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[narrator] What is this
strange Roman device
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that has baffled
archaeologists for centuries?
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00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,896
[Dr. Abigail Graham]
The Romans were
meticulous administrators,
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00:00:09,931 --> 00:00:15,827
but we don't have any written
accounts about these objects.
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[narrator] Is a machine
powered by
blood-sucking leeches
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00:00:18,620 --> 00:00:21,172
the original weather app?
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[Goodman] It's impossible.
Mad ideas didn't seem so mad.
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[narrator]
Do these ancient scrolls
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00:00:27,103 --> 00:00:29,275
mark the locations
of buried treasure?
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00:00:29,310 --> 00:00:32,034
By the time they did
the complete tally,
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00:00:32,068 --> 00:00:33,896
it was something like 200 tons
of gold and silver,
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00:00:33,931 --> 00:00:35,689
something worth billions
of dollars today.
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00:00:39,655 --> 00:00:42,965
[narrator] These are the most
remarkable and mysterious
objects on Earth.
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00:00:45,241 --> 00:00:49,241
Hidden away in museums,
laboratories
and storage units.
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Now, new research
and technology can
get under their skin
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like never before.
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We can rebuild them,
pull them apart
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and zoom-in
to reveal the unbelievable,
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the ancient
and the truly bizarre.
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These are
the world's strangest things.
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[narrator]
This strange bronze artifact
is one of the great mysteries
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of the Roman Empire
because we have
no idea what it is.
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We don't have any written
accounts about these objects.
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When we don't have
a clear place to put fantastic
objects like these,
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we end up in a vast mire
of speculation.
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[narrator]
As nothing is known about it,
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archaeologists simply call it
a Roman dodecahedron,
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after its 12 sides.
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It might be considered
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nothing more than a curiosity
if there was only one.
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But incredibly, 116 of these
dodecahedrons have been found.
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No two are exactly alike.
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They vary in size from
one and a half inches
to four and a half inches.
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[Dr. Andrew Steele]
A Roman dodecahedron
takes a 12-sided shape
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and has little spheres
to each of the corners.
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And that means you can
stand it up nice and easily.
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And also on the faces,
there are holes,
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and these holes are circles,
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but they're different sizes
on every one of those faces.
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[Dr. Graham]
When the bronze was polished,
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it would have sheen
or sparkle in the sunset
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It would catch your eye.
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[narrator] There are
no numbers, no writing,
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no other marks
to explain what it is for.
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Now a theory has emerged.
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We may have been getting
the purpose
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of the dodecahedrons
wrong for centuries.
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So what is it really for?
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Where does it come from?
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What is this strange object?
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00:03:05,827 --> 00:03:09,586
One thing we know
for certain, Romans were
obsessed with gambling.
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[Dr. Graham] It's a cuboid.
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It could be used for games,
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and the Romans loved
their dice games.
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Everyone played them.
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And in the same way
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that we see people on the tube
playing Candy Crush
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or a game on their telephone.
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When you excavate buildings
in Rome,
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often major temples are
riddled with game boards
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where people just sat
and played dice.
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We have tons of
archaeological evidence.
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In Pompeii,
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there's a famous wall
painting that shows men
fighting over a dice game.
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Caesar, before he crossed
the Rubicon,
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is famous for saying,
"Alea iacta est!"
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"The die is cast.
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"I'm throwing in my fate."
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[narrator] Romans used dice
in endless combinations
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of shape and size
to suit a multitude of games.
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So, is it a dice?
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Unfortunately, there are
flaws to this theory.
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You pick these things up
and you try to throw them,
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well, because they don't
have a flat face,
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They don't bounce correctly.
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They don't land right
and they don't have
numbers on them.
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[narrator] Magnifying it,
it reveals that every hole
is a different size,
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so the weight of each side
is different, which makes
it a loaded dice.
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So, the primary
function of a die
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isn't really adhered to by
these objects, so that's
a bit of a problem.
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00:04:32,310 --> 00:04:34,931
[narrator] Another suggestion
is that it's a candleholder.
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[Dr. Graham] I understand
where the idea came from,
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which is that,
some traces of wax
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have been found on
the inside of one of these.
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00:04:43,827 --> 00:04:47,206
[narrator] But this theory
also has serious flaws.
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It would be a candleholder
that didn't really
work very well
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in protecting your hands from
getting burned or holding
a very large candle.
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00:04:54,482 --> 00:04:56,586
If you've ever
used a candlestick,
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there's a grip and a long whim
around the top of it
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00:04:59,034 --> 00:05:02,310
to stop the wax dripping
onto your hand.
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[narrator]
It's even been suggested
that it's a child's toy.
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[Dr. Graham]
The idea that you'd
give your child
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a small metal toy
to play with,
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my son would have had it
in his mouth, in its ear.
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He'd have probably tried
to get it up his nose.
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[narrator] So not a dice,
not a candle holder,
and definitely not a toy.
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Is there a clue in the pattern
of where these
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mysterious artifacts
have been found?
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Every Roman dodecahedron
discovered
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is in the north and northwest
regions of the empire,
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where the weather is colder
and generally less pleasant.
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None are found in the sunny
or southern regions,
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which has led to a new theory.
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So, one of
the pervading theories
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is that these were then used
for knitting
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and perhaps to knit gloves.
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So to test this theory,
someone has actually
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printed out a 3D scan
of one of these
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and used it to knit
a five-fingered glove.
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I really like the idea
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that these were
for knitting gloves.
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If it's not
the sort of thing that
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00:06:17,206 --> 00:06:19,344
smart Archaeologists were
scratching their heads over,
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00:06:19,379 --> 00:06:21,620
chatting to astronomers and
mathematicians for decades,
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00:06:21,655 --> 00:06:23,620
but you show it to someone
who knows how to knit.
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And they go, "It's obviously
for making gloves."
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[narrator]
But not everyone is convinced.
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[Dr. Graham] I'm not saying
that it's not possible
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that it was used
as a knitting device.
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But gloves are kind of
commodity item.
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There are pre-existing
instruments for weaving.
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The idea that it was used
generally to knit
a pair of gloves,
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it doesn't fit with how
expensive these objects
were to make and produce.
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[narrator] The problem is
that nearly every dodecahedron
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is made of bronze.
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And bronze doesn't come cheap.
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It's made out of the same
materials that money is
made out of.
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[narrator]
The Roman technique for
casting hollow bronze items
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is still used today.
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It's time consuming
and difficult.
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You start off with
a clay core.
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You coat this with wax.
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In the wax, you carve
the intricate details,
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whatever shapes you want to
make out of bronze.
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00:07:25,655 --> 00:07:30,172
[narrator] You then cover
the whole thing again in clay,
and bake it.
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The wax melts out.
137
00:07:32,448 --> 00:07:34,379
So, once you've done that,
you've got a mold
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that has got
the negative space
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of what you want to make
out of bronze.
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Then you get your bronze.
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You melt it up
to over a thousand degrees,
so it's nice and runny.
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It's like red hot metal now,
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and you pour it
into the molds,
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bits in it sparks,
and then you wait
for that to cool down.
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[narrator] This technique is
far too expensive
for everyday objects.
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It doesn't, from a financial,
economic point
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or from a trade point,
make a lot of sense
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to take all the time
and effort
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to make one of these
incredibly intricate,
beautiful objects
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for something that is
really an everyday-use item.
