“Secrets of the Dead” Returns for a New Season of Historical Discoveries, October 2 on PBS

Seven new episodes uncover the mysteries behind the Villa of the Papyri, a burial field of vampires, Angkor Wat, a Civil War memorial site and more

Discover the mysterious treasure of Angkor Wat, learn what a previously unreadable 2,000-year-old scroll has to say, learn the untold story of Mozart’s sister, and memorialize fallen Black Civil War soldiers in all-new Secrets of the Dead episodes, beginning on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 @ 10PM/9c on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/secrets and the PBS App.

The new season kicks off with Returning to Babylon, which follows a team of archaeologists searching for Assyrian artifacts that survived the Isis occupation of Mosul. This season’s lineup of Secrets of the Dead episodes include:

Secrets of the Dead: Returning to Babylon

Premieres Wednesday, October 2 @ 10PM/9c on PBS (check local listings),  pbs.org/secrets and the PBS App.

A moving story of a people reclaiming their cultural heritage after an occupying force tried to erase it. Priceless artifacts from the Assyrian Empire were destroyed during the Isis occupation of Mosul. Now, a team of archaeologists is dedicated to finding pieces that survived. One possible discovery: the location of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Secrets of the Dead: Mozart’s Sister

Premieres Wednesday, October 9 @ 10PM/9c on PBS (check local listings),  pbs.org/secrets and the PBS App.

Maria Anna Mozart was a musical prodigy just like her younger brother Wolfgang. Although the children toured Europe together, once Maria Anna came of age, she was left behind while her brother became a star. But controversial new evidence suggests she may have contributed to her brother’s earliest works while a global search for her compositions continues.

Secrets of the Dead: The Herculaneum Scrolls

Premieres Wednesday, October 16 @ 10PM/9c on PBS (check local listings),  pbs.org/secrets and the PBS App.

Making headlines around the world, Brent Seales and his team of computer scientists set out on a mission to read the 2,000-year-old carbonized scrolls found in the remains of a villa in Herculaneum. Mt. Vesuvius’s eruption in 79 AD transformed the papyri, fusing together the layers of the scrolls and making them impossible to read. Can particle physics and AI finally reveal what the scrolls say?

Secrets of the Dead: The Civil War’s Lost Massacre

Premieres Wednesday, October 23 @ 10PM/9c on PBS (check local listings),  pbs.org/secrets and the PBS App.

Originally a supply depot for Union forces in Kentucky, Camp Nelson became the site where 10,000 Black soldiers trained during the Civil War. But the war’s end brought violence to these soldiers at the hands of bitter Southerners. Their remains have never been found, and a team is dedicated to finding them to memorialize their service and heroism.

Secrets of the Dead: Field of Vampires

Premieres Wednesday, October 30 @ 10PM/9c on PBS (check local listings),  pbs.org/secrets and the PBS App.

In 2022, a terrifying discovery: a female skeleton dating from 1650, buried with a sickle across her neck and giant padlock on her toe – double protection to keep her from rising from the dead. All the evidence points to her being buried as a vampire… and she’s not alone, with more than 50 deviant burials surrounding her. Who was she and what did these burial rituals mean?

Secrets of the Dead: Lost Treasures of Angkor (two-parter)

Premieres Wednesdays, November 13-20 @ 10PM/9c on PBS (check local listings),  pbs.org/secrets and the PBS App.

For the first time, a secret hoard of gold and silver artifacts, discovered in Laos in 2008, is revealed to the world. What makes this treasure truly priceless is its mysterious origins and the extraordinary story it tells. Explore the tumultuous rise of the Khmer Empire, one of the greatest civilizations in human history with the immense temple complex of Angkor Wat at its heart.

As one of PBS’s ongoing limited primetime series, Secrets of the Dead is a perennial favorite, routinely ranking among one of most-watched series on public television.  Secrets of the Dead uses the latest scientific discoveries to challenge prevailing ideas and share fresh perspectives on historical events. The series has received 10 CINE Golden Eagle Awards and six Emmy nominations, among numerous other awards.

pbs.org/secrets and the PBS App. is available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. PBS station members can view many series, documentaries, and specials via PBS Passport. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

Secrets of the Dead is a production of The WNET Group. Stephanie Carter is executive producer. Stephen Segaller is executive in charge.

Funding for Secrets of the Dead is provided by public television viewers.

Websites: http://pbs.org/secrets, http://facebook.com/SecretsoftheDead,

@secretspbs, #SecretsDeadPBS