The Naked Archaeologist

- Season 2

(2008)

One hundred years after Jesus was crucified, a warrior hailed by rabbis as the Jewish messiah led a massive rebellion against Roman occupation in Israel. Who was this would-be messiah? This is the story of the rabbis' best kept secret.

At the Vatican in Rome stands the most iconic Christian church in the world, St. Peter's Basilica. It's named after the one-time fisherman turned saint St Peter. According to Christian tradition, Peter is buried deep in the catacombs underneath the basilica. But is there any actual archaeological proof that St. Peter is there?

What do a lost city, a forgotten empire, deodorant and Moses have in common? The Naked Archaeologist is on a mission to find out. The Nabateans, an ancient and mysterious people built the beautiful hidden city of Petra. It was an empire, which rested on the trade of Frankincense, which was, among other things, ancient deodorant. But who were the Nabateans?

3000 years ago, in Jerusalem stood King Solomon's Temple - the holiest temple on earth for the Jews. It housed priceless treasures so marvelous that they were considered the most intimate symbols of communication between God and earth.

3000 years ago, in Jerusalem stood King Solomon's Temple - the holiest temple on earth for the Jews. It housed priceless treasures so marvelous that they were considered the most intimate symbols of communication between God and earth.

King Solomon has been the source of great debate in recent years: Was he, or wasn't he, a real historical figure? Taking clues from the Bible, the Naked Archaeologist attempts to separate fact from fiction and figure out what legacy King Solomon left behind.

In part two, the Naked Archaeologist takes his investigation of King Solomon up a notch, and makes some amazing discoveries that just might prove that Solomon really was the King of Israel in the 10th Century BCE.

Since the beginning of time, man has searched the heavens for answers to the meaning and purpose of life. But what did the ancients know about the make-up of the universe? And what archaeology is out there that can tell us how they mapped the stars?

The Catacombs, the Vatican, the Churches--to much of the world Rome IS Christianity. But with the oldest European Jewish community in the world, is there another story under Rome? Starting in the historic streets of the Jewish Ghetto and ending in the rarely seen Jewish Catacombs, the Naked Archaeologist digs down to an older, deeper layer of Rome--one that predates Christianity by centuries.

In Genesis 6:4 of the Old Testament it says: "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." Who are these giants that the bible speaks about?

The story of Lot and his daughters is racy. Few people remember that Lot had a drunken fling with his daughters after his wife was killed as they all escaped from Sodom. But why is Lot venerated as a Saint. And more to the point, what were they doing in Sodom that was so bad it makes incest look good?

Everybody knows Chanukah: that holiday in mid December that doesn't involve reindeer. But where does it come from? The Naked Archaeologist explores the "miracle of the oil" and the Maccabees, who freed the Temple in Jerusalem and without whom we wouldn't celebrate Chanukah.

King David, biblical king of Israel, was a man of many talents. He slew Goliath. He conquered the Philistines. His sex life was X rated, but he also played the harp. Apparently he got pretty good at it. How do we know? There's a passage in I Samuel that says King Saul wanted a "cunning harp player" to calm his nerves when the evil spirit was upon him.

It was the kiss heard round the world, and in its wake a new religion was born. But was Judas Iscariot really the man who betrayed Jesus, or just a handy scapegoat? Following clues in the Bible and investigating archaeology in the Holy Land, the Naked Archaeologist is on the trail of the world's most famous traitor.

A miracle is a concrete example of divine intervention and proof of the supernatural power of God. The Christian Bible tells us that Jesus performed at least 36 miracles in his lifetime, most of them in the Galilee. But was Jesus the only miracle maker of his time? What if we look at the Jesus miracles through the lens of first century Judaism?

Shlomo Moussaieff has one of the most impressive, and most controversial collections of antiquities in the world. We profile this fascinating character and get a rare look at artifacts that are rarely seen. From 2500-year-old magic bowls to erotic temple cult objects, the Naked Archaeologist is hands-on with the Moussaieff collection...and he starts a collection of his own.

Who was Pontius Pilate? Was he a brutal dictator with a habit of crucifying dissenters, or just an easy-going guy who had a fetish for keeping his hands clean? Following the latest evidence and talking to leading experts the Naked Archaeologist is determined to find out.

The earliest Christians were in fact Jews - essentially, a Jewish sect of Jesus followers. They followed Jesus and respected his teachings as if he were much like a modern-day rabbi. And they adhered to the laws of Moses - which means they circumcised, ate Kosher, and respected Saturday as the Sabbath. So why is there such a separation between Judaism and Christianity today?

The earliest Christians were in fact Jews - essentially, a Jewish sect of Jesus followers. They followed Jesus and respected his teachings as if he were much like a modern-day rabbi. And they adhered to the laws of Moses - which means they circumcised, ate Kosher, and respected Saturday as the Sabbath. So why is there such a separation between Judaism and Christianity today?

The earliest Christians were in fact Jews - essentially, a Jewish sect of Jesus followers. They followed Jesus and respected his teachings as if he were much like a modern-day rabbi. And they adhered to the laws of Moses - which means they circumcised, ate Kosher, and respected Saturday as the Sabbath. So why is there such a separation between Judaism and Christianity today?

Prostitution: the world's oldest profession. The Hebrew Bible mentions prostitution in lots of places. But the juiciest sex story involving a prostitute is the one about Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38--where prostitution is the lynch pin to the whole plot.

Who was the Beloved Disciple? Mentioned five times in the gospel of John, but never named, scholars have speculated about the identity of the "disciple whom Jesus loved" for centuries. Could it be John himself, or Peter, or even Mary Magdalene? Or is it a code for a disciple whose identity had to remain secret? It's a two thousand year old mystery, and the Naked Archaeologist is on the case.

There's a curious sentence in Judges 5:17, "and Dan remained in ships." In this episode of the Naked Archaeologist we try to determine whether some of the Dan took to the sea and became part of a Mediterranean confederation of Sea Peoples.

Can ancient rags and roots and herbs lead us to the famous coat of many colours that the Bible tells us Joseph wore? Well, pretty close...The Naked Archaeologist takes a CSI look at remnants of ancient material, brews up some dyes made of roots and plants, and gives viewers a pretty accurate look at the coat that made Joseph's brothers so jealous.

A talking donkey, an angel of the lord, and a curse against the Children of Israel. These are just a few of the clues that the Naked Archaeologist investigates as he uncovers archaeology about Balaam, the pagan prophet who tried to stop the Jews from entering the Holy Land.

The Bible instructs men to wear fringes on the corners of their garments as a constant reminder of God. Can we trace these holy threads back to ancient times and learn more about their significance? One of the threads of these fringes is supposed to be a particular colour blue - made from the blood of a shellfish.