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[narrator] So what could
justify the expense and effort
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that goes into making
one of these bizarre things?
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After centuries of mystery,
is there finally an answer?
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[narrator]
This Roman dodecahedron
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has baffled archaeologists
for centuries
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and has led to a series
of competing theories,
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each of which has
as many flaws as answers.
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Now there is an idea
that seems to fit perfectly.
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One thing that is incredible
about Rome is,
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wherever you go
in northern Europe
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and actually across most of
the Roman Empire,
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and you look at
a Roman military camp
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and the way
that it is laid out,
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it is very similar
across the Roman Empire.
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They had an exact plan,
and to put out
those exact plans,
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they needed to have a means
of taking basic measurements.
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How do you plan a road?
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How do you set out
your milestones?
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What marks the Roman empire
for me
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is that they measured
distances
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and not only measured them
but marked them out.
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They had milestones
along their routes
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to record those distances,
and they were accurate.
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[narrator] The dodecahedrons
might be one of the secrets
to this accuracy.
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It's all to do with
the different sizes of
the opposing holes.
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[Dr. Steele] You look
through it, because
the holes are different sizes,
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at a certain distance away,
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at which the circles will
appear to be the same size,
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and that's always going to be
the same fixed distance
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00:10:00,482 --> 00:10:02,137
away from your eyes.
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00:10:02,172 --> 00:10:05,275
[narrator] All you need then
is an object of unknown size,
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preferably one that can
be carried high up
off the ground.
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00:10:08,793 --> 00:10:11,000
[Dr. Steele] So, for example,
you might get
a Roman centurion
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carrying it standing.
185
00:10:12,655 --> 00:10:14,413
Then he could march
off into the distance.
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00:10:14,448 --> 00:10:16,586
Place that standard down,
when that standard
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is exactly the same size
as your two circles,
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you know that he is
a certain distance away.
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[narrator] This theory also
explains why all the holes
are different sizes.
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00:10:26,586 --> 00:10:27,724
So just by rotating it,
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00:10:27,758 --> 00:10:29,896
you could measure a variety
of different distances.
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[Dr. Graham]
If you're holding it,
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you need to be able
to manipulate it.
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It explains the nodules.
195
00:10:35,655 --> 00:10:38,172
It explains
the different size holes.
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It would even be a way of
explaining the drawings
outside of the holes
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that are used to
kind of line them up.
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And it's also something that
functionally fits with
the needs of the Roman army.
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00:10:52,517 --> 00:10:55,482
[narrator] And the most
essential need of all
for the Roman army
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00:10:55,517 --> 00:10:57,379
is winning wars.
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00:10:58,689 --> 00:11:01,172
[Dr. Graham] They had to know
when people were in range.
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00:11:01,206 --> 00:11:05,310
Not only for things
like arrows, but they also
had catapults.
203
00:11:05,344 --> 00:11:08,137
And it's not just about
having this technology.
204
00:11:08,172 --> 00:11:12,172
It's about knowing when
exactly is the right time
to employ it.
205
00:11:12,206 --> 00:11:14,931
So this sort of thing
would have great functionality
206
00:11:14,965 --> 00:11:18,000
in setting out roads,
in setting up base camp,
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00:11:18,034 --> 00:11:21,655
but also in terms of
actual fighting,
in terms of knowing
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00:11:21,689 --> 00:11:26,310
when the enemy was
in range, knowing when to
fire their catapults.
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00:11:27,379 --> 00:11:30,241
[narrator]
So, is that case closed?
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00:11:30,275 --> 00:11:33,655
Is it definitely a measuring
device rather than a dice
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00:11:33,689 --> 00:11:37,172
or a glove making tool
or a candle holder?
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00:11:37,206 --> 00:11:40,965
It certainly sounds
convincing, but the truth is,
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00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,965
unless we find a written
account or fresh
archaeological evidence,
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00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:49,482
we may never know for sure.
But it's fun guessing.
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00:11:59,827 --> 00:12:03,172
[narrator] In 1952,
hidden in a cave in Israel,
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00:12:03,206 --> 00:12:05,827
archaeologists find some
of the most controversial
217
00:12:05,862 --> 00:12:08,034
and baffling objects
ever uncovered.
218
00:12:09,137 --> 00:12:11,827
Ancient strips of
rolled up metal.
219
00:12:12,655 --> 00:12:14,103
The copper scrolls.
220
00:12:18,689 --> 00:12:21,482
There's nothing like them
in the world.
221
00:12:21,517 --> 00:12:22,758
They are 12 inches long
222
00:12:22,793 --> 00:12:25,689
and two inches wide,
corroded and brittle.
223
00:12:27,241 --> 00:12:30,344
But stamped into them
are traces of an ancient text
224
00:12:30,379 --> 00:12:33,620
that has sparked
a billion-dollar treasure hunt
225
00:12:33,655 --> 00:12:36,965
and a passionate argument
that is still raging today.
226
00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:38,344
Is it a treasure map?
227
00:12:38,379 --> 00:12:39,965
Isn't it a treasure map?
228
00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,862
Now, new research may
finally hold answers
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00:12:42,896 --> 00:12:46,896
to one of the greatest
archaeological mysteries
of the twentieth century.
230
00:12:46,931 --> 00:12:50,241
Who made these
one-of-a-kind scrolls?
231
00:12:50,275 --> 00:12:51,931
Where do they come from?
232
00:12:51,965 --> 00:12:55,068
Is there really hidden
treasure in the desert?
233
00:12:55,103 --> 00:12:58,689
Or is it just the dream of
an enthusiastic archaeologist?
234
00:13:00,551 --> 00:13:03,689
What are the copper scrolls?
235
00:13:11,241 --> 00:13:14,862
1947, the northwest bank
of the Dead Sea.
236
00:13:15,965 --> 00:13:16,931
A young goat herd
237
00:13:16,965 --> 00:13:19,068
was scrabbling around
the rocky wilderness
238
00:13:19,103 --> 00:13:23,482
near the village of Qumran,
about 15 miles east
of Jerusalem.
239
00:13:23,517 --> 00:13:26,310
He entered a cave
and discovered some jars
240
00:13:26,344 --> 00:13:30,793
that seemed to have broken
pieces of parchment
and papyrus in them.
241
00:13:32,344 --> 00:13:34,275
[narrator]
These 2,000-year-old
documents,
242
00:13:34,310 --> 00:13:38,000
are some of the most important
archaeological finds
of modern times...
243
00:13:38,931 --> 00:13:40,586
The Dead Sea scrolls.
244
00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,862
Their discovery is
a game changer
for archeologists.
245
00:13:45,896 --> 00:13:49,931
They include some of
the oldest known fragments
of the Hebrew Bible.
246
00:13:49,965 --> 00:13:52,793
When scholars found these
well-preserved scrolls,
247
00:13:52,827 --> 00:13:54,034
they were really thrilled.
248
00:13:54,068 --> 00:13:57,137
They had now some of
the earliest biblical sources,
249
00:13:57,172 --> 00:14:00,517
as well as community sources
that would have
described the region,
250
00:14:00,551 --> 00:14:02,620
the kinds of practices that
were going on
251
00:14:02,655 --> 00:14:06,137
during this time of really
tumultuous Jewish history.
