1 00:00:01,543 --> 00:00:02,920 [William Shatner] A simple wooden cup 2 00:00:03,045 --> 00:00:05,672 with miraculous healing abilities. 3 00:00:05,839 --> 00:00:08,383 An ancient sword 4 00:00:08,592 --> 00:00:11,637 that seems impervious to the ravages of time. 5 00:00:11,803 --> 00:00:14,598 And royal regalia so powerful 6 00:00:14,765 --> 00:00:18,810 they're kept hidden from human eyes. 7 00:00:18,977 --> 00:00:23,357 Powerful objects have captivated our imagination 8 00:00:23,524 --> 00:00:26,276 for centuries, in legendary tales 9 00:00:26,443 --> 00:00:30,197 that include the likes of a thunderous hammer, 10 00:00:30,322 --> 00:00:31,949 a flying carpet 11 00:00:32,115 --> 00:00:35,285 and even a sword of invincibility. 12 00:00:36,370 --> 00:00:38,247 But history also offers stories 13 00:00:38,413 --> 00:00:42,501 of holy relics, golden jewels and weapons of war 14 00:00:42,709 --> 00:00:46,129 that can be described as simply... magical. 15 00:00:46,296 --> 00:00:48,715 Is it possible that ordinary objects 16 00:00:48,882 --> 00:00:53,512 can possess special powers beyond our understanding? 17 00:00:53,679 --> 00:00:57,724 Well, that is what we'll try and find out. 18 00:00:57,891 --> 00:00:59,893 ♪ ♪ 19 00:01:11,613 --> 00:01:13,490 [Shatner] All around the world, visitors walk 20 00:01:13,657 --> 00:01:16,410 into museum galleries to admire priceless art 21 00:01:16,577 --> 00:01:19,204 and incredible historic artifacts. 22 00:01:19,371 --> 00:01:21,707 Some of the most magnificent objects are often 23 00:01:21,873 --> 00:01:24,876 kept behind thick panes of protective glass 24 00:01:25,043 --> 00:01:28,714 and monitored by security around the clock. 25 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:33,051 Among these marvels to behold are opulent crowns, 26 00:01:33,218 --> 00:01:36,346 scepters and jewels of kings and queens. 27 00:01:36,513 --> 00:01:39,224 Royal regalia so valuable 28 00:01:39,391 --> 00:01:42,394 that their worth is not only measured in price 29 00:01:42,561 --> 00:01:44,187 but in power. 30 00:01:44,354 --> 00:01:46,315 [J.W. Ocker] The regalia of royalty 31 00:01:46,481 --> 00:01:48,650 and the objects of power around them are very important, right? 32 00:01:48,817 --> 00:01:50,152 Because without them, 33 00:01:50,319 --> 00:01:52,154 a king, a queen, the prince, a princess-- 34 00:01:52,321 --> 00:01:53,739 they're just like anybody else, wearing regular clothes, 35 00:01:53,947 --> 00:01:55,157 doing regular things. 36 00:01:55,282 --> 00:01:57,326 But these objects of power, 37 00:01:57,492 --> 00:01:59,036 whether it's the clothes they wore, 38 00:01:59,202 --> 00:02:00,537 the jewels they wore, 39 00:02:00,746 --> 00:02:02,956 set them apart as something different. 40 00:02:03,123 --> 00:02:04,499 These weren't just people. 41 00:02:04,708 --> 00:02:07,336 These were chosen by God, 42 00:02:07,502 --> 00:02:09,880 or these were chosen by the people even 43 00:02:10,005 --> 00:02:11,673 to be set apart, 44 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:13,216 to lead, to represent the country, 45 00:02:13,383 --> 00:02:14,968 to be a symbol of the country. 46 00:02:16,511 --> 00:02:21,224 [Roy Fisher] The power that these objects seem to hold 47 00:02:21,391 --> 00:02:25,479 is probably best thought of as an entanglement 48 00:02:25,604 --> 00:02:28,482 of several different elements. 49 00:02:28,607 --> 00:02:32,235 Sometimes it could be the rituals, 50 00:02:32,402 --> 00:02:37,532 the efforts that are brought to bear to craft and create. 51 00:02:37,699 --> 00:02:41,286 Sometimes it appears that there are certain rituals 52 00:02:41,453 --> 00:02:45,916 that imbue objects with additional powers. 53 00:02:46,083 --> 00:02:48,752 We also have to include the faith, 54 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:53,090 the belief, the commitments of the communities. 55 00:02:53,256 --> 00:02:56,718 So, really, the question of where does the power come from 56 00:02:56,885 --> 00:02:59,388 is a murky, complicated one 57 00:02:59,554 --> 00:03:01,390 that asks us to look 58 00:03:01,556 --> 00:03:04,851 at several different factors simultaneously. 59 00:03:05,977 --> 00:03:07,396 [Graham Phillips] There are many objects of power 60 00:03:07,562 --> 00:03:08,980 throughout history 61 00:03:09,189 --> 00:03:10,440 that are said to be able to do 62 00:03:10,565 --> 00:03:12,025 all sorts of different things. 63 00:03:12,192 --> 00:03:14,027 They may be made out of objects 64 00:03:14,194 --> 00:03:19,032 which were rare, like gold, or they had jewels in them. 65 00:03:19,199 --> 00:03:20,575 It may be because they were blessed 66 00:03:20,784 --> 00:03:23,829 by priests or by shamans. 67 00:03:23,995 --> 00:03:25,872 Or it could simply have been 68 00:03:26,039 --> 00:03:28,708 that the objects were so venerated 69 00:03:28,875 --> 00:03:31,378 that they then began to have power. 70 00:03:31,586 --> 00:03:33,588 It makes you wonder, 71 00:03:33,755 --> 00:03:35,757 and it makes them all the more mysterious. 72 00:03:36,842 --> 00:03:38,427 [Shatner] Is the perceived power of these objects 73 00:03:38,593 --> 00:03:39,803 merely symbolic? 74 00:03:39,970 --> 00:03:42,347 Or could they possess real 75 00:03:42,514 --> 00:03:44,683 supernatural abilities? 76 00:03:48,353 --> 00:03:52,899 [Shatner reads on-screen text] 77 00:03:53,066 --> 00:03:55,110 [Shatner] Dignitaries gather to witness 78 00:03:55,277 --> 00:03:58,113 the coronation of Emperor Naruhito, 79 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:02,826 the 126th monarch to rule over the island nation. 80 00:04:03,952 --> 00:04:05,287 [Alice Tseng] Emperor Naruhito, 81 00:04:05,454 --> 00:04:07,831 on the outside, seems like a regular person. 82 00:04:07,998 --> 00:04:11,126 He's the eldest son of the last emperor, Akihito. 83 00:04:11,293 --> 00:04:15,213 And he went to college in Japan and Oxford. 84 00:04:15,380 --> 00:04:18,632 But he's not a regular person. 85 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:22,304 He comes from a long lineage of emperors 86 00:04:22,471 --> 00:04:24,598 from the same bloodline since 87 00:04:24,723 --> 00:04:27,809 the year 660 BCE. 88 00:04:27,976 --> 00:04:31,021 And this line of emperors link back 89 00:04:31,229 --> 00:04:34,274 to the sun goddess Amaterasu. 90 00:04:34,441 --> 00:04:38,570 In Shinto belief, she is the most powerful deity. 91 00:04:38,737 --> 00:04:41,573 She was the one who ruled over the heavens. 92 00:04:41,740 --> 00:04:43,283 So that's what makes 93 00:04:43,408 --> 00:04:45,452 Emperor Naruhito so special. 94 00:04:45,619 --> 00:04:48,330 He is supposedly the direct descendant 95 00:04:48,497 --> 00:04:50,832 from a divine goddess. 96 00:04:51,958 --> 00:04:53,293 [Shatner] While it's a remarkable claim 97 00:04:53,460 --> 00:04:56,129 that the emperor is a descendant of a sun goddess, 98 00:04:56,296 --> 00:04:59,090 what's even more intriguing is that many believe 99 00:04:59,257 --> 00:05:01,301 the proof of his divine heritage 100 00:05:01,510 --> 00:05:05,222 can be found in three magical, sacred objects 101 00:05:05,430 --> 00:05:07,390 that have been shrouded in secrecy 102 00:05:07,557 --> 00:05:11,436 for an astonishing 2,700 years. 103 00:05:11,603 --> 00:05:13,355 There are three sacred treasures that are presented 104 00:05:13,522 --> 00:05:15,065 to the emperor at his coronation, 105 00:05:15,232 --> 00:05:17,108 and they keep them under wraps. 