1 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:10,320 ♪ ♪ 2 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:15,440 NARRATOR: Buried deep underground, 3 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:17,920 an ancient Egyptian tomb from the time of 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:19,760 Ramses the Great. 5 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,400 This bricked up entrance has been undisturbed for 6 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:26,400 nearly 3,000 years, until now. 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,120 OLA (off-screen): Are we going to be able to get in, yes? 8 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,760 Oh, my god. It is dark. 9 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:40,040 It looks very, very deep. 10 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,600 NARRATOR: What's revealed is a surprise to even 11 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,200 the most experienced archaeologist. 12 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:51,960 OLA: Oh, la, la. Yes. Ooh, beautiful. My god. 13 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:01,040 NARRATOR: Ramses the Second, 14 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,320 known as Ramses the Great was one of the most 15 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,640 powerful and successful rulers of the ancient world. 16 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,520 He reigned for 66 years, 17 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,200 expanded Egypt's borders and built more monuments and 18 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,040 temples than any other Pharaoh. 19 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,120 How did he become such a mighty king, 20 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,400 and build a legacy that has lasted three millennia? 21 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,320 Today across Egypt, 22 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,280 archaeologists are digging up evidence from his life, 23 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:29,920 and those that served him, 24 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,160 as they attempt to uncover the secrets of Ramses 25 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,640 rise to power. 26 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:40,320 Most ancient Egyptians never saw 27 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,760 Ramses the Great in the flesh, 28 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,240 but his image was everywhere. 29 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,480 To investigate how Ramses made his presence 30 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:50,280 felt across his Empire, 31 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,040 American hieroglyphs expert and vintage clothes collector, 32 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:55,480 Colleen Darnell, 33 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,800 ventures to one of his most impressive achievements, 34 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,400 Karnak Temple. 35 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,080 COLLEEN: The sheer scale of this temple 36 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,800 is just overwhelming. 37 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:12,960 This is one of the most impressive spaces 38 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,240 in the world. 39 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:16,880 You can read all the numbers, 40 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,440 how high the columns are, how many there are, 41 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:22,560 and I especially love the color on the ceilings. 42 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,840 You have to stand here in order to appreciate 43 00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:30,400 its magnificence. 44 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:33,760 NARRATOR: When Ramses came to power, 45 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,640 Karnak was already a temple complex the size of 46 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,520 75 football fields, 47 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,680 and held a sacred lake larger than seven 48 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:43,880 Olympic swimming pools. 49 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,760 One temple, called the Temple of Amun-Re, 50 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,440 was big enough to hold ten Gothic cathedrals 51 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,840 within its walls, but Ramses wanted more, 52 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,400 so he completed a masterpiece begun by his father: 53 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,400 a vast building whose roof rests on pillars, 54 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,040 a great Hypostyle hall. 55 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:07,760 It's one of the largest religious rooms ever built. 56 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,520 So what can this sacred temple reveal about what made 57 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,360 Ramses such a powerful and memorable leader? 58 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,080 Around 30 different Pharaohs helped build Karnak, 59 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:24,160 making modifications over one and a half thousand years. 60 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,160 But the writing on the temple walls tells a different story. 61 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,600 COLLEEN: There's one name I see more than any other, 62 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:32,480 and that is Ramses. 63 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,160 This is the cartouche of Ramses II. 64 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,080 We see it again all around this column. 65 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:43,320 We see it on this column, pretty confidently nearly 66 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:46,560 every column in this side of the Hypo-style Hall has 67 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,640 multiple examples of the name of Ramses II. 68 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:55,120 NARRATOR: 134 sandstone columns tower up to 69 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,880 66 feet high. 70 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,880 Recent analysis shows every single one is inscribed with 71 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,040 Ramses name and stories of his life. 72 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,760 He didn't just help build the most iconic room in the temple, 73 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,520 he made sure everybody knew it. 74 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,800 But many of Egypt's kings built big monuments. 75 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:20,880 Colleen wants to see what else Ramses did to make 76 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,400 his reign so special. 77 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,840 Clues to his epic achievements are carved 78 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:31,920 into the temple walls. 79 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:39,400 COLLEEN: This wall's just amazing. 80 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,880 It's filled with the military victories of Ramses II. 81 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,880 We have him fighting in a chariot, 82 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,680 then he's bringing his captives in and presenting 83 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,560 them to the god Amun, the god here at Karnak temple. 84 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,840 And over here he's smiting foes from the 85 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,440 four corners of the world. 86 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:10,400 He truly wanted to be known as a warrior Pharaoh. 87 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:15,680 NARRATOR: As a young Prince, 88 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,640 Ramses accompanied his father Seti the First 89 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:20,800 on military campaigns, 90 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,080 gaining experience of leadership and war. 91 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,520 He became king while still a teenager, 92 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,560 and took command of the Egyptian military, 93 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,760 an army of 100,000 men. 94 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,120 He personally led them onto the battlefield against the 95 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:41,880 Hittite Empire of Kadesh, 96 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,960 and returned home proclaiming victory. 97 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,760 But his campaigns continued throughout 98 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:49,240 his long reign, 99 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,000 as he expanded and strengthened Egypt's control, 100 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:55,440 earning a fearsome reputation as a 101 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,360 mighty warrior king. 102 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:00,760 COLLEEN (off-screen): This is an incredible scene. 103 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:04,840 We see Ramses in his chariot and he's pulling an enemy off 104 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,160 of his own chariot, 105 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:11,520 and is about to pierce him with a spear. 