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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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[Dr. Abigail Graham] The Romans
were meticulous administrators,
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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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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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mark the locations
of buried treasure?
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By the time they did
the complete tally,
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it was something like 200 tons
of gold and silver,
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something worth billions
of dollars today.
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[narrator] These are the most
remarkable and mysterious objects on Earth.
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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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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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[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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[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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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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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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smart Archaeologists were
scratching their heads over,
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chatting to astronomers and
mathematicians for decades,
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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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[narrator] You then cover the
whole thing again in clay, and bake it.
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The wax melts out.
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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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away from your eyes.
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[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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[Dr. Steele] So, for example,
you might get a Roman centurion
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carrying it standing.
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Then he could march
off into the distance.
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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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So just by rotating it,
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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.
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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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[narrator] And the most essential
need of all for the Roman army
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is winning wars.
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[Dr. Graham] They had to know
when people were in range.
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Not only for things like arrows,
but they also had catapults.
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And it's not just about
having this technology.
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It's about knowing when exactly
is the right time to employ it.
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So this sort of thing
would have great functionality
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in setting out roads,
in setting up base camp,
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but also in terms of actual
fighting, in terms of knowing
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when the enemy was in range,
knowing when to fire their catapults.
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[narrator]
So, is that case closed?
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Is it definitely a measuring
device rather than a dice
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or a glove making tool
or a candle holder?
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It certainly sounds
convincing, but the truth is,
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unless we find a written account
or fresh archaeological evidence,
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we may never know for sure.
But it's fun guessing.
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[narrator] In 1952,
hidden in a cave in Israel,
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00:12:01,330 --> 00:12:03,931
archaeologists find some
of the most controversial
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and baffling objects
ever uncovered.
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Ancient strips of
rolled up metal.
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The copper scrolls.
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There's nothing like them
in the world.
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They are 12 inches long
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and two inches wide,
corroded and brittle.
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But stamped into them
are traces of an ancient text
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that has sparked
a billion-dollar treasure hunt
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and a passionate argument
that is still raging today.
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Is it a treasure map?
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Isn't it a treasure map?
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Now, new research may
finally hold answers
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to one of the greatest archaeological
mysteries of the twentieth century.
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Who made these
one-of-a-kind scrolls?
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Where do they come from?
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Is there really hidden
treasure in the desert?
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Or is it just the dream of
an enthusiastic archaeologist?
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What are the copper scrolls?
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1947, the northwest bank
of the Dead Sea.
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A young goat herd
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was scrabbling around
the rocky wilderness
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near the village of Qumran,
about 15 miles east of Jerusalem.
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He entered a cave
and discovered some jars
240
00:13:24,413 --> 00:13:28,916
that seemed to have broken pieces
of parchment and papyrus in them.
241
00:13:30,452 --> 00:13:32,353
[narrator] These
2,000-year-old documents,
242
00:13:32,387 --> 00:13:36,123
are some of the most important
archaeological finds of modern times...
243
00:13:37,059 --> 00:13:38,726
The Dead Sea scrolls.
244
00:13:40,095 --> 00:13:43,965
Their discovery is a game
changer for archeologists.
245
00:13:43,999 --> 00:13:48,035
They include some of the oldest
known fragments of the Hebrew Bible.
246
00:13:48,070 --> 00:13:50,938
When scholars found these
well-preserved scrolls,
247
00:13:50,973 --> 00:13:52,173
they were really thrilled.
248
00:13:52,207 --> 00:13:55,209
They had now some of
the earliest biblical sources,
249
00:13:55,244 --> 00:13:58,613
as well as community sources
that would have described the region,
250
00:13:58,647 --> 00:14:00,648
the kinds of practices that
were going on
251
00:14:00,682 --> 00:14:04,252
during this time of really
tumultuous Jewish history.
252
00:14:04,286 --> 00:14:06,787
For biblical archaeologist,
this was the find
253
00:14:06,822 --> 00:14:10,091
of a lifetime of the century,
perhaps of a millennium.
254
00:14:10,125 --> 00:14:13,761
[Dr. Altaweel] This gives us back
a sense effectively, of a period
255
00:14:13,795 --> 00:14:15,129
not far away from
when the Bible,
256
00:14:15,197 --> 00:14:16,998
or parts of the Bible,
were written.
257
00:14:17,032 --> 00:14:20,268
So this allowed scholars to
really have a connection to a period
258
00:14:20,302 --> 00:14:23,738
when a lot of the religious
works in religious communities
259
00:14:23,772 --> 00:14:26,340
that arose to create these
works, uh, were developing.
260
00:14:28,010 --> 00:14:30,745
[narrator] Just five years
later, a team of archaeologists
261
00:14:30,779 --> 00:14:34,415
are examining a nearby cave
when they discover the copper scrolls.
262
00:14:36,251 --> 00:14:41,122
And it's immediately obvious to them
that these are something totally different.
263
00:14:41,156 --> 00:14:43,791
[Dr. Graham] One of the most
unusual things about the copper scroll
264
00:14:43,859 --> 00:14:45,493
is in its name
that it's a scroll,
265
00:14:45,527 --> 00:14:47,328
but something that isn't made
from parchment,
266
00:14:47,362 --> 00:14:49,797
that is made from copper...
267
00:14:49,831 --> 00:14:55,803
material that's far more valuable
and also difficult to inscribe.
268
00:14:55,837 --> 00:14:58,839
So this is something
that distinguishes it
269
00:14:58,874 --> 00:15:01,776
as probably
an important document,
270
00:15:01,810 --> 00:15:03,511
possibly a sacred one.
271
00:15:05,514 --> 00:15:08,316
[narrator] What could be
so important that it justifies
272
00:15:08,350 --> 00:15:10,484
the effort of writing
it on copper?
273
00:15:12,421 --> 00:15:14,588
A few words visible
on the outer layer
274
00:15:14,623 --> 00:15:18,893
of the tightly-rolled scrolls
catch the experts' eyes.