106 00:05:17,275 --> 00:05:18,985 Literally under wraps. 107 00:05:19,152 --> 00:05:21,404 They are hidden away inside boxes, 108 00:05:21,571 --> 00:05:24,282 but supposedly, they contain three sacred items 109 00:05:24,407 --> 00:05:27,202 that invest him with the power of a divine emperor. 110 00:05:27,327 --> 00:05:30,455 The sword and the mirror and the jewel. 111 00:05:30,622 --> 00:05:33,792 And the sacred sword and the mirror and the jewel 112 00:05:33,959 --> 00:05:36,461 never come out of their boxes. 113 00:05:36,670 --> 00:05:38,255 [Tseng] The popular belief is 114 00:05:38,421 --> 00:05:40,549 there's a set of the real three, 115 00:05:40,715 --> 00:05:43,301 and then there are also replicas. 116 00:05:43,510 --> 00:05:45,929 So why do the replicas exist? 117 00:05:47,013 --> 00:05:51,184 That's something that also cannot quite be explained. 118 00:05:51,351 --> 00:05:54,479 But the three sacred treasures of Japan 119 00:05:54,604 --> 00:05:57,524 aren't ordinary objects. 120 00:05:57,691 --> 00:06:01,486 These are the three objects that the sun goddess handed 121 00:06:01,653 --> 00:06:05,240 to her divine grandson, Ninigi. 122 00:06:05,365 --> 00:06:08,827 And she told him to take these three objects 123 00:06:08,994 --> 00:06:12,581 and go down to the islands of Japan and become its ruler. 124 00:06:12,789 --> 00:06:14,708 And so, these are the objects 125 00:06:14,875 --> 00:06:18,044 that legitimize the person who is the ruler. 126 00:06:18,211 --> 00:06:20,672 It's a perfect combination 127 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:25,176 of a person in the legitimate line 128 00:06:25,385 --> 00:06:28,179 who's in possession of those three objects 129 00:06:28,388 --> 00:06:32,225 for that power to be, um, ignited. 130 00:06:33,310 --> 00:06:35,186 [Shatner] Japan's sacred treasures 131 00:06:35,353 --> 00:06:38,440 are easily the most mysterious royal regalia in the world. 132 00:06:38,565 --> 00:06:43,194 But why are mere mortals still forbidden to see them? 133 00:06:43,361 --> 00:06:46,448 Are they really objects gifted by a goddess? 134 00:06:46,615 --> 00:06:51,286 And if so, what powers could they possess? 135 00:06:52,329 --> 00:06:55,206 [Clements] The sword has a big historical provenance. 136 00:06:55,373 --> 00:06:57,167 Today we call it Kusanagi, 137 00:06:57,334 --> 00:07:00,754 but its original name was Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, 138 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:05,050 which means "the sword that gathers the clouds together." 139 00:07:05,216 --> 00:07:08,011 The sword has magical properties. 140 00:07:08,178 --> 00:07:10,138 The one time on the historical record 141 00:07:10,347 --> 00:07:13,308 that someone opened the box with the sword in it, everybody died. 142 00:07:13,475 --> 00:07:16,269 Maybe the sword is made of some kind of substance 143 00:07:16,436 --> 00:07:20,398 that is dangerous, or maybe that's just wishful thinking. 144 00:07:20,523 --> 00:07:22,317 The mirror of Yata, 145 00:07:22,484 --> 00:07:25,445 the mirror of the eight directions, is a bronze mirror, 146 00:07:25,612 --> 00:07:27,238 and supposedly, it has a power 147 00:07:27,364 --> 00:07:29,282 of communicating to the sun goddess. 148 00:07:29,449 --> 00:07:31,660 And then there's the magatama jewel, 149 00:07:31,868 --> 00:07:34,746 presumably a comma-shaped precious stone. 150 00:07:34,913 --> 00:07:36,956 Nobody really knows what that does. 151 00:07:37,123 --> 00:07:38,833 There are stories in Japanese mythology 152 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,420 about jewels that can control the tides and the sea, 153 00:07:42,629 --> 00:07:44,798 but these are all questions that remain unanswered. 154 00:07:44,964 --> 00:07:46,841 [Shatner] Could the ceremonial boxes 155 00:07:46,966 --> 00:07:49,010 that contain Japan's royal regalia 156 00:07:49,177 --> 00:07:51,763 house supernatural objects? 157 00:07:51,888 --> 00:07:54,891 While the mystery endures, it is rather curious 158 00:07:55,058 --> 00:07:58,770 that so much effort is spent keeping these fabled treasures 159 00:07:58,937 --> 00:08:00,939 completely hidden from us. 160 00:08:01,147 --> 00:08:05,276 In fact, other than the rare coronation of a new emperor, 161 00:08:05,443 --> 00:08:11,116 no one can say for sure exactly where they are kept. 162 00:08:11,282 --> 00:08:14,661 [Tseng] Interestingly, the three treasures-- 163 00:08:14,869 --> 00:08:16,705 we don't quite know where they are. 164 00:08:16,871 --> 00:08:20,625 The Imperial House Agency will not confirm or deny, 165 00:08:20,792 --> 00:08:22,836 but there's a lot of conjecture. 166 00:08:23,002 --> 00:08:25,922 The popular belief is 167 00:08:26,089 --> 00:08:29,718 the treasures are in three separate places right now. 168 00:08:29,884 --> 00:08:33,304 So, the mirror would be at the Ise Shrine 169 00:08:33,471 --> 00:08:35,849 in Mie Prefecture. 170 00:08:36,015 --> 00:08:40,979 The sword is in Atsuta Shrine, which is in Aichi Prefecture. 171 00:08:41,187 --> 00:08:43,188 And the jewel is the only one 172 00:08:43,356 --> 00:08:47,485 that's supposed to be already inside the Imperial Palace. 173 00:08:47,652 --> 00:08:50,196 But at the same time, since no one will confirm it, 174 00:08:50,363 --> 00:08:51,656 we don't know for sure. 175 00:08:51,823 --> 00:08:55,201 So, when so much belief is concentrated 176 00:08:55,368 --> 00:08:57,287 in this set of regalia, 177 00:08:57,454 --> 00:09:00,790 they definitely become more than simply objects. 178 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,127 You know, a mirror, a sword and a jewel. 179 00:09:04,294 --> 00:09:09,591 These are objects that are not just more than 2,000 years old. 180 00:09:09,758 --> 00:09:11,885 They came straight from the hands of divinity, 181 00:09:12,052 --> 00:09:16,639 and so that definitely makes them objects of power. 182 00:09:16,806 --> 00:09:20,435 [Phillips] These items are considered so, so sacred 183 00:09:20,602 --> 00:09:23,855 because they held the essence of the goddess. 184 00:09:23,855 --> 00:09:24,773 because they held the essence of the goddess. 185 00:09:25,315 --> 00:09:27,192 Now, the fact that they're all kept separate, 186 00:09:27,358 --> 00:09:29,235 no one ever gets to see them, 187 00:09:29,402 --> 00:09:33,281 only makes them more mysterious. 188 00:09:37,619 --> 00:09:39,412 [Shatner] In Christianity, devoted followers 189 00:09:39,579 --> 00:09:43,416 have painstakingly protected sacred artifacts associated 190 00:09:43,583 --> 00:09:46,211 with the life and death of Jesus Christ. 191 00:09:46,377 --> 00:09:51,800 Objects like the True Cross, on which Jesus was crucified. 192 00:09:51,925 --> 00:09:56,971 The Spear of Longinus that pierced his side. 193 00:09:57,138 --> 00:09:59,557 And the Shroud of Turin, 194 00:09:59,724 --> 00:10:02,227 a burial cloth allegedly imprinted 195 00:10:02,393 --> 00:10:04,270 with Christ's likeness. 196 00:10:04,437 --> 00:10:06,898 These holy relics are revered 197 00:10:07,107 --> 00:10:09,317 not only for their historical importance 198 00:10:09,442 --> 00:10:13,113 but also for the energetic power 199 00:10:13,279 --> 00:10:16,449 they are believed to possess. 200 00:10:17,492 --> 00:10:19,994 [Fisher] When you link a physical object 201 00:10:20,161 --> 00:10:24,082 to a particularly holy or powerful person, 202 00:10:24,249 --> 00:10:29,295 that object can absorb energy and power. 