Lost Kingdoms of South America
BBC Four series
Broadcast on Mondays, 21.00,
14 January – 4 February 2013
Lost Kingdoms of South America is presented by British Museum curator Jago Cooper
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Objects from South America: tortora reed boat, spondylus shell, slingshot, gold tunjo.
South America has witnessed the emergence of some of the most intriguing and diverse ancient cultures in the world.
From the tropical Caribbean coast of Colombia to the frozen Andean peaks of Bolivia, the wet cloud forests of the Amazon to the dry deserts of the Atacama in Peru, the series explores the stories of four different pre-Incan cultures and the different pathways they took to social complexity.
Explore the cultures
Discover the four featured cultures through objects in the British Museum collection.
Chachapoya literally translates as ‘the people of the clouds’
The Kingdom of Chimor arose in the desert sands of coastal Peru
These goldsmiths of Colombia produced spectacular treasures
After almost 2000 years, Tiwanaku is still a focal point in modern Bolivia
Blog
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Exploring the lost kingdoms of South America
10 January 2013
Leonora Duncan and Jago Cooper, British Museum
BBC website
Find out more about the series and watch clips of the episodes on the BBC website
Lost Kingdoms of South America, BBC Four
Catch-up
Watch episode four: Kingdom of the Desert on the BBC iPlayer
Watch episode three: Lands of Gold on the BBC iPlayer
Watch episode two: The Stone at the Centre on the BBC iPlayer
Watch episode one: People of the Clouds on the BBC iPlayer
Image: Dr Jago Cooper, Marcelino Choque and friend. Exchanging Coca – ritual greeting – Potolo, Bolivia. Photo: Stevie Whiteford