275
00:15:18,927 --> 00:15:23,864
Those words include digging
cubits, a measure of size, and gold.
276
00:15:25,467 --> 00:15:28,469
Some archaeologists jumped
to the very obvious conclusion.
277
00:15:30,639 --> 00:15:36,143
We say not to judge a book by its cover,
but this is every archaeologist's dream.
278
00:15:36,178 --> 00:15:37,912
"I found a treasure map."
279
00:15:40,248 --> 00:15:42,216
[narrator] The only way to
be certain the copper scrolls
280
00:15:42,250 --> 00:15:44,552
are a treasure map
is to unroll them.
281
00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:47,288
But that is very risky.
282
00:15:48,390 --> 00:15:50,124
[Dr. Ploszajski] The problem
with copper is that
283
00:15:50,158 --> 00:15:53,394
if you leave it lying around
for thousands of years,
284
00:15:53,428 --> 00:15:55,463
it oxidizes.
285
00:15:55,497 --> 00:15:59,433
And this oxidation
makes it very brittle.
286
00:15:59,468 --> 00:16:03,838
The copper is extremely thin, so if
you were going to try and unroll it,
287
00:16:03,872 --> 00:16:07,508
what would happen is the brittle
copper would basically just snap.
288
00:16:08,944 --> 00:16:11,145
[narrator] But one expert
doesn't give up.
289
00:16:12,714 --> 00:16:14,148
[Prof. MacDonald] In 1955,
290
00:16:14,182 --> 00:16:16,851
John Allegro,
a British archaeologist,
291
00:16:16,885 --> 00:16:20,788
convinces the authorities
in Jerusalem
292
00:16:20,822 --> 00:16:23,357
to allow him
to cut open the scroll
293
00:16:23,392 --> 00:16:26,060
so that it could be
translated properly.
294
00:16:28,130 --> 00:16:29,563
[narrator] The problem is,
295
00:16:29,598 --> 00:16:34,335
no machine capable of such
specialized and precise work exists.
296
00:16:34,369 --> 00:16:38,372
So Allegro asks Prof. Wright
Baker at Manchester University
297
00:16:38,407 --> 00:16:39,273
to invent one.
298
00:16:47,249 --> 00:16:51,685
On the first of October 1955,
using a machine bolted together
299
00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:55,756
from a modified circular saw
and a dentist's suction brush,
300
00:16:55,791 --> 00:17:00,594
Wright Baker begins to cut open the
two priceless 2,000-year-old scrolls.
301
00:17:02,798 --> 00:17:05,066
One slip could be catastrophic.
302
00:17:12,107 --> 00:17:14,375
Over the next
three and a half months,
303
00:17:14,409 --> 00:17:18,646
Wright Baker's machine breaks
the scrolls down into 23 segments.
304
00:17:20,582 --> 00:17:23,417
For the first time
in 2,000 years,
305
00:17:23,452 --> 00:17:25,352
their secrets are revealed.
306
00:17:27,355 --> 00:17:29,356
So, is it a treasure map?
307
00:17:35,564 --> 00:17:38,632
The references to hidden gold
visible on the outside
308
00:17:38,667 --> 00:17:41,802
turn out to be
the tip of the iceberg.
309
00:17:41,837 --> 00:17:43,637
[Altaweel] When they begin
to put the scroll together
310
00:17:43,672 --> 00:17:45,206
and translate
the different parts,
311
00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,675
they realize it's not really
just a treasure map.
312
00:17:47,709 --> 00:17:51,679
Rather, it sounds like
a series of treasure maps.
313
00:17:51,713 --> 00:17:54,982
[Prof. MacDonald] What was discovered is
that, in fact, they were all originally part
314
00:17:55,016 --> 00:17:59,053
of one single continuous
scroll, eight feet long.
315
00:18:00,188 --> 00:18:03,991
This scroll had
64 individual entries
316
00:18:04,025 --> 00:18:09,797
for buried hoards of items
ranging from coinage,
317
00:18:09,831 --> 00:18:14,268
to valuable metal items, to
various ritual holy objects.
318
00:18:15,871 --> 00:18:20,274
The sheer amount of wealth
that is represented in the document
319
00:18:20,308 --> 00:18:21,842
was unimaginable.
320
00:18:23,078 --> 00:18:24,812
[Altaweel] By the time
they did the complete tally,
321
00:18:24,846 --> 00:18:27,681
it was something like
200 tons of gold and silver,
322
00:18:27,716 --> 00:18:30,317
something worth billions
of dollars today.
323
00:18:30,352 --> 00:18:35,122
So, a really mind boggling
amount was buried in deserts.
324
00:18:35,157 --> 00:18:37,358
[narrator]
But something doesn't add up.
325
00:18:37,392 --> 00:18:40,694
That amount of wealth
just seems too large.
326
00:18:40,729 --> 00:18:43,764
How can anyone 2,000 years ago
gathered together
327
00:18:43,798 --> 00:18:48,169
such an obscene amount of
wealth or keep it secret?
328
00:18:48,203 --> 00:18:52,039
So, is there a billion-dollar
fortune buried in the desert?
329
00:18:59,281 --> 00:19:02,750
[narrator] Some archaeologists
believe that these unique copper scrolls
330
00:19:02,784 --> 00:19:04,685
are the key to a hidden fortune
331
00:19:04,719 --> 00:19:06,921
buried somewhere
in the vast Judean desert.
332
00:19:08,190 --> 00:19:10,724
But others struggle to accept
this interpretation.
333
00:19:12,727 --> 00:19:17,598
The problem is that the
scholarship also connected this list
334
00:19:17,632 --> 00:19:19,900
to the ASEAN community,
335
00:19:19,968 --> 00:19:25,573
who were relatively austere mystic
sect at the edge of the Jewish world.
336
00:19:27,909 --> 00:19:29,577
[Altaweel] They're kind of
poor people
337
00:19:29,611 --> 00:19:32,613
on the desert dedicated
to religious life.