203 00:10:29,462 --> 00:10:31,923 That's how the thinking behind relics goes. 204 00:10:33,341 --> 00:10:36,761 A relic is a physical object 205 00:10:36,928 --> 00:10:39,013 that came in contact 206 00:10:39,180 --> 00:10:42,684 with a holy person or a holy thing. 207 00:10:44,018 --> 00:10:47,188 These are known magical objects. 208 00:10:47,355 --> 00:10:50,817 And like so many holy relics, there are 209 00:10:51,025 --> 00:10:53,736 purportedly pieces all over the world. 210 00:10:54,779 --> 00:10:56,573 Being encased in glass. 211 00:10:56,739 --> 00:10:58,158 Being held in a cup. 212 00:10:58,283 --> 00:11:01,161 Being put in a special box 213 00:11:01,286 --> 00:11:05,039 and held for people to be used as a holy relic. 214 00:11:07,083 --> 00:11:09,586 [Shatner] One of the most sought-after religious relics 215 00:11:09,752 --> 00:11:11,963 that has been lost or hidden 216 00:11:12,088 --> 00:11:16,634 over the past 2,000 years is a simple chalice, 217 00:11:16,801 --> 00:11:20,722 said to possess the ability to provide sustenance, 218 00:11:20,847 --> 00:11:25,226 heal the sick and even grant eternal life. 219 00:11:25,393 --> 00:11:28,688 It is called the Holy Grail. 220 00:11:28,855 --> 00:11:31,149 [Fisher] The legend of the Holy Grail, 221 00:11:31,316 --> 00:11:33,151 this luminous vessel 222 00:11:33,318 --> 00:11:38,031 is understood to be the chalice 223 00:11:38,198 --> 00:11:41,993 that Jesus used at the Last Supper. 224 00:11:43,411 --> 00:11:46,080 But also, it's a cup that was used 225 00:11:46,206 --> 00:11:50,919 to catch the blood of Jesus at the crucifixion. 226 00:11:51,044 --> 00:11:54,339 So, by connecting this object 227 00:11:54,547 --> 00:11:59,802 to the life and the blood of Jesus, 228 00:11:59,969 --> 00:12:01,721 it has long thought 229 00:12:01,846 --> 00:12:05,308 to bring healing to those who drink from it. 230 00:12:06,851 --> 00:12:09,854 [Lewis] There have been many, many contenders 231 00:12:10,021 --> 00:12:12,732 for the actual Holy Grail. 232 00:12:12,899 --> 00:12:16,110 Even in Europe, we know about 200 objects 233 00:12:16,277 --> 00:12:18,112 that are said to be the Holy Grail. 234 00:12:18,279 --> 00:12:22,283 And in fact, the cup's ability 235 00:12:22,408 --> 00:12:25,662 to heal people is really the test 236 00:12:25,870 --> 00:12:27,747 that these many, many chalices 237 00:12:27,914 --> 00:12:29,707 across Europe have really kind of put to. 238 00:12:30,708 --> 00:12:32,961 And there are accounts 239 00:12:33,086 --> 00:12:37,340 of these various Holy Grails being able to heal people. 240 00:12:37,548 --> 00:12:39,717 Does that mean that these chalices are 241 00:12:39,842 --> 00:12:41,928 actually the Holy Grail? 242 00:12:42,929 --> 00:12:46,099 The reality of it is we don't really know. 243 00:12:49,269 --> 00:12:51,271 [Shatner reads on-screen text] 244 00:12:51,437 --> 00:12:54,274 [Shatner] Established in 1907, 245 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:58,236 this esteemed institution holds more than seven million books 246 00:12:58,403 --> 00:13:00,989 and other Welsh treasures, 247 00:13:01,155 --> 00:13:03,992 some of which date back almost 2,000 years. 248 00:13:04,158 --> 00:13:09,038 And the most legendary artifact on display is the remains 249 00:13:09,205 --> 00:13:14,127 of a humble wooden vessel known as the Nanteos Cup. 250 00:13:15,420 --> 00:13:16,963 [Lewis] The Nanteos Cup 251 00:13:17,130 --> 00:13:21,718 is a wooden bowl, really, more than a cup. 252 00:13:21,884 --> 00:13:26,514 It's made out of kind of elmwood. 253 00:13:26,681 --> 00:13:28,558 It's now quite fragmentary. 254 00:13:28,683 --> 00:13:30,101 It's fallen apart. 255 00:13:30,310 --> 00:13:32,020 It was originally whole, of course. 256 00:13:32,228 --> 00:13:36,482 And we first really hear about it in the 19th century 257 00:13:36,649 --> 00:13:39,527 associated with a place called the Nanteos Mansion, 258 00:13:39,694 --> 00:13:43,656 where it was given over to a family for safekeeping. 259 00:13:44,741 --> 00:13:46,909 [Wood] The records of the Nanteos Cup 260 00:13:47,076 --> 00:13:48,327 are very, very interesting. 261 00:13:48,494 --> 00:13:50,204 They're mostly 19th century. 262 00:13:50,371 --> 00:13:52,790 The earliest ones are about 1820. 263 00:13:53,875 --> 00:13:57,003 You actually have people saying, "I borrowed the cup," 264 00:13:57,170 --> 00:13:59,047 and it was returned, 265 00:13:59,213 --> 00:14:02,550 and whoever borrowed the cup was cured. 266 00:14:02,717 --> 00:14:05,136 So, it acquired a reputation as a healing vessel. 267 00:14:06,262 --> 00:14:07,972 [Shatner] Beginning in the late 19th century, 268 00:14:08,139 --> 00:14:09,724 the Nanteos Cup-- 269 00:14:09,891 --> 00:14:12,643 sometimes referred to as the Tregaron Cup-- 270 00:14:12,810 --> 00:14:16,981 became famous among the Welsh for its alleged healing powers. 271 00:14:17,190 --> 00:14:21,819 So, where did this mysterious cup originally come from? 272 00:14:24,072 --> 00:14:26,032 Well, according to folklore, 273 00:14:26,199 --> 00:14:28,159 400 years ago, the cup's home 274 00:14:28,284 --> 00:14:31,913 was Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset, England, 275 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:36,250 a site long associated with the Holy Grail. 276 00:14:38,294 --> 00:14:41,214 [Phillips] The monks of Glastonbury Abbey claim 277 00:14:41,380 --> 00:14:43,132 to have this Grail cup, 278 00:14:43,299 --> 00:14:45,927 and they claim to have had it all the way through 279 00:14:46,094 --> 00:14:47,970 until the 1500s, 280 00:14:48,137 --> 00:14:51,307 when King Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church 281 00:14:51,474 --> 00:14:55,186 and decided to close and sack the monasteries. 282 00:14:55,353 --> 00:14:59,357 And so, what happened is that the monks of Glastonbury, 283 00:14:59,524 --> 00:15:01,609 with this cup, wanted to keep it safe. 284 00:15:01,776 --> 00:15:03,986 It was their most sacred possession. 285 00:15:04,153 --> 00:15:07,365 Took it to another abbey in Wales. 286 00:15:08,366 --> 00:15:10,118 Seven monks escaped with the cup 287 00:15:10,284 --> 00:15:11,953 over the Welsh mountains, 288 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:13,704 ending up in Strata Florida, 289 00:15:13,871 --> 00:15:16,082 a very important Cistercian monastery 290 00:15:16,207 --> 00:15:17,834 in central Wales, 291 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:19,585 where they stayed. 292 00:15:19,752 --> 00:15:22,004 And as each monk died, 293 00:15:22,171 --> 00:15:24,423 he handed it on to the next monk. 294 00:15:24,590 --> 00:15:26,551 When the last monk died, 295 00:15:26,717 --> 00:15:31,722 the people who bought the land were gifted or sold this cup, 296 00:15:31,848 --> 00:15:34,642 which is going to become the Nanteos Cup. 297 00:15:34,809 --> 00:15:37,937 And there were people who felt it was a healing cup. 298 00:15:38,146 --> 00:15:41,566 So, as it spreads out, there are people who think, 299 00:15:41,732 --> 00:15:44,610 "No, this is the real Holy Grail." 300 00:15:45,695 --> 00:15:48,156 [Shatner] Could the Nanteos Cup be the actual vessel used 301 00:15:48,322 --> 00:15:49,532 at the Last Supper? 302 00:15:49,699 --> 00:15:52,243 It's an intriguing question 303 00:15:52,410 --> 00:15:54,328 that gained international attention 304 00:15:54,495 --> 00:15:57,081 after a recent criminal caper. 