Planet of Treasures

In India and Southeast Asia, testimonies of ancient cultures can be discovered. “Planet of Treasures” shows how religions and foreign influence shaped these regions. The best places to understand Asian religiosity are Varanasi and Elephanta island in India. Especially on the island of Bali Hinduism arrived early on in Asia. Hinduism was also adopted by rulers such as the Khmer kings of Angkor in Cambodia. A special kind of Buddhism shaped Luang Prabang in Laos. India’s wealth, mainly accumulated by the Rajputs, had long attracted Islamic rulers. They erected the Mughal Empire with buildings like the Taj Mahal. The influence of the British colonial era is still highly visible in India. For Vietnam, there was no luck after the end of colonialism. Several wars devastated the country - the imperial citadel of Hue can testify to this.

Africa and the Middle East were both home to great empires. “Planet of Treasures” shows the most mysterious places. The first example are the temples of Abu Simbel in Egypt. Trade also played an important role in world history. 3,500 years ago, nomadic Bedouin caravans passed through the Jordan desert and left their impressive marks there. Petra, the millennia-old city carved into the cliffs, was once the heart of an ancient network of trade routes. Ceremonial capital of the first world empire about 2500 years ago was Persepolis. The cities of Yazd and Isfahan are examples of trading metropolises. In Ethiopia the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are testimonies of the ancient Ethiopian Orthodox church. The unique Swahili culture has developed in Lamu. The drop of bitterness here is the fact that Lamu was built by slaves.

It was the spirit of discovery, missionary zeal and greed that led the Europeans to the so called New World. “Planet of Treasures” shows this development and visits ancient cultures in Latin America and the Galapagos Islands. In the Middle Ages the basis was created for Europe’s development. Local centres of power and economy grew and spread their ideas and their trading goods. Important cities like Paris, London or Venice developed the sciences. In the 15th century Europeans begin to probe the planet. There are journeys of discovery that then morph into campaigns of conquest. The victims were the Aztecs, the Maya, the Inca and thousands of slaves who were transported to Cuba. Europe’s rich cultural heritage, born out of a turbulent history, belongs to the entire world. But the history of colonization still haunts the Europe of today.

In this episode of “Planet of Treasures” presenter Christopher Clark travels the African continent, known as the cradle of humankind and bearing witness to this long and diverse past. His journey leads him to East Africa, which is home to a particularly diverse group of peoples and cultures. Egypt with its legacy of the pharaohs, Ethiopia with its imperial tradition and ancient Christian roots, Kenya and Tanzania with their dazzling landscapes.

On this journey presenter Christopher Clark visits highlights of the diverse and historic UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India and tries to answer the question as to what unites the 1,4 billion people on the subcontinent. His path leads him from the holy Hindu city of Varanasi to Mumbai and the caves of Elephanta Island, and on narrow rail tracks up to the Himalaya, from the legendary Taj Mahal to the monumental castles and palaces of Rajasthan. Lastly, Christopher Clark learns a lot about yoga.

“Planet of Treasures” visits famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iran and Jordan. The Old World and the orient are the cradle of civilisation and the origin of many religions. Presenter Christopher Clark travels through Jordan, visits the rock-hewn city of Petra and then follows old trading routes via Persepolis to Isfahan in the Iranian highlands. He explores the cultures’ treasures following the trails of the Persians, Greeks, Romans and Nabateans.