252
00:14:06,172 --> 00:14:08,689
For biblical archaeologist,
this was the find
253
00:14:08,724 --> 00:14:12,000
of a lifetime of the century,
perhaps of a millennium.
254
00:14:12,034 --> 00:14:15,655
[Dr. Altaweel]
This gives us back a sense
effectively, of a period
255
00:14:15,689 --> 00:14:17,034
not far away from
when the Bible,
256
00:14:17,068 --> 00:14:18,896
or parts of the Bible,
were written.
257
00:14:18,931 --> 00:14:22,172
So this allowed scholars
to really have a connection
to a period
258
00:14:22,206 --> 00:14:25,620
when a lot of the religious
works in religious communities
259
00:14:25,655 --> 00:14:28,172
that arose to create these
works, uh, were developing.
260
00:14:29,931 --> 00:14:32,655
[narrator]
Just five years later,
a team of archaeologists
261
00:14:32,689 --> 00:14:36,275
are examining a nearby cave
when they discover
the copper scrolls.
262
00:14:38,172 --> 00:14:43,034
And it's immediately obvious
to them that these are
something totally different.
263
00:14:43,068 --> 00:14:45,724
[Dr. Graham] One of the most
unusual things about
the copper scroll
264
00:14:45,758 --> 00:14:47,379
is in its name
that it's a scroll,
265
00:14:47,413 --> 00:14:49,206
but something that isn't made
from parchment,
266
00:14:49,241 --> 00:14:51,689
that is made from copper...
267
00:14:51,724 --> 00:14:57,689
material that's far more
valuable and also
difficult to inscribe.
268
00:14:57,724 --> 00:15:00,724
So this is something
that distinguishes it
269
00:15:00,758 --> 00:15:03,655
as probably
an important document,
270
00:15:03,689 --> 00:15:05,379
possibly a sacred one.
271
00:15:07,413 --> 00:15:10,206
[narrator]
What could be so important
that it justifies
272
00:15:10,241 --> 00:15:12,344
the effort of writing
it on copper?
273
00:15:14,310 --> 00:15:16,482
A few words visible
on the outer layer
274
00:15:16,517 --> 00:15:20,793
of the tightly-rolled scrolls
catch the experts' eyes.
275
00:15:20,827 --> 00:15:25,724
Those words include digging
cubits, a measure of size,
and gold.
276
00:15:27,379 --> 00:15:30,310
Some archaeologists
jumped to the very
obvious conclusion.
277
00:15:32,551 --> 00:15:38,034
We say not to judge a book
by its cover, but this is
every archaeologist's dream.
278
00:15:38,068 --> 00:15:39,793
"I found a treasure map."
279
00:15:42,172 --> 00:15:44,103
[narrator]
The only way to be certain
the copper scrolls
280
00:15:44,137 --> 00:15:46,413
are a treasure map
is to unroll them.
281
00:15:47,413 --> 00:15:49,137
But that is very risky.
282
00:15:50,275 --> 00:15:52,034
[Dr. Ploszajski] The problem
with copper is that
283
00:15:52,068 --> 00:15:55,275
if you leave it lying around
for thousands of years,
284
00:15:55,310 --> 00:15:57,344
it oxidizes.
285
00:15:57,379 --> 00:16:01,344
And this oxidation
makes it very brittle.
286
00:16:01,379 --> 00:16:05,724
The copper is extremely thin,
so if you were going to
try and unroll it,
287
00:16:05,758 --> 00:16:09,344
what would happen is
the brittle copper would
basically just snap.
288
00:16:10,862 --> 00:16:13,000
[narrator] But one expert
doesn't give up.
289
00:16:14,620 --> 00:16:16,034
[Prof. MacDonald] In 1955,
290
00:16:16,068 --> 00:16:18,758
John Allegro,
a British archaeologist,
291
00:16:18,793 --> 00:16:22,689
convinces the authorities
in Jerusalem
292
00:16:22,724 --> 00:16:25,241
to allow him
to cut open the scroll
293
00:16:25,275 --> 00:16:27,931
so that it could be
translated properly.
294
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:31,448
[narrator] The problem is,
295
00:16:31,482 --> 00:16:36,241
no machine capable of
such specialized
and precise work exists.
296
00:16:36,275 --> 00:16:40,241
So Allegro asks
Prof. Wright Baker at
Manchester University
297
00:16:40,275 --> 00:16:41,103
to invent one.
298
00:16:49,172 --> 00:16:53,586
On the first of
October 1955, using a machine
bolted together
299
00:16:53,620 --> 00:16:57,655
from a modified circular saw
and a dentist's suction brush,
300
00:16:57,689 --> 00:17:02,448
Wright Baker begins to
cut open the two priceless
2,000-year-old scrolls.
301
00:17:04,689 --> 00:17:06,931
One slip
could be catastrophic.
302
00:17:13,965 --> 00:17:16,310
Over the next
three and a half months,
303
00:17:16,344 --> 00:17:20,517
Wright Baker's machine
breaks the scrolls down
into 23 segments.
304
00:17:22,482 --> 00:17:25,310
For the first time
in 2,000 years,
305
00:17:25,344 --> 00:17:27,206
their secrets are revealed.
306
00:17:29,241 --> 00:17:31,206
So, is it a treasure map?
307
00:17:37,448 --> 00:17:40,517
The references to hidden gold
visible on the outside
308
00:17:40,551 --> 00:17:43,689
turn out to be
the tip of the iceberg.
309
00:17:43,724 --> 00:17:45,517
[Altaweel]
When they begin to put
the scroll together
310
00:17:45,551 --> 00:17:47,068
and translate
the different parts,
311
00:17:47,103 --> 00:17:49,551
they realize it's not really
just a treasure map.
312
00:17:49,586 --> 00:17:53,620
Rather, it sounds like
a series of treasure maps.
313
00:17:53,655 --> 00:17:56,896
[Prof. MacDonald] What was
discovered is that, in fact,
they were all originally part
314
00:17:56,931 --> 00:18:01,000
of one single continuous
scroll, eight feet long.
315
00:18:02,137 --> 00:18:05,896
This scroll had
64 individual entries
316
00:18:05,931 --> 00:18:11,689
for buried hoards of items
ranging from coinage,
317
00:18:11,724 --> 00:18:16,103
to valuable metal items, to
various ritual holy objects.
318
00:18:17,758 --> 00:18:22,137
The sheer amount of wealth
that is represented
in the document
319
00:18:22,172 --> 00:18:23,724
was unimaginable.
320
00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:26,724
[Altaweel] By the time
they did the complete tally,
321
00:18:26,758 --> 00:18:29,586
it was something like
200 tons of gold and silver,
322
00:18:29,620 --> 00:18:32,206
something worth billions
of dollars today.
323
00:18:32,241 --> 00:18:37,000
So, a really mind boggling
amount was buried in deserts.
324
00:18:37,034 --> 00:18:39,241
[narrator]
But something doesn't add up.
325
00:18:39,275 --> 00:18:42,586
That amount of wealth
just seems too large.
326
00:18:42,620 --> 00:18:45,655
How can anyone 2,000 years ago
gathered together
327
00:18:45,689 --> 00:18:50,068
such an obscene amount of
wealth or keep it secret?
