ANCIENT INVISIBLE CITIES

Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023 from 8 - 11 p.m. on KPBS 2 / Stream now with KPBS Passport + Encore Sundays, Sept. 10 - 24 at 1 p.m. on KPBS TV

Professor Darius Arya leads us off-the-beaten path through three of the world’s most astonishing ancient cities – Athens, Cairo and Istanbul – to bring a fascinating, fresh perspective to more than 4,000 years of history. These three ancient cities formed the bedrock of human civilization throughout the ages and are steeped in history. Long-forgotten secrets, enigmatic structures and mysterious buried treasures are hidden beneath these exciting cityscapes where each new civilization, each new generation, has added its own layers to the rich tapestry of the city.

Armed with a cutting-edge arsenal of high-definition 3D scanners, sub-sea LiDAR and multi-spectral images, Arya takes viewers behind the scenes of these metropolises. Each scan uncovers ancient architectural and technological achievements in a new way, illuminating just how these structures continue to exist after thousands of years.

Each episode culminates in an augmented reality adventure, in which Arya steps inside a hologram and interacts with breath-taking visualizations of the past while set in present-day locations. Following each episode, Arya invites the viewer to explore these sites themselves at home with VR technology. Descending beneath the streets and off the beaten path, ANCIENT INVISIBLE CITIES exposes these fascinating places, as they’ve never been seen before.

EPISODE GUIDE:

Episode 1: “Athens” Encore Sunday, Sept. 3 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 + Encore Sunday, Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. on KPBS TV - Uncover the of ancient Athens, the city that gave the world democracy. Professor Darius Arya uses the latest 3D scanning to reveal Athens' treasures, from the buildings on the Acropolis to the silver mines and quarries beyond the city.

Episode 2: “Cairo” Encore Encore Sunday, Sept. 3 at 9 p.m. on KPBS 2 + Encore Sunday, Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. on KPBS TV
- See how 3D scanning can be used to explore Egypt's ancient treasures, including the Great Pyramid of Giza and the first pyramid ever built, a hidden Roman fortress, and a well deep in the rock below the Arabic citadel of Saladin.

Episode 3: “Istanbul” - Encore Sunday, Sept. 3 at 10 p.m. on KPBS 2 + Encore Sunday, Sept. 24 at 1 p.m. on KPBS TV
- an extraordinary journey through ancient Istanbul, the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Professor Darius Arya uses the latest 3D imaging technology to see the city and its often invisible treasures as no human eye ever could.

#InvisibleCitiesPBS

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Episodes from this series are available to stream with KPBS Passport. Contribute a tax-deductible* gift of $5 per month or an annual gift of $60 or more. Your donation will help KPBS serve your community through media that educates, inspires, and entertains.

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Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, Greece.

Courtesy of BBC

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The famous caryatid porch on the Erechtheion, Greece.

Courtesy of BBC

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Mask of Tutankhamun

Courtesy of Isabelle Sutton/BBC

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Contributor Jehan Reda at the Citadel, Cairo.

Courtesy of Isabel Sutton/BBC

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Contributor Peter Sheehan in front of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, Cairo.

Courtesy of Isabel Sutton/BBC

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Presenter Darius Arya with a statue of King DJoser, who was buried in the Step Pyramid at Saqqara.

Courtesy of Isabelle Sutton/BBC

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Blue Mosque and Istanbul

Courtesy of Johnny Crockett/BBC

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Hagia Sofia, Istanbul, Turkey.

Courtesy of Johnny Crockett/BBC

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The Rumeli Fortress, Istanbul.

Courtesy of Johnny Crockett/BBC

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Scan of Athens, Greece.

Courtesy of BBC