In his documentary series Ancient Apocalypse, which is available on Netflix under the title Tracking Lost Civilizations, journalist Graham Hancock sets out on the traces of a lost civilization. In his opinion, it was responsible for the great achievements of mankind and has not yet been explored.
What sounds like a revolutionary research breakthrough is for many serious researchers and archaeologists conspiracy theory nonsensewhich discredits the work of serious experts.
Netflix documentary Ancient Apocalypse has been criticized as dangerous and unfair
Graham Hancock, who describes himself as a journalist, theorizes in the Netflix series that 12,000 years ago an advanced society existedwhich was wiped out by climate change and is said to have left modern civilization with various clues for the construction of certain technologies before they died out.
Hancock relies on theories that have not been scientifically proven, while also questioning the serious work of many people in the archaeological field. The popular psychologist Jordan Peterson and podcaster Joe Rogan, for example, offered him a platform. Both personalities who through polarizing views and extreme ideologies are controversial.
After Ancient Apocalypse stormed the top 10 internationally on Netflix, Reactions from experts and controversial discussions don’t be long in coming.
Archaeologist John Hoopes, for example, writes on Twitter:
At this point you will find external content from Twitter, which complements the article. You can show it and hide it again with one click.
Graham Hancock’s unfair and unjustified denigration of archaeologists in #AncientApocalypse actively harms public archeology at a time when archaeologists are struggling to pay their bills and support their families. Few are as big shots as he is.
Peter Campbell, who teaches in this area, also writes:
At this point you will find external content from Twitter, which complements the article. You can show it and hide it again with one click.
If you’ve seen #AncientApocalypse and are wondering if there’s a “mainstream archeology” conspiracy, just do this: follow the money. That’s all. Do you believe a millionaire with a Netflix series? Or tens of thousands of people working in archeology for an average of £15/hour?
In his article for the British Guardian, Stuart Heritage describes the documentary series in the headline as Most Dangerous Netflix Series:
That’s the danger of a show like this. She whispers to the conspiracy theorist in all of us. And Hancock is such a compelling host that he’s sure to have a few more in his wake. Believing that ultra-intelligent creatures helped build the pyramids is one thing, but where does believing voter fraud is real end? To believe that 9/11 was an inside job? Even worse? If you want to be extra mean, you could assume Netflix knows this and knows it made every effort to woo the conspiracy theorists.
The website Phys.org also has critical voices on the Netflix series collected. Steph Halmhofer, who studies the eradication of indigenous heritage by far-right groups at the University of Alberta, explains the appeal of Ancient Apocalypse this way:
It’s about conspiracy and positioning Hancock as a victim of a conspiracy. the repeated derogatory remarks about archaeologists and other academics in each episode from Ancient Apocalypse are necessary to remind the audience that the proposed alternate past is true, regardless of the lack of conclusive evidence to support it and the vagueness of who this supposed advanced civilization was. Combined with the credibility it is given as a series produced by NetflixAncient Apocalypse becomes an easy resource for anyone wishing to conjure up a fantasized mythical past.
standing in Germany all 8 episodes of Ancient Apocalypse titled Tracking Lost Civilizations is available to stream on Netflix if you want to get a look.
The 20 best series starts in November: 1899, Wednesday and Teletubby horror
Need more fresh streaming tips? The most exciting series that you can stream in November on Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and more can be found here in the monthly preview:
At this point you will find external content that complements the article. You can show it and hide it again with one click.
We have checked the long starting lists of the streaming services and present you the 20 big highlights of the month in the Moviepilot podcast stream trawl. Featuring fantasy highlights like Wednesday and Willow, as well as 1899, the highly anticipated new puzzle series from the Dark Team.
*. . .
Do you already know the controversial Netflix docuseries Ancient Apocalypse?