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Rated 4 out of 5 by Prospero1962 from Good, not great I found this course to be pretty enjoyable. The subjects covered are a variety of places, things, and peoples. That's great in some cases, but not in others. Did we really need yet another overview of the search for Troy or the Ark of the Covenant? These subjects have been covered in many other lectures and documentaries. But most of the subjects are interesting. I found the lecture on Tollense and the one on Dodecahedrons to be especially interesting. I'll now address the thing that some other reviewers have split on-- the lecturer herself. Yes, she can get a little breathy, but I generally found her to be fun and engaging. And for those who get worried about her use of her hands-- sit yourself for 30 minutes and talk about a subject without moving your hands for emphasis. It's virtually impossible to do. The hands are extremely expressive. I would recommend this course overall. It's an enjoyable enough series.

Date published: 2025-10-26

Rated 5 out of 5 by RWJ_mathetes from A fortuitious impulse purchase I purchased this course on an impulse when I first saw it advertised. My choice was fortuitous. I was intrigued by the variety of subjects, some of which were familiar to me and some of which were not. I have visited some of the places mentioned (Troy, Stonehenge, the Colosseum) and I have read broadly on some topics (Neanderthals, Stonehenge). Additionally, I am a university professor focusing on New Testament studies; therefore, ancient Europe and the ancient Mediterranean are of both personal and professional interest to me. With each lecture, even on the subjects with which I was familiar, I learned something. When I was well informed, I found that the content was accurate and reflected current understanding of the topic. I appreciate the scholarly attitude evident in the presentations; namely, if we aren't sure or we don't know, tell what we know and what we suspect but acknowledge the limits of our comprehension. Overall, I enjoyed this course thoroughly, as is evident in my 5-star rating. Some reviewers commented negatively on the presentation style. I disagree with those who found the lecturer's manner to be distracting; she used inflection and gestures in entirely appropriate ways. I suspect that some of the negative comments come from people who have limited experience in public presentations and do not realize how challenging the task of manner and style can be. If I, in my classes, am as effective stylistically as this lecturer is in these lectures, I would be pleased with the results. Not every course is for everyone. Generally, I toil over the decision to purchase a course; my meditation includes perusing the various reviews (positive and negative). This time I plunged straight in. I am most pleased with my choice.

Date published: 2025-09-12

Rated 3 out of 5 by TNMichael from An Okay Course - Not Great Archeological Mysteries is an okay course. While some of the episodes are interesting and convey new knowledge, other episodes are included only to grab the attention of prospective buyers. For example, episode 17 (the Iceman) is full of intrigue and modern science, while the episode about the Holy Grail is nothing but speculation about a speculative subject. My main problem (and I admit it’s a particular sore spot with me) occurs in the episode about finding the city of Troy. The professor describes Achilles and Patroclus as best friends. It’s 2025 - can’t we at least entertain that they were lovers? Even the ancient Greeks themselves thought of them as lovers (Aeschylus’s play Myrmidons cements this fact). One doesn’t have to go so far as to call them gay men in a loving relationship, but simply leaving it as ‘best friends’ is, once again, ignoring even the possibility that some men enjoy loving other men. I know this might seem a small point that is being presented by a reviewer with an obvious axe to grind - it is - but that doesn’t make this point any less valid.

Date published: 2025-09-11

Rated 2 out of 5 by UsakurtMDVienna from waste of time this is a funny course,to be watched preferably by adolescents ...sadly,after 20 years or so of GC viewership I must beware of getting to like this kind of superficiality

Date published: 2025-09-07

Rated 5 out of 5 by M Winston from Wonderful new perspectives on mysteries old & new The professor really made each of these mysteries come alive, and we basically binged the whole course. She takes an engaging and yet rigorous approach to topics that can quickly get technical, and even boring for non-specialists, which we are. And her new insights into well-known mysteries and sites was so refreshing, really different from the standard coverage you see on many topics, such as Otzi, going beyond the murder mystery to explain what the latest study of his remains reveals about life in a little-understood time period. And we have visited the Coliseum multiple times and had no idea about any of the information Dr. Bellinger provided about the hidden hypogeum. Now we want to go back with an entirely new perspective! It was interesting to see some of the negative reviews about the presenter’s style, which we found unhelpful and unfounded. Her enthusiasm and style of presentation was infectious. We have already recommended this course to others, and look forward to more courses like this from Dr. Bellinger.

Date published: 2025-09-04

Rated 2 out of 5 by EJ77 from Disappointing I found this to be unwatchable. I was disappointed about that; I am genuinely interested in the topic. But listening to this presenter was worse than fingernails on a chalkboard. She delivered everything in an exaggerated gasping, breathless style, even when the words were not about anything thrilling or exciting. I am sure there is nothing wrong with her knowledge, but the delivery came across to me like a tabloid presentation. There are too many other excellent courses available for me to waste time on this one.

Date published: 2025-09-03

Rated 5 out of 5 by suse from Captivating course Informative, provocative, Dr Bellinger covered all my favorite archeological mysteries, especially the dodecahedron puzzle.

