1491: The Untold Story of the Americas Before Columbus is an 8 part docu-drama mini-series that brings to life the complexity, diversity and interconnectedness of Indigenous peoples in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus. Presented from an Indigenous-perspective through a blend of documentary and scripted drama, the series takes its audience on an journey along a timeline that dates from 20,000 years ago to 1491.
Each episode will feature eight distinct documentary segments presented through a combination of interviews with prominent Indigenous interpreters and dramatic re-creations that expand on the theme of the episode that include Origins, Environment, Agriculture and Hunting, Architecture, Governance & Trade, Science & Technology, Art & Culture and Continuance.
The series is based on the book “1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus” by Charles C. Mann (Knopf, 2005).