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TV series

Mysteries of Ancient Medicine

Latest episode

S1 E10 · The King's Evil, The Leper Skull, Ancient Cancer Treatment

About Mysteries of Ancient Medicine

Mysteries of Ancient Medicine is a documentary TV series that premiered on National Geographic on April 30, 2026. It has 1 season and 10 episodes so far and is still airing new episodes. The latest episode, Season 1 Episode 10 "The King's Evil, The Leper Skull, Ancient Cancer Treatment", aired on April 30, 2026.

In the face of death, plague, or pestilence, how did our ancestors respond? Though we may assume superstition and quack medicine were the only options available, the truth is far more interesting…Modern archaeology unearths long-buried traditions, arcane modes of healing, and medical enigmas. From astrology and omens to ointments, sweat baths, and bloodletting, ancient treatments were dispensed with at-times surprising results.

  • Documentary

Last updated

Episodes

10 episodes · 1 season

Season 1

2026 · 10 episodes · Last episode: 6 months ago

Mysteries of Ancient Medicine Season 1 release dates →
  1. E10

    10. The King's Evil, The Leper Skull, Ancient Cancer Treatment

    Royal cures, ancient disease and early surgery reveal medicine’s darkest hopes.

  2. E9

    9. Relitto del Pozzino, Ancient Opium, Liang Tebo

    Off the coast of Italy, a Roman shipwreck preserves the oldest known medical tablets ever studied. In the Levant, poppy-shaped vessels reveal early use of opium, while deep in the caves of Borneo, a 31,000-year-old skeleton with a healed amputation challenges long-held beliefs about prehistoric surgery and medical care.

  3. E8

    8. Barber Surgeons, Astrologist-Physicians, Ancient Indian Medicine

    Across continents and centuries, healers find bold solutions. Medieval barber-surgeons perform bloodletting and surgery, Elizabethan physicians read the stars to guide treatment, and ancient Indian innovators defy taboos to advance surgery, anatomy and Ayurvedic medical knowledge.

  4. E7

    7. Abracadabra, Longmen Recipes, Belemnites

    Go inside a world where healing blends belief and ritual. A Roman incantation promises protection from malaria, hundreds of unusual remedies are carved into China’s Longmen Grottoes, and a medieval Polish grave filled with fossilized squid raises questions about magic, medicine and meaning.

  5. E6

    6. Queen Anne's Revenge, Tribal Trepanation, Thunderbolt

    Grim medical tools recovered from the pirate ship Queen Anne’s Revenge expose the harsh realities of medicine at sea. In Peru, ancient skulls marked by trepanation reveal sophisticated surgical practices. Evidence from Lewis and Clark’s expedition uncovers the use of “thunderbolts,” a powerful drug carried to survive the American frontier.

  6. E5

    5. James Cook's Cup, Roman Army Hospital, Bamboo Scrolls

    From a toxic cup used aboard Capt. James Cook’s ship to the organized care inside Roman army hospitals, ancient medicine balanced danger with innovation. Newly discovered bamboo scrolls from China add another mystery, hinting at the origins of traditional practices and the physician said to have shaped them.

  7. E4

    4. Mummy Medicine, King of Poisons, Maya Sweat Baths

    From Europe’s obsession with powdered mummy to Austrians who ingested arsenic for beauty and strength, history is filled with startling cures. Meanwhile, in Guatemala, an ancient Mayan sweat bath carved with a deity exposes healing practices centered on mothers and childbirth. These remedies reveal medicine’s most unexpected paths.

  8. E3

    3. Poison Panacea, A Shocking Treatment, Cannabis in China

    In medieval courts, fear of poison fuels the rise of bezoar stones as prized antidotes. In Egypt, electric catfish inspire bioelectrical healing long before modern science. And in China’s Turpan region, a burial wrapped in cannabis plants uncovers ritual practices and ancient knowledge.

  9. E2

    2. Rivers of Mercury, Ethics of Anatomy, The Black Death

    A Chinese emperor gambles on a glittering elixir promising eternal life, while a fearless Renaissance anatomist challenges ancient medical doctrine. As the black death spreads across continents, desperate physicians search for answers in a race against unimaginable devastation.

  10. E1

    1. Etruscan Gold Teeth, Soutra Aisle, The Two Toes

    From gold dental bands in Etruscan tombs to the blood stained remains of a medieval hospital in Scotland, archaeologists reveal the gritty realities of ancient care. A crafted Egyptian prosthetic adds a final twist, raising new questions about innovation in early medicine.

Mysteries of Ancient Medicine FAQ

When is the next episode of Mysteries of Ancient Medicine?

A date for the next episode of Mysteries of Ancient Medicine hasn't been announced yet. Follow Mysteries of Ancient Medicine in the Streambay app and you'll be notified as soon as a new episode airs.

When did the latest episode of Mysteries of Ancient Medicine come out?

The most recent episode of Mysteries of Ancient Medicine, Season 1 Episode 10 "The King's Evil, The Leper Skull, Ancient Cancer Treatment", aired on April 30, 2026.

How many seasons of Mysteries of Ancient Medicine are there?

Mysteries of Ancient Medicine has 1 season with 10 episodes in total.

When did Mysteries of Ancient Medicine first air?

Mysteries of Ancient Medicine first aired on National Geographic on April 30, 2026.

How do I get notified when new episodes of Mysteries of Ancient Medicine are released?

Download the Streambay app, follow Mysteries of Ancient Medicine, and you'll get a push notification the moment each new episode is released.

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