the Huns towards the Empire: this is the beginning of the end for the Western Empire.
 
The final blow took place 150 years later, at the very moment when Justinian launched an ambitious reconquest of the lost territories of the Empire. A series of volcanic eruptions causes a sudden drop in temperatures: scientists estimate it between 3 and 6 degrees. A few years later, an epidemic of bubonic plague hit the Empire: experts of ancient pandemics found it throughout its territory. Archaeologists in Israel are discovering the consequences of it. Abandonment of cities, end of agricultural activities, and interruption of trade circuits: the Empire is drawn into nothingness.
 

It’s one of the most spectacular archaeological discoveries  that was made in Greece in the last 30 years. A collective, rich in twists and turns epic, that details the crucial stages of a captivating 50-years investigation. Viewers are immersed in the mystical cult of Artemis, the formidable goddess of the hunt, and the intriguing history of Eretria.

The location of the sanctuary of Artemis at Amarynthos has long remained one of the last great archaeological enigmas of Ancient Greece. This vast Artemision is mentioned in several ancient texts, which even go so far as to specify the distance that separates the sanctuary from the ancient city of Eretria. But despite the efforts of numerous scientific expeditions since the end of the 19th century, no trace of the sanctuary or its temple has ever been found, leaving the mystery unsolved. In the 1960s, a young archaeologist from Neuchâtel - Denis Knoepfler - set out in search of the lost temple of Artemis. His investigations soon led him into the hinterland of the island of Euboea, well beyond the limits of previous expeditions. It would take five decades of searching, unshakeable faith and moving tons of earth to finally unravel the mystery. In 2017, a tenacious Swiss-Greek team of archaeologists formally identified the sanctuary of Artemis, where Denis Knoepfler had predicted it lay buried. The repercussions are considerable and will continue to fascinate, several generations of archaeologists.

RAM Film Festival Rovereto, Italy
FICAB Festival Internacional de Cine Arqueológico del Bidasoa, Irun, Spain
Firenze Archeofilm 2025, Florence, Italy
Narbonnaise Archaeology Meeting, France
Festival della Comunicazione e del Cinema Archeologico, Licodia Eubea, Italy
Martigny Archaeology Meetings, Switzerland
Arkhaios Cultural Heritage and Archaeology Film Festival, USA