1 00:00:01,726 --> 00:00:03,524 NARRATOR: The mighty red pyramid, 2 00:00:04,526 --> 00:00:08,324 towering over the Egyptian desert at Dahshur, 3 00:00:08,399 --> 00:00:12,364 a mega structure that helps define a civilization. 4 00:00:12,439 --> 00:00:14,364 This is a one-of-a-kind monument. 5 00:00:15,286 --> 00:00:17,564 Who kick starts a revolution 6 00:00:18,606 --> 00:00:21,764 and builds this first true pyramid? 7 00:00:21,766 --> 00:00:25,324 KELANY: It is really amazing, because it is the first time 8 00:00:25,399 --> 00:00:27,844 that use this kind of technique 9 00:00:27,846 --> 00:00:31,724 to receive a million tons of stone. 10 00:00:33,046 --> 00:00:35,964 NARRATOR: Now, investigators have unique access 11 00:00:35,966 --> 00:00:39,164 to venture inside this mysterious structure, 12 00:00:40,686 --> 00:00:44,964 to uncover why one pharaoh builds this incredible icon. 13 00:00:46,326 --> 00:00:50,564 BRAND: This is a huge, huge feat of work, 14 00:00:50,566 --> 00:00:52,724 effort, and labor for the ancient Egyptians. 15 00:00:54,566 --> 00:00:57,244 NARRATOR: To solve these mysteries, 16 00:00:57,326 --> 00:01:01,164 we blow apart its strange interior. 17 00:01:01,166 --> 00:01:04,324 We hunt for the mummy of the pharaoh who builds it, 18 00:01:05,726 --> 00:01:08,804 decode how he learns from his mistakes, 19 00:01:10,726 --> 00:01:14,364 and digitally reconstruct this wonder in its prime 20 00:01:15,526 --> 00:01:17,404 to reveal the secrets of 21 00:01:17,446 --> 00:01:20,604 Egypt's trailblazing first true pyramid. 22 00:01:32,046 --> 00:01:35,924 Egypt -- land of pharaohs who build monumental 23 00:01:35,999 --> 00:01:39,124 pyramids for their journey into the afterlife. 24 00:01:40,086 --> 00:01:42,404 Each one is a pivotal clue to 25 00:01:42,406 --> 00:01:45,804 unlocking the mysterious world of the ancient Egyptians. 26 00:01:47,166 --> 00:01:50,924 There are more than 100 pyramids across the Egyptian desert, 27 00:01:51,886 --> 00:01:54,604 constructed over 1,000 years from 28 00:01:54,719 --> 00:01:57,484 the middle of the third millennium BCE. 29 00:01:57,486 --> 00:02:00,964 Some of the first pyramids are built in Dahshur, 30 00:02:01,039 --> 00:02:04,004 a 4,500-year-old necropolis. 31 00:02:04,006 --> 00:02:06,764 BRAND: Dahshur is an incredible area for studying 32 00:02:06,766 --> 00:02:08,844 ancient Egyptian mysteries. 33 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,124 There's very few places on earth like this where I 34 00:02:12,126 --> 00:02:16,044 can see a history of a millennia of pyramid building. 35 00:02:17,006 --> 00:02:19,324 NARRATOR: Seven huge stepped structures 36 00:02:19,366 --> 00:02:21,044 loom over the desert here. 37 00:02:22,886 --> 00:02:25,044 Their design is inspired by the flat 38 00:02:25,046 --> 00:02:28,364 Mastaba tombs of the earliest Egyptian rulers. 39 00:02:30,286 --> 00:02:32,484 And one pyramid at Dahshur makes 40 00:02:32,559 --> 00:02:35,524 a pivotal turning point in Egyptian civilization... 41 00:02:36,926 --> 00:02:38,324 the Red Pyramid. 42 00:02:39,806 --> 00:02:45,564 Soaring over 344 feet into the sky over Dahshur, 43 00:02:45,566 --> 00:02:47,924 this six-million-ton colossus 44 00:02:47,926 --> 00:02:50,604 hides an elaborate internal structure. 45 00:02:52,326 --> 00:02:53,884 On its northern side, 46 00:02:53,926 --> 00:02:58,964 a 200-foot passageway leads to three soaring chambers, 47 00:02:59,039 --> 00:03:01,604 each one over 40 feet high. 48 00:03:04,326 --> 00:03:08,124 A labyrinth hidden under 160 layers of stone, 49 00:03:09,446 --> 00:03:13,244 this is an epic tomb fit for a king. 50 00:03:13,246 --> 00:03:15,364 It is the first true pyramid 51 00:03:15,366 --> 00:03:18,324 in the world, with flat external sides, 52 00:03:18,399 --> 00:03:21,124 a revolution in pyramid design, 53 00:03:21,199 --> 00:03:23,204 the prototype for all to follow. 54 00:03:24,806 --> 00:03:27,644 Meredith Brand devotes her life to 55 00:03:27,686 --> 00:03:30,524 decoding the secrets of Egyptian monuments. 56 00:03:32,646 --> 00:03:34,764 BRAND: This is the Red Pyramid. 57 00:03:34,766 --> 00:03:36,964 I look up, and I can see 58 00:03:37,119 --> 00:03:41,164 a mound of red limestone that gives this pyramid its name. 59 00:03:41,166 --> 00:03:43,604 But when I look closer, it's evident 60 00:03:43,679 --> 00:03:46,084 that this is not a finished pyramid. 61 00:03:46,159 --> 00:03:48,604 There's something more going on here. 62 00:03:48,606 --> 00:03:51,964 These blocks are rough, they're unfinished. 63 00:03:52,006 --> 00:03:53,844 There's something missing. 64 00:03:56,366 --> 00:03:58,764 NARRATOR: To understand the Red Pyramid's place 65 00:03:58,839 --> 00:04:00,724 in pyramid evolution, 66 00:04:00,726 --> 00:04:03,244 Meredith must piece together what it looks like 67 00:04:03,319 --> 00:04:05,164 4,500 years ago. 68 00:04:06,206 --> 00:04:09,524 This is red limestone, and just looking at it now, 69 00:04:09,599 --> 00:04:12,684 I can see it's weathered, there's cracks, there's holes. 70 00:04:12,686 --> 00:04:15,484 This has been exposed to the air for a long time, 71 00:04:15,526 --> 00:04:17,244 but the ancient Egyptians, they had a sense of 72 00:04:17,286 --> 00:04:18,604 style, aesthetic. 73 00:04:18,679 --> 00:04:20,284 They would have wanted something beautiful 74 00:04:20,286 --> 00:04:22,964 that would have gleamed in the desert. 75 00:04:24,006 --> 00:04:26,244 NARRATOR: Meredith looks for clues to the pyramid's 76 00:04:26,319 --> 00:04:27,964 original appearance. 77 00:04:28,926 --> 00:04:31,524 BRAND: Over here, I can see there's something different. 78 00:04:32,366 --> 00:04:34,564 The color is different. 79 00:04:34,639 --> 00:04:36,884 So this is a red stone, and over here, 80 00:04:36,886 --> 00:04:38,230 there's something gleaming, 81 00:04:38,232 --> 00:04:41,164 white and bright, but it's only a small fragment. 82 00:04:41,239 --> 00:04:44,804 This shows a clue that there was something else here. 83 00:04:50,606 --> 00:04:52,724 NARRATOR: She makes her way to the eastern side of 84 00:04:52,799 --> 00:04:56,324 the pyramid to hunt for more evidence of this material. 