106 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,400 And all this is taking place outside of the Syrian city, 107 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,360 so this shows Ramses extending the boundaries of Egypt. 108 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:22,240 Ramses, like other Pharaohs, 109 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,040 put his military victories on temple walls, 110 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,080 because it was a way of showing the triumph of Egypt, 111 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:33,120 the triumph of order over chaos represented by foreigners. 112 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:34,480 NARRATOR: These scenes, 113 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:36,280 together with other ancient evidence, 114 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,920 suggest Ramses really did fight alongside his men, 115 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,800 unlike many Pharaohs who made similar boasts, 116 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,120 but never actually fought themselves. 117 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:49,880 His bravery and tactical skill were central to his rise to power, 118 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:52,880 but is there more to Ramses rule than 119 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:54,840 just military might? 120 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,760 In Luxor's Deir El-Bahari, where Ramses buried many of 121 00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:02,760 his nobles at the sprawling tomb complex of Asasif, 122 00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:06,160 Egyptian archaeologist Fathi Yaseen leads a team 123 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,280 excavating deep below the desert sand. 124 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:15,040 Fathi wants to find out why they chose this specific location for their necropolis, 125 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,520 and what it can reveal about Ramses long reign. 126 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,760 FATHI: We have here a lot of temples, thousand of tombs. 127 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,200 NARRATOR: Fathi doesn't just run this dig, 128 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:29,040 he oversees every antiquity site on Luxor's west bank, 129 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:31,880 and has done for 30 years. 130 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:36,920 Born and bred just north of Luxor, it was his childhood dream to work in Egyptology. 131 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:41,400 FATHI: My job is very busy, but for us it is exciting work. 132 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,160 Why? Because maybe what we find here... 133 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,360 adds for Egyptology 134 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,400 more information for the ancient history. 135 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,360 NARRATOR: The location of these burials is very 136 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,080 unusual and mysterious. 137 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,000 On Luxor's west bank, ancient Egyptian elites mostly 138 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:00,520 buried their dead high up on hillsides, 139 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:02,240 so people would look up to them, 140 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,160 even in death. 141 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:08,440 But here at As-Asif, the tombs are right on the valley floor. 142 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:10,400 FATHI: Why choose this area? 143 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,280 Why choose to locate the tombs in this area? 144 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,880 What's importance of this area? 145 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:20,680 NARRATOR: Last season, Fathi and his team discovered 146 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:24,040 the beautifully decorated cartinage of an elite. 147 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:26,800 He thinks it's the tip of the iceberg, 148 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,280 and means there's an important undiscovered tomb nearby. 149 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,080 It could contain priceless treasure and inscriptions 150 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:38,200 with information about the tomb owner that might help explain the tomb's 151 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:40,440 strange location. 152 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,480 Starting from a simple mud brick wall in the sand, 153 00:08:43,560 --> 00:08:47,080 Fathi's excavations reveal the outline of a huge tomb. 154 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,600 Now Fathi and his team need to find the 155 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:52,840 tomb's underground doorway. 156 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,480 FATHI: It is very exciting for us to see this entrance 157 00:08:56,560 --> 00:09:00,320 but what's behind this entrance? We don't know yet. 158 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,680 NARRATOR: Workers painstakingly remove debris 159 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,600 from the tomb's mud-brick outline on ground level. 160 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:11,080 FATHI: We are working under nearly 40 degrees. It is hot. 161 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:14,480 NARRATOR: Despite the 104 degree Fahrenheit conditions, 162 00:09:14,560 --> 00:09:17,840 they work quickly to reveal a 65-foot long corridor, 163 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:20,960 but have no idea how deep it is. 164 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,080 It could take weeks to reach bedrock and the tomb's 165 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:25,800 underground entrance. 166 00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:32,440 FATHI: Our concentration now is to recognize what is behind the debris. 167 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:34,560 It is very exciting moment for us. 168 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,680 NARRATOR: Fathi and his team have many tons of sand to shift, 169 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,200 but they keep an eye out for any clues hidden in the dust. 170 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:44,760 FATHI: Part of a ushabti. 171 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,240 It's a very good indication because it means 172 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,040 we are working in the right position to find the 173 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:51,680 entrance of the tomb. 174 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,480 NARRATOR: At the Saqqara Necropolis on the outskirts 175 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:01,880 of Cairo, in front of the world's oldest pyramid, 176 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,840 Egyptian archaeologist Ola El Aguizy, 177 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,640 is exploring the tombs of Ramses generals. 178 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,840 OLA: I love my work I'm doing. 179 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,320 I really love it. 180 00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:14,280 NARRATOR: To rule an expanding empire, 181 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:18,120 you need loyal soldiers and Ola hopes to find out how 182 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:22,040 Ramses rewarded those who supported his rise to power. 183 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,280 OLA (off-screen): This is a family burial, the whole area. 184 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,160 It's clear that they're all related. 185 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,640 It's just a real puzzle. 186 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,680 NARRATOR: Grandmother Ola came to archaeology 187 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,880 50 years ago through her love of hieroglyphics. 188 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:40,160 She spent the last 15 years exploring these ancient tombs, 189 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:44,240 mostly with the same trusty team of workers. 190 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,040 OLA: Every day we come here we have a surprise. 191 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:51,000 We have something new to find. 192 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:53,120 NARRATOR: This season Ola's excavating an 193 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:55,200 impressive temple tomb. 194 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:58,600 It belongs to a senior general called Iwrkhy. 195 00:10:58,680 --> 00:11:01,240 OLA: Iwrkhy was known to be a very important general 196 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,520 in the army of Ramses II. 197 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:06,640 That's why I'm very keen on this excavation of 198 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,000 this tomb this year. 199 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:16,280 NARRATOR: Archaeologists believe Iwrkhy and his family came from Syria, 200 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:20,000 traveling to Egypt for a better life. 201 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,320 Iwrkhy was quickly accepted into Egyptian society, 202 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:30,040 serving as a general to Ramses father Seti the First, 203 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,600 then later as right-hand man to Ramses himself, 204 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:38,400 fighting at the Pharaoh's side and leading the army. 205 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,520 When Iwrkhy died, he was buried in a large tomb of 206 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,400 classically Egyptian design. 