From Egypt to South America, tombs harbored the possessions of the dead in order to ensure the spirits enjoyed a comfortable afterlife. Frequently, however, these treasures find their way back to the real world. Each year, thousands of artifacts are stolen from archaeological sites, museums and private collections. HISTORY MATTERS travels from the Kingdom of the Nile to present-day Peru on the trail of tomb raiders. Follow a masked gang of thieves as they sack a Moche burial site. Ride along with the antiquity police as they bust a crooked dealer. Meet players on both sides of the law, including the director of the FBI’s Art Theft program and “reformed” tomb raiders who discuss the adventure, the dangers, the curses, the intrigue, and profits involved in stealing from the dead.