PICK OF THE DAY

CIVILISATIONS, 9PM, BBC2

‘I’VE always felt at home in the past,’ says Simon Schama. And with these words, the historian launches this major new series exploring art and civilisation across the centuries. It is inspired by Kenneth Clark’s landmark series Civilisation, which aired nearly 50 years ago (and is available in the From The Archive category on BBC iPlayer). Schama (pictured) begins with a 77,000-year-old piece of red ochre, found in a South African cave and etched with a pattern — the oldest deliberately decorative marks ever found, signalling the beginning of culture. Three years in the making, the series will continues for nine episodes, with Schama sharing presenting duties with David Olusoga and Mary Beard.