Bettany Hughes Treasures of the World

In this episode, Bettany heads for Croatia where she begins her journey on the island of Korcula, diving with archaeologists to uncover a Neolithic settlement that offers a glimpse into early coastal life. On the mainland, Bettany explores Diocletian's Palace in Split, discovering how the fortress became the heart of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Bettany Hughes uncovers Uzbekistan's rich historical treasures. Near Termez, she traces Alexander the Great and examines how his story became a network of religious exchange. In the country's north west, she explores the ancient kingdom of Chorasmia, and discovers Zoroastrian funerary practices, sun-worship and exciting new finds. She traces the Sogdians, merchants at the heart of the silk road. New finds in Bukhara reveal the world's first pack camel statuette, and murals in Afrasiab show rising Sogdian ambitions. In Samarkand, Bettany unravels the story of the women behind Emperor Timur.

Bettany uncovers some of Bulgaria's rich cultural and historical treasures when she explores the Belogradchik Rocks and the storied prehistoric paintings of Magura Cave. In Sozopol, she dives with archaeologists to reveal ancient underwater ruins, and at Deultum, she discovers Bulgaria's earliest Christian traces, before celebrating Orthodox Easter in Veliko Tarnovo and Bachkovo Monastery.

In the land of 10,000 mountains, Bettany explores Alpine legends, ancient clocks in Bern, William Tell, Lake Lucerne and cheese making in Gstaad.

On a journey across the Greek island of Rhodes, Bettany visits a remote ancient settlement in the mountains, home to a vast necropolis and acropolis with over 500 tombs dating back to the 7th century BCE. She also examines the impact of the Knights of St John, a military monastic order that transformed Rhodes into a medieval stronghold, attends a traditional carnival, and visits the oldest in Greece.

Bettany visits Oman, on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, where she investigates an ancient cold case in which she traces the life of a 'Desert Lord' through shifting sands, camel markets and Bedu traditions. On Masirah Island, Bettany uncovers a biodiverse haven and evidence of Oman's earliest sailors, dating back 8,000 years, and back on the mainland she explores a lush wadi, where archaeologists uncover traces of its first inhabitants, revealing how water, trade, and tradition have long shaped Oman's story.

Bettany's journey into Estonia's rich history begins in a lab where archaeology and genetics intersect to reveal a portrait of a prehistoric teen derived from a 10,000-year-old piece of chewed tar. Bettany immerses herself in the traditions of an Orthodox community that maintains ancient pre-Christian beliefs, explores Estonia's underwater heritage, and wraps up the trip with a mystical smoke sauna and a taste of a viper-infused spirit.