338
00:19:32,647 --> 00:19:35,216
Yet the amounts of gold and
silver were thought to be
339
00:19:35,250 --> 00:19:38,018
billions of dollars in worth
of gold and silver.
340
00:19:38,053 --> 00:19:41,522
So, you're looking at these guys
who look like basically pauper monks
341
00:19:41,556 --> 00:19:44,258
but yet they have the wealth of
Elon Musk or something like that.
342
00:19:44,292 --> 00:19:46,360
So it's not something
you would expect.
343
00:19:47,796 --> 00:19:52,132
[narrator] The treasure story
splits the academic world in two.
344
00:19:52,167 --> 00:19:55,736
John Allegro, the British archaeologist
who sliced the scrolls open,
345
00:19:55,770 --> 00:19:57,738
is convinced,
the treasure is real.
346
00:20:00,575 --> 00:20:02,576
The opposing camp is
led by one of the team
347
00:20:02,611 --> 00:20:04,778
that discovered
the copper scrolls,
348
00:20:04,813 --> 00:20:08,048
Biblical scholar and
Catholic priest Jozef Milik.
349
00:20:10,485 --> 00:20:12,152
Jozef Milik begins to look
at this,
350
00:20:12,187 --> 00:20:14,255
and he does the calculations
and numbers,
351
00:20:14,289 --> 00:20:16,824
and he realizes these
numbers are far too much.
352
00:20:16,858 --> 00:20:18,525
There's something wrong here.
353
00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:20,094
[narrator]
Milik doesn't just think
354
00:20:20,128 --> 00:20:22,696
that this was too much wealth
for the Essenes.
355
00:20:22,731 --> 00:20:26,467
The numbers are so vast, he's
convinced it's too much treasure
356
00:20:26,501 --> 00:20:29,603
for the whole of the Qumran
region 2,000 years ago.
357
00:20:31,373 --> 00:20:35,175
John Allegro accepts that the
initial estimates may be too high,
358
00:20:36,144 --> 00:20:38,212
but he has an
explanation for that.
359
00:20:39,381 --> 00:20:41,782
It's a miscalculation.
360
00:20:41,816 --> 00:20:46,920
The unit used in the text is
'talents', which can vary over time,
361
00:20:46,955 --> 00:20:49,556
and sometimes it has different
meanings to different communities.
362
00:20:49,591 --> 00:20:53,193
So, which weight of talent
are we looking at?
363
00:20:53,228 --> 00:20:56,330
If we're looking at
a relatively lighter weight,
364
00:20:56,364 --> 00:21:00,801
then the value of these hoards
could be significantly altered.
365
00:21:02,237 --> 00:21:04,805
[Altaweel] So it's possible
that the calculation used
366
00:21:04,839 --> 00:21:10,778
to determine the amounts of modern
day tons from a talent is incorrect.
367
00:21:10,812 --> 00:21:14,348
Potentially, the translation of the
units or the conversion of the units,
368
00:21:14,382 --> 00:21:15,949
was quite different.
369
00:21:15,984 --> 00:21:18,852
The community may have used a very
different standard effectively for talent,
370
00:21:18,887 --> 00:21:21,488
and so the amounts may
have been far less.
371
00:21:21,523 --> 00:21:23,991
[narrator] Allegro argues that
valuing the treasure
372
00:21:24,025 --> 00:21:28,829
in the millions rather than billions
makes it historically credible.
373
00:21:28,863 --> 00:21:32,232
But that still doesn't answer
one crucial question.
374
00:21:32,267 --> 00:21:35,636
Where does all this wealth
come from in the first place?
375
00:21:41,409 --> 00:21:45,045
15 miles from Qumran
is Jerusalem's Wailing Wall,
376
00:21:46,114 --> 00:21:49,950
a sacred site of Jewish
prayer and pilgrimage.
377
00:21:49,984 --> 00:21:52,920
It's the last remaining relic
of a mighty structure
378
00:21:52,954 --> 00:21:55,489
known as the Herodian
Second Jewish Temple.
379
00:21:56,925 --> 00:22:00,294
The Second Temple was
the place of worship for Jews,
380
00:22:00,328 --> 00:22:03,731
and when I mean 'the', is that it was
practically the only place of worship,
381
00:22:03,798 --> 00:22:06,066
and it would have had
all the treasures and gold
382
00:22:06,101 --> 00:22:08,802
of all of the Mainline Jewish
believers.
383
00:22:08,837 --> 00:22:10,738
So it would have
been a very wealthy place.
384
00:22:10,772 --> 00:22:13,774
Allegro believes this
could explain the treasure.
385
00:22:13,808 --> 00:22:17,378
John Allegro's argument
was based upon the notion
386
00:22:17,412 --> 00:22:21,382
that these were the treasures
of the Second Temple,
387
00:22:21,416 --> 00:22:26,286
stashed away for safekeeping
during the time of the Jewish Civil War.
388
00:22:26,321 --> 00:22:29,590
This is where coin hoards come
from, things that are put away,
389
00:22:29,624 --> 00:22:32,993
hopefully to be reclaimed
in better days.
390
00:22:33,027 --> 00:22:36,296
[narrator] Milik counters that the
treasure never exists in the first place
391
00:22:36,331 --> 00:22:39,400
and believes Allegro is
misinterpreting the scrolls.
392
00:22:42,437 --> 00:22:46,240
To resolve this, they need a
complete translation of the text.
393
00:22:48,076 --> 00:22:50,310
Officially, this is Milik's job.
394
00:22:50,345 --> 00:22:55,082
But to Allegro's frustration, Milik
delays publishing his translation.
395
00:22:56,084 --> 00:22:57,217
With good reason.
396
00:22:58,753 --> 00:23:01,054
[Prof. MacDonald]
If he says that it's fake,
397
00:23:01,089 --> 00:23:04,425
then he could be
accused of a cover up.