305 00:15:58,583 --> 00:16:00,585 [Lewis] In July of 2014, 306 00:16:00,751 --> 00:16:04,046 burglars break into the house of a woman 307 00:16:04,213 --> 00:16:07,842 who had been loaned the Nanteos Cup. 308 00:16:07,967 --> 00:16:10,261 The cup is there at her house. 309 00:16:10,469 --> 00:16:11,846 She's not present at the time. 310 00:16:12,013 --> 00:16:15,099 The burglars get in, and they take this cup. 311 00:16:15,308 --> 00:16:19,478 After about 11 months of publicity, 312 00:16:19,604 --> 00:16:22,273 the police are involved. 313 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,443 Strangely, just over a year later, 314 00:16:25,610 --> 00:16:29,530 someone returns it anonymously. 315 00:16:29,697 --> 00:16:32,783 Was it too powerful for them to hold on to? 316 00:16:32,950 --> 00:16:34,535 We'll never know. 317 00:16:34,702 --> 00:16:38,789 But now it's safely in the museum there in Wales. 318 00:16:40,166 --> 00:16:42,668 [Shatner] Since its return, the public's fascination 319 00:16:42,835 --> 00:16:45,338 with the Nanteos Cup has only grown. 320 00:16:45,546 --> 00:16:49,342 It has become so famous, in fact, that in 2017, 321 00:16:49,550 --> 00:16:52,595 King Charles, then the prince of Wales, 322 00:16:52,762 --> 00:16:55,932 paid a visit to the fabled bowl. 323 00:16:56,098 --> 00:16:59,352 While the cup's true origin remains a mystery, 324 00:16:59,518 --> 00:17:02,897 its ability to provide healing powers 325 00:17:03,105 --> 00:17:07,401 is considered nothing short of miraculous. 326 00:17:08,527 --> 00:17:09,987 Not everyone can accept it, 327 00:17:10,154 --> 00:17:12,198 but people who've experienced this healing 328 00:17:12,365 --> 00:17:14,909 really feel that it has happened, 329 00:17:15,076 --> 00:17:18,037 and I think we wouldn't dismiss their experience, 330 00:17:18,162 --> 00:17:19,955 even if we don't agree with it. 331 00:17:20,122 --> 00:17:22,875 For a lot of people, it's a very sincere belief. 332 00:17:23,041 --> 00:17:25,002 People believe it's real. 333 00:17:27,838 --> 00:17:33,386 A wooden cup that can heal the sick sounds, well, miraculous. 334 00:17:33,553 --> 00:17:36,097 But there's another object 335 00:17:36,305 --> 00:17:40,309 that's also said to possess powers of biblical proportions. 336 00:17:40,476 --> 00:17:44,272 It's a decorative item with extraordinary abilities 337 00:17:44,438 --> 00:17:46,524 that's as small 338 00:17:46,691 --> 00:17:49,485 as the ring on your finger. 339 00:17:53,531 --> 00:17:55,241 [Shatner] People have been adorning their bodies 340 00:17:55,366 --> 00:17:57,868 with jewelry of all types for thousands of years. 341 00:17:58,035 --> 00:18:01,831 Yet, rings have held a special place of great meaning, 342 00:18:01,998 --> 00:18:05,167 like the promise of eternal love, 343 00:18:05,334 --> 00:18:08,337 the authority of a spiritual leader, 344 00:18:08,546 --> 00:18:11,841 or even the victory of an athletic championship. 345 00:18:11,966 --> 00:18:13,801 In many ways, 346 00:18:13,926 --> 00:18:18,055 rings have become the most symbolic object we can wear. 347 00:18:18,222 --> 00:18:20,349 [Ocker] We've been wearing rings as long as we've had fingers. 348 00:18:20,516 --> 00:18:23,728 They don't have the violent symbolism 349 00:18:23,894 --> 00:18:25,521 of a sword or a weapon. 350 00:18:25,646 --> 00:18:26,856 They have kind of a quiet presence 351 00:18:27,064 --> 00:18:28,316 for the bearer. 352 00:18:28,482 --> 00:18:29,984 It's on a finger. 353 00:18:30,151 --> 00:18:31,819 It's just unobtrusive. 354 00:18:32,028 --> 00:18:34,530 And yet, they can be lost. 355 00:18:34,697 --> 00:18:36,365 They can be given as gifts. 356 00:18:36,532 --> 00:18:38,242 They are valuable. 357 00:18:38,367 --> 00:18:41,078 So, all these things kind of work together to make rings 358 00:18:41,203 --> 00:18:43,497 a very specific type of object of power. 359 00:18:44,832 --> 00:18:49,253 [Shatner] How did rings become such powerful symbols? 360 00:18:49,420 --> 00:18:51,714 For centuries, tales of magic rings 361 00:18:51,881 --> 00:18:53,924 imbued with mystical powers have been the center 362 00:18:54,091 --> 00:18:55,885 of spellbinding stories. 363 00:18:57,136 --> 00:18:59,764 Even the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato, 364 00:18:59,930 --> 00:19:03,267 wrote about a powerful adornment known as 365 00:19:03,434 --> 00:19:06,312 the Ring of Gyges. 366 00:19:06,479 --> 00:19:07,855 [Thompson] Plato gives a great 367 00:19:08,022 --> 00:19:09,607 allegory about the Ring of Gyges. 368 00:19:09,774 --> 00:19:11,359 This is a well-known story. 369 00:19:11,484 --> 00:19:13,402 Uh, supposedly, a-a shepherd 370 00:19:13,569 --> 00:19:17,073 found a tomb of an old warrior, an old king. 371 00:19:17,239 --> 00:19:19,283 He had this massive gold ring on. 372 00:19:19,408 --> 00:19:21,494 He finds out that the gold ring is magical. 373 00:19:21,661 --> 00:19:23,788 It can make him turn invisible. 374 00:19:24,914 --> 00:19:28,000 And then he uses this, uh, to abuse his power. 375 00:19:29,001 --> 00:19:30,753 He seduces the queen, 376 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,005 kills the king 377 00:19:33,172 --> 00:19:36,884 and establishes himself as the new ruler. 378 00:19:37,051 --> 00:19:39,053 So, Plato was trying to point this out, like, 379 00:19:39,220 --> 00:19:42,014 people get corrupted by power. 380 00:19:42,181 --> 00:19:45,434 Like many rings in myths and legends through history, 381 00:19:45,601 --> 00:19:47,770 it comes with a warning attached. 382 00:19:47,937 --> 00:19:50,898 By becoming invisible, he attracted all sorts 383 00:19:51,107 --> 00:19:52,441 of negative influences, 384 00:19:52,566 --> 00:19:53,984 and ultimately, 385 00:19:54,151 --> 00:19:56,612 everything he was able to do was destroyed. 386 00:19:57,822 --> 00:20:00,908 [Shatner] While the Ring of Gyges remains a cautionary tale 387 00:20:01,075 --> 00:20:02,827 about the price of power, 388 00:20:02,993 --> 00:20:07,289 could such a mighty, magical ring have any basis in reality? 389 00:20:09,333 --> 00:20:13,921 Remarkably, some believe that such a ring did exist 390 00:20:14,046 --> 00:20:16,882 around 3,000 years ago, and it belonged to one 391 00:20:17,007 --> 00:20:21,220 of ancient Israel's greatest rulers. 392 00:20:21,429 --> 00:20:23,681 [Phillips] King Solomon was the king 393 00:20:23,848 --> 00:20:25,933 of the ancient Israelites. 394 00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:29,645 He lived around about 3,000 years ago 395 00:20:29,812 --> 00:20:33,023 and is recorded in the Bible as being the wisest 396 00:20:33,190 --> 00:20:35,484 and most powerful king in the world. 397 00:20:36,485 --> 00:20:40,197 He was able to gain so much power 398 00:20:40,364 --> 00:20:44,243 because of his being blessed by God, 399 00:20:44,368 --> 00:20:48,998 and in order that he should be so successful, 400 00:20:49,165 --> 00:20:52,084 it is said he was given a ring 401 00:20:52,251 --> 00:20:55,838 that had once belonged to the Archangel Michael, 402 00:20:56,005 --> 00:20:58,966 and that ring is known as the Seal of Solomon. 403 00:21:00,009 --> 00:21:02,094 The ring had a seal on it. 404 00:21:02,261 --> 00:21:06,056 And the seal is basically what we now call the Star of David. 405 00:21:06,265 --> 00:21:09,852 The triangle pointing upwards represents the power of heaven 406 00:21:10,019 --> 00:21:11,604 that will protect you, 407 00:21:11,771 --> 00:21:13,814 and the triangle pointing downwards 408 00:21:13,981 --> 00:21:16,358 represents your ability to summon 409 00:21:16,484 --> 00:21:19,904 the powers of heaven to do your bidding. 