Chronicle (British TV programme)
BBC Two's long-running archaeology documentary series.
Chronicle was a British television programme broadcast on BBC Two from 1966 to 1991, focusing on popular archaeology and related subjects. It was commissioned by David Attenborough and produced by the BBC's Archaeological and Historical Unit. The programme is considered an influential landmark in early television presentation of archaeology.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Documentary
- Executive producers
- Paul Johnstone (1966–1976); Bruce Norman (1977–1989)
- Editor
- Bruce Norman
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Series
- 25
- Runtime
- 50–60 min. (regular episode)
- Network
- BBC Two
Facts from the source article.
Background
The BBC's interest in archaeology on television grew from earlier radio and TV experiments. In 1946, Glyn Daniel introduced a radio programme called The Archaeologist. A TV quiz show, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?, followed in 1952, and then Buried Treasure ran from 1954 to 1959. In 1966, David Attenborough, the first controller of BBC Two, decided there was enough public interest to create a dedicated unit, the Archaeological and Historical Unit, to produce a new programme: Chronicle. Attenborough wanted the show to cover archaeological digs and discoveries from around the world, showing the work as it happened and presenting new finds. Paul Johnstone led the unit, and later Bruce Norman became the editor. Norman described Chronicle as a "show" because the team was "in the entertainment business – not the archaeology business," aiming to "inform and educate the viewing public in as entertaining a way as possible." The programme featured many writers, presenters, and narrators. Magnus Magnusson was one of the earliest, writing and presenting from 1966. Others included archaeologists Glyn Daniel, Colin Renfrew, Mortimer Wheeler, and David Drew, as well as historian John Julius Norwich. Chronicle ended in 1991 after Norman's death. The programme mixed full-length documentaries with live broadcasts. It funded projects it then filmed, starting with a live broadcast of Richard Atkinson's 1968 excavation of the prehistoric mound Silbury Hill. That dig, along with Leslie Alcock's work at South Cadbury, produced few results. Later funded investigations included a post-mortem examination of Tutankhamun. Notable episodes covered excavations at Knossos and Sutton Hoo, and the programme was part of the 16-hour live coverage of raising the Mary Rose from the Solent. Most subjects focused on ancient civilisations, but it also covered biographies, philosophy, and areas like industrial, underwater, and amateur archaeology.
Reception
Though it began unsteadily, this programme eventually became known for producing a string of strong documentaries, marking a high point in British television. However, it faced criticism for sensationalism, especially in three episodes from Henry Lincoln in 1972, 1974, and 1979 about the Rennes-le-Château mystery and Knights Templar conspiracy. That theory later appeared in The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail and eventually inspired Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. The show was also faulted for a "soft-centered approach" to topics like the Mary Rose. Additionally, a dig at Silbury Hill funded by the programme allegedly damaged the site because it was not properly refilled. Viewership grew from one million in 1973 to 2.5 million by 1983. Its most-watched episodes came during 16 hours of coverage over three days in October 1982, covering the raising of the Tudor warship Mary Rose. This attracted a cumulative UK audience of 20 million, plus viewers elsewhere in Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Chronicle (British TV programme) first air?
Chronicle first aired on 18 June 1966.
When did Chronicle (British TV programme) end?
Chronicle last aired on 29 May 1991.
More in 1970s British Documentary Television Series
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