Find your next listen

The Great Pyramid of Giza

A simple introduction to the pyramids of ancient Egypt and the Great Pyramid at Giza.

A Day in Ancient Pompeii

A short story about daily life in Pompeii and the day Mount Vesuvius erupted.

Unit 22 lessons

Trading Along the Silk Road

An easy account of the Silk Road and the goods and ideas that travelled along it.

What Archaeologists Find in the Soil

An explanation of how archaeologists dig, date, and study objects from the past.

Unit 32 lessons

Roads That Built an Empire

A talk about the stone roads of the Roman Empire and why they mattered.

The Terracotta Warriors of Xian

A report on the discovery of China's terracotta army and the tomb of the first emperor.

Unit 42 lessons

Machu Picchu, City in the Clouds

A description of the Inca city of Machu Picchu, its builders, and its rediscovery.

Protecting World Heritage Sites

A discussion of how UNESCO and local communities work to protect endangered heritage sites.

Unit 52 lessons

Gutenberg and the Printing Revolution

A historical account of Gutenberg's printing press and how it transformed European society.

How Historians Read the Past

A reflective talk on how historians question sources and constantly revise our picture of the past.

Unit 62 lessons

The Pyramids of Egypt

A simple listening about how the ancient Egyptians built the great pyramids.

Guarding the Great Wall

An easy listening about the Great Wall of China and the soldiers who guarded it.

Unit 72 lessons

The Roads of Rome

A short listening about the famous stone roads that connected the Roman Empire.

Pompeii, the Buried City

A listening about the Roman city of Pompeii and the volcano that buried it.

Unit 82 lessons

Athens and the First Democracy

A listening about ancient Athens, its democracy, its thinkers, and its temples.

Finding Tutankhamun's Tomb

A listening about Howard Carter's discovery of the untouched tomb of Tutankhamun.

Unit 92 lessons

Protecting World Heritage

A listening about how the world protects historic places through the heritage programme.

Angkor Wat, Temple of the Jungle

A listening about the history, design, and rediscovery of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Unit 102 lessons

Why Rome Fell

A listening about the long decline and final collapse of the western Roman Empire.

Rewriting the Past

A listening about how archaeology and science keep changing our view of history.

Unit 112 lessons

Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

Hear about the everyday life of farmers and builders in ancient Egypt beside the river Nile.

The Great Wall of China

Learn why the Great Wall of China was built and what life was like for its soldiers.

Unit 122 lessons

A Walk Through Pompeii

Discover how the Roman city of Pompeii was buried by a volcano and found again centuries later.

How Archaeologists Work

Follow archaeologists step by step as they dig up and study objects from the past.

Unit 132 lessons

Trading Along the Silk Road

Travel with merchants on the Silk Road and see how goods and ideas moved between East and West.

The Fall of the Roman Empire

Examine the reasons why the mighty Roman Empire slowly weakened and finally collapsed.

Unit 142 lessons

Protecting Endangered Heritage Sites

Find out why famous heritage sites like Angkor and Venice are in danger and how experts protect them.

Deciphering the Rosetta Stone

Hear how scholars used the Rosetta Stone to unlock the forgotten language of ancient Egypt.

Unit 152 lessons

Steam and the Industrial Revolution

Explore how steam power and factories transformed British society during the Industrial Revolution.

Returning Colonial-Era Museum Treasures

Consider the modern debate over whether museums should return treasures taken during the colonial era.

Unit 162 lessons

Finding Stone Tools

A simple story about a family that finds old stone tools in their garden.

The Pharaoh's Tomb

A short talk about the discovery of an ancient Egyptian tomb in the desert.

Unit 172 lessons

The Stones of Stonehenge

A simple introduction to the mysterious stone circle of Stonehenge in England.

Pompeii Under the Ash

The story of how the Roman city of Pompeii was buried and later rediscovered.

Unit 182 lessons

Caravans on the Silk Road

A talk about the traders and camel caravans that crossed the ancient Silk Road.

The Terracotta Army

How Chinese farmers accidentally discovered an army of clay soldiers underground.

Unit 192 lessons

The Rediscovery of Machu Picchu

The story of the lost Inca city hidden high in the Andes mountains.

Deciphering the Rosetta Stone

How a broken black stone unlocked the forgotten language of ancient Egypt.

Unit 202 lessons

Surveying a Sunken Ship

How marine archaeologists map and recover a shipwreck lying on the seabed.

Restoring Ancient Manuscripts

Inside the painstaking craft of rescuing fragile medieval manuscripts from decay.

Unit 212 lessons

Building the Great Pyramids

A simple introduction to the pyramids of Egypt and how ancient workers built them.

Roads of the Roman Empire

A short talk about how the Romans built their famous straight roads and why they mattered.

Unit 222 lessons

Walking the Great Wall

A talk about the Great Wall of China, its builders, and its watchtowers.

Pompeii Buried by Vesuvius

The story of the Roman town of Pompeii, destroyed by a volcano and rediscovered centuries later.

Unit 232 lessons

The First Olympic Games

A talk about the ancient Olympic Games in Greece and how they connect to the modern Olympics.

Cracking the Hieroglyph Code

How the Rosetta Stone helped scholars learn to read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs again.

Unit 242 lessons

The Lost City of Machu Picchu

The story of the Inca city of Machu Picchu, hidden in the Andes and revealed to the world.

Saving the Temples of Abu Simbel

How an international rescue of Egyptian temples led to the creation of the World Heritage programme.

Unit 252 lessons

Caravans on the Silk Road

A talk about the Silk Road and how it moved goods, ideas, and beliefs between East and West.

Who Owns the Past?

A thoughtful discussion about archaeology, museum treasures, and the debate over returning them.

Unit 262 lessons

The Colosseum of Rome

A tour of the great Roman stadium where gladiators once fought before huge crowds.

Viking Longships

How Viking sailors built fast wooden ships and crossed the seas more than one thousand years ago.

Unit 272 lessons

Petra, the City in the Rock

The story of Petra, the ancient trading city carved into the red mountains of Jordan.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

How peaceful protests in nineteen eighty nine brought down the wall that divided Berlin.

Unit 282 lessons

The Maya Cities of the Jungle

A look at the great Maya cities, their writing and calendars, and why they were abandoned.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

How a shepherd discovered religious texts two thousand years old in desert caves.

Unit 292 lessons

Visiting an Old Castle

A student talks about a class visit to an old castle on a hill near his town.

My Grandmother's Old Photos

A girl describes the old family photos her grandmother keeps in a big brown box.