Video: Legacy: The Cradle of Civilization - China & Egypt

Summary:

“These attractively visualized introductions interestingly link ancient civilizations to the present. Rewarding for viewers.” - Booklist

“Visually stunning, well-researched...it's one journey in time you'll never regret taking.” - NY Daily News

Historian Michael Wood stands in the Iraqi desert amid crumbling ruins and dry desolation. He describes a once-thriving metropolis, where merchants brought their goods into the city over a network of lush canals. All that remains is a sea of golden sand, the once-large population drifted away, the complex society vanished. As the world approaches the 21st century, this new series reminds us that other nations and cultures prospered for hundreds or even thousands of years. Now all that remains is the legacy of their civilizations, present and influential in our own.

Shot on location on four continents, Legacy takes a different viewpoint from other series that concentrate primarily on the Western view of history. Visiting China, India, Egypt, the Middle East, Greece and Meso-America, this series traces the rise of both Asian and western civilization.
This series results from an international effort, a co-production of Maryland Public Television and Central Independent Television, U.K. in association with NHK, Japan and the British Museum.
Hosted by historian Michael Wood (“River Journeys”) and (“Travels”). Produced by Peter Spry-Leverton (“Making of Mankind”) and (“Japan”).

China: The Mandate of Heaven
Many breakthroughs on which the modern world is based were discovered in China long ago ...iron-casting, gunpowder, even printing. When introduced to Europe, these things changed Western civilization. This episode presents the synthesis of East and West.

Egypt: The Habit of Civilization
Ancient Egypt was the first great nation on earth and endured for thousands of years. The god-like Pharaoh was the rock on which this civilization was built. Ancient traditions come together in the Moslem culture that is the Middle East today.