410 00:21:20,070 --> 00:21:23,407 But in addition to that, it is said to have been inscribed 411 00:21:23,574 --> 00:21:26,535 with the secret, true name of God 412 00:21:26,702 --> 00:21:31,248 to give the ring more power than any other amulet or talisman. 413 00:21:32,374 --> 00:21:34,001 [Shatner] According to various legends, 414 00:21:34,126 --> 00:21:36,712 when Solomon died in 931 BC, 415 00:21:36,879 --> 00:21:39,340 his famous ring was lost. 416 00:21:40,549 --> 00:21:43,010 And while we can only guess what it really looked like, 417 00:21:43,177 --> 00:21:46,138 depictions exist of the ancient symbols 418 00:21:46,347 --> 00:21:48,265 believed to have adorned it. 419 00:21:48,432 --> 00:21:51,852 Sacred symbols that may have imbued the object 420 00:21:52,019 --> 00:21:55,439 with strange, supernatural powers. 421 00:21:56,482 --> 00:21:58,400 Solomon's historical significance 422 00:21:58,526 --> 00:22:01,487 is that he is a builder. 423 00:22:02,571 --> 00:22:06,158 He constructs the very first Jewish temple in Jerusalem. 424 00:22:06,283 --> 00:22:07,868 And this is historical fact. 425 00:22:08,035 --> 00:22:10,329 What's really interesting is 426 00:22:10,496 --> 00:22:14,333 there grows up a kind of a set of myths or legends 427 00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:16,752 about how he did this building. 428 00:22:16,919 --> 00:22:19,046 He didn't do it on his own power. 429 00:22:19,213 --> 00:22:22,424 He did it with the power of his magical ring. 430 00:22:23,634 --> 00:22:26,595 [Phillips] According to ancient Judaic tradition, 431 00:22:26,762 --> 00:22:29,515 the Ring of Solomon was supposed to have such great power 432 00:22:29,682 --> 00:22:32,184 because of the symbol inscribed upon it. 433 00:22:32,351 --> 00:22:36,897 And with this ring, he was said to be able to command demons, 434 00:22:37,106 --> 00:22:39,149 summon angels 435 00:22:39,316 --> 00:22:41,986 and have great wisdom. 436 00:22:42,152 --> 00:22:46,824 This made Solomon's ring particularly powerful. 437 00:22:46,991 --> 00:22:50,786 The Ring of Solomon was meant to give power 438 00:22:50,953 --> 00:22:54,874 over creatures, both natural and unnatural. 439 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:59,753 So, the ring was said to give the ability to speak to animals. 440 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:03,215 And it was also said to give the ability to control the jinn, 441 00:23:03,424 --> 00:23:05,718 the supernatural spirits 442 00:23:05,885 --> 00:23:10,055 who were believed to exist and-and interact with humankind. 443 00:23:11,140 --> 00:23:14,727 [Shatner] Did King Solomon truly wield a heavenly ring 444 00:23:14,894 --> 00:23:16,937 that could build great temples, 445 00:23:17,146 --> 00:23:18,939 control beasts 446 00:23:19,148 --> 00:23:21,692 and even harness the power of angels and demons? 447 00:23:21,859 --> 00:23:25,362 No one can say for sure, but like with many tales, 448 00:23:25,529 --> 00:23:28,282 there was a terrible price to pay 449 00:23:28,449 --> 00:23:32,828 when dealing with a ring of incredible power. 450 00:23:32,995 --> 00:23:36,123 One story tells of a demon 451 00:23:36,290 --> 00:23:38,250 by the name of Asmodeus. 452 00:23:38,417 --> 00:23:42,129 And Asmodeus steals Solomon's ring 453 00:23:42,296 --> 00:23:47,343 and uses it to assume the throne and to rule for 40 days. 454 00:23:48,677 --> 00:23:50,387 And I think the story is fascinating 455 00:23:50,554 --> 00:23:53,474 because it really shows that all Solomon's power 456 00:23:53,641 --> 00:23:55,476 comes from this ring. 457 00:23:55,643 --> 00:23:58,270 It comes from this object that he's wearing. 458 00:23:58,437 --> 00:24:00,606 It's not anything inherent to himself. 459 00:24:00,773 --> 00:24:02,483 [Thompson] As far as we know, 460 00:24:02,608 --> 00:24:05,152 the Ring of Solomon seems to have existed. 461 00:24:05,319 --> 00:24:07,738 We have several different attestations talking about it. 462 00:24:07,947 --> 00:24:11,158 But like many things from the distant past, 463 00:24:11,325 --> 00:24:13,702 we don't know what happened to it. 464 00:24:13,869 --> 00:24:16,664 So, this is a lost, magical, missing ring. 465 00:24:18,415 --> 00:24:22,086 If King Solomon's ring really did exist, 466 00:24:22,252 --> 00:24:25,464 it's likely been lost to the sands of time. 467 00:24:25,631 --> 00:24:28,092 But that's not the case for an ancient artifact 468 00:24:28,258 --> 00:24:29,927 with legendary powers 469 00:24:30,094 --> 00:24:32,763 that has mysteriously survived 470 00:24:32,930 --> 00:24:34,932 for 2,500 years 471 00:24:35,099 --> 00:24:37,851 without aging a day. 472 00:24:41,146 --> 00:24:44,650 [Shatner reads on-screen text] 473 00:24:44,817 --> 00:24:47,820 [Shatner] In local lore, it is said 474 00:24:48,028 --> 00:24:50,990 that this small natural lake is associated 475 00:24:51,156 --> 00:24:54,201 with a magical weapon from Arthurian legend. 476 00:24:55,327 --> 00:24:58,497 Allegedly, it's where a powerful enchantress, 477 00:24:58,706 --> 00:25:00,499 known as the Lady of the Lake, 478 00:25:00,708 --> 00:25:06,422 gifted King Arthur the mighty sword Excalibur. 479 00:25:06,630 --> 00:25:07,923 [Thompson] Excalibur 480 00:25:08,048 --> 00:25:10,217 is probably the most famous magical sword 481 00:25:10,426 --> 00:25:12,011 in folklore throughout history. 482 00:25:12,177 --> 00:25:14,722 This comes from the Arthurian tradition, of course. 483 00:25:15,806 --> 00:25:18,642 King Arthur was given Excalibur 484 00:25:18,809 --> 00:25:20,728 by the Lady in the Lake, 485 00:25:20,894 --> 00:25:25,482 and Excalibur is said to have all sorts of magical properties. 486 00:25:25,607 --> 00:25:28,068 Of course, it was something he would wield in battle. 487 00:25:28,235 --> 00:25:30,029 Arthur seemed to be invincible 488 00:25:30,195 --> 00:25:33,699 and terribly powerful, and so Excalibur 489 00:25:33,907 --> 00:25:36,160 really establishes his right to rule. 490 00:25:37,286 --> 00:25:38,704 [Shatner] There are many myths and legends 491 00:25:38,871 --> 00:25:40,914 of magical swords like Excalibur. 492 00:25:42,374 --> 00:25:44,585 Like the blade known as Gram, 493 00:25:44,752 --> 00:25:48,088 used by the Norse hero Sigurd to slay a dragon, 494 00:25:48,255 --> 00:25:52,843 and Chandrahasa, a divine sword from Hindu mythology, 495 00:25:52,968 --> 00:25:57,848 or Durendal, the French equivalent of Excalibur. 496 00:25:58,015 --> 00:26:02,853 But could a real magical sword actually exist? 497 00:26:05,522 --> 00:26:09,151 [Shatner reads on-screen text] 498 00:26:09,318 --> 00:26:11,070 [Shatner] Over five million people visit 499 00:26:11,236 --> 00:26:13,655 this famed cultural institution every year. 500 00:26:14,656 --> 00:26:16,825 And many come to see the miraculous, 501 00:26:16,992 --> 00:26:19,453 2,500-year-old bronze sword 502 00:26:19,620 --> 00:26:23,290 that once belonged to an ancient king known as Goujian. 503 00:26:23,457 --> 00:26:27,044 Because today, it appears to be as perfect 504 00:26:27,211 --> 00:26:29,213 as the day it was forged. 505 00:26:30,464 --> 00:26:31,924 [Collins] The Sword of Goujian 506 00:26:32,091 --> 00:26:35,761 was found in China during the 1960s. 507 00:26:35,886 --> 00:26:38,138 It's many thousands of years old 508 00:26:38,347 --> 00:26:42,309 and considered to be the most perfect sword in the world. 