85 00:04:57,126 --> 00:04:59,884 BRAND: This is a smooth, white color, 86 00:04:59,886 --> 00:05:01,764 and it looks different from the rough, 87 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:03,604 coarse red limestone that I saw 88 00:05:03,679 --> 00:05:05,204 on the other side of the pyramid. 89 00:05:06,526 --> 00:05:09,524 NARRATOR: This is white Tura limestone. 90 00:05:09,599 --> 00:05:12,524 It originates from a quarry 12 miles away, 91 00:05:12,526 --> 00:05:14,684 on the other side of the Nile. 92 00:05:14,686 --> 00:05:18,244 It is a highly prized material in ancient Egypt. 93 00:05:18,246 --> 00:05:20,404 This rock holds a clue. 94 00:05:20,406 --> 00:05:23,564 I can see all of these fine marks. 95 00:05:23,566 --> 00:05:25,044 These look like chisel marks. 96 00:05:25,119 --> 00:05:27,524 So this side would have been worked, 97 00:05:27,639 --> 00:05:30,044 but over here, it's smooth. 98 00:05:30,086 --> 00:05:32,564 I mean, of course the surface is weathered from being exposed 99 00:05:32,639 --> 00:05:34,244 to the desert wind and sand, 100 00:05:34,319 --> 00:05:36,484 but this was left smooth, 101 00:05:36,559 --> 00:05:39,204 and this side was a work face. 102 00:05:41,366 --> 00:05:44,044 NARRATOR: This discovery reveals that the pyramid 103 00:05:44,079 --> 00:05:47,044 is once totally covered in this stone. 104 00:05:47,046 --> 00:05:49,804 BRAND: This is the only spot with fine 105 00:05:49,879 --> 00:05:54,044 Tura limestone, which shows, sometime in antiquity, 106 00:05:54,046 --> 00:05:58,564 people came and removed, robbed and stripped all 107 00:05:58,639 --> 00:06:01,364 of the fine Tura limestone from this pyramid. 108 00:06:08,246 --> 00:06:09,284 NARRATOR: In its prime, 109 00:06:09,359 --> 00:06:11,444 the pyramid's red core is clad in 110 00:06:11,519 --> 00:06:14,404 a layer of gleaming white casing stones. 111 00:06:17,566 --> 00:06:21,804 A shining capstone crowns the top of this perfect pyramid, 112 00:06:23,766 --> 00:06:26,044 surrounded by a perimeter wall. 113 00:06:27,286 --> 00:06:29,964 On its eastern side, a temple, where 114 00:06:29,966 --> 00:06:32,244 offerings are made to the dead pharaoh. 115 00:06:35,766 --> 00:06:38,084 Mysterious hieroglyphs are carved on 116 00:06:38,159 --> 00:06:40,204 the internal surface of the pyramid. 117 00:06:41,726 --> 00:06:43,644 Can they reveal who is 118 00:06:43,646 --> 00:06:47,204 the mastermind behind the world's first true pyramid? 119 00:06:53,486 --> 00:06:55,764 Meredith translates the hieroglyphs to 120 00:06:55,766 --> 00:06:57,524 reveal the name of the pharaoh 121 00:06:57,599 --> 00:06:59,804 behind this pioneering structure. 122 00:07:01,206 --> 00:07:03,244 BRAND: This is an image of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. 123 00:07:03,319 --> 00:07:07,244 There's a folded cloth here, and that's an S sound. 124 00:07:07,319 --> 00:07:12,524 And then this sign next to it is the lungs and esophagus of 125 00:07:12,599 --> 00:07:14,164 an animal, and that sound is 126 00:07:14,239 --> 00:07:16,804 "nefer," and to complement the sound, 127 00:07:16,806 --> 00:07:20,044 you have a small horned viper, which is an F 128 00:07:20,119 --> 00:07:22,044 and an open mouth, an R. 129 00:07:22,046 --> 00:07:27,124 And below that is a quail chick that sounds like "ooh," 130 00:07:27,126 --> 00:07:30,404 so when you put it together, it reads Sneferu. 131 00:07:32,046 --> 00:07:34,644 This royal name, Sneferu, 132 00:07:34,679 --> 00:07:36,804 is clear evidence of both the builder 133 00:07:36,879 --> 00:07:39,004 and the date of the Red Pyramid. 134 00:07:40,526 --> 00:07:41,564 It is thought Sneferu's 135 00:07:41,606 --> 00:07:45,204 reign begins in 2613 BCE. 136 00:07:46,926 --> 00:07:50,324 He is the first pharaoh in Egypt's 4th Dynasty. 137 00:07:56,886 --> 00:07:58,964 Sneferu ascends the throne by 138 00:07:58,966 --> 00:08:02,244 marrying the royal heiress, Hetepheres, 139 00:08:02,246 --> 00:08:05,644 and sets to work putting his own stamp on Egypt. 140 00:08:08,246 --> 00:08:09,844 Before his reign, 141 00:08:09,846 --> 00:08:11,524 a pharaoh was believed to be 142 00:08:11,526 --> 00:08:14,804 the reincarnation of the falcon God, Horus. 143 00:08:18,246 --> 00:08:21,884 But Sneferu is a devout follower of the sun cult 144 00:08:21,926 --> 00:08:26,244 and sees himself as the living embodiment of Ra, the sun god, 145 00:08:26,246 --> 00:08:27,924 the supreme divinity. 146 00:08:31,126 --> 00:08:33,764 Sneferu wants his final tomb to assist 147 00:08:33,839 --> 00:08:37,244 his resurrection to join Ra after death. 148 00:08:40,246 --> 00:08:41,484 BRAND: This is why Sneferu 149 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,284 started to build pyramids in a different way. 150 00:08:44,286 --> 00:08:47,044 It was to pursue his belief in the sun god, Ra. 151 00:08:48,366 --> 00:08:50,644 NARRATOR: Meredith wants to decode how Sneferu 152 00:08:50,719 --> 00:08:53,804 proves his devotion to Ra through his pyramids. 153 00:08:56,486 --> 00:08:59,804 She examines the Red Pyramid's relationship to the sun. 154 00:09:03,406 --> 00:09:07,684 BRAND: I'm gonna look and see the direction of the sunrise in 155 00:09:07,759 --> 00:09:10,844 the east, and then I'm gonna follow it to the west. 156 00:09:10,886 --> 00:09:13,324 So when I look over here, 157 00:09:13,399 --> 00:09:14,924 I can see that the sun would have 158 00:09:14,999 --> 00:09:19,204 risen in the east, and then if I move 159 00:09:20,126 --> 00:09:22,524 and go to the west, it's perfectly 160 00:09:22,526 --> 00:09:24,964 aligned for when the sun would set. 161 00:09:26,286 --> 00:09:29,164 NARRATOR: Sneferu's pyramid is orientated to 162 00:09:29,166 --> 00:09:32,404 match the sun's movement across the sky. 163 00:09:32,479 --> 00:09:36,604 The sides face north, south, east, and west. 164 00:09:36,646 --> 00:09:39,364 BRAND: So this shows that the ancient Egyptians, 165 00:09:39,439 --> 00:09:43,044 they use the sun as an important indicator of 166 00:09:43,046 --> 00:09:46,124 the cardinal directions, and they built the pyramid in 167 00:09:46,126 --> 00:09:48,844 line with the sunrise and the sunset. 168 00:09:52,486 --> 00:09:56,084 NARRATOR: Sneferu revolutionizes pyramid design. 