Watch Lost Worlds of South America

2012
1 Season

Lost Worlds of South America is a documentary series produced by The Great Courses that follows a team of archaeologists, scientists, and adventurers as they explore the ancient civilizations that once thrived in the heart of South America. Over the course of twelve episodes, viewers are taken on a journey across the Andes Mountains, through the rainforests of the Amazon, and into the heart of the Inca Empire to uncover the secrets of these lost worlds.

The series begins by introducing viewers to the rich history and cultural diversity of South America, which has been inhabited by indigenous peoples for thousands of years. From the towering ruins of Machu Picchu and the mysterious Nazca Lines to the enigmatic Moche tombs and the complex irrigation systems of the Tiwanaku civilization, the region is filled with signs of a rich and complex past.

Throughout the series, the team of experts uses a range of high-tech tools and traditional methods to uncover the secrets of these ancient civilizations. From laser scanners and drones to ground-penetrating radar and carefully curated excavations, they explore each site in detail to reveal new insights into South America's lost worlds.

The team's journey takes them to some of the most remote and awe-inspiring locations on the continent. They hike through narrow mountain passes, navigate treacherous jungle terrain, and brave altitude sickness and extreme weather to reach their destinations. Along the way, they encounter a range of challenges and surprises, from unexpected animal encounters to dangerous rockfalls and unexpected setbacks.

At each site, the team works to piece together the puzzle of South America's lost civilizations. They analyze artifacts, study architecture and engineering, and delve into the rich mythology and oral histories of the region to paint a vivid picture of the peoples who once called these places home. But they also uncover new mysteries and unanswered questions that leave them scrambling to uncover the true stories of these ancient peoples.

The series also explores the impact of European colonization on South America's indigenous peoples, and how the arrival of Spanish conquistadors altered these cultures forever. The team examines the often-brutal tactics used by the Spaniards to eradicate traditional beliefs and customs, and how these cultural traumas continue to impact South American societies today.

Throughout the series, Lost Worlds of South America offers a fascinating glimpse into a region whose rich history and diverse cultures have often been overlooked by mainstream media. By exploring these often-overlooked sites and cultures, the series invites viewers to rethink their understanding of South America and to appreciate the depth and complexity of its lost civilizations.

Overall, Lost Worlds of South America is an engaging, informative, and visually stunning series that will appeal to anyone with an interest in archaeology, history, or South American cultures. With its compelling stories and beautiful cinematography, it offers a glimpse into a world that most of us will never get to experience firsthand. For those who are looking to explore the rich history and cultural diversity of South America, this series is an essential watch.

Lost Worlds of South America is a series that ran for 1 seasons (24 episodes) between November 20, 2012 and on The Great Courses

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Seasons

24. Remnants of the Past-Andean Culture Today

November 20, 2012

The Andean civilizations have left a remarkable legacy in the modern world. Investigate the many ways in which contemporary peoples in South America maintain ancient ways of life, seen in agriculture, community organization, traditional lifestyles, and astronomical and religious observances, and contemplate what these practices mean in our own time.

23. Spanish Contact-Pizarro Conquers the Inca

November 20, 2012

In one of history's most unusual incidents, the Inca empire was defeated by a Spanish force of 168 men. Study the events surrounding the capture and demise of Atahualpa--the last true Inca ruler--the destructive conquest by Francisco Pizarro, and the following struggle within the empire against Spanish rule.

22. Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley

November 20, 2012

The mountainside complex of Machu Picchu was a royal estate of Pachacuti, the 9th Inca. Walk the site, entering at the Sun Gate, and explore the causeways, terraces, and many rooms of undetermined function. Study the solar-aligned Torreon and other astronomical structures of the site, and their significance in Inca cosmology.

21. The Khipu-Language Hidden in Knots

November 20, 2012

The Inca used a complex system of records encoded on knotted strings. Study what is known of the khipu, starting with Spanish accounts of their use and the "khipucamayuq" who recorded and read them. Learn how numbers were encoded, and review evidence suggesting that the khipu may contain a form of writing.

20. The Inca-Gifts of the Empire

November 20, 2012

As a glimpse into how the empire functioned so effectively, learn about the Mit'a, a system of labor taxation, noting the services subjects provided to the empire and how they benefited in return. Grasp the Inca's ingenious technology of road building, suspension bridges, and freeze-drying vegetables, and how they eliminated hunger.

19. The Inca-From Raiders to Empire

November 20, 2012

In charting the rise of Inca civilization, follow the pivotal reign of Pachacuti, the 9th Inca, whose vision to unify the Andes led to large-scale conquest. Learn how his heir, Tupac, doubled the imperial territories, and how the empire was ultimately torn apart by civil war and disease.

18. Cuzco and the Tawantinsuyu Empire

November 20, 2012

The city of Cuzco stands as the supreme achievement in architecture and aesthetics of pre-Columbian South America. Study the city's astounding features, such as its hydraulic engineering, anti-seismic construction, and its perfectly fitting stonework that defies explanation. Learn also about the culture of ancestral mummies, the golden Coricancha temple, and other architectural marvels.

17. The Inca Origins-Mythology v. Archaeology

November 20, 2012

Begin your study of the great Inca civilization by tracing the culture's origin myth, featuring a creator deity who made the cosmos and charged the Inca to found a kingdom in a fertile valley. Compare the mythology with archaeological evidence that suggests that the myths were based in part on historical truths.

16. The Sican-Goldsmiths of the Northern Coast

November 20, 2012

Contrasting with the Chimú, Sican civilization comprised a confederation of equal and independent city-states. Study the apparent Moche influence in Sican pyramid building, elaborate burial styles, and extensive human sacrifice. Observe the unique qualities of Sican art in the mastery of metallurgy and stunning ritual objects in ceramic, gold, and copper.

