The Archaeology Channel

05/27/2026

Announcing the award winners of The Archaeology Channel International Film Festival 2026!

🏆Best Film (by Jury)
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women

🏅Honorable Mention for Best Film Category Competition:
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon's Broken Treasures
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way

🏆Audience Favorite (by Festival audience)
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way

🏅Honorable Mention for Audience Favorite:
Rome Underground
Vitrum: Rome’s Glass Revolution
The Lost World of the Hanging Gardens
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey

🏆Best Narration (by Jury)
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey

🏅Honorable Mention for Best Narration:
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon's Broken Treasures
Fengyang: Ancient China's Forgotten Capital
Pateh: An Intangible Heritage
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way


🏆Best Animation and Effects (by Jury)
Fengyang: Ancient China’s Forgotten Capital

🏅Honorable Mention for Animation and Effects:
The Gold of Venice
The Lost World of the Hanging Gardens
Vitrum: Rome's Glass Revolution
Army of Lovers: The Sacred Band of Ancient Greece

🏆Best Public Education Value (by Jury)
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey

🏅Honorable Mention for Public Education Value:
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon's Broken Treasures
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way

🏆Best Script (by Jury)
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women

🏅Honorable Mention for Script:
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon's Broken Treasures
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom

🏆Best Cinematography (by Jury)
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women

🏅Honorable Mention for Cinematography:
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon's Broken Treasures
The Gold of Venice
Fengyang: Ancient China’s Forgotten Capital
The Lost World of the Hanging Gardens
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey


🏆Best Music (by Jury)
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom

🏅Honorable Mention for Music:
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon's Broken Treasures
Baaxpée: This Ground
Wind's Heritage

🏆Most Inspirational (by Jury)
Japarta: A Journey to the Gurindji Way

🏅Honorable Mention for Inspiration:
Oya: The Unique Art of Anatolian Women
From Cambridge with Love: A Call to Mend the Parthenon's Broken Treasures
Vegetarians: The Great Odyssey
Maracatu Liberta: The Drums of Freedom

🏆Special Mention (by Jury)
Ea; For Outstanding Discussion of Ancestral Land Rights

Rome Underground; For Portrayal of Unique Mitigation Efforts

Vitrum: Rome's Glass Revolution; For Portrayal of Roman Glass Construction and Underwater Archaeology

The Gold of Venice; For Portrayal of Tree Reforestation

05/25/2026

New on Heritage:
🛡️How far must one go to protect ancient history? The conflict that began in Syria in 2011 has put the museum curators and archaeologists of the Aleppo National Museum to the test. 🏛️ "The Oath of Cyriac" is a feature docudrama based on the breathtaking true story of a team of 10 courageous employees and volunteers who risked their lives out of love for archaeology. Their city under siege, they race to fortify the museum against explosions and looting. Dedicated to guarding these irreplaceable artifacts of Syria’s heritage, some curators lived and slept in the museum daily. As destruction closes in on them, they are forced to make a decision: how to evacuate 50,000 artifacts in a besieged city?

In a tomb located in Jerusalem’s Hell Valley, a sensational discovery has been made: a First Century shroud from the time of Jesus— the first one ever to have been discovered in Jerusalem. “Mystery of the Shroud” lets us see into the process of archaeological discovery and analysis that unveils momentous information, painting a picture of what Jesus’ grave may have looked like and what his burial regime may have involved, making a key moment in Christian history more tangible than ever.⚰️

🪙During the Second Middle Ages, European merchants opened up to the world. Globalization in turn kick-started mass production, international markets, and the first banking instruments.🏦 Learn how modern capitalism came to be in the penultimate episode of “Humanity's Footsteps” titled “The Businessman!” Host Nadia Cleitman also explores archaeological sites that show how this revolution in trade changed the landscapes of European cities.

05/22/2026

✨Discover an ancient tomb in Jerusalem that reveals what Jesus’ grave may have looked like, race to save antiques during the intense civil war in Syria, and explore European markets from the Middle Ages in new Heritage titles! Available for streaming starting May 25th.

Featured titles: “Mystery of the Shroud,” “The Oath of Cyriac,” and “Humanity's Footsteps, Season 2, Episode 14: The Businessman.”

Browse trailers and even more titles on heritagetac.org.

Sign up to get your first week free!

05/18/2026

New on Heritage:
🔎If an ancient civilization doesn’t have a writing system, how do we discover precise details of their culture? The Incas were the first social superpower of the Americas and their name is still well known to us today. Yet this remarkable civilization apparently never had a writing system and their history has therefore been reported only by the Spanish conquistadors who violently invaded their empire starting in 1532. “Incas: The New Story” shows us how new advanced tools and proliferating research programs are revising previous interpretations of the vast Inca Empire. 🔬

🤔Does something as simple as math change how we perceive reality? 🔢“The First World” takes a look at Pythagoras’ numbers-centric way of seeing the world, alongside Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, to pick apart their incredible impacts on the modern world and on contemporary collective thought. Shot on location in the home towns of Pythagoras and Plato, the filmmakers interview prominent philosophers and mathematicians across Europe and North America. 🧑‍🏫

In the newest edition of Strata, Season 12, Episode 8, we explore two rather different films. 🧺“Abaznoda” follows a young Abenaki basket weaver who carries on her shoulders the legacy of all the generations that came before, which pushes her to learn as much as possible about her passion: basketry. Then, “Guardians of Hellenism: The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople” documents a Christian institution functioning as a major contributor to the survival of Ancient Greek culture.🏺

05/16/2026

05/15/2026

✨Just launched in Heritage! Here is a preview of new titles available to stream on Heritage Broadcasting Service now.