207 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,680 So how did Ramses reward those who contributed most 208 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:54,360 to his success? 209 00:11:56,680 --> 00:12:00,840 To find out, Ola's team searches an area on the south 210 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,640 of the site in the hope of uncovering more about Ramses 211 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,360 generals and the mysterious foreigner Iwrkhy, 212 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:12,280 who Ramses trusted enough to let him lead his army. 213 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:19,160 On the dig, Ola's hard work eventually pays off. 214 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:26,200 As the team excavates Iwrkhy's tomb, 215 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:30,280 they discover a shaft carved 26-feet deep into the rocks. 216 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:34,800 It leads to a small antechamber from which another 217 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,240 shaft drops 39-feet down to what must be 218 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,080 Iwrkhy's burial chamber. 219 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,680 The team finds it empty, no sign of grave goods, 220 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:47,400 coffins or mummies. 221 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:49,520 But then, they discover something extremely 222 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,600 promising higher up. 223 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:56,520 The wall of the first antechamber looks like it's 224 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,120 been ripped up in ancient times. 225 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,120 What could lie hidden behind it? 226 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,600 OLA: I need to know every part of the tomb 227 00:13:10,680 --> 00:13:14,120 and if there are later burials also, I need to know. 228 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:17,480 NARRATOR: Today, Ola will go inside the antechamber 229 00:13:17,560 --> 00:13:19,120 for the first time. 230 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:23,240 But to get there, she must descend a perilous 26-foot deep shaft, 231 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:25,120 the old fashioned way, 232 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,560 with a wooden winch operated by hand. 233 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:29,960 OLA: See how strong they are? 234 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:35,560 NARRATOR: The workers must carefully lower her down 235 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:37,160 in a bucket. 236 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,280 OLA: I'm, I'm used to that and I like it. 237 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:46,760 Oh la la. 238 00:13:53,680 --> 00:13:58,120 NARRATOR: Ola descends down the long dark shaft into a 239 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,520 partly unexplored tomb. 240 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:06,120 If anything goes wrong with the hand winch supporting the bucket, 241 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,200 the fall could kill her. 242 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,040 OLA: Oh la la. 243 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:13,960 (speaking in native language) 244 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:15,480 Fantastic. 245 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:21,440 NARRATOR: The tomb belongs to one of Ramses most senior generals, 246 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:23,360 a man named Iwrkhy. 247 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,240 Ola wants to investigate how this foreigner became 248 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,520 Ramses' head general. 249 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:32,400 She thinks this could reveal how the generals helped Ramses 250 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,320 to become the most powerful Pharaoh of all time, 251 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,800 and how Ramses rewarded them in return. 252 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,440 Today, she hopes to enter a new part of the tomb 253 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:46,040 for the first time in nearly three millennia, 254 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:49,680 but its entrance is blocked up. 255 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:53,280 Ola believes ancient workers left the loose bricks simply 256 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,040 to hold up the fragile ceiling. 257 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,360 Her team must remove the blocks carefully. 258 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,240 The ancient ceiling above them could easily collapse. 259 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:06,320 OLA (off-screen): Are we going to be able to get in, yes? 260 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:09,560 NARRATOR: With a small space clear, 261 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:11,840 Ola can finally look inside. 262 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:17,160 OLA: Oh, my God. 263 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:18,840 Oh la la. 264 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,800 There are lots and lots of other galleries inside. 265 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:25,600 It's a maze. 266 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:28,400 It looks very, very deep. 267 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:30,760 NARRATOR: Behind the wall is a tomb. 268 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,080 It's much bigger than they first thought, 269 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,200 and it's full of debris. 270 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,320 It's a potential treasure trove of items that could 271 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,880 reveal vital information about General Iwrkhy. 272 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,440 OLA (off-screen): With my tabs on burials hidden inside, 273 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:47,680 I'm optimistic I will find lots of things. 274 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:51,520 OLA: No, no, no! 275 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:54,880 NARRATOR: But, it's pitch black and dangerous shafts 276 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:56,960 could lie hidden below the sand. 277 00:15:57,840 --> 00:15:59,000 OLA (off-screen): They are getting the lamp, 278 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,200 which is in the other shaft so that we can take 279 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:02,920 it with us inside. 280 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:08,920 That's Nadar my assistant. 281 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,920 He's just checking to see because this the first time. 282 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,960 He, he wants to be sure that we can go in safely. 283 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:21,240 Okay? 284 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,880 It is, it is safe, yeah, Nadar? 285 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:25,920 Okay. 286 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,320 So, I am going to enter now. 287 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,160 NARRATOR: Once inside, Ola discovers an astonishing 288 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:40,200 number of funerary alabaster jars. 289 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,440 These contain mummified food and wine for the deceased to 290 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,880 live on in the afterlife. 291 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,040 OLA: That's fantastic. 292 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,280 That shows that this is a rich burial, yes. 293 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:56,840 (speaking in native language). 294 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,120 OLA: Oh, yes, show me. 295 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,480 NARRATOR: More tunnels lead off from the main chamber. 296 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,560 OLA: Woo, you see, look, look inside. 297 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,120 There is still another passage here. 298 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,400 NARRATOR: It is not just a tomb. 299 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:21,440 It's a catacomb with half a dozen tombs connected together. 300 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:25,480 OLA: Come, come, come. 301 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,400 NARRATOR: A once in a decade find. 302 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,120 OLA: My God. 303 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,360 Remains of skeleton with a skull. 