DVDs in the Works

We’re already getting requests to release A History of Scotland, a sweeping ten-hour series from BBC Scotland, on DVD, and we can confirm that it has indeed been on our “to-be-announced” schedule almost from the time we first heard of the idea. In a story arc that spans two millennia but always keeps its eye on how this history matters to Scots today, we follow the emergence of the Scottish nation from a number of warring tribes to the establishment of the Gaelic kingdom of Alba, and then to its centuries of struggle against the English to the reopening of Scottish Parliament in 1999. Archaeologist Neil Oliver brings a fresh perspective to the birth and growth of this continually fascinating nation, never before covered in such an ambitious series. With stunning, BAFTA-winning cinematography in high-def and the very latest in historical research, A History of Scotland promises to be well worth the wait.

Some of you may remember Iain Stewart’s fascinating series Earth: The Biography, which aired on National Geographic in 2008. Iain is back later this spring to show how the powerful forces that shape our planet have also shaped and molded world history. For instance, his exploration of the benefits of fault lines takes us to the Negev desert. There he explores the 6,000-year-old copper mines of Timna, excavated by hand and so old that they look natural (see above). Again and again cities and eventually civilizations rise around the resources that fault lines offer – water, minerals or even scenic landscapes, such as California’s spectacular coastline. As he did in his earlier series, Iain brings high-def cameras to awe-inspiring natural wonders. Click here to see a clip of his visit to Mexico’s Cave of Crystals and its 30- foot-long natural crystals, only discovered in 2000. Adding impressive CGI and visits to such man-made wonders as the Palace of Knossos and Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, How the Earth Changed History is another great addition in the biography of our planet.