169 00:09:56,159 --> 00:09:59,484 He builds the Red Pyramid with smooth sides 170 00:09:59,526 --> 00:10:02,084 and aligns them perfectly with the sun's movement 171 00:10:02,119 --> 00:10:03,350 across the sky. 172 00:10:03,426 --> 00:10:08,004 How does Sneferu build his flawless pyramid? 173 00:10:08,006 --> 00:10:10,924 And is it achieved in its first attempt? 174 00:10:20,846 --> 00:10:22,204 NARRATOR: The Red Pyramid, 175 00:10:23,606 --> 00:10:26,204 built by the revolutionary pharaoh, Sneferu. 176 00:10:27,566 --> 00:10:30,964 It is Egypt's first smooth-sided true pyramid. 177 00:10:34,166 --> 00:10:37,284 30 miles south in Meidum, 178 00:10:37,359 --> 00:10:39,924 Meredith Brand investigates if this 179 00:10:39,926 --> 00:10:43,484 unusual structure was Sneferu's prototype. 180 00:10:43,526 --> 00:10:47,004 Most of this pyramid was plundered over the years, 181 00:10:47,046 --> 00:10:49,364 but its temple has remained intact. 182 00:10:51,326 --> 00:10:54,044 BRAND: Oh wow! There's an inscription. 183 00:10:58,966 --> 00:11:00,764 This inscription is quite faded now, 184 00:11:00,766 --> 00:11:04,444 but I've got a copy from when it was originally discovered, 185 00:11:04,479 --> 00:11:10,884 and it lines up, so I can see that someone came here to this 186 00:11:10,959 --> 00:11:13,764 temple and visited in the reign of Thutmose III. 187 00:11:13,839 --> 00:11:15,324 So that's the 18th Dynasty, 188 00:11:15,366 --> 00:11:18,244 almost 1,000 years after the structure should have 189 00:11:18,319 --> 00:11:19,604 been built. 190 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:21,004 I can see that this person is 191 00:11:21,006 --> 00:11:23,844 a priest who's come to visit this place, 192 00:11:23,846 --> 00:11:26,404 and then he says he's here 193 00:11:26,479 --> 00:11:31,564 because this is the pyramid of Sneferu. 194 00:11:34,286 --> 00:11:37,724 NARRATOR: The temple inscription reveals that the Meidum Pyramid 195 00:11:37,726 --> 00:11:39,604 is also built by Sneferu. 196 00:11:40,686 --> 00:11:43,244 But it is a traditional step pyramid, 197 00:11:43,319 --> 00:11:45,844 unlike his iconic Red Pyramid. 198 00:11:47,166 --> 00:11:51,524 Sneferu built this pyramid as well as the Red Pyramid. 199 00:11:51,599 --> 00:11:53,604 So that means he made two pyramids. 200 00:11:53,639 --> 00:11:55,604 It's quite unusual for a pharaoh. 201 00:11:57,766 --> 00:12:00,204 NARRATOR: Sneferu designs his first pyramid to 202 00:12:00,279 --> 00:12:04,284 surpass any Egyptian tomb that came before him. 203 00:12:04,326 --> 00:12:08,364 He builds a pioneering style of burial chamber above ground 204 00:12:08,439 --> 00:12:09,964 and closer to the sun, 205 00:12:09,999 --> 00:12:13,044 fully encased within the stonework of the pyramid's 206 00:12:13,046 --> 00:12:14,230 first layer. 207 00:12:15,006 --> 00:12:18,804 Seven more giant steps rise up above it, 208 00:12:18,879 --> 00:12:21,244 taller than any of its predecessors. 209 00:12:22,886 --> 00:12:24,844 The entire monument is finished off 210 00:12:24,919 --> 00:12:27,404 with a casing of fine white limestone. 211 00:12:30,446 --> 00:12:33,124 What can Sneferu's Meidum pyramid 212 00:12:33,126 --> 00:12:36,204 tell us about his quest for the perfect pyramid? 213 00:12:42,726 --> 00:12:45,004 It's so exciting to go inside of a pyramid. 214 00:12:46,006 --> 00:12:47,524 There's always a bit of a mystery. 215 00:12:50,926 --> 00:12:53,684 NARRATOR: Meredith climbs to the entrance on the north side 216 00:12:53,686 --> 00:12:57,364 of the pyramid, 66 feet above the ground. 217 00:13:00,086 --> 00:13:03,324 So I'm going down 190 feet, 218 00:13:03,366 --> 00:13:04,964 into the base of this pyramid. 219 00:13:08,046 --> 00:13:09,644 This pyramid, when it's sealed, 220 00:13:09,719 --> 00:13:12,324 it was never meant to be re-entered again, 221 00:13:12,326 --> 00:13:15,404 which means you just don't know what you're gonna find. 222 00:13:16,606 --> 00:13:18,844 NARRATOR: She descends down the steep passage 223 00:13:18,886 --> 00:13:21,084 to the heart of the pyramid, 224 00:13:21,126 --> 00:13:24,604 but she isn't the only one inside these tunnels. 225 00:13:25,726 --> 00:13:28,364 Oh, gahhhh... 226 00:13:28,439 --> 00:13:29,964 Ooh! [laughs] 227 00:13:32,126 --> 00:13:34,324 So, I'm having a bit of a standoff with a bat at 228 00:13:34,399 --> 00:13:37,284 the moment -- it doesn't want to leave. 229 00:13:37,359 --> 00:13:38,964 [laughs] 230 00:13:39,039 --> 00:13:40,524 [blows heavily] 231 00:13:40,599 --> 00:13:41,444 [claps] 232 00:13:41,446 --> 00:13:42,964 Move, bat. 233 00:13:46,446 --> 00:13:48,484 NARRATOR: Meredith finally emerges into 234 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:50,404 the burial chamber of the pyramid. 235 00:13:53,046 --> 00:13:54,204 So this seems to be it. 236 00:13:54,246 --> 00:13:57,044 This seems to be the burial chamber, 237 00:13:57,119 --> 00:14:00,884 and I can see this corbelled ceiling. 238 00:14:00,959 --> 00:14:04,764 It's the first of its kind, and it sort of elevates 239 00:14:04,766 --> 00:14:06,324 the chamber up. 240 00:14:07,446 --> 00:14:10,124 NARRATOR: The ceiling of the chamber is built from stones 241 00:14:10,199 --> 00:14:14,084 stacked vertically to form an arc toward its apex. 242 00:14:14,086 --> 00:14:16,084 It's a revolutionary technique, 243 00:14:16,086 --> 00:14:20,364 known as corbelling, not seen in pyramids before Sneferu. 244 00:14:22,086 --> 00:14:25,124 Adel Kelany investigates how Sneferu builds 245 00:14:25,159 --> 00:14:28,004 this new style of burial chamber 246 00:14:28,006 --> 00:14:31,604 and begins the process of creating the perfect pyramid. 247 00:14:33,526 --> 00:14:36,524 In traditional tombs, burial chambers are built 248 00:14:36,599 --> 00:14:39,604 with flat roofs and cut into the bedrock. 249 00:14:41,846 --> 00:14:44,484 Adel constructs a replica to compare 250 00:14:44,559 --> 00:14:46,804 the two styles of burial chambers. 