509 00:26:42,476 --> 00:26:45,562 It's also known as the Excalibur of the East. 510 00:26:45,687 --> 00:26:50,442 And it was actually buried inside a tomb, inside a sheath, 511 00:26:50,567 --> 00:26:52,152 and this tomb 512 00:26:52,319 --> 00:26:54,238 actually was then flooded with water. 513 00:26:54,404 --> 00:26:59,701 Now, normally, the water would actually create oxidization, 514 00:26:59,910 --> 00:27:03,539 but the sword did not rust whatsoever, 515 00:27:03,747 --> 00:27:05,207 and was absolutely 516 00:27:05,374 --> 00:27:07,459 perfect when discovered. 517 00:27:08,585 --> 00:27:11,922 [Ric Furrer] So, this sword blade was rumored 518 00:27:12,089 --> 00:27:15,592 to be razor-sharp when pulled from the scabbard, 519 00:27:15,759 --> 00:27:18,887 and there are gold inlays on it 520 00:27:19,054 --> 00:27:21,932 in what's called "the bird and worm script." 521 00:27:22,099 --> 00:27:25,185 The translation states that this blade 522 00:27:25,352 --> 00:27:27,145 was not only owned 523 00:27:27,312 --> 00:27:32,985 but manufactured by the king of Yue at the time, 524 00:27:33,151 --> 00:27:35,654 who was Goujian. 525 00:27:35,821 --> 00:27:37,531 So the Sword of Goujian is 526 00:27:37,698 --> 00:27:39,533 literally the story of legends. 527 00:27:39,700 --> 00:27:43,954 And that blade is special for several reasons. 528 00:27:44,121 --> 00:27:47,040 It's extremely hard for what it is. 529 00:27:47,165 --> 00:27:50,210 And one hardness test I saw that came out 530 00:27:50,377 --> 00:27:54,798 of a Chinese scholarship claimed it was 650 Vickers. 531 00:27:54,965 --> 00:27:58,802 Vickers is a hardness scale used for metals, 532 00:27:58,969 --> 00:28:01,138 and that sword is harder 533 00:28:01,346 --> 00:28:05,058 than I know any bronze to be able to support. 534 00:28:05,267 --> 00:28:07,895 So even within modern testing of these blades, 535 00:28:08,061 --> 00:28:11,565 there are more things we don't understand. 536 00:28:12,649 --> 00:28:18,280 [McNeill] The Sword of Goujian dates back to the late 400s BCE. 537 00:28:18,405 --> 00:28:21,533 But what's astonishing is that given its age, 538 00:28:21,700 --> 00:28:24,369 it appears brand-new. 539 00:28:24,536 --> 00:28:26,413 And we can attribute that 540 00:28:26,580 --> 00:28:29,583 to the quality of the metal out of which it's made. 541 00:28:29,750 --> 00:28:32,794 But we get immediately the sense 542 00:28:32,961 --> 00:28:35,881 that, whoa, this isn't a normal sword. 543 00:28:36,924 --> 00:28:38,550 And we can see this idea 544 00:28:38,717 --> 00:28:42,262 that a magic sword does not feel far-fetched. 545 00:28:43,722 --> 00:28:45,766 [Shatner] How does a 2,500-year-old sword, 546 00:28:45,933 --> 00:28:48,560 buried in water, survive 547 00:28:48,727 --> 00:28:51,355 in such pristine condition? 548 00:28:51,521 --> 00:28:55,317 Was it due to the masterful metallurgy of its maker 549 00:28:55,484 --> 00:28:59,154 or something much more mysterious? 550 00:29:00,155 --> 00:29:01,573 Perhaps the answer can be found 551 00:29:01,740 --> 00:29:04,701 in another remarkable tale of survival 552 00:29:04,910 --> 00:29:09,039 surrounding King Goujian himself. 553 00:29:09,206 --> 00:29:11,208 [Clements] King Goujian was a very young king 554 00:29:11,375 --> 00:29:13,835 of the state of Yue. 555 00:29:14,002 --> 00:29:16,254 Yue and Wu were always fighting each other. 556 00:29:16,421 --> 00:29:18,006 And Goujian attacked 557 00:29:18,173 --> 00:29:21,635 their mortal enemies in Wu and failed. 558 00:29:21,802 --> 00:29:24,388 He was defeated in battle, he was captured 559 00:29:24,554 --> 00:29:27,099 by Fuchai, the king of Wu. 560 00:29:27,307 --> 00:29:31,478 And Goujian had to serve for three years as his slave. 561 00:29:31,603 --> 00:29:33,438 He dressed as a servant, 562 00:29:33,605 --> 00:29:35,482 and he did everything that Fuchai wanted 563 00:29:35,607 --> 00:29:38,151 to make himself seem completely harmless 564 00:29:38,318 --> 00:29:39,736 and get himself released. 565 00:29:40,862 --> 00:29:43,073 [Furrer] Goujian bided his time. 566 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:47,244 And because he did good work for that three years 567 00:29:47,411 --> 00:29:49,413 when he was a slave in the royal household, 568 00:29:49,579 --> 00:29:51,039 they allowed him to leave. 569 00:29:51,164 --> 00:29:54,334 And he returned to the state of Yue. 570 00:29:55,752 --> 00:29:59,172 And as a king, he increased his military. 571 00:29:59,339 --> 00:30:03,844 He kept himself in a state of training, of discomfort, 572 00:30:04,011 --> 00:30:05,721 for over a decade 573 00:30:05,846 --> 00:30:11,309 until he was able to wage war again and won. 574 00:30:11,476 --> 00:30:15,188 So the idea is that if you train, 575 00:30:15,355 --> 00:30:16,815 if you're single-minded, 576 00:30:16,982 --> 00:30:19,276 you can accomplish something great. 577 00:30:19,443 --> 00:30:22,904 And that was already in Chinese culture 578 00:30:23,071 --> 00:30:28,076 prior to finding this extremely, remarkably well-preserved sword. 579 00:30:29,703 --> 00:30:32,039 [Shatner] There are many tales in Chinese folklore 580 00:30:32,164 --> 00:30:36,168 where a person's soul or spirit became attached to their sword. 581 00:30:36,334 --> 00:30:40,005 So, some have wondered, is it possible 582 00:30:40,172 --> 00:30:43,508 that the unbreakable spirit of King Goujian 583 00:30:43,675 --> 00:30:46,344 somehow passed into his miraculous weapon, 584 00:30:46,511 --> 00:30:49,473 preserving it for thousands of years? 585 00:30:50,474 --> 00:30:52,476 [Clements] There's this idea in Chinese folklore 586 00:30:52,642 --> 00:30:55,103 that a weapon might be directly tied to a... 587 00:30:55,270 --> 00:30:57,314 a ruler's mandate and fate. 588 00:30:57,481 --> 00:31:01,109 And people start to associate the power of the leader 589 00:31:01,276 --> 00:31:03,653 with the power of the weapon that he wields. 590 00:31:03,820 --> 00:31:06,990 Their power is passed on through it to later generations. 591 00:31:07,157 --> 00:31:08,450 And so, 592 00:31:08,617 --> 00:31:11,036 the Sword of Goujian isn't just a weapon. 593 00:31:12,037 --> 00:31:14,372 It has a story attached to it. 594 00:31:14,539 --> 00:31:17,584 The sword has its own power for that. 595 00:31:17,751 --> 00:31:21,755 Can the Sword of Goujian's longevity be attributed 596 00:31:21,922 --> 00:31:24,800 to extraordinary craftsmanship, 597 00:31:24,925 --> 00:31:26,051 or is there something supernatural at work? 598 00:31:26,218 --> 00:31:27,677 or is there something supernatural at work? 599 00:31:28,762 --> 00:31:31,890 Such is the case of a 16th-century musical instrument 600 00:31:32,057 --> 00:31:34,267 that's said to summon the spirit 601 00:31:34,434 --> 00:31:36,937 of a legendary hero. 602 00:31:40,565 --> 00:31:42,776 [Shatner reads on-screen text] 603 00:31:44,069 --> 00:31:45,946 [Shatner] This museum contains a vast collection 604 00:31:46,113 --> 00:31:48,448 of about two million objects. 605 00:31:48,615 --> 00:31:52,953 And among them, housed safely behind protective glass, 606 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:56,373 is a legendary 16th-century instrument, 607 00:31:56,540 --> 00:31:58,625 the fabled drum 608 00:31:58,792 --> 00:32:01,002 of one of England's most celebrated heroes 609 00:32:01,169 --> 00:32:03,505 of the high seas, 610 00:32:03,672 --> 00:32:06,550 Sir Francis Drake. 