328
00:18:50,103 --> 00:18:53,896
So, is there a billion-dollar
fortune buried in the desert?
329
00:19:03,103 --> 00:19:06,482
[narrator] Some archaeologists
believe that these unique
copper scrolls
330
00:19:06,517 --> 00:19:08,413
are the key
to a hidden fortune
331
00:19:08,448 --> 00:19:10,620
buried somewhere
in the vast Judean desert.
332
00:19:11,931 --> 00:19:14,413
But others struggle to accept
this interpretation.
333
00:19:16,448 --> 00:19:21,310
The problem is that
the scholarship
also connected this list
334
00:19:21,344 --> 00:19:23,655
to the ASEAN community,
335
00:19:23,689 --> 00:19:29,241
who were relatively austere
mystic sect at the edge
of the Jewish world.
336
00:19:31,655 --> 00:19:33,310
[Altaweel] They're kind of
poor people
337
00:19:33,344 --> 00:19:36,344
on the desert dedicated
to religious life.
338
00:19:36,379 --> 00:19:38,965
Yet the amounts of gold and
silver were thought to be
339
00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,758
billions of dollars in worth
of gold and silver.
340
00:19:41,793 --> 00:19:45,275
So, you're looking at these
guys who look like
basically pauper monks
341
00:19:45,310 --> 00:19:47,965
but yet they have the wealth
of Elon Musk
or something like that.
342
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,034
So it's not something
you would expect.
343
00:19:51,517 --> 00:19:55,862
[narrator]
The treasure story splits
the academic world in two.
344
00:19:55,896 --> 00:19:59,448
John Allegro, the British
archaeologist who sliced
the scrolls open,
345
00:19:59,482 --> 00:20:01,413
is convinced,
the treasure is real.
346
00:20:04,275 --> 00:20:06,310
The opposing camp is
led by one of the team
347
00:20:06,344 --> 00:20:08,517
that discovered
the copper scrolls,
348
00:20:08,551 --> 00:20:11,758
Biblical scholar
and Catholic priest
Jozef Milik.
349
00:20:14,206 --> 00:20:15,862
Jozef Milik begins to look
at this,
350
00:20:15,896 --> 00:20:17,965
and he does the calculations
and numbers,
351
00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,551
and he realizes these
numbers are far too much.
352
00:20:20,586 --> 00:20:22,241
There's something wrong here.
353
00:20:22,275 --> 00:20:23,827
[narrator]
Milik doesn't just think
354
00:20:23,862 --> 00:20:26,413
that this was too much wealth
for the Essenes.
355
00:20:26,448 --> 00:20:30,206
The numbers are so vast,
he's convinced it's
too much treasure
356
00:20:30,241 --> 00:20:33,275
for the whole of
the Qumran region
2,000 years ago.
357
00:20:35,103 --> 00:20:38,896
John Allegro accepts
that the initial estimates
may be too high,
358
00:20:39,896 --> 00:20:41,931
but he has an
explanation for that.
359
00:20:43,103 --> 00:20:45,517
It's a miscalculation.
360
00:20:45,551 --> 00:20:50,655
The unit used in the text
is 'talents', which can
vary over time,
361
00:20:50,689 --> 00:20:53,275
and sometimes it has
different meanings
to different communities.
362
00:20:53,310 --> 00:20:56,931
So, which weight of talent
are we looking at?
363
00:20:56,965 --> 00:21:00,068
If we're looking at
a relatively lighter weight,
364
00:21:00,103 --> 00:21:04,482
then the value of these
hoards could be
significantly altered.
365
00:21:05,965 --> 00:21:08,551
[Altaweel] So it's possible
that the calculation used
366
00:21:08,586 --> 00:21:14,517
to determine the amounts of
modern day tons
from a talent is incorrect.
367
00:21:14,551 --> 00:21:18,068
Potentially, the translation
of the units or the conversion
of the units,
368
00:21:18,103 --> 00:21:19,689
was quite different.
369
00:21:19,724 --> 00:21:22,586
The community may have used
a very different standard
effectively for talent,
370
00:21:22,620 --> 00:21:25,206
and so the amounts may
have been far less.
371
00:21:25,241 --> 00:21:27,724
[narrator] Allegro argues that
valuing the treasure
372
00:21:27,758 --> 00:21:32,551
in the millions rather
than billions makes it
historically credible.
373
00:21:32,586 --> 00:21:35,965
But that still doesn't answer
one crucial question.
374
00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,310
Where does all this
wealth come from
in the first place?
375
00:21:45,137 --> 00:21:48,758
15 miles from Qumran
is Jerusalem's Wailing Wall,
376
00:21:49,862 --> 00:21:53,689
a sacred site of Jewish
prayer and pilgrimage.
377
00:21:53,724 --> 00:21:56,655
It's the last remaining relic
of a mighty structure
378
00:21:56,689 --> 00:21:59,172
known as the Herodian
Second Jewish Temple.
379
00:22:00,655 --> 00:22:04,103
The Second Temple was
the place of worship for Jews,
380
00:22:04,137 --> 00:22:07,482
and when I mean 'the',
is that it was practically
the only place of worship,
381
00:22:07,517 --> 00:22:09,793
and it would have had
all the treasures and gold
382
00:22:09,827 --> 00:22:12,517
of all of the Mainline Jewish
believers.
383
00:22:12,551 --> 00:22:14,448
So it would have
been a very wealthy place.
384
00:22:14,482 --> 00:22:17,482
Allegro believes this
could explain the treasure.
385
00:22:17,517 --> 00:22:21,103
John Allegro's argument
was based upon the notion
386
00:22:21,137 --> 00:22:25,137
that these were the treasures
of the Second Temple,
387
00:22:25,172 --> 00:22:30,034
stashed away for safekeeping
during the time
of the Jewish Civil War.
388
00:22:30,068 --> 00:22:33,310
This is where
coin hoards come from,
things that are put away,
389
00:22:33,344 --> 00:22:36,724
hopefully to be reclaimed
in better days.
390
00:22:36,758 --> 00:22:40,034
[narrator] Milik counters
that the treasure never exists
in the first place
391
00:22:40,068 --> 00:22:43,068
and believes Allegro is
misinterpreting the scrolls.
392
00:22:46,172 --> 00:22:49,931
To resolve this, they need
a complete translation
of the text.
393
00:22:51,793 --> 00:22:54,068
Officially,
this is Milik's job.
394
00:22:54,103 --> 00:22:58,793
But to Allegro's frustration,
Milik delays publishing
his translation.
395
00:22:59,793 --> 00:23:01,000
With good reason.
396
00:23:02,551 --> 00:23:04,793
[Prof. MacDonald]
If he says that it's fake,
397
00:23:04,827 --> 00:23:08,172
then he could be
accused of a cover up.
398
00:23:08,206 --> 00:23:12,689
If he says it's real,
then there would be a descent
of treasure hunters
399
00:23:12,724 --> 00:23:17,758
into the region,
trying to find these
lost gold and other items.
400
00:23:18,482 --> 00:23:21,448
So, naturally he delayed
401
00:23:21,482 --> 00:23:23,689
and procrastinated
as long as possible.
402
00:23:26,620 --> 00:23:33,689
So, John Allegro goes ahead
and publishes the list
and caught media attention.
403
00:23:33,724 --> 00:23:38,448
The result is a great deal of
recrimination and bitterness
between the two scholars.