304 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:34,880 Oh my God. 305 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:41,000 NARRATOR: In Luxor's Deir EL-Bahari at the Asasif Acropolis, 306 00:17:42,120 --> 00:17:45,400 Fathi's excavating a 66-foot-long entrance 307 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,920 corridor of an ancient tomb. 308 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,920 The area is rich with the burials of Ramses' nobles, 309 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,320 and Fathi wants to know what these tombs reveal about 310 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:58,560 Ramses reign as Pharaoh. 311 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,560 To find out, Fathi hopes to solve the mystery of why tomb 312 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,480 owners chose this site on the valley floor. 313 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:10,880 They've now reached nearly ten feet below ground level 314 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,280 at the end of the corridor. 315 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,000 As he searches for the tomb's entrance, 316 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,600 he uncovers clues in the debris. 317 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:24,440 (speaking in native language) 318 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:25,560 FATHI: Wow. 319 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,200 FATHI: This pottery is very nice, we will keep this pottery 320 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,640 and will take it to the conservation area. 321 00:18:34,120 --> 00:18:37,520 NARRATOR: As Fathi's team gets close to what they hope is the tomb entrance, 322 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:40,680 they discover funerary treasures that prove they 323 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:42,040 are on the right track. 324 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,840 FATHI: Yeah, wow, it's a ushabti, mostly complete one 325 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:52,600 representing a man standing in the same position, like this. 326 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,560 NARRATOR: Ancient Egyptians believe these tiny figures, 327 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,040 called ushabtis would come to life and serve the tomb's 328 00:18:59,120 --> 00:19:01,120 occupant in the afterlife. 329 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:03,360 FATHI: It is very good, nice one. 330 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:06,200 NARRATOR: As the team excavates, 331 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:10,400 the sandy rock debris changes to smooth white limestone. 332 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:13,400 FATHI: Wow. 333 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:16,680 NARRATOR: The top of the tomb's entrance door. 334 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:20,240 FATHI: It's a very exciting moment for us. 335 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:22,520 NARRATOR: Fathi hopes the tomb will hold clues, 336 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,640 such as inscriptions that reveal why the tomb owner 337 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:29,560 chose such a low-lying site, when most tombs for the elite 338 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:32,720 are in the hillsides that surround a necropolis. 339 00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:36,200 The team must work quickly in the scorching heat 340 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,880 to remove the rocks blocking the entrance. 341 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:40,680 FATHI: Very hot. 342 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:42,680 NARRATOR: In this low-lying valley, 343 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,960 temperatures can reach up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 344 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,000 Luckily for Fathi, there's not long to go. 345 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:55,600 FATHI: We will reach the entrance for the first time. 346 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:58,200 So we are very proud now. 347 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:02,000 NARRATOR: With the first limestone blocks removed, 348 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,560 Fathi can finally look inside. 349 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:06,240 FATHI: Wow. 350 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,080 NARRATOR: In Luxor's Karnak temple, 351 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:15,160 Colleen is hunting for clues that explain Ramses 352 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:16,960 rise to power. 353 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:20,880 Ramses was a mighty warrior and general who fought in many 354 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:24,320 campaigns and expanded Egypt's borders to the 355 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,000 east and south. 356 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,280 But the temple walls suggest that's not the only reason he 357 00:20:30,360 --> 00:20:32,120 became so powerful. 358 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:34,160 COLLEEN: This is a remarkable document. 359 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,840 It's the actual text to a Peace Treaty. 360 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:42,480 NARRATOR: This 3,300 year old wall holds 38 lines of 361 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,720 hieroglyphic inscriptions that lay out in detail 362 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,080 the world's first Peace Treaty, 363 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:50,040 an unprecedented promise of 364 00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:53,680 alliance between Ramses and his mortal enemies, 365 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:55,280 the Hittites. 366 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,200 COLLEEN: It's amazing to see the text of an actual Treaty. 367 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,160 This is the document that two great powers signed. 368 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:04,160 Egypt on one hand and the Hittites on the other. 369 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:08,320 NARRATOR: This proves that Ramses didn't just fight wars, 370 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,320 he ended them too. 371 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,640 Peace allowed Egypt to proper and for Ramses 372 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:15,840 to get richer and more powerful. 373 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:18,640 COLLEEN: This tells us how neither the Hittites nor the 374 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:20,640 Egyptians could attack one another, 375 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,040 and if they were attacked by a third party, 376 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:26,280 they would come to their allies' aid. 377 00:21:26,360 --> 00:21:28,320 NARRATOR: The Egyptian-Hittite Peace Treaty, 378 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,520 or the Treaty of Kadesh, meant Ramses could finally 379 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,400 end his 20-year war with the Hittites. 380 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:37,960 COLLEEN: Wars are quite costly, so by having peace, 381 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:42,000 Ramses is guaranteeing stability and prosperity in his reign. 382 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,760 NARRATOR: This allowed Ramses to focus on gathering wealth 383 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,640 and building temples and monuments that celebrated his 384 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:50,560 mighty achievements. 385 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:52,480 COLLEEN (off-screen): A lot of Pharaohs, including Ramses, 386 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:55,560 used propaganda, but in the case of the Peace Treaty, 387 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:59,200 these are real terms with a real foreign king, 388 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,600 so this shows Ramses wanted everyone to know that he 389 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,520 was a great diplomat. 390 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:08,360 NARRATOR: Ramses demonstrated himself to be the ultimate king, 391 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,280 and his choice of Karnak to proclaim as such 392 00:22:11,360 --> 00:22:13,160 was no accident. 393 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:15,560 COLLEEN (off-screen): I think Ramses is showing the Peace Treaty here 394 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,560 at Karnak precisely to contrast with 395 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:20,240 his military exploits. 396 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:23,400 He does what he needs to do to preserve order 397 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,440 on behalf of Egypt's gods. 398 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,960 NARRATOR: Ramses was a warrior king and a diplomat who ruled 399 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,760 over an extraordinary period of peace and prosperity. 400 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,000 But that still doesn't explain how he became so 401 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:40,600 powerful that we're still repeating his name 3,000 years later. 402 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:45,320 At the historic Egyptian museum in Cairo, 403 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:46,720 French archaeologist, 404 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,360 Simon Connor and Egyptian conservator, 405 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:52,640 Eid Mertah, are investigating how he wielded 406 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,360 power across his kingdom, using ancient propaganda. 