398
00:23:04,459 --> 00:23:08,962
If he says it's real, then there would
be a descent of treasure hunters
399
00:23:08,997 --> 00:23:14,067
into the region, trying to find
these lost gold and other items.
400
00:23:14,769 --> 00:23:17,738
So, naturally he delayed
401
00:23:17,772 --> 00:23:20,007
and procrastinated
as long as possible.
402
00:23:22,844 --> 00:23:29,950
So, John Allegro goes ahead and publishes
the list and caught media attention.
403
00:23:29,984 --> 00:23:34,721
The result is a great deal of recrimination
and bitterness between the two scholars.
404
00:23:34,756 --> 00:23:37,724
[narrator]
In 1962, to prove his theory,
405
00:23:37,759 --> 00:23:42,362
Allegro leads an expedition in
search of the lost treasure.
406
00:23:42,397 --> 00:23:46,667
The search for lost treasures is a
phenomenon which is back into humanity
407
00:23:46,701 --> 00:23:48,469
over the centuries.
408
00:23:48,503 --> 00:23:50,771
And leads many a person to ruin.
409
00:23:52,373 --> 00:23:56,009
[narrator] Allegro doesn't find
even a single nugget of gold,
410
00:23:57,378 --> 00:24:00,214
and despite decades of
searching by treasure hunters,
411
00:24:00,248 --> 00:24:03,150
these incredible riches
remain elusive.
412
00:24:04,619 --> 00:24:07,521
So, is it simply a fable?
413
00:24:07,555 --> 00:24:09,857
Now, new research
may finally answer
414
00:24:09,891 --> 00:24:11,859
the secrets
of the copper scrolls,
415
00:24:11,893 --> 00:24:14,428
and it's a total shock.
416
00:24:26,007 --> 00:24:29,910
[narrator] New research now
suggests a radical alternative explanation
417
00:24:29,944 --> 00:24:32,412
for the 2,000-year-old
copper scrolls.
418
00:24:33,915 --> 00:24:36,316
In 2015, a new theory emerged.
419
00:24:36,351 --> 00:24:40,921
Could the copper scroll have
been merely an accountability list
420
00:24:40,955 --> 00:24:43,891
of items which had been
donated to the temple over time
421
00:24:43,925 --> 00:24:47,594
and never actually all existed
at any one given moment?
422
00:24:49,831 --> 00:24:53,033
[Altaweel] There are other
Jewish ancient Hebrew text
423
00:24:53,067 --> 00:24:55,769
that effectively talk about a
made up version of the treasure
424
00:24:55,803 --> 00:24:58,272
that didn't actually exist,
but rather a kind of
425
00:24:58,306 --> 00:25:02,709
idealized number or value of a treasure
that could have existed in the past.
426
00:25:02,744 --> 00:25:06,613
[narrator] This idea may be
connected to the ancient Greeks.
427
00:25:06,648 --> 00:25:10,484
This is the Lindos Chronicle,
an inventory of items
428
00:25:10,518 --> 00:25:13,020
in a temple to Athena,
written 200 years
429
00:25:13,054 --> 00:25:15,355
before the copper scrolls.
430
00:25:15,390 --> 00:25:17,491
[Dr. Graham] Towards the start
of the text,
431
00:25:17,525 --> 00:25:19,826
they actually say
all these things
432
00:25:19,861 --> 00:25:24,298
that we've been cataloguing
weren't actually there.
433
00:25:25,333 --> 00:25:27,334
They may have existed
at one point,
434
00:25:27,368 --> 00:25:33,140
but the idea was that I would give these
items to Athena, the goddess of Athens,
435
00:25:33,174 --> 00:25:37,277
as supplication,
as a dedication to her,
436
00:25:37,312 --> 00:25:39,112
even if I don't actually
have those items.
437
00:25:39,147 --> 00:25:41,582
To show the dedication
that you would have to her.
438
00:25:41,616 --> 00:25:46,019
So, it's a way to show how
much you love the God, effectively.
439
00:25:46,054 --> 00:25:48,956
[narrator] And there's a
connection between lists like this
440
00:25:48,990 --> 00:25:52,092
and the enigmatic
copper scrolls.
441
00:25:52,126 --> 00:25:54,361
The scroll is written in
ancient Hebrew,
442
00:25:54,395 --> 00:25:59,499
but a closer look reveals Greek
letters at the end of some of the entries.
443
00:25:59,534 --> 00:26:04,805
Greek inventories use similar
notations, known as letter labels.
444
00:26:04,839 --> 00:26:08,375
It's a simple cataloging system,
like numbering an index card.
445
00:26:09,777 --> 00:26:12,579
Is that what the Greek letters
on the copper scrolls mean?
446
00:26:13,548 --> 00:26:15,115
So, how do you present it
to your God?
447
00:26:15,149 --> 00:26:16,383
You have to organize
it in some way.
448
00:26:16,417 --> 00:26:20,854
And so using Greek letters
might be the way that was done.
449
00:26:20,888 --> 00:26:24,891
So, like the Lindos Chronicle, the
scroll could be a record of wealth
450
00:26:24,926 --> 00:26:28,929
for display in the temple, which
may explain why it's made of metal.
451
00:26:29,931 --> 00:26:31,665
[Prof. MacDonald]
Why was it in copper?
452
00:26:31,699 --> 00:26:34,034
Perhaps it was
a matter of display.
453
00:26:34,068 --> 00:26:36,703
Perhaps this was,
rather than a scroll,
454
00:26:36,738 --> 00:26:40,173
more of a plaque detailing
on the wall of the temple,
455
00:26:40,208 --> 00:26:42,809
all of the great items,
all of the treasure,
456
00:26:42,844 --> 00:26:45,012
which had been bestowed
upon it over the years.
457
00:26:45,913 --> 00:26:48,081
[narrator]
There's just one problem.
458
00:26:48,116 --> 00:26:50,450
Unlike the Lindos Chronicle,
the copper scrolls
459
00:26:50,485 --> 00:26:53,120
identify locations
for the treasure.
