Series synopsis
Ancient China from Above is a British documentary television series that premiered on National Geographic on August 11, 2020. It ended on February 12, 2023. It stars Allan Maca and Sam Willis.
Epic adventure using new satellite imagery and cutting-edge technology to solve mysteries, explore secrets and reveal the wonders of Ancient China.
Premise
Epic adventure using new satellite imagery and cutting-edge technology to solve mysteries, explore secrets and reveal the wonders of Ancient China.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Allan Maca as Self
- Sam Willis as Self
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 5 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 3 | August 11, 2020 | August 30, 2020 |
| Season 2 | 2 | February 12, 2023 | February 12, 2023 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Secrets of the Great Wall In this episode, Dr. Allan Maca investigates the biggest man-made structure on Earth: the Great Wall of China. This ancient monument has been studied by experts for decades, but it's only now, thanks to new satellite imagery and cutting-edge technology, that its secrets are finally being revealed. |
August 11, 2020 |
| 2 |
Mysteries of Xanadu Dr Allan Maca explores the legendary lost city of Xanadu in Inner Mongolia. Today very little remains of Kublai Khan's grand capital - a place that famous explorer, Marco Polo, described as one of the Marvels of the World. But now, with the help of satellite imagery and cutting-edge technology, we can finally uncover Xanadu's secrets, and bring this fabled city and its lavish palaces back to life. |
August 23, 2020 |
| 3 |
China's Pompeii Dr. Allan Maca and his team explore an ancient megacity, the biggest on the planet 4,000 years ago that mysteriously disappeared - a place where the people created Maya-like carvings and humans were sacrificed on an unprecedented scale. Discovering this lost civilization changes everything known about the origins of China, prompting Dr. Allan and his team to solve the mystery. |
August 30, 2020 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Treasures of the Lost Kingdom Sam Willis and his team use new laser drone technology for the first time to explore a lost kingdom that’s transforming our knowledge of ancient China. |
February 12, 2023 |
| 2 |
Secrets of the First Emperor's Tomb The tomb of the First Emperor has never been opened, but now Sam Willis and his team use new technology to try to figure out what might be inside. |
February 12, 2023 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | National Geographic |
|---|---|
| First aired | August 11, 2020 |
| Last aired | February 12, 2023 |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Tuesday, Wednesday at 22:00:00 |