Ancient Egypt was vandalised by tomb raiders and treasure hunters until one Victorian adventurer took them on. Most of us have never heard of Flinders Petrie, but this maverick genius undertook a scientific survey of the pyramids, discovered the oldest portraits in the world, unearthed Egypt's prehistoric roots - and in the process invented modern field archaeology, giving meaning to a whole civilisation.

Documentary following the making of the British Museum's biggest exhibition in a generation and telling the story of its subject, the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi, who founded the world's oldest political entity and created the spectacular Terracotta Army to guard his vast tomb. Dan Snow follows museum curator Jane Portal and the design team as they create the exhibition, and travels to China to see the original Great Wall, the sacred mountain Tai Shan and the necropolis at Xian.