251 00:14:49,726 --> 00:14:53,244 [Kelany speaking] 252 00:14:59,446 --> 00:15:02,204 NARRATOR: First, Adel builds a model to replicate 253 00:15:02,246 --> 00:15:04,724 a burial chamber with a flat roof. 254 00:15:16,326 --> 00:15:19,004 NARRATOR: He adds blocks to the top 255 00:15:19,006 --> 00:15:22,164 to recreate the force of the thousands of tons of 256 00:15:22,166 --> 00:15:25,404 stone in the pyramid's core and waits to see 257 00:15:25,446 --> 00:15:27,964 if the flat roof can bear the load. 258 00:15:35,366 --> 00:15:38,404 Next, Adel overlaps the blocks, 259 00:15:38,479 --> 00:15:41,524 like steps, to create a corbelled ceiling. 260 00:15:43,806 --> 00:15:47,644 [Kelany speaking] 261 00:15:52,686 --> 00:15:55,244 NARRATOR: The corbelled ceiling withstands more than 262 00:15:55,279 --> 00:15:58,604 twice the force of the flat top roof. 263 00:15:58,606 --> 00:16:00,804 Each block acts as a counterweight. 264 00:16:01,926 --> 00:16:04,084 If Sneferu builds his chamber at 265 00:16:04,159 --> 00:16:06,964 the base of the pyramid with a flat roof, 266 00:16:07,039 --> 00:16:08,844 it will collapse. 267 00:16:08,919 --> 00:16:12,084 So he pioneers a new corbelled ceiling. 268 00:16:12,159 --> 00:16:17,044 Now he can be buried inside his pyramid, closer to the sun. 269 00:16:31,286 --> 00:16:35,164 NARRATOR: Sneferu's Meidum pyramid is revolutionary, 270 00:16:35,206 --> 00:16:39,084 but it doesn't satisfy the pharaoh's grand ambitions. 271 00:16:39,159 --> 00:16:42,004 Meredith investigates why. 272 00:16:42,079 --> 00:16:44,564 BRAND: Looking up, it doesn't seem right. 273 00:16:44,566 --> 00:16:46,164 It seems... 274 00:16:46,239 --> 00:16:47,744 unfinished. 275 00:16:47,746 --> 00:16:51,364 All the walls are rough, there's pitting here and there. 276 00:16:51,439 --> 00:16:56,004 I can see this wooden beam bracing the top of 277 00:16:56,079 --> 00:16:59,804 the ceiling, and it's -- it's like this burial chamber 278 00:16:59,846 --> 00:17:01,364 is unfinished. 279 00:17:01,439 --> 00:17:04,884 It's like the construction workers in ancient times 280 00:17:04,919 --> 00:17:08,004 are working here, and then they just got up and left. 281 00:17:08,966 --> 00:17:11,644 It doesn't seem to be that Sneferu was buried here. 282 00:17:15,326 --> 00:17:18,804 NARRATOR: If Sneferu is never buried here at Meidum, 283 00:17:18,879 --> 00:17:21,404 it could explain why he builds the Red Pyramid 284 00:17:21,406 --> 00:17:23,324 as his final resting place. 285 00:17:24,366 --> 00:17:28,644 He wants a straight-sided pyramid to align with the sun. 286 00:17:28,646 --> 00:17:31,844 Sneferu made a break from the past view of the afterlife 287 00:17:31,919 --> 00:17:35,004 and shifts his focus to the cult of the sun, 288 00:17:35,046 --> 00:17:38,204 making him abandon the pyramid at Meidum. 289 00:17:42,846 --> 00:17:45,404 NARRATOR: Before Sneferu, stepped pyramids 290 00:17:45,446 --> 00:17:46,944 like the one at Djoser 291 00:17:46,946 --> 00:17:50,644 represent the king's stairway to ascend to the stars. 292 00:17:55,566 --> 00:17:57,404 But this isn't enough for Sneferu. 293 00:17:59,006 --> 00:18:00,924 He wants to build taller pyramids 294 00:18:00,926 --> 00:18:02,644 that reach closer to the sun. 295 00:18:06,326 --> 00:18:09,204 He transfers his cult temple from the north side 296 00:18:09,279 --> 00:18:11,084 of his pyramid to the east, 297 00:18:11,159 --> 00:18:13,604 so it faces the rising of the sun. 298 00:18:16,326 --> 00:18:19,484 He dreams of a smooth-sided pyramid to reflect 299 00:18:19,486 --> 00:18:21,204 the sun's rays 300 00:18:21,206 --> 00:18:25,204 and to symbolize a shaft of sunlight rendered in stone. 301 00:18:27,606 --> 00:18:31,844 How does Sneferu perfect his new pyramid design? 302 00:18:33,126 --> 00:18:34,604 Could a third pyramid 303 00:18:34,679 --> 00:18:37,404 help explain his pursuit of perfection? 304 00:18:46,766 --> 00:18:48,604 NARRATOR: The Red Pyramid, 305 00:18:48,606 --> 00:18:51,724 a marvel of ancient engineering, 306 00:18:51,799 --> 00:18:55,604 the first true smooth-sided pyramid ever constructed, 307 00:18:56,606 --> 00:18:58,764 built by the pharaoh Sneferu. 308 00:19:01,046 --> 00:19:04,684 Egyptologist Meredith Brand investigates how Sneferu 309 00:19:04,686 --> 00:19:07,364 advances this completely new design 310 00:19:07,439 --> 00:19:09,764 and executes it so perfectly. 311 00:19:10,886 --> 00:19:13,964 She heads one mile south of the Red Pyramid. 312 00:19:15,446 --> 00:19:16,644 A curious structure 313 00:19:16,719 --> 00:19:19,404 towers over the desert here. 314 00:19:19,479 --> 00:19:23,724 BRAND: Normally, a pharaoh builds one pyramid, but Sneferu, 315 00:19:23,799 --> 00:19:25,804 he does something no one did before. 316 00:19:25,806 --> 00:19:28,444 He builds his first pyramid in Meidum, 317 00:19:28,446 --> 00:19:30,204 then his second pyramid, 318 00:19:30,246 --> 00:19:33,084 the Bent pyramid, and then makes a third, 319 00:19:33,126 --> 00:19:34,964 the Red Pyramid. 320 00:19:36,446 --> 00:19:38,724 NARRATOR: Sneferu's second attempt is known 321 00:19:38,726 --> 00:19:40,844 as the Bent Pyramid. 322 00:19:40,846 --> 00:19:43,564 It is one of the most unusual structures 323 00:19:43,566 --> 00:19:46,564 that stands in the desert at Dahshur. 324 00:19:46,566 --> 00:19:49,564 BRAND: The Bent Pyramid is in a remarkable condition. 325 00:19:49,606 --> 00:19:51,684 There is this beautiful, fine 326 00:19:51,759 --> 00:19:54,964 white limestone outer casing still preserved. 327 00:19:58,766 --> 00:20:00,964 NARRATOR: Deep in the heart of the Bent Pyramid, 328 00:20:01,039 --> 00:20:05,324 Sneferu changes the design of the Meidum Pyramid. 329 00:20:06,406 --> 00:20:09,844 Now, a passageway leads to a corbelled burial chamber, 330 00:20:09,919 --> 00:20:13,124 reaching up higher into the stonework of the pyramid. 331 00:20:15,966 --> 00:20:20,884 On the outside, Sneferu makes another radical change. 332 00:20:20,886 --> 00:20:25,404 He builds smooth sides at a daring 54-degree angle, 333 00:20:26,286 --> 00:20:28,964 then at a more gentle incline, 334 00:20:29,079 --> 00:20:31,684 giving the Bent Pyramid its name. 335 00:20:31,759 --> 00:20:34,524 He clads the exterior in precision-cut 336 00:20:34,566 --> 00:20:38,644 white limestone to make a smooth-sided pyramid, 337 00:20:38,646 --> 00:20:41,724 a shaft of sunlight rendered in stone. 