460
00:26:53,154 --> 00:26:55,489
Whether all this wealth
is real or historic,
461
00:26:55,523 --> 00:26:58,859
why would they advertise this
for any treasure hunters to see?
462
00:27:01,929 --> 00:27:06,400
The answer may lie in
the final lines of the scroll.
463
00:27:06,434 --> 00:27:10,804
Ironically, the last entry on
the final sheet of the scroll
464
00:27:10,838 --> 00:27:15,075
is a specifications about
where you can find the list.
465
00:27:17,578 --> 00:27:22,883
Probably another copper scroll
which can decode the locations
466
00:27:22,917 --> 00:27:24,918
for the items in
the larger list.
467
00:27:25,987 --> 00:27:29,122
So, effectively, not only
the treasure is missing,
468
00:27:29,157 --> 00:27:32,292
but the very means to locate
them remains missing as well.
469
00:27:35,296 --> 00:27:39,332
[narrator] But as long as the
potential for real treasure exists,
470
00:27:39,367 --> 00:27:43,804
treasure hunters will keep coming
back to Qumran, to seek their fortune.
471
00:27:56,050 --> 00:27:58,919
[narrator] Whitby,
in the north of England.
472
00:27:58,953 --> 00:28:02,622
Tucked away in the local museum
is a replica of one of the strangest
473
00:28:02,657 --> 00:28:04,925
and most bizarre
inventions in history.
474
00:28:06,594 --> 00:28:11,865
Standing over three feet tall, it
looks like a model fairground carousel.
475
00:28:11,899 --> 00:28:12,733
But it's not.
476
00:28:15,303 --> 00:28:19,806
This is a Victorian cutting-edge
scientific instrument.
477
00:28:19,841 --> 00:28:23,210
It's an intricate contraption
of polished mahogany, glass,
478
00:28:23,244 --> 00:28:28,181
silver and brass, and it's
designed to change the world.
479
00:28:28,216 --> 00:28:31,618
There has never been anything
like it before or since.
480
00:28:33,454 --> 00:28:38,225
[narrator] This is the tempest prognosticator
built to crack one of the greatest
481
00:28:38,292 --> 00:28:41,261
and most challenging problems
of the Victorian age...
482
00:28:42,263 --> 00:28:43,897
the weather.
483
00:28:43,931 --> 00:28:45,398
Using the power...
484
00:28:46,734 --> 00:28:47,701
of leeches.
485
00:28:49,437 --> 00:28:52,372
Twelve tiny leeches
living in jars of water
486
00:28:52,406 --> 00:28:55,776
that are trained to ring a bell.
487
00:28:55,810 --> 00:28:57,778
[Prof. Tim Denison] In the
presence of extreme weather,
488
00:28:58,646 --> 00:28:59,946
the leeches would rise up
489
00:28:59,981 --> 00:29:04,251
and kind of signal that inclement
weather was coming to you.
490
00:29:05,553 --> 00:29:07,087
[narrator] 150 years ago,
491
00:29:07,121 --> 00:29:08,722
this is a serious idea.
492
00:29:09,357 --> 00:29:11,491
People treat it seriously.
493
00:29:11,526 --> 00:29:14,461
Who comes up with
this bizarre device?
494
00:29:14,495 --> 00:29:18,532
How's it supposed to work
and why does anyone believe
495
00:29:18,566 --> 00:29:20,467
a leech can tell them
it's going to rain?
496
00:29:20,501 --> 00:29:22,736
[thunder rumbling]
497
00:29:27,608 --> 00:29:29,910
[narrator] The tempest
prognosticator is an invention
498
00:29:29,944 --> 00:29:31,478
designed to predict bad weather
499
00:29:31,512 --> 00:29:33,280
using the power of leeches.
500
00:29:33,314 --> 00:29:35,348
[bell dinging]
501
00:29:35,383 --> 00:29:38,185
It sounds crazy now,
but in the Victorian era,
502
00:29:38,219 --> 00:29:39,419
anything seems possible.
503
00:29:39,453 --> 00:29:40,720
[bell dinging]
504
00:29:40,755 --> 00:29:42,155
Mad ideas didn't seem so mad.
505
00:29:47,261 --> 00:29:48,662
[narrator] By the 1850s,
506
00:29:48,696 --> 00:29:53,433
Victorians were making huge
strides in technology and science.
507
00:29:53,467 --> 00:29:55,702
New inventions
like rubber tires,
508
00:29:55,736 --> 00:29:57,370
photography,
509
00:29:57,405 --> 00:29:58,772
and bicycles
510
00:29:58,806 --> 00:30:03,143
are revolutionizing the way
people live, work, and travel.
511
00:30:04,512 --> 00:30:06,646
That's a very mid-era.
512
00:30:06,681 --> 00:30:10,984
It's a time of
enormous innovation,
513
00:30:11,018 --> 00:30:16,423
of enormous social and physical
and industrial and economic change.
514
00:30:16,457 --> 00:30:20,060
Things are happening so fast,
it would take your breath away.
515
00:30:20,094 --> 00:30:22,362
[narrator] Business and trade
are booming,
516
00:30:22,396 --> 00:30:24,431
and that's where
the weather comes in.
517
00:30:24,465 --> 00:30:28,268
[thunder rumbling]
518
00:30:28,302 --> 00:30:31,204
Increasingly, as trade
became more important,
519
00:30:31,239 --> 00:30:35,175
as there was more traffic on the
seas, it became ever more important
520
00:30:35,209 --> 00:30:37,777
to be able to predict storms
and so forth.
521
00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:40,247
[Goodman]
There is more to be lost
522
00:30:40,281 --> 00:30:42,649
when you've got huge
fleets at sea
523
00:30:42,683 --> 00:30:45,518
than there was when it
was just a few boats in shore.
524
00:30:46,554 --> 00:30:49,756
As the world became more
connected and trade grew,
525
00:30:49,790 --> 00:30:52,592
weather had more of an impact.
