From the days of the Romans to the detailed scientific archaeology of today, humans have longed to make sense of buildings and objects that time has left behind. In three films, packed with some of the great figures of archaeology, and set against a background of tipping points in history, archaeologist Richard Miles travels through the ages of the Renaissance and Enlightenment, and into the modern day, to discover how we have tried to understand the last 2,000 years.

He tells the story of how our fascination with the mysteries of our ancient past has created a legacy of wonder, discovery, and debate.