338 00:20:43,446 --> 00:20:46,724 But the Bent Pyramid is far from perfect. 339 00:20:46,726 --> 00:20:50,364 Meredith investigates what goes wrong. 340 00:20:50,406 --> 00:20:53,324 So this is different from most pyramids. 341 00:20:53,399 --> 00:20:57,724 I can see here there's a big gap between the blocks 342 00:20:57,759 --> 00:20:59,404 used to build this pyramid, 343 00:20:59,479 --> 00:21:02,564 and when I look closely, the ancient Egyptians filled 344 00:21:02,566 --> 00:21:06,324 this gap with small pieces of stone. 345 00:21:06,326 --> 00:21:09,924 This would have been incredibly destabilizing on the pyramid. 346 00:21:10,039 --> 00:21:12,924 The blocks don't touch. They're not strong. 347 00:21:12,966 --> 00:21:15,924 This gap between them filled with debris 348 00:21:15,999 --> 00:21:18,284 and rubble only serves to destabilize 349 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:19,844 this pyramid further. 350 00:21:24,046 --> 00:21:26,164 NARRATOR: Meredith makes her way to the entrance 351 00:21:26,239 --> 00:21:28,404 of the pyramid on its northern face. 352 00:21:30,966 --> 00:21:32,684 I've just stepped in, and already, 353 00:21:32,686 --> 00:21:35,004 I can see something quite astounding. 354 00:21:35,046 --> 00:21:40,644 There's a huge crack running from outside all the way in. 355 00:21:40,719 --> 00:21:43,644 It's a massive, massive fissure. 356 00:21:44,926 --> 00:21:48,644 NARRATOR: She descends the narrow 260-foot-long tunnel. 357 00:21:49,726 --> 00:21:51,604 Oh, this is quite something. 358 00:21:56,926 --> 00:21:59,444 I'm down in the descending passage of the Bent Pyramid, 359 00:21:59,519 --> 00:22:03,324 and I see just crack after crack forming in the ceiling. 360 00:22:04,446 --> 00:22:07,044 Civil engineers have studied this and have shown that 361 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:08,644 the whole of the inside of this pyramid is 362 00:22:08,646 --> 00:22:10,124 shifting slightly. 363 00:22:13,246 --> 00:22:15,524 NARRATOR: Halfway through construction, 364 00:22:15,526 --> 00:22:18,204 the outer layers of the Bent Pyramid crack, 365 00:22:18,246 --> 00:22:22,044 a grave warning of engineering mistakes. 366 00:22:25,966 --> 00:22:28,644 The site that Sneferu chooses isn't 367 00:22:28,719 --> 00:22:32,164 rock but loose and shaley sand. 368 00:22:36,766 --> 00:22:40,124 Workers lay the stone blocks inwards instead of lying 369 00:22:40,126 --> 00:22:41,430 them flat, 370 00:22:41,506 --> 00:22:44,364 increasing the internal stress on the pyramid. 371 00:22:47,766 --> 00:22:51,644 If Sneferu's men continue with the original design, 372 00:22:51,686 --> 00:22:54,164 the entire structure may collapse. 373 00:23:00,366 --> 00:23:02,844 The workers building this pyramid had already built 374 00:23:02,846 --> 00:23:06,284 another one at Meidum, so this was their second try. 375 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:09,324 And I can't imagine being down this deep, 376 00:23:09,326 --> 00:23:13,804 scary passageway in the heat and the dust. 377 00:23:13,806 --> 00:23:15,324 Must have been terrifying. 378 00:23:16,806 --> 00:23:18,844 Also, I can't imagine having to come back and tell 379 00:23:18,886 --> 00:23:21,564 the pharaoh, "Your second pyramid isn't gonna work." 380 00:23:24,006 --> 00:23:25,604 NARRATOR: Halfway up the pyramid, 381 00:23:25,606 --> 00:23:29,044 the builders are terrified it could collapse. 382 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,204 So they change the angle to make it less steep. 383 00:23:33,766 --> 00:23:35,484 Meredith uses a clinometer 384 00:23:35,526 --> 00:23:37,764 to examine this dramatic intervention. 385 00:23:39,726 --> 00:23:42,124 So, when I hold it up 386 00:23:42,199 --> 00:23:44,404 and I align with my sight, 387 00:23:45,646 --> 00:23:48,644 the angle or the point of inflection 388 00:23:48,719 --> 00:23:49,844 where the angle changes, 389 00:23:49,919 --> 00:23:53,284 I can tell that this pyramid 390 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:58,244 changes suddenly to around 43 degrees. 391 00:23:58,319 --> 00:24:00,164 This is a completely different slope 392 00:24:00,166 --> 00:24:02,044 than the base of the pyramid. 393 00:24:02,046 --> 00:24:03,684 NARRATOR: The radical change in angle 394 00:24:03,759 --> 00:24:06,124 saves the Bent Pyramid from collapse 395 00:24:06,126 --> 00:24:10,244 but leaves Sneferu's dream of a smooth-sided pyramid, 396 00:24:10,246 --> 00:24:14,724 built like a shaft of sunlight rendered in stone, in ruins. 397 00:24:17,686 --> 00:24:21,324 He abandons the Bent Pyramid, just like his pyramid 398 00:24:21,326 --> 00:24:25,044 at Meidum, and tries again with the Red Pyramid. 399 00:24:26,126 --> 00:24:30,084 BRAND: What's so interesting is that the Red Pyramid has 400 00:24:30,159 --> 00:24:34,004 a slope of 43 degrees from the base all the way up. 401 00:24:38,166 --> 00:24:40,804 NARRATOR: Sneferu learns from his mistakes here 402 00:24:40,879 --> 00:24:43,764 at the Bent Pyramid -- building too steeply 403 00:24:43,839 --> 00:24:46,844 and on unstable ground with angled stones. 404 00:24:46,846 --> 00:24:51,484 He discovers 43 degrees is the perfect angle to create 405 00:24:51,486 --> 00:24:53,324 his ultimate pyramid. 406 00:24:54,726 --> 00:24:58,204 The Bent Pyramid shows me that Sneferu's a true innovator. 407 00:24:58,246 --> 00:25:01,204 He realizes that doing something 408 00:25:01,279 --> 00:25:03,884 remarkable requires trial and error. 409 00:25:03,959 --> 00:25:07,124 And the Bent Pyramid is the way that 410 00:25:07,126 --> 00:25:10,964 snafu learns the route to building a true pyramid. 411 00:25:12,206 --> 00:25:16,124 NARRATOR: His quest for the perfect resting place continues. 412 00:25:17,766 --> 00:25:20,124 BRAND: Ancient Egyptians believed that it's crucial for 413 00:25:20,126 --> 00:25:22,244 the pharaoh to have a perfect burial 414 00:25:22,319 --> 00:25:25,044 in order for the eternal cosmos to function 415 00:25:25,046 --> 00:25:26,884 and their society to flourish. 416 00:25:26,959 --> 00:25:30,644 The pharaoh has to have a perfect pyramid. 