404
00:23:38,482 --> 00:23:41,448
[narrator]
In 1962, to prove his theory,
405
00:23:41,482 --> 00:23:46,103
Allegro leads an expedition in
search of the lost treasure.
406
00:23:46,137 --> 00:23:50,379
The search for lost treasures
is a phenomenon which is back
into humanity
407
00:23:50,413 --> 00:23:52,172
over the centuries.
408
00:23:52,206 --> 00:23:54,448
And leads many a person
to ruin.
409
00:23:56,103 --> 00:23:59,724
[narrator]
Allegro doesn't find
even a single nugget of gold,
410
00:24:01,172 --> 00:24:04,000
and despite decades of
searching by treasure hunters,
411
00:24:04,034 --> 00:24:06,862
these incredible riches
remain elusive.
412
00:24:08,344 --> 00:24:11,241
So, is it simply a fable?
413
00:24:11,275 --> 00:24:13,586
Now, new research
may finally answer
414
00:24:13,620 --> 00:24:15,551
the secrets
of the copper scrolls,
415
00:24:15,586 --> 00:24:18,103
and it's a total shock.
416
00:24:31,551 --> 00:24:35,482
[narrator] New research
now suggests a radical
alternative explanation
417
00:24:35,517 --> 00:24:37,965
for the 2,000-year-old
copper scrolls.
418
00:24:39,482 --> 00:24:41,896
In 2015, a new theory emerged.
419
00:24:41,931 --> 00:24:46,482
Could the copper scroll
have been merely
an accountability list
420
00:24:46,517 --> 00:24:49,448
of items which had been
donated to the temple
over time
421
00:24:49,482 --> 00:24:53,103
and never actually all existed
at any one given moment?
422
00:24:55,379 --> 00:24:58,551
[Altaweel] There are other
Jewish ancient Hebrew text
423
00:24:58,586 --> 00:25:01,379
that effectively talk about
a made up version
of the treasure
424
00:25:01,413 --> 00:25:03,896
that didn't actually exist,
but rather a kind of
425
00:25:03,931 --> 00:25:08,275
idealized number or value
of a treasure that could have
existed in the past.
426
00:25:08,310 --> 00:25:12,172
[narrator]
This idea may be connected
to the ancient Greeks.
427
00:25:12,206 --> 00:25:16,034
This is the Lindos Chronicle,
an inventory of items
428
00:25:16,068 --> 00:25:18,586
in a temple to Athena,
written 200 years
429
00:25:18,620 --> 00:25:20,896
before the copper scrolls.
430
00:25:20,931 --> 00:25:23,068
[Dr. Graham] Towards the start
of the text,
431
00:25:23,103 --> 00:25:25,379
they actually say
all these things
432
00:25:25,413 --> 00:25:29,827
that we've been cataloguing
weren't actually there.
433
00:25:30,862 --> 00:25:32,896
They may have existed
at one point,
434
00:25:32,931 --> 00:25:38,689
but the idea was that I would
give these items to Athena,
the goddess of Athens,
435
00:25:38,724 --> 00:25:42,862
as supplication,
as a dedication to her,
436
00:25:42,896 --> 00:25:44,689
even if I don't actually
have those items.
437
00:25:44,724 --> 00:25:47,172
To show the dedication
that you would have to her.
438
00:25:47,206 --> 00:25:51,586
So, it's a way to show
how much you love
the God, effectively.
439
00:25:51,620 --> 00:25:54,517
[narrator]
And there's a connection
between lists like this
440
00:25:54,551 --> 00:25:57,655
and the enigmatic
copper scrolls.
441
00:25:57,689 --> 00:25:59,931
The scroll is written in
ancient Hebrew,
442
00:25:59,965 --> 00:26:05,137
but a closer look reveals
Greek letters at the end
of some of the entries.
443
00:26:05,172 --> 00:26:10,344
Greek inventories use
similar notations,
known as letter labels.
444
00:26:10,379 --> 00:26:13,931
It's a simple cataloging
system, like numbering
an index card.
445
00:26:15,344 --> 00:26:18,103
Is that what the Greek letters
on the copper scrolls mean?
446
00:26:19,103 --> 00:26:20,689
So, how do you present it
to your God?
447
00:26:20,724 --> 00:26:21,965
You have to organize
it in some way.
448
00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:26,448
And so using Greek letters
might be the way
that was done.
449
00:26:26,482 --> 00:26:30,482
So, like the Lindos Chronicle,
the scroll could be
a record of wealth
450
00:26:30,517 --> 00:26:34,448
for display in the temple,
which may explain
why it's made of metal.
451
00:26:35,482 --> 00:26:37,206
[Prof. MacDonald]
Why was it in copper?
452
00:26:37,241 --> 00:26:39,586
Perhaps it was
a matter of display.
453
00:26:39,620 --> 00:26:42,241
Perhaps this was,
rather than a scroll,
454
00:26:42,275 --> 00:26:45,724
more of a plaque detailing
on the wall of the temple,
455
00:26:45,758 --> 00:26:48,379
all of the great items,
all of the treasure,
456
00:26:48,413 --> 00:26:50,551
which had been bestowed
upon it over the years.
457
00:26:51,482 --> 00:26:53,655
[narrator]
There's just one problem.
458
00:26:53,689 --> 00:26:56,000
Unlike the Lindos Chronicle,
the copper scrolls
459
00:26:56,034 --> 00:26:58,689
identify locations
for the treasure.
460
00:26:58,724 --> 00:27:01,068
Whether all this wealth
is real or historic,
461
00:27:01,103 --> 00:27:04,448
why would they advertise
this for any treasure
hunters to see?
462
00:27:07,482 --> 00:27:11,965
The answer may lie
in the final lines
of the scroll.
463
00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:16,344
Ironically, the last entry on
the final sheet of the scroll
464
00:27:16,379 --> 00:27:20,586
is a specifications about
where you can find the list.
465
00:27:23,172 --> 00:27:28,448
Probably another copper scroll
which can decode the locations
466
00:27:28,482 --> 00:27:30,448
for the items in
the larger list.
467
00:27:31,551 --> 00:27:34,689
So, effectively, not only
the treasure is missing,
468
00:27:34,724 --> 00:27:37,827
but the very means to locate
them remains missing as well.
469
00:27:40,862 --> 00:27:44,896
[narrator]
But as long as the potential
for real treasure exists,
470
00:27:44,931 --> 00:27:49,310
treasure hunters will keep
coming back to Qumran,
to seek their fortune.
471
00:28:01,689 --> 00:28:04,551
[narrator] Whitby,
in the north of England.
472
00:28:04,586 --> 00:28:08,172
Tucked away in the local
museum is a replica of
one of the strangest
473
00:28:08,206 --> 00:28:10,448
and most bizarre
inventions in history.
474
00:28:12,172 --> 00:28:17,379
Standing over three feet tall,
it looks like a model
fairground carousel.
475
00:28:17,413 --> 00:28:18,241
But it's not.
476
00:28:20,862 --> 00:28:25,344
This is a Victorian
cutting-edge
scientific instrument.
477
00:28:25,379 --> 00:28:28,793
It's an intricate contraption
of polished mahogany, glass,
478
00:28:28,827 --> 00:28:33,758
silver and brass, and it's
designed to change the world.
