Next up on Solving History is the exploration of the subject and search for Atlantis… Discovery Channel, 3rd Feb 10pm EST... Perhaps the most famous lost city of the ancient world…. is it just a fabled city or is there any substance to the myth? I think there’s something to it, but not what most people probably think! Here’s my thinking…. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve had a lot of questions about the origins of El Dorado, Paititi and previous expeditions in pursuit of dreams, fact and fiction.. so here’s a write up of some of my research, some pulled offline (cited where possible) and some from books, accounts etc……. Enjoy! Read below…. Read the rest of this entry »

I think so… in part, here’s why… see below… (hopefully some interesting background info on the film that airs tonight: 27th Jan, 10pm EST on the Discovery Channel) Read the rest of this entry »

Sorry for the delay replying to your questions… but thank you for all those who have been writing. Finally clearing backlog of work and concentrate on the important things… In the future I’ll try to answer within the week and answer after the relevant blog entry… but in the meantime, here are some thoughts… thanks again and hope you enjoy El Dorado… the Lost City of Gold…
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Lost City of Gold: El Dorado: New episode of Solving History Premieres 10pm EST…
Once again, a huge thanks to everyone who’s been watching the series and writing thoughts and questions on here and on the FB page – huge apologies for not replying yet – been a nuts few weeks, but finally have time to breathe and will be replying to everyone this week, I promise! I hope you enjoy this new episode – one of my favourites – back in Peru, we explore the mystery of El Dorado — its very name has has become synonymous with a legend of a mythical city of gold lost in the wilds of South America. For hundreds of years explorers have mounted expeditions to find it… and as strange as it seems, I am a strong believer that there is lots still to be found… large chunks of unmapped, unexplored regions of the Amazon and the Andes, makes it technically possible.. and we actually find something new to add to the debate! From the golden churches of the Incan capital Cusco, I follow the trail of El Dorado along a road of ruins deep into the remote Andes Mountains, leading an expedition that promises to open a new chapter in the centuries-old hunt for the City of Gold… it’s a corker plus, as usual I go a bit crazy… I blame the altitude ;-)

Tonight @ 10 EST: Nazca… sneak peek: taking on the alien theorists… hope you can tune in tonight… it’s a common idea that the lines were made by aliens and there’s a host of other reasons why I really don’t buy it – many are tackled later in the film, but if anyone has any compelling evidence that aliens were behind them… I’m open to discuss it!

Premieres Wednesday 20th Jan @ 10pm ET on Discovery…..
Summary: Carved into the Peruvian desert thousands of years ago, the Nazca Lines have puzzled archaeologists and historians ever since their discovery 100 years ago. Stretching over hundreds of square miles, thousands of geometric shapes and animal figures mark the desert landscape – some as big as football fields, but all flat as the land itself, making them virtually invisible from the ground. Theories to explain the lines range from giant maps of the stars to alien runways to places for elaborate and bizarre rituals. Why would a people who couldn’t fly have built images that could only be seen from the air? Highlights include confronting grave robbers who try to sell me mummified heads, journeying to the real Temple of Doom, ingesting large quantities of san pedro in a shamanic ceremony in an effort to venture into the spirit world myself to unravel the mystery of the Nazca Lines… (watch out for the shaman spraying me with damp geraniums ;-) we do draw some compelling conclusions though ;-) hope you can tune in…

Here’s an extract from my journals whilst investigating the Ark of the Covenant… exploring the role of belief and how it influences our understanding of history… Also lots more videos, photos, interactive map of our journeys, and more from the investigation on the Discovery Website.

Click on to read the Journal from the Ark Read the rest of this entry »

Judgment day has arrived (well according to a little know part of the Mayan Prophecy:-))… Please, please tune in! Here’s another quick clip of meeting up with antiquity smugglers in the West Bank…. It’s been quite a ride the last few days – on the Today Show with Meredith was a rare treat, and dozens of TV, print and radio interviews… All well although I was asked why I wanted to be like Indiana Jones… thought it was funny to say that I wanted to be like Tom Jones but instead said Grace Jones by mistake! Oh dear ;-) what else could possibly go wrong!