407 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,400 SIMON: Here Ramses, here also Ramses. 408 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:04,200 NARRATOR: Ramses built thousands of statues and 409 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,800 placed them strategically across Egypt. 410 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,280 Most are now in museums, and around 90 of them are 411 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:11,880 here in Cairo. 412 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:17,040 Some of them have never been studied up close. 413 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:20,520 SIMON: Being able to almost touch them 414 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:23,200 to be a few centimeters away from their faces 415 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:24,960 it's quite emotional actually. 416 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:27,320 NARRATOR: Simon and Eid think they might be hiding 417 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:29,560 secrets in plain sight. 418 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,200 By studying the details of the stone work, 419 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:36,120 they hope to discover how Ramses used his statues to 420 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:38,840 increase his power. 421 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,120 Colossal statues of Pharaohs were a common sight 422 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,360 for ancient Egyptians, with temples, 423 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:48,480 cities and palaces guarded by these giant granite figures. 424 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:53,520 Master sculptors worked on them for months with stone tools, 425 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:56,680 refining the detail with copper chisels, 426 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:01,120 and finally polishing them to a smooth finish with sand. 427 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,360 They were more than just works of art. 428 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,560 They were magical avatars that allowed the Pharaoh's 429 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:12,960 to connect with their subjects. 430 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,480 Once the Pharaoh's name was carved onto it, 431 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:19,480 the statue was activated and became a bearer 432 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:21,240 of the king's soul. 433 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,080 The team immediately spot some surprising evidence 434 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,040 that this Ramses statue was altered after 435 00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:31,040 it was first carved. 436 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:33,520 SIMON: So here, we can see very quickly the 437 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:35,600 traces of modification. 438 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:37,120 You see it around the ears, 439 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,520 here under the arches of the eyebrows and the eyes. 440 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:42,400 Here the mouth has been modified, 441 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:44,040 the corners have been dug. 442 00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:45,800 The ears have been changed. 443 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:50,080 There is very clear traces of modification or re-carving. 444 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,560 NARRATOR: Although the name on the statue is Ramses the Second, 445 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,880 could it have started out as someone else's name? 446 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,440 To find out Simon and Eid need to compare the details 447 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:04,240 with an original unaltered Ramses statue, 448 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,360 to see what his statues really looked like. 449 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:14,560 NARRATOR: Outside the Egyptian museum in Cairo, 450 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:18,680 Simon and Eid spot a stunning statue carved from granite. 451 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,480 They search for clues that it's a genuine statue of 452 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:24,240 Ramses the Great. 453 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,480 EID: The way the King holds two standards 454 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,840 completely started with Ramses. 455 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:32,760 EID (off-screen): Clearly this statue was made during his 456 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:34,600 own reign for himself. 457 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:39,120 NARRATOR: This statue seems to be looking right at them. 458 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:40,880 SIMON: The eyes are looking down. 459 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:42,720 Ramses looked at the people. 460 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:44,600 NARRATOR: Unlike Pharaohs gone before, 461 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:46,840 whose eyes looked to the horizon, 462 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:50,920 Ramses used his statues to connect with his people. 463 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,800 His direct eye contact is a powerful way to instill awe. 464 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:59,600 Simon and Eid return to inside the museum to compare their 465 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,760 findings with the seemingly modified Ramses statue. 466 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,160 Sure enough it has Ramses' eye-line. 467 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:09,880 SIMON: The sculptors get under the eye, 468 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:12,880 they cut here on the eyelid. 469 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,080 The idea was to produce a heavy upper eyelid. 470 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,280 NARRATOR: The eyelid and downward eye-line is 471 00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:20,040 a later modification. 472 00:26:20,120 --> 00:26:23,760 Incredibly, an unmodified version of this exact same 473 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:26,840 statue exists in another museum. 474 00:26:27,360 --> 00:26:29,920 This clearly shows that the eyes would have looked 475 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:31,880 straight ahead when first carved. 476 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,440 Simon and Eid spot more evidence. 477 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:38,120 SIMON: Here we see traces of modification of 478 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:39,760 the feature of the eyebrows, 479 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,440 enough to create the arches of the eyebrows. 480 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,160 So here the sculptor wanted this part to protrude. 481 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,640 NARRATOR: Even the cobra on the crown was re-cut 482 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,800 to the style of Ramses' 19th Dynasty snake. 483 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,800 SIMON: They wanted the snake to have this double loop on 484 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,320 either side of the hook, so when statues have to be 485 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:05,400 Ramesized, we have to produce these little features. 486 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,400 NARRATOR: It's powerful evidence that Ramses altered 487 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,400 an older statue to look like one of his. 488 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:13,640 SIMON: This statue clearly was not Ramses originally. 489 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:15,240 It was another King. 490 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,200 NARRATOR: So if this isn't Ramses, who is it? 491 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,360 SIMON: We have an alternation between one 492 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:23,720 thick stripes and two thin. 493 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:25,960 One thick, two thin, one thick, two thin. 494 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:28,320 These detail is typical of the 12th Dynasty, 495 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,280 so around 600 years before the reign of Ramses. 496 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:33,840 NARRATOR: They can't tell exactly which Pharaoh the 497 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,040 statue was for originally, 498 00:27:36,120 --> 00:27:39,760 but it's clear evidence that Ramses modified older statues 499 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:42,600 to proclaim his power across Egypt quickly. 500 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,120 SIMON: The intention was really to choose specific statues, 501 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,160 beautiful ones, big ones of prestigious ancestors, 502 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:50,840 to re-embody them. 503 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,320 NARRATOR: Ramses deliberately left evidence of the former 504 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:55,000 Kings in the statues. 