Featured titles: “The First World,” “Incas: The New Story,” and “Strata: Portraits of Humanity Season 12, Episode 8,” featuring “Abaznoda” and “Guardians of Hellenism: The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.”

Browse trailers and even more titles on heritagetac.org.

05/12/2026

🎉🎬TAC International Film Festival begins tomorrow, May 13, with the Banquet and Keynote Address by Michael Bott and Rupert Soskin (The Prehistory Guys)! We have exciting events planned throughout the week and into the weekend, paired with an outstanding class of 30 films being shown on the big screen during this year’s festival.

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating cultural heritage media together!

Festival Banquet with Keynote Address:
Wednesday, May 13, 6 - 9 pm
The Gordon Hotel, 555 Oak Street
$75/plate
Enjoy a delicious meal, socialize with other festival-goers, and hear the Keynote Address by Michael and Rupert (The Prehistory Guys) titled, “Being There: How filming can change perceptions.”

Film Screenings:
Thursday & Friday, May 14 & 15, 7 - 10 pm
Saturday, May 16, 9:30 am - 7 pm
Sunday, May 17, 10 am –7 pm
The Shedd Institute, Sheffer Recital Hall, 868 High Street
Free!
Watch films on the big screen, attend Q&As with filmmakers, and cast your vote for the Audience Favorite Award. Snacks and drinks will be available.

Video Bar:
Thursday & Friday, May 14 & 15, 7 - 10 pm
Saturday, May 16, 9:30 am - 7 pm
Sunday, May 17, 10 am –7 pm
The Shedd Institute, Cole Gallery, 868 High Street
Free!
Watch our Festival entries on your own time.

TAC Conference on Cultural Heritage Media:
Friday, May 15, 1:00 - 5:30 pm
Archaeological Legacy Institute, 372 West 12th Ave.
$50 day; $10 single presentation
Filmmakers, indigenous groups, archaeologists, and others share ideas through presentations and discussion.

Saturday Social:
Saturday, May 16, 7 - 10 pm
Archaeological Legacy Institute, 372 West 12th Ave.
Free
Hobnob with filmmakers, festival organizers, conference presenters, and other festival-goers while enjoying food and drinks.

Awards Reception:
Sunday, May 17, 7 - 9 pm
Archaeological Legacy Institute, 372 West 12th Ave.
$5
Join us for some food and beverages while we tally the jury and audience votes and announce the award winners! Make sure to cast your votes for the Audience Favorite Award during each film screening session at The Shedd.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day! Here are a couple of films on Heritage that honor mothers and the sacred strength and knowledge that gets passed down through generations—from one mother to another.

“Matronas:"
Salvadoran midwives have delivered babies even during the Salvadoran Civil War, but now fight to protect their historical role against government-imposed medical malpractice.

“Strata: Portraits of Humanity Season 10, Episode 7” featuring:
“Migwitetm [I Remember]:" A young Indigenous Canadian woman reflects on her mother’s teachings of sweetgrass and hopes to pass that knowledge down.
“Bound to Tradition:" Susan Campbell, a Mountain Maidu Native American, makes a cradleboard for her first grandchild amidst trying to balance her values with modernity.

Stream them on Heritage Broadcasting Service (heritagetac.org).
Sign up today and get your first week free!

05/06/2026

📣TAC Conference 2026 Presentation Lineup!📣

We invite you to join us in The Archaeology Channel Conference on Cultural Heritage Media 2026! Enjoy a diverse lineup of presentations and participate in intriguing discussions. This year’s Conference will take place Friday, May 15th, at our office in downtown Eugene, from 1:00 - 5:30 pm. TAC Conference takes place as part of TAC International Film Festival (May 13-17, 2026).

TAC Conference provides an important venue for the discussion of cultural heritage media, bringing together people from all over the world who have an interest in audio and visual media about and for cultural heritage. This includes archaeologists, filmmakers, educators, indigenous groups, and many others.

We’ve got an exciting lineup of presenters from all over the world this year! The event starts with a forum on media, archaeology and Kanaka Maoli struggles for land and burials, followed by 3 individual presenters. The event will end with a round table discussion with all of the presenters at 5:00 pm.

📍Archaeological Legacy Institute, 372 W 12th Ave, Suite 4, Eugene OR
⏰Friday, May 15, 1:00-5:30 pm
🎫All Day Pass - $50; Single Presentation Pass $10

Purchase passes online via the link in our bio or at the door.