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Arts & Culture

SECRETS OF THE DEAD: Sinking Atlantis

Volcanologist, Floyd McCoy in Santorini, an island southeast from Greece.
Courtesy of Secrets Of The Dead
Volcanologist, Floyd McCoy in Santorini, an island southeast from Greece.

Airs Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV

Explore some iconic historical moments while debunking long-held myths and shining new light on past events in the series SECRETS OF THE DEAD. Advances in investigative techniques, forensic science and historical scholarship offer new evidence on forgotten mysteries.

"Sinking Atlantis" - Five thousand years ago the Minoans, Europe's first great civilization, flourished on the island of Crete. They were the first Europeans to use writing, and their technologically advanced and rich artistic culture became the setting for famous Greek myths about Theseus, Icarus and the Minotaur. Yet in their heyday, the Minoans were wiped from the pages of history.

The cause of their downfall has remained one of the foremost mysteries of the ancient world, until now. "Sinking Atlantis" explores, and discounts, all the usual theories about the disappearance of the Minoans -- from a massive volcano that buried them in ash, to Greek invaders who conquered and killed them.

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Drawing from the archaeological records, new revelations about Minoan language and religion, and shocking new geological discoveries, the film connects fact with fiction, and reveals the truth behind the reign and fall of the great Minoan civilization.

SECRETS OF THE DEAD is on Facebook, tumblr, and you can follow @SecretsPBS on Twitter. Past episodes are available for online viewing.