479
00:28:33,793 --> 00:28:37,137
There has never been anything
like it before or since.
480
00:28:39,034 --> 00:28:43,827
[narrator] This is the tempest
prognosticator built to crack
one of the greatest
481
00:28:43,862 --> 00:28:46,793
and most challenging problems
of the Victorian age...
482
00:28:47,793 --> 00:28:49,448
the weather.
483
00:28:49,482 --> 00:28:50,931
Using the power...
484
00:28:52,275 --> 00:28:53,206
of leeches.
485
00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,896
Twelve tiny leeches
living in jars of water
486
00:28:57,931 --> 00:29:01,413
that are trained to
ring a bell.
487
00:29:01,448 --> 00:29:03,379
[Prof. Tim Denison]
In the presence
of extreme weather,
488
00:29:04,275 --> 00:29:05,586
the leeches would rise up
489
00:29:05,620 --> 00:29:09,793
and kind of signal
that inclement weather
was coming to you.
490
00:29:11,103 --> 00:29:12,620
[narrator] 150 years ago,
491
00:29:12,655 --> 00:29:14,241
this is a serious idea.
492
00:29:14,896 --> 00:29:17,034
People treat it seriously.
493
00:29:17,068 --> 00:29:20,034
Who comes up with
this bizarre device?
494
00:29:20,068 --> 00:29:24,068
How's it supposed to work
and why does anyone believe
495
00:29:24,103 --> 00:29:26,000
a leech can tell them
it's going to rain?
496
00:29:26,034 --> 00:29:28,241
[thunder rumbling]
497
00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:37,310
[narrator]
The tempest prognosticator
is an invention
498
00:29:37,344 --> 00:29:38,862
designed to predict
bad weather
499
00:29:38,896 --> 00:29:40,655
using the power of leeches.
500
00:29:40,689 --> 00:29:42,758
[bell dinging]
501
00:29:42,793 --> 00:29:45,551
It sounds crazy now,
but in the Victorian era,
502
00:29:45,586 --> 00:29:46,793
anything seems possible.
503
00:29:46,827 --> 00:29:48,103
[bell dinging]
504
00:29:48,137 --> 00:29:49,517
Mad ideas didn't seem so mad.
505
00:29:54,620 --> 00:29:56,068
[narrator] By the 1850s,
506
00:29:56,103 --> 00:30:00,793
Victorians were making
huge strides in technology
and science.
507
00:30:00,827 --> 00:30:03,068
New inventions
like rubber tires,
508
00:30:03,103 --> 00:30:04,724
photography,
509
00:30:04,758 --> 00:30:06,172
and bicycles
510
00:30:06,206 --> 00:30:10,517
are revolutionizing
the way people live,
work, and travel.
511
00:30:11,896 --> 00:30:14,034
That's a very mid-era.
512
00:30:14,068 --> 00:30:18,379
It's a time of
enormous innovation,
513
00:30:18,413 --> 00:30:23,827
of enormous social
and physical and industrial
and economic change.
514
00:30:23,862 --> 00:30:27,448
Things are happening so fast,
it would take
your breath away.
515
00:30:27,482 --> 00:30:29,758
[narrator] Business and trade
are booming,
516
00:30:29,793 --> 00:30:31,793
and that's where
the weather comes in.
517
00:30:31,827 --> 00:30:35,655
[thunder rumbling]
518
00:30:35,689 --> 00:30:38,586
Increasingly, as trade
became more important,
519
00:30:38,620 --> 00:30:42,586
as there was more traffic
on the seas, it became
ever more important
520
00:30:42,620 --> 00:30:45,137
to be able to predict storms
and so forth.
521
00:30:46,275 --> 00:30:47,655
[Goodman]
There is more to be lost
522
00:30:47,689 --> 00:30:50,068
when you've got huge
fleets at sea
523
00:30:50,103 --> 00:30:52,896
than there was
when it was just a few boats
in shore.
524
00:30:53,965 --> 00:30:57,137
As the world became more
connected and trade grew,
525
00:30:57,172 --> 00:30:59,965
weather had more of an impact.
526
00:31:02,344 --> 00:31:06,448
[narrator] Unfortunately,
weather forecasting is stuck
in the Dark ages.
527
00:31:06,482 --> 00:31:08,103
There have always been
all these sort of
528
00:31:08,137 --> 00:31:11,206
folklore signs of the weather.
529
00:31:11,241 --> 00:31:15,413
Things like,
"Red sky at night,
shepherd's delight."
530
00:31:15,448 --> 00:31:17,448
"Red sky in the morning,
shepherd's warning."
531
00:31:18,931 --> 00:31:20,896
[narrator] But folklore
doesn't sit comfortably
532
00:31:20,931 --> 00:31:23,034
with the new Victorian age
of science.
533
00:31:24,827 --> 00:31:27,862
From electricity to
magnetism to evolution,
534
00:31:27,896 --> 00:31:30,137
nature is giving up
its secrets.
535
00:31:31,344 --> 00:31:32,379
One after another,
536
00:31:32,413 --> 00:31:34,862
all sorts of mysteries
are being cracked.
537
00:31:34,896 --> 00:31:39,379
Could reliably predicting the
weather be science's next,
great conquest?
538
00:31:41,689 --> 00:31:46,931
By the Victorian times,
it began to look possible
to bring weather
539
00:31:46,965 --> 00:31:50,793
within the sort of remit of
things that scientists could
540
00:31:50,827 --> 00:31:54,482
measure and understand
and predict.
541
00:31:54,517 --> 00:31:59,103
But this was a science,
really at its birth,
and it's very early stages
542
00:31:59,137 --> 00:32:01,551
and no one was really sure
what would work
and what wouldn't.
543
00:32:04,620 --> 00:32:08,689
[narrator]
Enter gentleman scientist,
George Merryweather.
544
00:32:08,724 --> 00:32:15,068
Merryweather was a doctor of
Whitby, and it seems he had
all kinds of side interests.
545
00:32:15,103 --> 00:32:18,896
He was the curator
of the local museum.
546
00:32:18,931 --> 00:32:22,103
[narrator] Another of his side
interests is invention.
547
00:32:22,137 --> 00:32:25,103
In 1850, he produces
his most famous
548
00:32:25,137 --> 00:32:30,034
and groundbreaking creation,
the leech-powered
tempest prognosticator.
549
00:32:30,068 --> 00:32:32,172
The core of his invention
is a glass bottle
550
00:32:32,206 --> 00:32:34,965
containing a few inches of
water and a leech.
551
00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:37,896
Hidden away at the top
of each bottle
552
00:32:37,931 --> 00:32:42,241
is a system of levers
and chains connected
to a bell.
553
00:32:42,275 --> 00:32:46,896
[Dr. Ball]
There was a little mechanism
made from very fine boat
554
00:32:46,931 --> 00:32:52,241
that would be triggered
by the leech coming past,
and that would ring a bell.
555
00:32:52,275 --> 00:32:56,206
[narrator] Of course there's
always a risk that one leech
might misbehave.
556
00:32:56,241 --> 00:32:58,206
But Merryweather has
a plan for that.
557
00:32:58,241 --> 00:33:00,620
His machine uses
12 of them.