Date published: 2025-08-30

Rated 3 out of 5 by wren42 from Sometimes the presenter makes or breaks it This course was fully in my interest zone, so I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, not every presenter is one that clicks with every viewer. It's inevitable that a presentation mannerism - vocal tone, verbal tics, hand gestures, etc, - that won't bother one person or might even appeal to him/her simply will grate on another. Yes, it's subjective, but when you are going to spend hours listening to/watching a lecture series, it's not irrelevant. This presenter simply didn't work for me, and I found her tone and hand gestures so annoying that I couldn't watch anymore. Given some of the content is in other GC lectures, I wasn't going to force myself to sit through the rest of it. Your mileage may vary.

Date published: 2025-08-29

Great Archaeological Mysteries of Europe and the Mediterranean

Trailer

01: The Hidden Underbelly of the Colosseum

Archaeology is the science of solving puzzles about the past through the material traces left behind. Start the course with the mystery of the warren of rooms, corridors, and mechanisms beneath the Roman Colosseum. What was their purpose and how were they used to produce dazzling set changes, surprise entrances, and some of the arena’s most spectacular—and bloody—effects?

30 min

02: The Secret Source of Stonehenge

Analyze theories about Stonehenge—the enigmatic monument that has defied explanation for centuries. Far from being a solitary array of giant stones, it was once part of a complex ritual landscape. Recent discoveries have reshaped our understanding of its origins, building methods, and cultural role. Notably, its celebrated celestial alignments may be secondary to its true purpose.

33 min

03: The Lure of the Labyrinth

Learn the difference between a maze and a labyrinth. Then, track the murky origins and twisty evolution of labyrinths as symbols and structures. Identified with Minoan Crete by Ancient Greeks, the original Labyrinth was a mythic place of danger and death. In the Middle Ages, it was reborn as a Christian symbol of sin, redemption, and pilgrimage—its pagan past both obscured and reinterpreted.

30 min

04: Neanderthals’ Last Stand

Long maligned as knuckle-dragging brutes, Neanderthals are now recognized as innovative toolmakers, skilled hunters, and capable of abstract thought and symbolic behavior. Yet they vanished about 40,000 years ago, despite superb adaptation to their habitats. Explore the possible role of Homo sapiens in their demise. Though humans and Neanderthals interbred, the legacy likely favored us—not them.

34 min

05: Quest for the Ark of the Covenant

Last seen in Solomon’s Temple in antiquity, the Ark of the Covenant—the chest said to contain the Ten Commandments—has been eagerly sought in modern times. But did it truly exist? And, if so, could an acacia-wood box overlaid with gold have survived for centuries? Trace this global quest, from the Middle East through Europe, Canada, Ethiopia, and even Japan—each with a claim to this sacred relic.

31 min

06: Decoding the World’s First Battlefield

The Bronze Age is renowned for great conflicts such as the Trojan War, but archaeological evidence for such battles is elusive. The lone exception is the unrecorded yet monumental battlefield at Tollense in northern Germany, where thousands of human bones—many with trauma such as embedded arrowheads—have been recovered. What do these remains tell us about civilization and conflict at the time?

30 min

07: In Search of the Druids

To the Romans, the Druids were exotic priests of a mysterious and barbaric cult. But who were they really? Classical sources and archaeology suggest they dominated Celtic society for centuries. They left no records of their own—only Roman accounts of a threat serious enough to prompt bans on Druidic rites, destruction of sacred groves, and campaigns against their strongholds in Britain and Gaul.

32 min

08: Unpacking the Viking Galloway Hoard

Dig into the Galloway Hoard, a stunning collection of objects buried around the year 900 in southwest Scotland. With origins in Scandinavia, Ireland, the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, and distant Asia, the hoard includes precious, exotic, and curious pieces. Who hid this remarkable cache and why? And what is the meaning of two walnut-sized balls of packed earth secreted within it?

27 min

09: Ancient Greek Mystery Cult of Eleusis

What happens after we die is one of life’s greatest mysteries. In antiquity, the cult of Eleusis, centered at a sacred site near Athens, claimed to reveal profound truths about the afterlife. From slaves to Roman emperors, all sought initiation. The elaborate ceremony of the Eleusinian Mysteries was guarded for millennia, but today’s archaeology is helping to unravel its enduring riddle.

30 min

10: The Antikythera Mechanism: Hidden Histories

Recovered from an ancient shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera, this corroded lump of bronze was long overshadowed by the statues and treasures found with it. Yet more than a century of increasingly sophisticated analysis has revealed it as a marvel of ancient engineering—an intricate mechanical device capable of calculating astronomical and festival cycles with astonishing precision.

30 min

11: Deciphering the Voynich Manuscript

Join the quest to decipher the Voynich Manuscript—a late medieval book written in an unknown language and packed with odd botanical illustrations and bathing scenes. For centuries, emperors, scholars, and cryptographers have obsessed over its secrets. Carbon dating and forensic tests prove it is genuine—yet its purpose and message remain locked away, one of the world’s great unsolved puzzles.