611 00:32:06,716 --> 00:32:08,176 [Geiger] Sir Francis Drake 612 00:32:08,343 --> 00:32:10,470 was the second person to circumnavigate the globe, 613 00:32:10,637 --> 00:32:13,431 and probably the first to really go do it deliberately. 614 00:32:13,598 --> 00:32:18,019 He was also a privateer for the British against the Spanish. 615 00:32:18,228 --> 00:32:21,565 He's the admiral that defeated the Spanish armada. 616 00:32:21,731 --> 00:32:23,483 In England, he has generally been considered 617 00:32:23,650 --> 00:32:25,318 to be a great hero. 618 00:32:25,443 --> 00:32:28,029 And on the ship with him was a drum. 619 00:32:28,196 --> 00:32:29,656 You would use a drum on a ship. 620 00:32:29,823 --> 00:32:31,575 That's part of how you call the crew together. 621 00:32:31,741 --> 00:32:33,577 You can still go see the drum. 622 00:32:33,785 --> 00:32:35,787 It's about two feet tall, 623 00:32:35,954 --> 00:32:38,248 and it has his coat of arms on it. 624 00:32:39,374 --> 00:32:41,251 According to legend, before he died, 625 00:32:41,418 --> 00:32:43,920 Sir Francis Drake put a condition on the drum. 626 00:32:44,045 --> 00:32:47,215 He said that if England was ever in grave danger... 627 00:32:47,382 --> 00:32:49,134 [drum beating] 628 00:32:49,301 --> 00:32:51,720 ...the drum would sound, and he would return from death 629 00:32:51,845 --> 00:32:54,764 to help England back to its victory. 630 00:32:54,931 --> 00:32:57,475 From that moment on, this drum wasn't just 631 00:32:57,642 --> 00:32:59,227 some sort of national treasure. 632 00:32:59,394 --> 00:33:03,481 It became a rallying call to arms very symbolically. 633 00:33:03,607 --> 00:33:07,235 [Ocker] It has become an object of immense power. 634 00:33:07,402 --> 00:33:08,987 It represents the power of England, 635 00:33:09,154 --> 00:33:12,157 wrapped into the drum of a naval commander. 636 00:33:12,324 --> 00:33:15,827 But you can't have a story like this without it paying off. 637 00:33:15,994 --> 00:33:18,580 According to legend, during times of national crisis, 638 00:33:18,788 --> 00:33:22,459 the drum has mysteriously started to play on its own. 639 00:33:23,585 --> 00:33:25,045 [Shatner] Sir Francis Drake was buried at sea 640 00:33:25,212 --> 00:33:27,964 on January 28, 1596. 641 00:33:28,131 --> 00:33:31,343 And his famous drum was sent to Buckland Abbey, 642 00:33:31,551 --> 00:33:33,428 his family home in Devon, England. 643 00:33:33,595 --> 00:33:36,473 And according to legend, the first time 644 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:40,560 its supernatural beat was heard was in 1620... 645 00:33:42,229 --> 00:33:44,522 ...when the Mayflower set sail 646 00:33:44,648 --> 00:33:47,484 for the dangerous passage from Plymouth, England, 647 00:33:47,651 --> 00:33:50,570 to the New World across the Atlantic. 648 00:33:50,737 --> 00:33:53,281 And that was only the beginning. 649 00:33:53,406 --> 00:33:54,991 [Simon] It's been 650 00:33:55,158 --> 00:33:58,286 reported that Sir Francis Drake's drum has been heard 651 00:33:58,453 --> 00:34:00,664 when Napoléon was brought to England as a prisoner. 652 00:34:00,830 --> 00:34:03,083 [drum beating] 653 00:34:03,208 --> 00:34:07,003 It was heard during World War I during major battles. 654 00:34:07,170 --> 00:34:09,422 [drum beating] 655 00:34:10,507 --> 00:34:13,385 And it was supposedly heard during the evacuation 656 00:34:13,551 --> 00:34:16,721 of English soldiers at Dunkirk, France, during World War II. 657 00:34:16,846 --> 00:34:18,598 [drum beating] 658 00:34:18,764 --> 00:34:21,268 [Lynne Picknett] The drum sounded in the Second World War 659 00:34:21,434 --> 00:34:23,311 at the Battle of Britain, 660 00:34:23,478 --> 00:34:25,981 with RAF fighting off the Luftwaffe 661 00:34:26,188 --> 00:34:28,483 over the English countryside. 662 00:34:28,608 --> 00:34:30,068 Which was very dramatic and actually 663 00:34:30,235 --> 00:34:31,987 did set the scene on... 664 00:34:32,152 --> 00:34:34,072 on certain successes in the war. 665 00:34:35,072 --> 00:34:38,534 But Drake's drum has sounded by itself. 666 00:34:38,702 --> 00:34:41,955 It's been beaten by invisible forces, 667 00:34:42,121 --> 00:34:44,498 and it alerted people to great 668 00:34:44,708 --> 00:34:47,210 existential crisis in the nation. 669 00:34:48,295 --> 00:34:50,672 [Geiger] Whether people are actually hearing the drum 670 00:34:50,839 --> 00:34:52,757 or whether they're imagining hearing the drum, 671 00:34:52,924 --> 00:34:55,092 all it is, is here to say, this island, 672 00:34:55,260 --> 00:34:58,680 this realm is perpetually protected by Sir Francis Drake. 673 00:34:58,805 --> 00:35:00,932 It is him coming back to defend the kingdom. 674 00:35:01,099 --> 00:35:02,392 And so, I think people 675 00:35:02,559 --> 00:35:03,768 like to believe these legends. 676 00:35:03,935 --> 00:35:05,270 I think people like to believe 677 00:35:05,437 --> 00:35:06,730 that their kingdom is defended 678 00:35:06,896 --> 00:35:09,190 by things like the-the... the magic drum. 679 00:35:10,317 --> 00:35:12,235 [Shatner] It's also said that Drake's drum 680 00:35:12,402 --> 00:35:17,073 was heard on July 7, 2005, when terrorists 681 00:35:17,240 --> 00:35:20,160 coordinated a series of deadly bombings 682 00:35:20,285 --> 00:35:22,871 in London's underground railway system. 683 00:35:25,665 --> 00:35:29,085 So, what is really happening here? 684 00:35:29,252 --> 00:35:31,212 Is this a magical instrument, 685 00:35:31,379 --> 00:35:35,383 somehow linked to the heroic spirit of Sir Francis Drake? 686 00:35:36,468 --> 00:35:39,429 Surprisingly, it's not the only instrument believed 687 00:35:39,596 --> 00:35:43,266 to be imbued with the might of its former owner. 688 00:35:44,643 --> 00:35:48,188 There are some objects that can even cause destruction. 689 00:35:49,648 --> 00:35:51,900 Like the trumpets that were found 690 00:35:52,108 --> 00:35:54,402 in Tutankhamen's tomb. 691 00:35:54,569 --> 00:35:56,237 It was believed that when they were blown 692 00:35:56,404 --> 00:35:58,573 they could release the dogs of war. 693 00:36:00,283 --> 00:36:05,205 And in 1939, when they were played for the first time live 694 00:36:05,372 --> 00:36:10,794 on BBC and listened to by 150 million people, 695 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:14,839 not long after, the greatest war in history began. 696 00:36:15,924 --> 00:36:17,258 [Shatner] Did the horns of Tutankhamen 697 00:36:17,467 --> 00:36:19,010 usher in World War II? 698 00:36:19,177 --> 00:36:24,391 Or can an Aboriginal didgeridoo invoke ancestral spirits, 699 00:36:24,557 --> 00:36:26,226 as some believe? 700 00:36:26,393 --> 00:36:28,728 Much like Drake's legendary drum, 701 00:36:28,895 --> 00:36:30,772 the truth behind the power 702 00:36:30,939 --> 00:36:32,649 associated with these instruments 703 00:36:32,816 --> 00:36:38,154 remains a mystery that seems impossible to verify. 704 00:36:38,321 --> 00:36:39,614 [Simon] We don't really know where 705 00:36:39,781 --> 00:36:41,241 these rumors come from. 706 00:36:41,366 --> 00:36:44,744 Is it because someone heard drums elsewhere 707 00:36:44,911 --> 00:36:47,122 and maybe reported that it could've been the sound 708 00:36:47,247 --> 00:36:48,540 of Sir Francis Drake's drums? 