558
00:33:00,655 --> 00:33:03,137
[Prof. Denison]
As opposed to relying
on just one leech
559
00:33:03,172 --> 00:33:05,620
and its wisdom
on the weather report,
560
00:33:05,655 --> 00:33:08,724
there was actually
a ring of these jars
561
00:33:08,758 --> 00:33:11,344
so that you could take
more of a majority vote
562
00:33:11,379 --> 00:33:13,793
on the activities
of the leeches.
563
00:33:13,827 --> 00:33:18,655
The more bells that rang,
then the stronger
your prediction was.
564
00:33:18,689 --> 00:33:23,275
[narrator] It all sounds
terribly rational,
except for one thing.
565
00:33:23,310 --> 00:33:26,827
Why does Merryweather
believe leeches can
predict the weather?
566
00:33:34,172 --> 00:33:37,482
Animals often appear
in the folklore of
weather prediction.
567
00:33:39,206 --> 00:33:43,068
There's a long history
of looking at
animal behavior
568
00:33:43,103 --> 00:33:46,034
to try to anticipate
changes in the weather.
569
00:33:46,068 --> 00:33:49,344
[Goodman] Cows lying down
in fields is supposed
to be an indicator
570
00:33:49,379 --> 00:33:51,793
that rain is on its way.
571
00:33:51,827 --> 00:33:55,482
There are many of these
across all cultures
all over the world.
572
00:33:55,517 --> 00:33:59,655
[narrator] In Germany,
frogs are the go-to
weather predictors.
573
00:33:59,689 --> 00:34:01,000
Every German thinks
574
00:34:01,034 --> 00:34:04,724
that you can predict
the weather by putting
a frog in a jar
575
00:34:04,758 --> 00:34:07,517
with a little ladder in it,
mostly made of wood,
576
00:34:07,551 --> 00:34:10,758
and then depending on where
the frog sits, you know
577
00:34:10,793 --> 00:34:12,965
if it's going to rain
or if it's going to be sunny.
578
00:34:15,551 --> 00:34:17,862
[narrator]
Merryweather goes for leeches.
579
00:34:17,896 --> 00:34:21,551
An animal that holds a unique
fascination to Victorians.
580
00:34:21,586 --> 00:34:24,241
He claims that leeches can
sense a change in the weather
581
00:34:24,275 --> 00:34:26,310
and will rise up towards
the surface of water
582
00:34:26,344 --> 00:34:28,689
when rain is coming.
583
00:34:28,724 --> 00:34:32,827
The leech looks like
a really primitive thing,
just kind of a slug.
584
00:34:32,862 --> 00:34:37,689
But actually,
it's an amazingly
sophisticated creature.
585
00:34:37,724 --> 00:34:41,103
[Dr. Benecke] They're worms.
They're not slugs or snails.
586
00:34:41,793 --> 00:34:43,482
They're beautifully colored.
587
00:34:43,517 --> 00:34:47,793
They can have
orange-green color pattern.
588
00:34:47,827 --> 00:34:52,310
[narrator] But the principal
attraction of leeches is
their macabre dietary habits.
589
00:34:52,344 --> 00:34:55,793
Leeches are very much
like a worm vampires.
590
00:34:55,827 --> 00:34:57,724
[Dr. Ball]
It likes to drink blood
591
00:34:57,758 --> 00:35:02,241
and in order to do that,
it has two suckers,
592
00:35:02,275 --> 00:35:04,896
so one sticks on to the host.
593
00:35:04,931 --> 00:35:07,862
The other one is
lined with teeth,
594
00:35:07,896 --> 00:35:09,137
hundreds of teeth,
595
00:35:09,172 --> 00:35:11,862
so they bite.
596
00:35:11,896 --> 00:35:14,965
And as the leech sucks blood,
597
00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,517
it gives out two chemicals.
598
00:35:17,551 --> 00:35:20,034
One is, uh, kind of anesthetic
599
00:35:20,068 --> 00:35:23,034
and the other one
is an anti-coagulant,
600
00:35:23,068 --> 00:35:26,034
a chemical that stops
the blood from clotting,
601
00:35:26,068 --> 00:35:28,068
so it can continue to drink.
602
00:35:28,103 --> 00:35:30,103
Once it's gorged itself,
603
00:35:30,137 --> 00:35:35,413
in this way, the leech can
survive for up to a year
without feeding again.
604
00:35:40,724 --> 00:35:44,241
[narrator]
This ability to draw blood
is important to Victorians
605
00:35:44,275 --> 00:35:46,275
because many of them
believe human health
606
00:35:46,310 --> 00:35:49,689
depends on maintaining balance
between the four humors.
607
00:35:49,724 --> 00:35:53,000
Black bile, yellow bile,
phlegm and blood.
608
00:35:54,655 --> 00:35:56,344
Most attention
was given to blood
609
00:35:56,379 --> 00:35:58,724
because either
you had too much blood
610
00:35:58,758 --> 00:36:00,448
or you had bad blood,
611
00:36:00,482 --> 00:36:03,206
and in both cases, the medical
leech could help.
612
00:36:03,241 --> 00:36:06,448
[narrator] Medical leeches are
wildly popular.
613
00:36:06,482 --> 00:36:10,241
There were people whose
profession was leech gathering
literally, usually women.
614
00:36:10,275 --> 00:36:14,275
Just rolling your skirts,
right up and walking in
the sorts of places
615
00:36:14,310 --> 00:36:16,655
where leeches live,
so that they would
attach to your legs.
616
00:36:17,620 --> 00:36:20,517
In fact,
they were so much used,
617
00:36:20,551 --> 00:36:23,482
that we pretty much
fished them out of existence.
618
00:36:26,896 --> 00:36:30,034
[narrator] According to
Merryweather, inspiration for
his prognosticator
619
00:36:30,068 --> 00:36:33,758
comes from a poem written by
vaccine pioneer, physician
620
00:36:33,793 --> 00:36:36,655
and all-round science
superstar, Edward Jenner.
621
00:36:39,482 --> 00:36:44,068
So, the poem is called
'Signs of Rain'
and it includes the lines,
622
00:36:44,103 --> 00:36:46,517
"The leech disturbed
is newly risen,
623
00:36:46,551 --> 00:36:49,068
quite to the summit
of his prison."
624
00:36:50,551 --> 00:36:52,068
[narrator]
And as a Victorian doctor,
625
00:36:52,103 --> 00:36:55,068
Merryweather is probably quite
keen on leeches already.
626
00:36:56,137 --> 00:36:57,896
But is Merryweather right?
627
00:36:57,931 --> 00:37:01,344
Can leeches really be trained
to predict the weather?
628
00:37:01,379 --> 00:37:03,620
Or is this a great
Victorian scam?
629
00:37:14,413 --> 00:37:17,137
[narrator] In 1850,
George Merryweather
invents a machine
630
00:37:17,172 --> 00:37:19,068
that he claims can
predict the weather
631
00:37:19,103 --> 00:37:22,275
and change the world
using the power of leeches.
632
00:37:24,896 --> 00:37:27,862
But is this a giant leap
in weather forecasting?
633
00:37:27,896 --> 00:37:30,000
Or a con to steal
from the gullible?
634
00:37:31,103 --> 00:37:34,517
In the end, it all comes
down to one question.
635
00:37:34,551 --> 00:37:37,206
Can a leech really
predict the weather?