417 00:25:34,166 --> 00:25:37,084 NARRATOR: Can clues in the casing of the Red Pyramid 418 00:25:37,126 --> 00:25:39,604 tell us how quickly Sneferu builds it? 419 00:25:40,766 --> 00:25:42,164 And how does he afford to 420 00:25:42,239 --> 00:25:44,924 raise so many structures in the desert? 421 00:25:56,606 --> 00:25:59,084 NARRATOR: 4,500 years ago, 422 00:25:59,086 --> 00:26:01,684 a mysterious pharaoh, Sneferu, 423 00:26:01,759 --> 00:26:05,364 builds not one, but three gigantic pyramids. 424 00:26:06,246 --> 00:26:07,884 The Meidum Pyramid, 425 00:26:07,959 --> 00:26:11,604 his first step towards a sun-cult inspired tomb. 426 00:26:13,966 --> 00:26:16,004 The Bent Pyramid, 427 00:26:16,079 --> 00:26:19,964 an overly ambitious project that almost ends in disaster. 428 00:26:21,686 --> 00:26:25,044 And his final perfection, the Red Pyramid. 429 00:26:25,926 --> 00:26:31,044 Egyptologist Meredith Brand explores how he builds so many. 430 00:26:31,046 --> 00:26:35,124 BRAND: Sneferu managed to move 130 million cubic feet 431 00:26:35,199 --> 00:26:38,484 of stone to build three pyramids. 432 00:26:38,486 --> 00:26:42,764 It's a phenomenal feat of engineering, architecture, 433 00:26:42,839 --> 00:26:44,884 and just sheer human effort. 434 00:26:44,959 --> 00:26:46,324 It's mind-boggling. 435 00:26:52,166 --> 00:26:54,244 NARRATOR: Investigators unearth clues to 436 00:26:54,246 --> 00:26:57,044 how long each takes to build. 437 00:26:57,119 --> 00:26:59,604 In the outer casing of the Red Pyramid, 438 00:26:59,679 --> 00:27:01,684 inscriptions of a cattle count 439 00:27:01,759 --> 00:27:04,844 that occurs every two years in ancient Egypt. 440 00:27:04,919 --> 00:27:06,684 Like a logbook, 441 00:27:06,726 --> 00:27:12,164 the markings are mapped out across the pyramid's 160 layers. 442 00:27:12,239 --> 00:27:16,004 Higher up, an inscription of the 16th count. 443 00:27:17,686 --> 00:27:21,244 And near the top, one for the 24th count. 444 00:27:23,326 --> 00:27:27,204 By looking at the distance and time between the markings, 445 00:27:27,206 --> 00:27:29,404 investigators work out how long it takes 446 00:27:29,406 --> 00:27:30,804 to build the pyramid. 447 00:27:37,966 --> 00:27:41,004 These inscriptions make it clear that's Sneferu 448 00:27:41,006 --> 00:27:44,604 built one-fifth of the pyramid in two years. 449 00:27:44,606 --> 00:27:48,804 That means it would have taken at least 10 years 450 00:27:48,879 --> 00:27:50,924 to build this entire pyramid, 451 00:27:50,999 --> 00:27:53,084 which is remarkably fast. 452 00:27:53,086 --> 00:27:55,684 For Sneferu to get this much work done, 453 00:27:55,686 --> 00:27:59,324 he would have needed around 40,000 men. 454 00:28:01,286 --> 00:28:04,524 NARRATOR: Meredith wants to know how Sneferu amasses 455 00:28:04,599 --> 00:28:08,044 the resources to pull off this incredible feat of engineering 456 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:09,244 so quickly. 457 00:28:13,686 --> 00:28:15,684 She examines an ancient text 458 00:28:15,759 --> 00:28:17,804 for evidence of Sneferu's rule. 459 00:28:18,606 --> 00:28:20,484 This is the Palermo Stone. 460 00:28:20,486 --> 00:28:24,364 It's a small fragment of a larger royal annal that 461 00:28:24,366 --> 00:28:27,964 tells us what all the kings of the Old Kingdom did. 462 00:28:28,006 --> 00:28:29,844 And I can see, looking at it, 463 00:28:29,919 --> 00:28:33,124 there's a cartouche with the name Sneferu, telling us 464 00:28:33,126 --> 00:28:35,044 this is the king we're looking for. 465 00:28:36,606 --> 00:28:39,284 The Palermo Stone has a tantalizing amount of 466 00:28:39,359 --> 00:28:44,044 information about Sneferu -- this section here tells us 467 00:28:44,046 --> 00:28:48,204 that Sneferu made an expedition to Lebanon to get 468 00:28:48,206 --> 00:28:52,564 cedar wood to build a 100-cubit ship. 469 00:28:52,639 --> 00:28:54,604 That's about 170 feet. 470 00:28:54,606 --> 00:28:57,364 And this ship would have been used to collect numerous 471 00:28:57,439 --> 00:28:59,124 luxury goods that he could use 472 00:28:59,199 --> 00:29:01,964 to bolster the economy and build the pyramids. 473 00:29:06,366 --> 00:29:09,084 NARRATOR: In his quest for resources, 474 00:29:09,126 --> 00:29:11,004 Sneferu ventures far into the deserts 475 00:29:11,006 --> 00:29:12,804 beyond the Nile Valley. 476 00:29:16,446 --> 00:29:19,964 He builds a fleet of 40 ships used to 477 00:29:20,006 --> 00:29:22,804 trade with Phoenicia, modern-day Lebanon, 478 00:29:22,879 --> 00:29:24,844 for their prized cedar wood. 479 00:29:28,086 --> 00:29:32,244 He conquers neighboring Libya, Nubia, and Sinai, 480 00:29:32,246 --> 00:29:34,684 and captures 7,000 prisoners 481 00:29:34,686 --> 00:29:38,124 and 20,000 cattle to bring back to Egypt. 482 00:29:39,086 --> 00:29:42,964 He likely puts the captive to work in the quarries and mines 483 00:29:43,039 --> 00:29:46,644 of lower Egypt to prepare vast quantities of stone 484 00:29:46,719 --> 00:29:48,564 for his building projects. 485 00:29:50,206 --> 00:29:54,324 Building three pyramids is a massive economic challenge 486 00:29:54,326 --> 00:29:57,684 and Sneferu met that challenge by setting up 487 00:29:57,759 --> 00:29:59,484 agricultural states, 488 00:29:59,486 --> 00:30:03,964 dedicating cattle, and even using prisoners of war to 489 00:30:03,966 --> 00:30:06,164 expand the Egyptian labor force. 490 00:30:13,126 --> 00:30:15,364 NARRATOR: Backed by these resources, 491 00:30:15,366 --> 00:30:18,804 the Red Pyramid is a masterpiece of construction. 492 00:30:20,406 --> 00:30:23,404 It satisfies all of Sneferu's wishes, 493 00:30:24,686 --> 00:30:26,324 but it isn't just the outside 494 00:30:26,326 --> 00:30:28,364 of the pyramid that is revolutionary. 495 00:30:30,046 --> 00:30:33,284 Sneferu rewrites the rule book to create vaulted 496 00:30:33,286 --> 00:30:36,644 chambers taller than any seen before in Egypt. 497 00:30:39,486 --> 00:30:43,124 What is the purpose of these rarely seen hidden chambers? 498 00:30:46,166 --> 00:30:48,764 And what lies undiscovered inside 499 00:30:48,766 --> 00:30:51,164 the labyrinth of this ancient tomb? 500 00:31:01,806 --> 00:31:03,884 NARRATOR: The Pyramids of Sneferu. 