15. The ChimÃº--Empire of the Northern Coast

November 20, 2012

This lecture introduces a culture of warrior kings who became conquerors, second in influence only to the Inca. Learn about the Chimú's extraordinary royal citadels, urban organization, and intervalley irrigation technology. Investigate their subjugation of neighboring cultures, their imperial administration centers, and what may have motivated their conquest.

14. The Wari-Foundations of the Inca Empire?

November 20, 2012

Here, track the remarkable innovations of the Wari culture, highlighting its walled cities, paved road systems, large-scale livestock herding, and ingenious form of terraced agriculture. Examine the evidence of satellite communities of the Wari and the question of whether Wari expansion constituted empire building or a more benign diffusion of culture.

13. The Amazon-Civilization Lost in the Jungle

November 20, 2012

Recent discoveries indicate the presence of massive ancient civilizations in the Amazon. Survey the evidence, starting with the Beni region's elaborate systems of mounds, causeways, and canals. Continue with the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon, noting wide areas of human-enriched soil, towns ringed by moats, geoglyphs, and pottery dating to 6000 B.C.

12. Enigmatic Tiwanaku by Lake Titicaca

November 20, 2012

Lake Titicaca is the site of one of South America's most impressive civilizations. Discover the huge urban complex of Tiwanaku and its cultural connections to Chavín de Huantar. Explore Tiwanaku's mysterious architecture and its "raised field" agriculture, an engineering feat that allowed for the support of a large population.

11. The Moche-Drugs, Sex, Music, and Puppies

November 20, 2012

This lecture investigates the dramatic iconography seen on Moche ceramics. First, learn about the complex rituals and practices of modern South American shamanism. Then study images on Moche pottery usually interpreted as depicting victory in war, and indications that they actually describe an elaborate culture of shamanic healing.

10. The Moche-Richest Tombs in the New World

November 20, 2012

The Moche tombs offer compelling evidence of the culture's social structure and cosmology. Investigate the sumptuous contents of the three principal tombs of Sipan--the enigmatic buried figures and dazzling costumes, jewelry, and surrounding objects. Contemplate who these buried people might have been, with relation to imagery in Moche art.

9. The Moche-Pyramids, Gold, and Warriors

November 20, 2012

In the first of three lectures on the Andean Moche culture, chart this civilization's outstanding features. Discover the immense pyramids, adorned with brilliant color murals, road systems, and sophisticated art. Examine the evidence of extensive warfare, both in the art and in excavated weaponry and sacrificial victims.

8. The Nazca Lines and Underground Channels

November 20, 2012

The Nazca are yet another South American people of striking accomplishments. Learn about their remarkable irrigation system of underground aquifers, aqueducts, and wells, and their fine polychrome pottery and textiles. Penetrate the mystery of the "Nazca Lines," massive geoglyphs scratched into the earth, which may be the result of ritual pilgrimage.

7. Paracas-Mummies, Shamans, and Severed Heads

November 20, 2012

Investigate the fascinating Paracas tombs of the 1st millennium B.C., which contain richly adorned mummies, and grasp the significance of mummification. Study the elaborate iconography of Paracas textiles, the meaning of the supernatural beings they depict, and the practice of head hunting as a means to control the spirits of the dead.

6. Cupisnique to Salinar-Elite Rulers and War

November 20, 2012

With the waning of Chavín's culture, striking new elements appear in the region's archaeological record. Here, encounter the Salinar culture, a new settlement pattern showing no ceremonial architecture and the first "elite" housing. Examine the evidence of defensive citadels and what may have triggered warfare and emerging social hierarchy.

5. Chavin and the Rise of Religious Authority

November 20, 2012

The Peruvian site of Chavín marks the emergence of religion as the focus of public art. Study Chavín's distinctive architecture, with images of its characteristic "fanged deity." Learn about later religious iconography and artifacts at Chavín suggesting that it was the center of a cult that spread to other sites in the region.

4. Ceramics, Textiles, and Organized States

November 20, 2012

Observe pivotal changes in northern Peruvian societies in 1800-900 B.C., such as the architectural styles of the southern and northern valleys, which indicate the rise of a state identity. Note the area's earliest evidence of metallurgy and weaving, and stone sculptures reflecting the first warlike violence seen in South America.

3. South America's First People

November 20, 2012

The earliest evidence of humans in the Americas comes not from North America, but from Chile. Investigate the important Monte Verde site and its view into everyday life 15,000 years ago. Learn also about "Quilcas" cave art, the astonishing Chinchorro mummies--predating Egypt's-- and evidence of early agriculture and trade at Huaca Prieta.

2. Discovering Peru's Earliest Cities

November 20, 2012

The first cities in the Americas date to 3000 B.C. Investigate the means of subsistence of coastal and inland valley cities, and evidence for trade in marine and agricultural products. Learn about the sites of Kotosh, El Paraiso, and Caral and their striking features of architecture, including plazas, pyramids, and solar observatories.

1. South America's Lost Cradle of Civilization

November 20, 2012

Consider the remarkable evidence for South America as one of the true wellsprings of human civilization. Grasp the diversity of early South American cultures, from the Andean civilizations to the desert and Amazon regions; what these cultures shared; and their extraordinary innovations in agriculture, architecture, handcrafts, social organization, and religion.

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Where to Watch Lost Worlds of South America

Lost Worlds of South America is available for streaming on the The Great Courses website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Lost Worlds of South America on demand at Apple TV Channels, Amazon Prime, Amazon and Hoopla.