709 00:36:48,748 --> 00:36:51,584 Could it be born from just the anxieties 710 00:36:51,751 --> 00:36:55,213 people were having from wartime or threats of invasion 711 00:36:55,380 --> 00:36:58,341 that they heard the sound of Sir Francis Drake's drum? 712 00:36:58,550 --> 00:36:59,718 Or is this actually a supernatural object meant 713 00:36:59,926 --> 00:37:01,803 Or is this actually a supernatural object meant 714 00:37:01,970 --> 00:37:04,723 to bring help to England in times of need? 715 00:37:04,848 --> 00:37:07,934 We're not sure, and so it still remains a mystery 716 00:37:08,101 --> 00:37:10,270 and a huge source of fascination. 717 00:37:15,442 --> 00:37:18,236 [Shatner reads on-screen text] 718 00:37:18,403 --> 00:37:20,196 [Shatner] Soon after the Louvre 719 00:37:20,363 --> 00:37:23,450 opens for the day, a group of thieves 720 00:37:23,616 --> 00:37:25,952 disguised as construction workers 721 00:37:26,119 --> 00:37:29,330 carry out a brazen daylight robbery, 722 00:37:29,497 --> 00:37:32,584 targeting some of the most prized royal treasures 723 00:37:32,751 --> 00:37:34,627 in all of France. 724 00:37:34,794 --> 00:37:36,045 [Lewis] They took 725 00:37:36,212 --> 00:37:38,339 objects which were a part 726 00:37:38,548 --> 00:37:40,592 of the French crown jewels. 727 00:37:40,759 --> 00:37:43,178 So, they had gorgeous pieces of jewelry. 728 00:37:43,386 --> 00:37:45,680 They had sapphire and emerald earrings. 729 00:37:45,847 --> 00:37:50,477 They had tiaras and crowns. 730 00:37:50,643 --> 00:37:53,271 The thieves managed to make off 731 00:37:53,438 --> 00:37:58,318 with about $102 million worth of loot. 732 00:37:58,485 --> 00:38:00,403 -[siren blaring] -[Shatner] Yet, amid 733 00:38:00,528 --> 00:38:02,113 the shattered cases and broken glass, 734 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:04,199 the thieves inexplicably left behind 735 00:38:04,324 --> 00:38:07,452 one of the most valuable jewels in French history, 736 00:38:07,619 --> 00:38:09,245 the Regent Diamond. 737 00:38:09,412 --> 00:38:10,622 [Joanna Hardy] The Regent Diamond 738 00:38:10,830 --> 00:38:13,833 is 140-odd carats. 739 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,002 It's a cushion-shaped diamond 740 00:38:16,127 --> 00:38:19,589 from the Golconda mines in India, 741 00:38:19,756 --> 00:38:24,010 and it is just over an inch wide. 742 00:38:24,177 --> 00:38:26,304 Miraculously, 743 00:38:26,471 --> 00:38:28,431 that didn't get taken. 744 00:38:28,598 --> 00:38:31,643 [Ocker] This gem is worth about $60 million. 745 00:38:31,810 --> 00:38:33,603 So, it is extremely valuable. 746 00:38:33,770 --> 00:38:35,230 So, the fact that these thieves didn't bother 747 00:38:35,396 --> 00:38:36,856 to take it in their just 748 00:38:37,023 --> 00:38:39,859 random smash-and-grab seems to be significant. 749 00:38:40,985 --> 00:38:42,362 [Shatner] Why would a well-planned heist 750 00:38:42,487 --> 00:38:44,030 leave behind such a valuable treasure? 751 00:38:44,197 --> 00:38:45,990 Was it merely an oversight? 752 00:38:46,157 --> 00:38:48,076 Perhaps. 753 00:38:48,243 --> 00:38:49,744 But some believe the answer lies 754 00:38:49,911 --> 00:38:52,956 in the Regent Diamond's sinister reputation 755 00:38:53,122 --> 00:38:57,126 as a cursed object said to bring ruin 756 00:38:57,293 --> 00:38:59,337 to those who possess it. 757 00:39:00,338 --> 00:39:02,882 The first person to wear the Regent Diamond 758 00:39:03,049 --> 00:39:05,468 was King Louis XVI, 759 00:39:05,635 --> 00:39:08,847 who had it put in his crown for his coronation, 760 00:39:09,013 --> 00:39:11,641 and his queen, Marie Antoinette, 761 00:39:11,766 --> 00:39:15,311 had it later put into a headdress. 762 00:39:15,478 --> 00:39:17,522 Well, we know what happened to both of them. 763 00:39:17,689 --> 00:39:20,191 They had their heads lopped off horribly 764 00:39:20,358 --> 00:39:23,403 by the guillotine in the French Revolution. 765 00:39:23,528 --> 00:39:26,948 Even Napoléon wasn't immune to this curse. 766 00:39:27,115 --> 00:39:30,243 He'd done pretty well. He'd conquered most of Europe. 767 00:39:30,410 --> 00:39:35,206 He decided to put this diamond in the hilt of his sword. 768 00:39:35,373 --> 00:39:38,167 And the later part of his reign just went downhill and downhill, 769 00:39:38,334 --> 00:39:42,672 and he ended up exiled in the middle of the Atlantic. 770 00:39:42,839 --> 00:39:45,049 Ultimately, the French royal family decided 771 00:39:45,216 --> 00:39:48,052 they didn't want anything to do with this diamond, 772 00:39:48,219 --> 00:39:52,265 and they sold it to the Louvre, where it still is now. 773 00:39:52,432 --> 00:39:54,893 So, I would say there's good reason 774 00:39:55,059 --> 00:39:57,770 why the thieves decided to leave it be. 775 00:39:58,813 --> 00:40:01,149 [Shatner] Were the robbers who ransacked the Louvre aware 776 00:40:01,316 --> 00:40:03,484 that the Regent Diamond carried a curse 777 00:40:03,651 --> 00:40:06,654 and deliberately chose to leave it behind? 778 00:40:06,821 --> 00:40:08,406 It's a compelling theory 779 00:40:08,573 --> 00:40:10,325 and one that suggests 780 00:40:10,491 --> 00:40:13,161 that the perceived power of certain objects 781 00:40:13,286 --> 00:40:16,915 doesn't simply vanish with the passage of time 782 00:40:17,081 --> 00:40:21,502 as long as there are those who continue to believe. 783 00:40:21,711 --> 00:40:23,755 [Ocker] Objects get their power from us. 784 00:40:23,922 --> 00:40:25,798 We're the ones with the belief. We're the ones with the faith. 785 00:40:25,924 --> 00:40:27,508 We're the ones with the idea, 786 00:40:27,675 --> 00:40:30,345 and we imbue those objects with all of that. 787 00:40:30,511 --> 00:40:33,723 So, without people, objects are just objects. 788 00:40:33,848 --> 00:40:37,101 So we are the ones that really give it the meaning, the power, 789 00:40:37,310 --> 00:40:38,603 the stories around it 790 00:40:38,728 --> 00:40:41,022 that make it become an object of power. 791 00:40:42,065 --> 00:40:43,942 [Fisher] Throughout human history, 792 00:40:44,150 --> 00:40:47,403 across the millennia, civilizations that, 793 00:40:47,570 --> 00:40:51,324 as far as we know, never came in contact with each other, 794 00:40:51,491 --> 00:40:53,451 all share this belief 795 00:40:53,618 --> 00:40:58,247 that material things can be imbued with power. 796 00:40:58,414 --> 00:40:59,832 This connection 797 00:40:59,999 --> 00:41:02,961 between tangible objects 798 00:41:03,127 --> 00:41:05,880 and unseen realities... 799 00:41:06,965 --> 00:41:10,593 ...is still a part of the mystery of human existence. 800 00:41:13,179 --> 00:41:15,932 So, what do you think? 801 00:41:16,099 --> 00:41:19,227 Can certain objects possess supernatural abilities, 802 00:41:19,394 --> 00:41:22,897 or is it human nature to be fascinated with the idea 803 00:41:23,106 --> 00:41:26,025 that an ordinary item could transform 804 00:41:26,192 --> 00:41:29,696 into something extraordinary? 805 00:41:29,862 --> 00:41:32,865 Perhaps we're intrigued by the mystery itself. 806 00:41:33,032 --> 00:41:35,660 Tales of a ring that grants special powers 807 00:41:35,868 --> 00:41:37,578 or a cup that heals the sick 808 00:41:37,787 --> 00:41:42,667 can transport us to a magical time and place. 809 00:41:42,834 --> 00:41:44,794 Whatever the case may be, 810 00:41:44,961 --> 00:41:47,213 it's fun to imagine a past 811 00:41:47,380 --> 00:41:49,507 filled with objects of power 812 00:41:49,674 --> 00:41:52,301 that, for now, 813 00:41:52,510 --> 00:41:55,471 remain... unexplained. 814 00:41:55,638 --> 00:41:58,599 CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY A E NETWORKS