505 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:57,160 He wasn't trying to steal their identities. 506 00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,800 He was using the reputation of his most illustrious 507 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:03,320 ancestors to exert and increase his own power. 508 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,360 SIMON: They had an aura, they had a prestige, 509 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:08,960 and the idea was to show that they were ancient, 510 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:11,640 but that he was the new them. 511 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:13,520 NARRATOR: Recent evidence reveals that nearly 512 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,880 one-quarter of Ramses statues throughout Egypt, 513 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,600 originally belonged to other Pharaohs. 514 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:20,800 Ramses simply re-carved them, 515 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:22,840 claiming them as his own. 516 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:26,400 But further investigation of some statues proves tricky, 517 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,120 because of ancient damage done to them. 518 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:30,680 SIMON (off-screen): Two things mostly missing. 519 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:34,080 The head of the uraeus and here the nose. 520 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:37,760 It has been completely erased, really carefully chipped off. 521 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:39,600 So the statue is broken, 522 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,000 and it's 90% of cases in Egyptian statues, 523 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:44,840 all of them were intentionally chipped off, cut off. 524 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:47,520 NARRATOR: Ramses used this statue and others as his 525 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:50,640 magical avatar across his kingdom, 526 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:52,320 but once no longer ruler, 527 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,760 his statues needed to be deactivated. 528 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:57,520 SIMON: You need to remove the magic from the objects by killing it. 529 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,040 So you remove the nose, you remove the uraeus. 530 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:02,720 He's not real anymore, he's just a piece of stone. 531 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:06,400 NARRATOR: Today Ramses' statues help piece together 532 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:07,960 the mighty Pharaoh's rule, 533 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:11,040 and act as vital evidence for how he used them to 534 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:14,040 become the greatest ruler of ancient Egypt. 535 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,160 In Luxor's Deir El-Bahari, 536 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:23,240 in a vast necropolis full of Ramses' nobles' tombs, 537 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,400 Fathi's on the brink of a new discovery: 538 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:31,600 an unopened tomb hidden for thousands of years beneath the desert sands.. 539 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:36,320 FATHI: Wow, here is the top of the door. 540 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:39,000 It's quite dark, full of debris. 541 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,120 NARRATOR: Fathi believes this tomb will provide clues 542 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,640 as to why tomb owners chose this site, 543 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,000 and reveal information about Ramses' prosperous 544 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:47,920 reign as Pharaoh. 545 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:49,200 He needs to get inside, 546 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:51,600 but the debris is blocking the entrance. 547 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:54,400 FATHI: We can't see any decorations 548 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:56,040 there's too much debris. 549 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:58,120 We have to arrive at the bedrock 550 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:00,480 of the door before we enter. 551 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:04,560 We have to follow the nature of the debris, layer by layer. 552 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:09,480 At least two meters to go. 553 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:13,120 NARRATOR: For several days, 554 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,480 the team hauls tons of sand and soil 555 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:17,320 under the burning sun. 556 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,840 But finally, they uncover the full entrance. 557 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:29,880 FATHI (off-screen): I'm waiting one month to enter, 558 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:32,480 so it is a very special moment. 559 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:34,680 Now I can go inside. 560 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:41,760 Wow. 561 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:52,200 ♪ ♪ 562 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:56,080 FATHI (off-screen): Wait, there's a huge tomb full of debris. 563 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,400 Okay, the ceiling is not in good condition. 564 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:02,520 NARRATOR: In Luxor's Deir El-Bahari, 565 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:05,320 in a necropolis used by Ramses' nobles, 566 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:08,640 Fathi enters a new tomb for the first time. 567 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:12,760 He wants to know why elites chose this low-lying site for 568 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:15,400 their necropolis, and what that might reveal 569 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:17,320 about Ramses' reign. 570 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:19,480 He's looking for inscriptions, 571 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:23,640 but the room's 25 by 12-foot walls are bare. 572 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:26,800 FATHI: I cannot see an inscription. 573 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,040 NARRATOR: Now he must launch a painstaking search of the debris, 574 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,640 to look for other kinds of evidence that could provide 575 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:35,360 clues as to why the nobles of Ramses the Great 576 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:37,560 chose to bury their dead here. 577 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:41,360 FATHI: I see some pottery here and some baskets also. 578 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,000 FATHI: Wow. 579 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:46,400 FATHI: It's so beautiful because 580 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:50,960 it is not common to find a complete jar. 581 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,800 Hopefully this kind of pottery helps us also for information 582 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:59,080 why the tomb owner located his tomb here. 583 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:01,320 I see another thing here also. 584 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:03,160 FATHI: Wow. 585 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,280 FATHI: Looks like a nice basket 586 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:10,600 and it's great because it's in good condition. 587 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:14,800 NARRATOR: The ancient items are perfectly preserved, 588 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:17,440 but they will start to degrade in the open air. 589 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,120 Fathi takes them straight to the conservation lab for 590 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:22,680 further study. 591 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:24,160 (speaking in native language) 592 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:27,080 FATHI: He has to use the air 593 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:29,960 to be sure there isn't any more dust inside it. 594 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:34,400 He'll try to strengthen it with another liquid material 595 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:36,040 and we can open it. 596 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,800 NARRATOR: The stunning basket and pot are in such great condition, 597 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:42,640 that it's unlikely these are burial goods placed next 598 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:44,680 to the deceased in the burial chamber. 599 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:48,000 But rather offerings by family members, 600 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,440 placed in mourning at the tomb's entrance, 601 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:53,880 as part of an ancient festival specific to this area. 602 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:56,920 FATHI: Could be for the Beautiful Festival of the Valley. 