501 00:31:03,959 --> 00:31:06,604 The largest is the Red Pyramid, 502 00:31:06,679 --> 00:31:09,764 a wonder of engineering on the exterior. 503 00:31:11,806 --> 00:31:14,244 Meredith Brand begins her ascent to 504 00:31:14,319 --> 00:31:18,724 the entrance to explore its groundbreaking design inside. 505 00:31:25,726 --> 00:31:29,404 It is 94 feet up on the north side of the pyramid, 506 00:31:30,326 --> 00:31:33,724 higher than any other pyramid Sneferu builds. 507 00:31:36,766 --> 00:31:40,044 Even with modern steps, the climb is tough, 508 00:31:42,566 --> 00:31:44,564 but the entrance tunnel reveals that 509 00:31:44,566 --> 00:31:47,004 her journey will only get harder. 510 00:31:49,606 --> 00:31:51,724 This is the entrance of the pyramid. 511 00:31:51,799 --> 00:31:53,924 It plunges straight down into 512 00:31:53,926 --> 00:31:55,724 the middle of the core of the pyramid. 513 00:31:56,966 --> 00:31:58,764 Without the modern steps, 514 00:31:58,839 --> 00:32:00,804 this passage would be treacherous. 515 00:32:02,926 --> 00:32:06,124 NARRATOR: In an opening on its northern side, 516 00:32:06,126 --> 00:32:10,964 a hidden entrance leads to a 206-foot passageway, 517 00:32:11,039 --> 00:32:13,964 diving down at an angle of 27 degrees 518 00:32:13,966 --> 00:32:16,884 into the heart of the pyramid. 519 00:32:16,959 --> 00:32:20,484 A first chamber connects by a short, narrow corridor to 520 00:32:20,486 --> 00:32:22,604 a second identical chamber, 521 00:32:22,679 --> 00:32:24,604 both with corbelled ceilings. 522 00:32:26,886 --> 00:32:28,844 They link 30 feet up via 523 00:32:28,919 --> 00:32:32,044 a final corridor to a third great chamber, 524 00:32:33,166 --> 00:32:35,524 the inner sanctum of the Red Pyramid. 525 00:32:39,846 --> 00:32:42,444 Is this elaborate labyrinth designed 526 00:32:42,446 --> 00:32:44,724 to conceal Sneferu's mummy? 527 00:32:53,326 --> 00:32:57,604 Meredith climbs down hundreds of feet of dark tunnels. 528 00:32:59,446 --> 00:33:01,884 The mere fact that I have to crouch down like this 529 00:33:01,926 --> 00:33:05,524 shows me that this wasn't meant to be accessed by people. 530 00:33:08,526 --> 00:33:11,244 NARRATOR: They lead into a secret chamber. 531 00:33:16,286 --> 00:33:18,404 BRAND: I made it to the first chamber. 532 00:33:18,479 --> 00:33:21,044 It's stunning. It's huge. 533 00:33:21,119 --> 00:33:23,644 The stones are big, beautiful blocks. 534 00:33:23,686 --> 00:33:28,684 It's all finished nicely, and the ceiling is so high. 535 00:33:28,686 --> 00:33:31,204 NARRATOR: This chamber appears different to those 536 00:33:31,206 --> 00:33:34,324 in Sneferu's other pyramids. 537 00:33:34,399 --> 00:33:38,164 I can tell that the ancient stonemasons took time 538 00:33:38,239 --> 00:33:40,044 and effort to -- to finish them 539 00:33:40,119 --> 00:33:41,804 and sort of polish them off. 540 00:33:41,806 --> 00:33:45,324 This looks like a complete interior of a pyramid. 541 00:33:46,206 --> 00:33:49,964 NARRATOR: Sneferu finishes the inside of his Red Pyramid. 542 00:33:50,039 --> 00:33:53,804 This makes it more likely that Sneferu's mummy is buried 543 00:33:53,879 --> 00:33:55,684 here than in the Meidum 544 00:33:55,759 --> 00:33:58,564 and Bent Pyramids, which remain unfinished. 545 00:34:03,766 --> 00:34:08,124 This passage leads from the first chamber through 546 00:34:08,166 --> 00:34:11,044 a tunnel to something else, and it's a bit 547 00:34:11,119 --> 00:34:15,644 to the side, and it's perfectly wide enough for a big block to 548 00:34:15,686 --> 00:34:18,804 completely hide this passage. 549 00:34:24,046 --> 00:34:27,844 NARRATOR: Meredith searches for where Sneferu's mummy might be. 550 00:34:30,246 --> 00:34:32,844 BRAND: I made it into the second chamber, 551 00:34:32,919 --> 00:34:35,444 and I'm here in the center of the pyramid. 552 00:34:35,519 --> 00:34:39,044 There's 200 tons of stones on either side of me, 553 00:34:39,886 --> 00:34:42,564 and the ceiling goes up and up and up and up and up. 554 00:34:44,206 --> 00:34:46,044 NARRATOR: She searches the second chamber 555 00:34:46,086 --> 00:34:48,004 for a route through the labyrinth. 556 00:34:49,326 --> 00:34:52,164 All three sides of this chamber have solid walls, 557 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:56,564 and then I look, and I can see a huge, modern staircase 558 00:34:56,639 --> 00:34:59,444 constructed, going up and up and up and up to the top, 559 00:34:59,519 --> 00:35:02,924 and it shows me that there's something up there. 560 00:35:03,926 --> 00:35:05,524 I'm excited to go take a look. 561 00:35:11,886 --> 00:35:14,244 NARRATOR: Meredith climbs the modern staircase to 562 00:35:14,246 --> 00:35:16,204 the top of the corbelled ceiling. 563 00:35:19,086 --> 00:35:21,684 Up here, she can see signs that Sneferu 564 00:35:21,759 --> 00:35:24,804 tries to hide the entrance to a third chamber. 565 00:35:25,886 --> 00:35:28,084 BRAND: These holes high up on the wall are 566 00:35:28,159 --> 00:35:32,364 a clue that there could have been a suspended ceiling. 567 00:35:33,886 --> 00:35:36,084 NARRATOR: A false ceiling here would have hidden 568 00:35:36,159 --> 00:35:39,724 the entrance to the third chamber from unwelcome robbers. 569 00:35:41,926 --> 00:35:44,284 BRAND: Any ancient robber would have to search very 570 00:35:44,326 --> 00:35:47,324 hard to find the entrance to a secret chamber. 571 00:35:51,646 --> 00:35:54,884 NARRATOR: Sneferu perfects his pyramid design here, 572 00:35:54,959 --> 00:35:57,284 inside the Red Pyramid. 573 00:35:57,359 --> 00:36:01,124 He creates a labyrinth worthy of his final resting place, 574 00:36:01,926 --> 00:36:04,204 with a burial chamber high up and close 575 00:36:04,206 --> 00:36:07,604 to the sun, hiding his tomb from robbers. 576 00:36:08,806 --> 00:36:12,404 Does Sneferu's perfect pyramid pay off, or do 577 00:36:12,479 --> 00:36:16,524 tomb robbers discover his final chamber and his mummy? 578 00:36:25,086 --> 00:36:27,524 NARRATOR: The Red Pyramid, built with 579 00:36:27,526 --> 00:36:30,924 corbelled vaulted chambers and concealed tunnels 580 00:36:30,926 --> 00:36:35,124 to stop tomb robbers from finding Sneferu's tomb. 581 00:36:35,199 --> 00:36:37,724 Meredith Brand explores the tunnels of 582 00:36:37,766 --> 00:36:40,724 the pyramid to see if his plan works. 