30 min

12: Mysteries of the Maltese Temples

Older than Stonehenge and just as enigmatic are Malta’s megalithic temples. Built by Neolithic islanders over 6,000 years ago, these vast stone structures, aligned with the sun and filled with enigmatic carvings, hint at a complex ritual culture. Scientific evidence shows that Malta’s farming society collapsed around 2500 BCE, leaving behind one of Europe’s most enduring archaeological mysteries.

31 min

13: Finding Troy

Was Homer telling the truth in The Iliad? Heinrich Schliemann’s 19th-century excavation of an obscure mound near the Dardanelles seemed to confirm a historical siege of Troy centuries before Homer. But how much was real discovery and how much wishful thinking? Dig deeper into the evidence to explore the complexities of Bronze Age civilization and power politics, and to separate fable from fact.

30 min

14: Loss of the Library of Alexandria

It was the glory of the ancient world—a vast repository said to contain all the knowledge of Classical Greece and Rome. Then it disappeared in smoke and legend. Who destroyed the fabled Library of Alexandria? Was it Julius Caesar’s legions, a Christian mob, or Muslim conquerors? Evaluate each of these suspects as you get to the bottom of the most notorious intellectual crime in history.

29 min

15: Hunting the Holy Grail

Said to be the actual cup linked to Christ’s Passion, the Holy Grail appears nowhere in the New Testament and first surfaces in medieval French literature. Since then, it has had an eventful career, featured in Arthurian quests and gaining ever more elaborate meanings—from a vessel of divine grace to a symbol of secret bloodlines and esoteric wisdom. Many have claimed to possess the real thing.

29 min

16: Seeking Rome’s Lost Ninth Legion

Feared throughout the Empire, Rome’s legions were models of discipline and power. Yet one—the Ninth Legion, 5,000 strong—mysteriously vanished from history in the 2nd century CE. In modern times, its fate has inspired bestselling novels and blockbuster films. Consider the leading historical theories—from a hushed-up massacre in northern Britain to mutiny, disgrace, or quiet redeployment.

29 min

17: Ötzi the Iceman: Beyond the Cold Case

Frozen for over 5,000 years, Ötzi the Iceman emerged from an Alpine glacier in 1991, astonishingly well preserved, fully clothed, and carrying a surprising array of tools and weapons. Follow the scientific detective work that revealed his home, habits, diet, survival skills, and how he violently died. More than a murder victim, Ötzi offers a rare, vivid glimpse into prehistoric everyday life.

29 min

18: The 12-Sided Mystery of Dodecahedrons

Among the artifacts of the Roman Empire are small bronze dodecahedrons—12-faced objects found across northern Europe with no known purpose. Tools, toys, or ritual items? No one knows. Close the course by exploring how such puzzles reveal archaeology at its most intriguing: part science, part detective work, and a reminder that not every ancient mystery has a clear—or conclusive—solution.

35 min

Overview Course No. 30790

Most people picture archaeologists digging through dirt in search of ancient artifacts and lost cities. And sometimes that’s exactly right—as at the mound of Troy, where excavations suggest there may be truth behind Homer’s tales. But archaeology is much more than excavation. It blends science, history, and detective work, using tools like CT scans, astronomical modeling, and even cryptographic analysis to solve puzzles from across the ages.

In Great Archaeological Mysteries of Europe and the Mediterranean, you’ll join acclaimed anthropologist and archaeologist Dr. Karen Bellinger for 18 fascinating lectures that illuminate the full scope of this exciting field. Drawing on her archaeological experience across several continents, Dr. Bellinger shows how to read artifacts not just as objects, but as clues to a rich and often surprising story.

You’ll explore astonishing finds like the Antikythera Mechanism, a 2,000-year-old computer; Ötzi the Iceman, whose remains reveal a tale of murder in the Alps; and the mysterious Voynich Manuscript, which still defies interpretation. You’ll also examine persistent puzzles: the Holy Grail, the Library of Alexandria, the Galloway Hoard, and more.

This course isn’t just about what we’ve found—it’s about how we think. You’ll learn to weigh evidence, ask sharper questions, and distinguish fact from speculation. And you’ll discover that even the humblest objects can become opportunities for insight.

About

Karen Bellinger

I’m pretty sure I’m the luckiest person in the world. It’s my job to piece together the fragmentary stories of our collective human history.

ALMA MATER

New York University

INSTITUTION

Unaffiliated

Karen Bellinger is an anthropologist and archaeologist who presents and consults for a wide range of history programs on media outlets such as National Geographic and the Science Channel. She earned her PhD in Anthropology from New York University and received a postdoctoral research fellowship funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council. As a field archaeologist, ethnographer, and archival historian, she has investigated sites around the world, exploring human behavior from prehistory to the modern day. She is also an award-winning educator who lectures widely and designs and leads educational travel experiences.