603 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:02,280 This basket could be used for food or fruits. 604 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,600 NARRATOR: Every year on the first new moon of May, 605 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:11,000 crowds gathered at Karnak temple with offerings of food 606 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:12,640 and masses of flowers. 607 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:16,920 They processed behind a boat carrying the image of 608 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:21,520 the god, Amun, and crossed the Nile to the west bank, 609 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:23,240 land of the dead. 610 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,600 The procession passed the temples of the Kings, 611 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:33,360 and then they made their way to the Temple of Hatshepsut. 612 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:39,720 Families broke away to visit the tombs of their relatives, 613 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,440 where they made offerings of food and flowers, 614 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:45,520 and feasted through the night with the dead. 615 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:52,560 Fathi's finds suggest that nobles, including those of Rameses the Great 616 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:54,240 chose this site for their burial 617 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:55,960 because of its excellent location 618 00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:58,120 for the Beautiful Festival of the Valley. 619 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,120 These tombs would have been the last stop before the 620 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:04,760 procession ended at the nearby Hatshepstut Temple, 621 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:08,200 so prime real estate to receive offerings. 622 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:10,560 FATHI: In that case, if their tomb is here, 623 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:13,200 it means they will get more offerings, 624 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:15,600 more flowers, more food, more drink. 625 00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:17,480 The deceased, he will enjoy 626 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:21,320 and he will cheer for the Beautiful Festival of the Valley. 627 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:23,280 I'm so happy because 628 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:26,320 now we know why they chose this area. 629 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,760 NARRATOR: Ramses' 66-year reign was incredibly prosperous, 630 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,760 so he could afford to be generous with his subjects. 631 00:34:34,160 --> 00:34:36,520 He continues the Beautiful Festival of the Valley, 632 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:38,760 along with dozens of other festivals, 633 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:42,000 even organizing an annual 24-day feast, 634 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:44,160 making him popular with the masses and 635 00:34:44,240 --> 00:34:46,840 increasing his power. 636 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:52,240 For Fathi and his team, 637 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:55,000 it's been a very successful dig, 638 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:57,320 and they hope this will just be the start of their 639 00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:59,440 discoveries here. 640 00:35:00,720 --> 00:35:03,760 FATHI: We will continue our work for the rest of the tomb. 641 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:09,920 NARRATOR: In Saqqara, 642 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:13,440 Ola is exploring a hidden chamber in the tomb of one of 643 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:17,200 Ramses military commanders, General Iwrkhy. 644 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:21,960 She hopes to uncover how these generals helped his rise to power, 645 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:24,720 and how he rewarded them in return. 646 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:29,200 But the tomb is a mess of artifacts buried under rubble 647 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:31,600 with skeletons scattered throughout. 648 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:35,880 It's a clear sign to Ola that robbers looted this tomb 649 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:37,840 thousands of years ago. 650 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:41,480 Ola makes a start on the funerary items the robbers 651 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:42,840 left behind. 652 00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:45,520 OLA: We have a puzzle everywhere. 653 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:48,360 Sometimes you find many fragments of the same jar, 654 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:49,960 we have to put them together. 655 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:52,600 NARRATOR: One jar in particular stands out. 656 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:57,800 OLA: You see this here, it's a crown with horns 657 00:35:57,880 --> 00:35:59,720 and sun disk here. 658 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:02,320 This is a deity, maybe Hathor. 659 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:05,120 NARRATOR: The stunning pot shows Hathor, 660 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,480 the goddess of love, who takes the form of a cow, 661 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:11,040 but no information about Iwrkhy. 662 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:14,120 Hidden in the debris, something else catches Ola's eye. 663 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:20,560 OLA: Oo-oo-oo-ooh. Beautiful, my God! 664 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:29,280 NARRATOR: Ola has made a major discovery. 665 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:32,600 She hopes it will provide clues as to how Ramses' 666 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,720 generals helped his rise to power, 667 00:36:36,240 --> 00:36:38,400 and how he rewarded them in return. 668 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:42,920 OLA: This is the first time we have something so clear. 669 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:46,600 This is the head of one of the canopic jars. 670 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:51,240 It's beautiful, you see the wig, the ears. 671 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:55,080 Oh my god. 672 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:57,640 NARRATOR: This canopic jar head is part of the funerary 673 00:36:57,720 --> 00:37:00,520 goods buried in the tomb of Ramses' head general 674 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:02,360 called Iwrkhy. 675 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:04,600 They hold the mummy's vital organs, 676 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:08,960 so they can live again and reuse their organs in the afterlife. 677 00:37:09,040 --> 00:37:11,200 OLA (off-screen): So beautiful. 678 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,480 And the cheek is so smooth. 679 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:18,640 Finding this is like a treasure also, 680 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:22,760 because it's very indicative of lots of other things. 681 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,200 NARRATOR: If these decorative items belong to Iwrkhy, 682 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:28,720 it proves he and his family were highly rewarded 683 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:30,720 by Ramses the Great. 684 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:32,600 Alabaster was a prized material, 685 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:35,080 thought of as desirable by the gods. 686 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:37,880 If this was Iwrkhy's it's evidence he had a 687 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:39,880 very luxurious burial. 688 00:37:39,960 --> 00:37:41,560 It's a rare find. 689 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:43,840 But there's more treasure beneath the debris. 690 00:37:44,240 --> 00:37:46,560 OLA (off-screen): Okay, now we have a block coming out. 691 00:37:46,640 --> 00:37:47,640 Let's see. 692 00:37:47,720 --> 00:37:49,160 Oh my God! 693 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:50,240 (laughs). 694 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:53,240 NARRATOR: Hidden under the sand for thousands of years, 695 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:55,480 the block is covered in inscriptions. 696 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:57,880 OLA (off-screen): They're all kneeling on the ground and 697 00:37:57,960 --> 00:37:59,880 weeping and mourning. 698 00:38:01,080 --> 00:38:03,600 NARRATOR: Beautiful carvings on the blocks' underside, 699 00:38:03,680 --> 00:38:07,120 reveal distraught funeral mourners convulsed in grief. 700 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:09,480 It's a religious scene, 701 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:12,280 depicting the sacred funerary rites for the 702 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:14,080 tomb owner's burial. 703 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:18,280 OLA: It's not every day that we find something as big as that. 704 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:21,640 We cannot find the name of the owner. 705 00:38:21,720 --> 00:38:25,040 It needs to be taken into the magazine and put together 706 00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:27,200 again by the specialists. 