636
00:37:37,241 --> 00:37:40,241
[thunder rumbling]
637
00:37:40,275 --> 00:37:44,586
Merryweather claims that
leeches rise up
when rain is coming,
638
00:37:44,620 --> 00:37:47,172
and that might not be
as crazy as it sounds
639
00:37:47,206 --> 00:37:51,241
because bad weather is usually
associated with a drop
in air pressure.
640
00:37:52,862 --> 00:37:55,034
[Dr. Benecke]
One possible reason
why leeches
641
00:37:55,068 --> 00:37:57,758
may detect air pressure
in the surrounding
642
00:37:57,793 --> 00:38:00,068
is that they relate
to the oxygen
643
00:38:00,103 --> 00:38:03,344
because they need to
breathe inside of the water.
644
00:38:03,379 --> 00:38:05,758
[narrator]
Leeches get oxygen
directly through their skin,
645
00:38:05,793 --> 00:38:07,758
from the water
surrounding them.
646
00:38:07,793 --> 00:38:09,344
They're very, very sensitive
647
00:38:09,379 --> 00:38:12,896
to the concentration of oxygen
in the water
648
00:38:12,931 --> 00:38:18,034
and that will change
if there's a change in
atmospheric pressure.
649
00:38:18,068 --> 00:38:21,206
[narrator] When air pressure
drops, there's less oxygen
in the water,
650
00:38:21,241 --> 00:38:26,103
so the leeches rise closer
to the surface, where oxygen
levels are higher.
651
00:38:26,137 --> 00:38:29,137
It's for them
just a matter of survival,
to get into an area
652
00:38:29,172 --> 00:38:31,965
where there's enough oxygen
or to sense
653
00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:34,034
if there's enough
oxygen already
654
00:38:34,068 --> 00:38:36,137
and then they can dive deeper.
655
00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:42,448
So that was the kind of
mechanical principle
behind the device.
656
00:38:42,482 --> 00:38:44,965
[narrator]
It seems Merryweather
may be onto something.
657
00:38:46,344 --> 00:38:50,034
The idea of Dr. Merryweather
was not completely
crazy at all.
658
00:38:50,068 --> 00:38:53,793
It was a very nice experiment,
and maybe there's
some truth in it.
659
00:38:55,931 --> 00:38:58,793
[narrator]
But if his tempest
prognosticator actually works,
660
00:38:58,827 --> 00:39:01,137
why don't we see leech
barometers everywhere?
661
00:39:02,413 --> 00:39:05,517
What goes wrong
with his brilliant plan?
662
00:39:09,551 --> 00:39:11,931
Well, it certainly isn't
a lack of self-belief.
663
00:39:13,689 --> 00:39:16,862
He gave a lovely talk
to the Whitby Literary
664
00:39:16,896 --> 00:39:18,172
and Philosophical Society.
665
00:39:18,206 --> 00:39:20,000
Went on for three hours,
apparently,
666
00:39:20,034 --> 00:39:22,172
about how successful
it had been,
667
00:39:22,206 --> 00:39:25,862
during which he compared
himself to Galileo.
668
00:39:25,896 --> 00:39:29,344
[narrator]
But is the prognosticator
really that good?
669
00:39:29,379 --> 00:39:31,620
[Goodman]
London Illustrated News,
for example,
670
00:39:31,655 --> 00:39:35,000
carried a story about
his successful prediction
671
00:39:35,034 --> 00:39:40,965
of a major storm,
fifty-one and a half hours
before it happened.
672
00:39:42,034 --> 00:39:44,482
It's a fairly generous
margin of error, isn't it?
673
00:39:44,896 --> 00:39:46,413
Mmm.
674
00:39:46,448 --> 00:39:50,000
[narrator]
In 1851, Merryweather takes
his revolutionary invention
675
00:39:50,034 --> 00:39:53,448
to the prestigious
Great Exhibition in London.
676
00:39:53,482 --> 00:39:58,482
All the great scientists and
inventors and manufacturers
were present.
677
00:39:59,448 --> 00:40:02,862
It was the sensation
of the age.
678
00:40:02,896 --> 00:40:06,068
And there he was with his
leeches, in the middle of it.
679
00:40:06,103 --> 00:40:10,413
That is just the most
extraordinary piece
of publicity.
680
00:40:10,448 --> 00:40:12,482
Unfortunately, Merryweather
doesn't need
681
00:40:12,517 --> 00:40:15,655
public admiration to succeed,
he needs government funding.
682
00:40:17,275 --> 00:40:20,655
He said that the whole
of the government
should install them
683
00:40:20,689 --> 00:40:22,586
all the way up
and down the coast
684
00:40:22,620 --> 00:40:27,413
for the benefit of
sailors and merchant men
right across the country.
685
00:40:28,620 --> 00:40:32,724
But unlike the leeches,
the government doesn't bite.
686
00:40:32,758 --> 00:40:35,379
[Dr. Ball] The prognosticator
didn't take off,
687
00:40:35,413 --> 00:40:38,068
and it's probably no surprise
that it didn't.
688
00:40:38,103 --> 00:40:41,793
It would have been,
for one thing,
an expensive thing
689
00:40:41,827 --> 00:40:43,896
to produce and to maintain,
690
00:40:43,931 --> 00:40:47,034
you know,
leeches would keep dying.
691
00:40:47,068 --> 00:40:50,034
It wouldn't have been
a terribly reliable
instrument.
692
00:40:51,344 --> 00:40:53,068
Had it come
a hundred years earlier,
693
00:40:53,103 --> 00:40:57,655
it would have been
perfectly in keeping
with the ideas of the time.
694
00:40:57,689 --> 00:41:03,896
But actually it came at a time
when an instrument like this
695
00:41:03,931 --> 00:41:08,034
were starting to look like
a device from another era.
696
00:41:08,068 --> 00:41:11,310
By the early
to mid-19th century,
697
00:41:11,344 --> 00:41:13,827
scientific instruments
weren't meant to look like,
698
00:41:13,862 --> 00:41:18,241
you know, an aquarium
with little swimming creatures
in it.
699
00:41:19,344 --> 00:41:21,620
[narrator] Stuck between
a superstitious past
700
00:41:21,655 --> 00:41:23,517
and a scientific future,
701
00:41:23,551 --> 00:41:28,413
Merryweather's tempest
prognosticator is simply mowed
down by better inventions.
702
00:41:30,172 --> 00:41:32,586
[Goodman] It's the telegraph
that makes a big difference
703
00:41:32,620 --> 00:41:35,137
because you can suddenly get
very, very quick results
704
00:41:35,172 --> 00:41:37,620
from weather stations
posted all the way around.
705
00:41:37,655 --> 00:41:41,103
So you can start mapping what
the conditions are in
one place or other.
706
00:41:41,793 --> 00:41:43,413
And with those maps,
707
00:41:43,448 --> 00:41:46,551
you can start to make
more informed predictions
708
00:41:46,586 --> 00:41:49,000
rather than just relying
on the leeches.
709
00:41:51,275 --> 00:41:54,689
[narrator] All that remains
today of Merryweather's
radical invention
710
00:41:54,724 --> 00:41:58,241
is a replica that sits
in the museum,
where he was once curator.
711
00:42:00,862 --> 00:42:04,000
Albeit lacking
its blood-sucking stars.
62046
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