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BBC History Channel

Around the World in 80 Treasures

Documentaries

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Factual: History

Factual: Travel

Dan Cruickshank reveals the most beautiful and precious things in the world

Documentary series presented by Dan Cruickshank revealing the most beautiful and precious things in the world

Series 1

BBC Four

BBC Two England

England

BBC Two Wales (Analogue)

BBC Two Northern Ireland (Analogue)

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Four HD

Dan Cruickshank

Basil Comely

Tim Dunn

Around the World in 80 Treasures: Series 1: Jordan to Ethiopia

Jordan to Ethiopia

BBC Two - Around the World in 80 Treasures, Series 1, Jordan to Ethiopia

Dan Cruickshank goes in search of the Ark of the Covenant.

Documentary series with Dan Cruickshank. Dan goes in search of the Ark of the Covenant, a journey that takes him from Jordan to the Holy Land and finally Ethiopia.

Dan Cruickshank goes in search of the Ark of the Covenant – the legendary great gold box that held the original Ten Commandments handed down to man by God. His journey takes him from Jordan to the Holy Land of Israel and Palestine and finally to Ethiopia – Africa's Garden of Eden. 

His journey has all the hallmarks of an endurance test. The astonishing city of Petra – so fine and intricate in its decoration yet carved directly out of the rock face – must be reached by donkey along a precipitous gorge. Then Dan must get past the Guardian Monk of Ethiopia, who allows no-one to pass, and riskiest of all, he must climb the vertical cliff at Debre Damo to reach the treasures hidden inside the monastery on top of the mountain.

Along the way, Dan encounters prehistoric skyscrapers and the most powerful ruler in Africa, King Lalibela. His ultimate prize is unexpected – to be cleansed of all shame by an ancient relic that wields its mystical powers beneath the Star of David. And the Ark of the Covenant? Maybe he finds it, maybe not, but at least he escapes without being turned into a pile of ashes.

Around the World in 80 Treasures: Series 1

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

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Around the World in 80 Treasures

Series 1

Jordan to Ethiopia

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BBC History Channel