583 00:36:41,646 --> 00:36:44,004 She ascends the modern staircase 584 00:36:45,166 --> 00:36:47,244 and makes her way into the upper chamber 585 00:36:47,319 --> 00:36:48,604 of the Red Pyramid. 586 00:36:57,846 --> 00:37:00,084 I've crawled through a passage, 587 00:37:00,159 --> 00:37:03,884 and I've reached this massive ceiling chamber. 588 00:37:03,959 --> 00:37:06,484 It's 48 feet above me, 589 00:37:06,486 --> 00:37:09,124 and looking around, 590 00:37:09,126 --> 00:37:11,084 I can't see another doorway. 591 00:37:11,159 --> 00:37:13,084 This seems to be the end. 592 00:37:13,126 --> 00:37:14,497 There doesn't seem to be 593 00:37:14,499 --> 00:37:16,444 another chamber or anything else beyond this. 594 00:37:18,926 --> 00:37:20,364 NARRATOR: Marks on the ceiling 595 00:37:20,366 --> 00:37:22,324 catch her eye. 596 00:37:22,406 --> 00:37:24,244 It's remarkable. I can see on 597 00:37:24,319 --> 00:37:27,964 the roof that there's this dark black soot. 598 00:37:27,966 --> 00:37:31,244 It shows me that people have been in here, lighting 599 00:37:31,319 --> 00:37:36,524 candles that has emitted smoke, staining the walls and the roof. 600 00:37:37,886 --> 00:37:40,844 NARRATOR: Meredith hunts for evidence that this is a sign 601 00:37:40,919 --> 00:37:43,564 tomb robbers reach this chamber. 602 00:37:43,639 --> 00:37:46,884 The floor of this chamber is completely dug up, and I can't 603 00:37:46,886 --> 00:37:48,804 think of any reason why an ancient Egyptian would want 604 00:37:48,879 --> 00:37:52,244 to do this, unless it's to find hidden treasure. 605 00:37:52,319 --> 00:37:55,244 So it seems that robbers have come in here, 606 00:37:55,319 --> 00:37:58,364 digging this entire area up, 607 00:37:58,366 --> 00:38:02,524 ripping out the original floor, and leaving a big hole in 608 00:38:02,566 --> 00:38:04,804 the ground, almost 14 feet deep. 609 00:38:09,846 --> 00:38:12,804 NARRATOR: Like all pharaohs, Sneferu is buried 610 00:38:12,806 --> 00:38:14,884 with unimaginable treasure 611 00:38:14,959 --> 00:38:18,364 and a collection of funerary goods for the afterlife. 612 00:38:22,326 --> 00:38:25,284 But tomb robbers break in and empty the chamber 613 00:38:25,359 --> 00:38:26,964 of its riches. 614 00:38:32,766 --> 00:38:35,604 They widen the passageway so they can take 615 00:38:35,679 --> 00:38:37,844 their bulky plunder out of the chamber 616 00:38:37,846 --> 00:38:39,604 to the pyramid's entrance. 617 00:38:43,486 --> 00:38:46,524 Finally, they make off with the loot across 618 00:38:46,526 --> 00:38:49,804 the Egyptian desert, never to be seen again. 619 00:38:54,286 --> 00:38:57,324 When archaeologists first enter the burial chamber, 620 00:38:57,326 --> 00:38:59,604 nothing of Sneferu is left. 621 00:39:00,886 --> 00:39:04,044 Meredith makes one final sweep of the chamber. 622 00:39:05,406 --> 00:39:08,204 She spots an unusual feature. 623 00:39:08,206 --> 00:39:11,564 It suggests Sneferu may have one last trick. 624 00:39:13,006 --> 00:39:16,844 Looking around, all of the stones are the same color, 625 00:39:16,959 --> 00:39:18,464 and they look really similar, 626 00:39:18,466 --> 00:39:22,124 except for over here on this wall, there's a stone that's 627 00:39:22,199 --> 00:39:23,524 darker than the stones 628 00:39:23,599 --> 00:39:27,124 around it -- could there be another chamber behind it? 629 00:39:28,246 --> 00:39:30,564 NARRATOR: The tomb robbers likely stripped this chamber of 630 00:39:30,639 --> 00:39:32,004 great riches, 631 00:39:32,006 --> 00:39:35,964 but whether they removed Sneferu's mummy, or if he lies 632 00:39:36,006 --> 00:39:39,604 undisturbed beyond these walls is yet to be discovered. 633 00:39:39,606 --> 00:39:42,764 His body has never been found. 634 00:39:42,839 --> 00:39:45,684 I wonder if Sneferu's mummy is still in the Red Pyramid. 635 00:39:50,006 --> 00:39:52,444 NARRATOR: Sneferu's mummy is lost, 636 00:39:52,446 --> 00:39:56,524 but his perfect pyramid is his lasting legacy. 637 00:39:56,526 --> 00:39:58,764 BRAND: Sneferu finally achieves his dream, 638 00:39:58,839 --> 00:40:01,324 and he builds his smooth-sided pyramid. 639 00:40:01,399 --> 00:40:05,284 He makes a beacon of the sun in the middle of the desert. 640 00:40:05,359 --> 00:40:08,724 He finally achieves his goal, and he's able to 641 00:40:08,726 --> 00:40:11,524 join the Sun God, Ra, on his eternal journey. 642 00:40:13,126 --> 00:40:15,924 NARRATOR: Sneferu designs the first true pyramid 643 00:40:15,999 --> 00:40:19,124 and changes the way they are built forever. 644 00:40:20,206 --> 00:40:23,084 Ancient Egyptian kings were inspired by the past, and what 645 00:40:23,159 --> 00:40:25,484 Sneferu did was inspire 646 00:40:25,486 --> 00:40:27,804 future kings of Egypt to build bigger, 647 00:40:27,846 --> 00:40:29,724 greater, and grander pyramids, 648 00:40:32,886 --> 00:40:37,164 NARRATOR: Sneferu builds more pyramids than any other pharaoh 649 00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:39,724 and revolutionizes their design. 650 00:40:41,286 --> 00:40:43,404 The Meidum Pyramid, 651 00:40:43,479 --> 00:40:45,364 the first pyramid with a corbelled 652 00:40:45,366 --> 00:40:48,044 burial chamber to reach to the sun. 653 00:40:49,126 --> 00:40:52,204 The Bent Pyramid, the first pyramid to 654 00:40:52,279 --> 00:40:56,044 attempt smooth sides to represent the sun's rays. 655 00:40:57,086 --> 00:41:00,404 And the Red Pyramid, Sneferu's perfect 656 00:41:00,406 --> 00:41:02,244 third masterpiece, 657 00:41:02,246 --> 00:41:05,484 the final resting place for his body to journey to 658 00:41:05,559 --> 00:41:06,797 the afterlife. 659 00:41:08,326 --> 00:41:11,444 Sneferu's son, Khufu, follows in his father's 660 00:41:11,446 --> 00:41:15,884 footsteps, constructing the Great Pyramid of Giza. 661 00:41:15,919 --> 00:41:19,604 It has become the iconic pyramid of ancient Egypt, 662 00:41:20,686 --> 00:41:24,124 but it is the Red Pyramid that changes the course 663 00:41:24,206 --> 00:41:26,604 of pyramid building forever.