707 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:31,600 NARRATOR: If they can find the name of the tomb owner in the inscriptions, 708 00:38:31,680 --> 00:38:35,680 the block could prove that Ramses' generals, like Iwrkhy, 709 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:38,360 were so important they received elaborate 710 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:42,600 funerary processions as part of Egypt's high society. 711 00:38:43,680 --> 00:38:45,120 OLA: You'll find a lot of things, 712 00:38:45,200 --> 00:38:46,960 significant thing that could help find 713 00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:49,640 information about Iwrkhy. 714 00:38:49,720 --> 00:38:52,560 NARRATOR: But Ola can't see Iwrkhy's name yet, 715 00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:53,920 nor any others. 716 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:58,160 She needs to find more of the block to piece together their names. 717 00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:01,160 OLA: Well, it's a lot of work still to be done, 718 00:39:01,240 --> 00:39:02,960 but it is promising. 719 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:06,200 But, I might tell you I have to go out before it 720 00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:07,840 falls on our heads. 721 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:09,880 (laughs). 722 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:12,880 NARRATOR: With so many finds inside the tomb, 723 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:16,640 and with so many rooms still to excavate, for Ola, 724 00:39:16,720 --> 00:39:18,920 this is simply the beginning. 725 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:21,400 OLA (off-screen): Of course, it is part of the puzzle, 726 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:24,560 and it is part of the suspense. 727 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:27,480 Any block we find we are expecting to 728 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:29,120 find something important. 729 00:39:31,480 --> 00:39:34,520 Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic. 730 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:36,080 Three times fantastic. 731 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:37,600 (laughs). 732 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:41,160 NARRATOR: In Egypt's far south, 733 00:39:41,240 --> 00:39:44,560 Colleen investigates Ramses the Great's legacy. 734 00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:49,400 She wants to understand how he became the most powerful 735 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:51,800 Pharaoh of ancient Egypt, 736 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:55,560 and why we still know his name three millennia 737 00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:57,240 after his death. 738 00:39:57,920 --> 00:39:59,480 COLLEEN (off-screen): This is Lake Nabta. 739 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:02,360 I'm at the southern border of modern day Egypt and 740 00:40:02,440 --> 00:40:04,360 just a few miles upstream is Sudan. 741 00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:08,520 But this is ancient Nubia. 742 00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:13,360 This is where Ramses's armies and his bureaucracy maintained 743 00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:16,920 control over the all-important gold resources 744 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:18,280 of ancient Egypt. 745 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:23,440 NARRATOR: Ramses and other Pharaohs sourced vast 746 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:26,840 quantities of their precious gold from Nubia. 747 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:29,920 Control of this area allowed Ramses to trade the 748 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:33,480 gold and other goods with the rest of Africa, 749 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:36,480 and over the Red Sea with Asia. 750 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:40,120 And it is here that Ramses chose to build one of his most 751 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:43,360 impressive temples, Abu Simbel. 752 00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:46,840 COLLEEN: Incredible. 753 00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:50,360 No matter how many times I see this monument, 754 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:53,640 I'm overwhelmed by how massive it is. 755 00:40:56,960 --> 00:41:01,520 The four colossal statues of Ramses face the Nile River. 756 00:41:02,720 --> 00:41:05,840 They would have been visible at great distance, 757 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:09,440 making a statement of Ramses' divine authority. 758 00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:13,240 NARRATOR: Here, in ancient Nubia, 759 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:17,680 Ramses wanted everyone to know he was King and this 760 00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:19,680 was his Empire. 761 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:22,240 Inside the temple walls, 762 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:26,360 Colleen finds a vast record of Ramses' rule. 763 00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:31,400 COLLEEN: This temple is simply filled with Ramses military victories. 764 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,600 Battles are everywhere. 765 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:38,200 NARRATOR: But in a side chamber, 766 00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:40,840 Colleen spots something more intriguing 767 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:43,280 than military propaganda. 768 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:45,880 COLLEEN: This is such a peculiar image. 769 00:41:45,960 --> 00:41:49,840 So Ramses is offering two jars of water, 770 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:53,680 and then there's an offering table in front with two 771 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:57,360 baskets of fruit, topped off with a lotus flower, 772 00:41:57,440 --> 00:41:59,640 and below are two loaves of bread. 773 00:41:59,960 --> 00:42:02,280 These are the sorts of offerings that Kings would 774 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:05,920 present to deities, and the Coronation name of Ramses is 775 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,960 labelling the god who the king worships. 776 00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:16,240 This is not the king offering to just any god, 777 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:19,480 but to his own deified self. 778 00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:24,040 This is Ramses as King offering to Ramses as a god. 779 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:28,200 Meaning that this temple was a place where Ramses 780 00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:30,720 could be worshipped for generations to come. 781 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:33,480 NARRATOR: Throughout his reign, 782 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:36,880 Ramses increased his power through military glory and by 783 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:39,360 ultimately securing peace. 784 00:42:39,440 --> 00:42:42,240 But it was by making himself a god, 785 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:46,240 that he was able to secure his legacy as Ramses the Great. 786 00:42:48,040 --> 00:42:50,240 All Pharaohs deify themselves before they die, 787 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:52,560 but Ramses the Great, like everything else, 788 00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:55,040 did it bigger and better, 789 00:42:55,120 --> 00:42:58,400 building grander temples to be worshipped from, 790 00:42:58,480 --> 00:43:01,760 and proclaiming his divine right to rule more times 791 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:03,920 than any other. 792 00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:09,520 COLLEEN: Abu Simbel and Karnak Temple are among the greatest wonders of the world, 793 00:43:10,440 --> 00:43:11,840 but in ancient Egypt, 794 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:13,480 to have your name repeated, 795 00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:16,240 granted you immortality in the afterlife. 796 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:18,920 We know that nine more Pharaohs were named Ramses, 797 00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:21,360 and we're still repeating his name today. 798 00:43:21,440 --> 00:43:24,760 He truly lives forever. 799 00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:27,120 NARRATOR: Every season, ongoing excavations are 800 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:30,840 uncovering new evidence about what made Ramses the 801 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:34,840 most powerful and successful ruler of ancient Egypt. 802 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:38,440 Hundreds of temples and monuments show his 803 00:43:38,520 --> 00:43:40,840 skill at propaganda. 804 00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:44,160 His repurposing of statues linked him to Egypt's 805 00:43:44,240 --> 00:43:46,360 illustrious past rulers. 806 00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:51,000 A mighty warrior, his peace treaty reveals that he was an 807 00:43:51,080 --> 00:43:53,080 outstanding diplomat. 808 00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:56,960 He held expensive burials for those loyal to him and 809 00:43:57,040 --> 00:43:59,720 his lavish festivals show that he shared the prosperity 810 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:02,040 of his long reign. 811 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:06,360 He truly was the greatest of all Egypt's kings.