526
00:30:54,862 --> 00:30:58,999
[narrator] Unfortunately, weather
forecasting is stuck in the Dark ages.
527
00:30:59,033 --> 00:31:00,734
There have always been
all these sort of
528
00:31:00,768 --> 00:31:03,837
folklore signs of the weather.
529
00:31:03,871 --> 00:31:08,041
Things like, "Red sky at
night, shepherd's delight."
530
00:31:08,075 --> 00:31:10,076
"Red sky in the morning,
shepherd's warning."
531
00:31:11,512 --> 00:31:13,480
[narrator] But folklore
doesn't sit comfortably
532
00:31:13,514 --> 00:31:15,682
with the new Victorian age
of science.
533
00:31:17,418 --> 00:31:20,487
From electricity to
magnetism to evolution,
534
00:31:20,521 --> 00:31:22,789
nature is giving up its secrets.
535
00:31:23,958 --> 00:31:24,991
One after another,
536
00:31:25,026 --> 00:31:27,460
all sorts of mysteries
are being cracked.
537
00:31:27,495 --> 00:31:32,032
Could reliably predicting the weather
be science's next, great conquest?
538
00:31:34,302 --> 00:31:39,539
By the Victorian times, it began
to look possible to bring weather
539
00:31:39,573 --> 00:31:43,410
within the sort of remit of
things that scientists could
540
00:31:43,444 --> 00:31:47,080
measure and understand
and predict.
541
00:31:47,114 --> 00:31:51,685
But this was a science, really at
its birth, and it's very early stages
542
00:31:51,719 --> 00:31:54,120
and no one was really sure what
would work and what wouldn't.
543
00:31:57,158 --> 00:32:01,194
[narrator] Enter gentleman
scientist, George Merryweather.
544
00:32:01,228 --> 00:32:07,701
Merryweather was a doctor of Whitby, and it
seems he had all kinds of side interests.
545
00:32:07,735 --> 00:32:11,504
He was the curator
of the local museum.
546
00:32:11,539 --> 00:32:14,741
[narrator] Another of his side
interests is invention.
547
00:32:14,775 --> 00:32:17,677
In 1850, he produces
his most famous
548
00:32:17,712 --> 00:32:22,649
and groundbreaking creation, the
leech-powered tempest prognosticator.
549
00:32:22,683 --> 00:32:24,784
The core of his invention
is a glass bottle
550
00:32:24,819 --> 00:32:27,587
containing a few inches of
water and a leech.
551
00:32:28,622 --> 00:32:30,490
Hidden away at the top
of each bottle
552
00:32:30,524 --> 00:32:34,828
is a system of levers and
chains connected to a bell.
553
00:32:34,862 --> 00:32:39,499
[Dr. Ball] There was a little
mechanism made from very fine boat
554
00:32:39,533 --> 00:32:44,838
that would be triggered by the leech
coming past, and that would ring a bell.
555
00:32:44,872 --> 00:32:48,841
[narrator] Of course there's always a
risk that one leech might misbehave.
556
00:32:48,876 --> 00:32:50,810
But Merryweather has
a plan for that.
557
00:32:50,845 --> 00:32:53,213
His machine uses 12 of them.
558
00:32:53,247 --> 00:32:55,682
[Prof. Denison] As opposed
to relying on just one leech
559
00:32:55,716 --> 00:32:58,151
and its wisdom
on the weather report,
560
00:32:58,185 --> 00:33:01,321
there was actually
a ring of these jars
561
00:33:01,355 --> 00:33:03,957
so that you could take
more of a majority vote
562
00:33:03,991 --> 00:33:06,393
on the activities
of the leeches.
563
00:33:06,427 --> 00:33:11,264
The more bells that rang, then
the stronger your prediction was.
564
00:33:11,298 --> 00:33:15,869
[narrator] It all sounds terribly
rational, except for one thing.
565
00:33:15,903 --> 00:33:19,472
Why does Merryweather believe
leeches can predict the weather?
566
00:33:26,747 --> 00:33:30,116
Animals often appear in the
folklore of weather prediction.
567
00:33:31,819 --> 00:33:35,688
There's a long history of
looking at animal behavior
568
00:33:35,723 --> 00:33:38,625
to try to anticipate
changes in the weather.
569
00:33:38,659 --> 00:33:41,928
[Goodman] Cows lying down in
fields is supposed to be an indicator
570
00:33:41,962 --> 00:33:44,397
that rain is on its way.
571
00:33:44,432 --> 00:33:48,101
There are many of these across
all cultures all over the world.
572
00:33:48,135 --> 00:33:52,305
[narrator] In Germany, frogs
are the go-to weather predictors.
573
00:33:52,339 --> 00:33:53,606
Every German thinks
574
00:33:53,641 --> 00:33:57,243
that you can predict the
weather by putting a frog in a jar
575
00:33:57,278 --> 00:34:00,046
with a little ladder in it,
mostly made of wood,
576
00:34:00,081 --> 00:34:03,349
and then depending on where
the frog sits, you know
577
00:34:03,384 --> 00:34:05,585
if it's going to rain
or if it's going to be sunny.
578
00:34:08,155 --> 00:34:10,457
[narrator]
Merryweather goes for leeches.
579
00:34:10,491 --> 00:34:14,160
An animal that holds a unique
fascination to Victorians.
580
00:34:14,195 --> 00:34:16,863
He claims that leeches can
sense a change in the weather
581
00:34:16,897 --> 00:34:18,932
and will rise up towards
the surface of water
582
00:34:18,966 --> 00:34:21,301
when rain is coming.
583
00:34:21,335 --> 00:34:25,438
The leech looks like a really
primitive thing, just kind of a slug.
584
00:34:25,473 --> 00:34:30,276
But actually, it's an amazingly
sophisticated creature.
585
00:34:30,311 --> 00:34:33,746
[Dr. Benecke] They're worms.
They're not slugs or snails.
