They found an entire hidden city under a field in England. No, seriously.
Stonehenge is an icon of prehistoric British culture, an enigma that has seduced archaeologists and tourists for centuries. Why is it here? What is its significance? And which forces inspired its creators? Now a group of international archaeologists led by the University of Birmingham and the Ludwig Boltzman Institute in Vienna believe that a new state-of-the-art approach is the key to unlocking Stonehenge's secrets. For four years the team have surveyed and mapped every monument, both visible and invisible, across ten square kilometres of the sacred landscape to create the most complete digital picture of Stonehenge and the surrounding area over millennia. Operation Stonehenge takes the viewer on a prehistoric journey from 8000BC to 2500BC as the scientists uncover the very origins of Stonehenge, learning why this landscape is sacred, preserved and has been revered by following generations.
Cinematography
Stunning aerial lidar reveals invisible monuments
Direction
Samuel West's narration hits that perfect BBC tone
Production
Four years of research compressed into one hour
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The lidar technology used here was originally developed for military terrain mapping—archaeologists just borrowed it to find party pits from 2500 BC.
This documentary essentially killed the 'Druids built Stonehenge' myth that had persisted since the 18th century—and British tourism boards quietly panicked.
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