[en] The rare research studies about archaeology on television question the representations that television gives of archaeology or heritage (Aubert, 2008; Center of archaeological research, 1988; Alexandre-Bidon, 1984, 1986). The must recent research studies about docudramas often show a lack of adequacy between the pictures and the reality of events and tell the danger of mixing documentary with fiction. The aim of this article is to understand how certain television programs which show patrimonial heritage work. We are interested in the status of the present archaeological heritage when it is used in television programs and its usage in the mediation with the past1. To this purpose, we will study documentaries about Pompeii.