586
00:34:34,415 --> 00:34:36,082
They're beautifully colored.
587
00:34:36,117 --> 00:34:40,386
They can have
orange-green color pattern.
588
00:34:40,421 --> 00:34:44,924
[narrator] But the principal attraction of
leeches is their macabre dietary habits.
589
00:34:44,959 --> 00:34:48,428
Leeches are very much
like a worm vampires.
590
00:34:48,462 --> 00:34:50,330
[Dr. Ball]
It likes to drink blood
591
00:34:50,364 --> 00:34:54,801
and in order to do that,
it has two suckers,
592
00:34:54,835 --> 00:34:57,470
so one sticks on to the host.
593
00:34:57,505 --> 00:35:00,507
The other one is
lined with teeth,
594
00:35:00,541 --> 00:35:01,774
hundreds of teeth,
595
00:35:01,809 --> 00:35:04,477
so they bite.
596
00:35:04,512 --> 00:35:07,580
And as the leech sucks blood,
597
00:35:07,615 --> 00:35:10,116
it gives out two chemicals.
598
00:35:10,151 --> 00:35:12,652
One is, uh, kind of anesthetic
599
00:35:12,686 --> 00:35:15,655
and the other one
is an anti-coagulant,
600
00:35:15,689 --> 00:35:18,658
a chemical that stops
the blood from clotting,
601
00:35:18,692 --> 00:35:20,693
so it can continue to drink.
602
00:35:20,728 --> 00:35:22,695
Once it's gorged itself,
603
00:35:22,730 --> 00:35:28,067
in this way, the leech can survive
for up to a year without feeding again.
604
00:35:33,340 --> 00:35:36,843
[narrator] This ability to draw
blood is important to Victorians
605
00:35:36,877 --> 00:35:38,878
because many of them
believe human health
606
00:35:38,913 --> 00:35:42,282
depends on maintaining balance
between the four humors.
607
00:35:42,316 --> 00:35:45,652
Black bile, yellow bile,
phlegm and blood.
608
00:35:47,254 --> 00:35:48,955
Most attention
was given to blood
609
00:35:49,023 --> 00:35:51,357
because either
you had too much blood
610
00:35:51,392 --> 00:35:53,059
or you had bad blood,
611
00:35:53,127 --> 00:35:55,762
and in both cases, the medical
leech could help.
612
00:35:55,796 --> 00:35:58,965
[narrator] Medical leeches are
wildly popular.
613
00:35:58,999 --> 00:36:02,835
There were people whose profession was
leech gathering literally, usually women.
614
00:36:02,870 --> 00:36:06,906
Just rolling your skirts, right up
and walking in the sorts of places
615
00:36:06,941 --> 00:36:09,275
where leeches live, so that
they would attach to your legs.
616
00:36:10,211 --> 00:36:13,112
In fact, they were so much used,
617
00:36:13,147 --> 00:36:16,115
that we pretty much
fished them out of existence.
618
00:36:19,486 --> 00:36:22,622
[narrator] According to Merryweather,
inspiration for his prognosticator
619
00:36:22,656 --> 00:36:26,359
comes from a poem written by
vaccine pioneer, physician
620
00:36:26,393 --> 00:36:29,295
and all-round science
superstar, Edward Jenner.
621
00:36:32,099 --> 00:36:36,703
So, the poem is called 'Signs
of Rain' and it includes the lines,
622
00:36:36,737 --> 00:36:39,138
"The leech disturbed
is newly risen,
623
00:36:39,173 --> 00:36:41,741
quite to the summit
of his prison."
624
00:36:43,143 --> 00:36:44,644
[narrator]
And as a Victorian doctor,
625
00:36:44,678 --> 00:36:47,714
Merryweather is probably quite
keen on leeches already.
626
00:36:48,749 --> 00:36:50,483
But is Merryweather right?
627
00:36:50,517 --> 00:36:53,886
Can leeches really be trained
to predict the weather?
628
00:36:53,921 --> 00:36:56,189
Or is this a great
Victorian scam?
629
00:37:05,199 --> 00:37:07,934
[narrator] In 1850, George
Merryweather invents a machine
630
00:37:07,968 --> 00:37:09,869
that he claims can
predict the weather
631
00:37:09,903 --> 00:37:13,106
and change the world
using the power of leeches.
632
00:37:15,676 --> 00:37:18,645
But is this a giant leap
in weather forecasting?
633
00:37:18,679 --> 00:37:20,780
Or a con to steal
from the gullible?
634
00:37:21,882 --> 00:37:25,285
In the end, it all comes
down to one question.
635
00:37:25,319 --> 00:37:27,987
Can a leech really
predict the weather?
636
00:37:28,022 --> 00:37:30,990
[thunder rumbling]
637
00:37:31,025 --> 00:37:35,361
Merryweather claims that
leeches rise up when rain is coming,
638
00:37:35,396 --> 00:37:37,930
and that might not be
as crazy as it sounds
639
00:37:37,965 --> 00:37:42,068
because bad weather is usually
associated with a drop in air pressure.
640
00:37:43,637 --> 00:37:45,838
[Dr. Benecke] One
possible reason why leeches
641
00:37:45,873 --> 00:37:48,541
may detect air pressure
in the surrounding
642
00:37:48,575 --> 00:37:50,843
is that they relate
to the oxygen
643
00:37:50,878 --> 00:37:54,047
because they need to
breathe inside of the water.
644
00:37:54,081 --> 00:37:56,449
[narrator] Leeches get oxygen
directly through their skin,
645
00:37:56,483 --> 00:37:58,484
from the water surrounding them.
646
00:37:58,519 --> 00:38:00,053
They're very, very sensitive
647
00:38:00,087 --> 00:38:03,656
to the concentration of oxygen
in the water
648
00:38:03,691 --> 00:38:08,795
and that will change if there's a
change in atmospheric pressure.
