Secrets of the Dead - Season 2 - Eps 4: Day of the Zulu
During the Anglo-Zulu wars in South Africa, the success of small British regiments against huge numbers of native warriors became the stuff of legend. But in one key 1879 battle, Zulu fighting unites known as Impis decimated the British forces at the battle of Isandlwana. Historian Ian Knight and forensic archaeologist Tony Pollard investigate the battle scene, trying to assess the impact of a solar eclipse on the outcome, and discovering the Zulu use of performance enhancing "battle drugs" that included cannabis and a powerful hallucinogenic mushroom. New evidence reveals the changing tide of the battle, the innovative strategy of the Zulu and one Critical, irreversible British mistake. (UK/PBS 55 min)
About Secrets of the Dead
Title: Secrets of the Dead
First Air Date: 2000-05-15
Last Air Date: 2025-02-26
Status: Returning Series
Rating: 6.3/10 (from 20 votes)
Language: EN
Seasons: 23
Total Episodes: 115
Network: PBS
Genres: Documentary, Mystery
Production Companies: Thirteen
Synopsis
Part detective story, part true-life drama, long-running series explores some of the most iconic moments in history to debunk myths and shed new light on past events. Using the latest investigative techniques, forensic science and historical examination, it shatters accepted wisdom, challenges prevailing ideas, overturns existing hypotheses, spotlights forgotten mysteries, and ultimately rewrites history.