649
00:38:08,829 --> 00:38:11,964
[narrator] When air pressure drops,
there's less oxygen in the water,
650
00:38:11,999 --> 00:38:16,869
so the leeches rise closer to the
surface, where oxygen levels are higher.
651
00:38:16,904 --> 00:38:19,939
It's for them just a matter of
survival, to get into an area
652
00:38:19,973 --> 00:38:22,742
where there's enough oxygen
or to sense
653
00:38:22,776 --> 00:38:24,811
if there's enough oxygen already
654
00:38:24,845 --> 00:38:26,946
and then they can dive deeper.
655
00:38:28,749 --> 00:38:33,219
So that was the kind of mechanical
principle behind the device.
656
00:38:33,253 --> 00:38:35,755
[narrator] It seems Merryweather
may be onto something.
657
00:38:37,124 --> 00:38:40,793
The idea of Dr. Merryweather
was not completely crazy at all.
658
00:38:40,828 --> 00:38:44,597
It was a very nice experiment,
and maybe there's some truth in it.
659
00:38:46,700 --> 00:38:49,569
[narrator] But if his tempest
prognosticator actually works,
660
00:38:49,603 --> 00:38:51,904
why don't we see leech
barometers everywhere?
661
00:38:53,140 --> 00:38:56,242
What goes wrong
with his brilliant plan?
662
00:39:00,247 --> 00:39:02,715
Well, it certainly isn't
a lack of self-belief.
663
00:39:04,451 --> 00:39:07,653
He gave a lovely talk
to the Whitby Literary
664
00:39:07,688 --> 00:39:08,955
and Philosophical Society.
665
00:39:08,989 --> 00:39:10,790
Went on for three hours,
apparently,
666
00:39:10,824 --> 00:39:12,959
about how successful
it had been,
667
00:39:12,993 --> 00:39:16,629
during which he compared
himself to Galileo.
668
00:39:16,663 --> 00:39:20,133
[narrator] But is the
prognosticator really that good?
669
00:39:20,167 --> 00:39:22,402
[Goodman] London
Illustrated News, for example,
670
00:39:22,436 --> 00:39:25,772
carried a story about
his successful prediction
671
00:39:25,806 --> 00:39:31,744
of a major storm, fifty-one and
a half hours before it happened.
672
00:39:32,780 --> 00:39:35,281
It's a fairly generous
margin of error, isn't it?
673
00:39:35,716 --> 00:39:37,150
Mmm.
674
00:39:37,184 --> 00:39:40,753
[narrator] In 1851, Merryweather
takes his revolutionary invention
675
00:39:40,788 --> 00:39:44,223
to the prestigious
Great Exhibition in London.
676
00:39:44,258 --> 00:39:49,295
All the great scientists and inventors
and manufacturers were present.
677
00:39:50,230 --> 00:39:53,633
It was the sensation of the age.
678
00:39:53,667 --> 00:39:56,836
And there he was with his
leeches, in the middle of it.
679
00:39:56,870 --> 00:40:01,207
That is just the most
extraordinary piece of publicity.
680
00:40:01,241 --> 00:40:03,242
Unfortunately, Merryweather
doesn't need
681
00:40:03,277 --> 00:40:06,446
public admiration to succeed,
he needs government funding.
682
00:40:08,048 --> 00:40:11,417
He said that the whole of the
government should install them
683
00:40:11,452 --> 00:40:13,352
all the way up
and down the coast
684
00:40:13,387 --> 00:40:18,224
for the benefit of sailors and
merchant men right across the country.
685
00:40:19,393 --> 00:40:23,496
But unlike the leeches,
the government doesn't bite.
686
00:40:23,530 --> 00:40:26,165
[Dr. Ball] The prognosticator
didn't take off,
687
00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:28,835
and it's probably no surprise
that it didn't.
688
00:40:28,869 --> 00:40:32,605
It would have been, for
one thing, an expensive thing
689
00:40:32,639 --> 00:40:34,707
to produce and to maintain,
690
00:40:34,741 --> 00:40:37,777
you know,
leeches would keep dying.
691
00:40:37,811 --> 00:40:40,847
It wouldn't have been a
terribly reliable instrument.
692
00:40:42,115 --> 00:40:43,816
Had it come
a hundred years earlier,
693
00:40:43,851 --> 00:40:48,421
it would have been perfectly in
keeping with the ideas of the time.
694
00:40:48,455 --> 00:40:54,594
But actually it came at a time
when an instrument like this
695
00:40:54,628 --> 00:40:58,764
were starting to look like
a device from another era.
696
00:40:58,799 --> 00:41:02,101
By the early
to mid-19th century,
697
00:41:02,135 --> 00:41:04,604
scientific instruments
weren't meant to look like,
698
00:41:04,638 --> 00:41:09,075
you know, an aquarium with
little swimming creatures in it.
699
00:41:10,110 --> 00:41:12,411
[narrator] Stuck between
a superstitious past
700
00:41:12,446 --> 00:41:14,247
and a scientific future,
701
00:41:14,281 --> 00:41:19,218
Merryweather's tempest prognosticator is
simply mowed down by better inventions.
702
00:41:20,921 --> 00:41:23,356
[Goodman] It's the telegraph
that makes a big difference
703
00:41:23,390 --> 00:41:25,925
because you can suddenly get
very, very quick results
704
00:41:25,959 --> 00:41:28,394
from weather stations
posted all the way around.
705
00:41:28,428 --> 00:41:31,931
So you can start mapping what the
conditions are in one place or other.
706
00:41:32,599 --> 00:41:34,200
And with those maps,
707
00:41:34,234 --> 00:41:37,336
you can start to make
more informed predictions
708
00:41:37,371 --> 00:41:39,805
rather than just relying
on the leeches.
709
00:41:42,042 --> 00:41:45,444
[narrator] All that remains today
of Merryweather's radical invention
710
00:41:45,479 --> 00:41:49,048
is a replica that sits in the
museum, where he was once curator.
711
00:41:51,618 --> 00:41:54,720
Albeit lacking
its blood-sucking stars.