1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,920 ♪ ♪ 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:07,800 MOHAMED: This is the entrance to the pyramid. 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:09,800 It's really very exciting. 4 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:11,640 NARRATOR: Archaeologists are on the brink of the 5 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:13,920 discovery of a lifetime. 6 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:15,040 MOHAMED (off-screen): Nobody entered here. 7 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:17,240 It's a really important moment for all of us. 8 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,360 NARRATOR: Ahead, the burial chamber of a mysterious ancient queen, 9 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:24,000 untouched for 4,000 years. 10 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:29,320 MOHAMED: We will see if this wooden beam is really stable enough. 11 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:30,880 (overlapping chatter) 12 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:32,920 We will remove this part. 13 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:35,760 Let's hope it's safe. 14 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:39,400 (shifting rocks) 15 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,080 (speaking in native language) 16 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:52,440 NARRATOR: Egypt. 17 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,080 The land of the pyramids and mighty monuments. 18 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,480 Built by all powerful Pharaohs 19 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:02,760 great kings like Khufu, Ramses and Tutankhamun. 20 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,520 But now archaeologists are revealing new evidence of 21 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:11,040 rulers of a different kind who could wield great power and 22 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,320 even become Pharaohs themselves... 23 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,120 the Queens of Egypt. 24 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,200 How do these women rise to power in a world 25 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:21,800 dominated by men? 26 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:32,280 To investigate American Egyptologist Colleen Darnell 27 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:36,480 explores a temple built by one of Egypt's greatest queens... 28 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,200 Hatshepsut. 29 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,920 COLLEEN: This temple is fantastic. 30 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,120 NARRATOR: A row of imposing statues lines the temple. 31 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,440 COLLEEN: Oh, my goodness, this is amazing! 32 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:53,880 These statues are images of the pharaoh in the form of Osiris, 33 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,760 but we know it's a king because of the double crown 34 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,000 of upper and lower Egypt. 35 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,760 NARRATOR: This is the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, 36 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,760 but there are statues of kings everywhere. 37 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,000 COLLEEN: The king wears a divine beard, 38 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,280 and holds a crook and a flail, 39 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,920 typical symbols of royalty. 40 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,200 NARRATOR: Even though she was a woman, 41 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:18,440 Hatshepsut portrayed herself as a man. 42 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:21,840 Colleen investigates why... 43 00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:25,200 COLLEEN: I would like to find a cartouche that has a royal 44 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,840 name written in hieroglyphs. 45 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,840 NARRATOR: A cartouche is an oval-shaped box used 46 00:02:31,920 --> 00:02:33,520 in Egyptian inscriptions. 47 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,920 Only kings or queens could put their name inside one. 48 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,080 Colleen hunts inside the temple. 49 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:43,960 It's a difficult task. 50 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,120 Many cartouches here have been hacked out or destroyed. 51 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:50,520 COLLEEN: Aha! 52 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:52,560 This is the cartouche I've been looking for. 53 00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:54,920 Hat-shep-sut. 54 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,920 Over here is the word "saat" for daughter. 55 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:00,440 Now this is a big clue... 56 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,680 The daughter of Re, of his body, Hatshepsut. 57 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,640 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut's cartouche identifies her as 58 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,320 a daughter, not a son. 59 00:03:10,920 --> 00:03:13,080 It's clear she was not hiding her gender. 60 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,960 But the only way Hatshepsut could project her power as a pharaoh, 61 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:20,320 was to portray herself as a man... 62 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:21,480 As a king. 63 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,560 Hatshepsut was a queen of Egypt and one of only 64 00:03:28,640 --> 00:03:31,560 a few women ever to rule as king. 65 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,320 She restored broken trade routes with foreign lands, 66 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,520 bringing a wealth of luxuries like gold, myrrh, 67 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,960 and ebony into Egypt. 68 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:46,600 In the capital, Thebes, 69 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,120 she erected colossal monuments, 70 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,360 signifying the power, riches, 71 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,120 and order she brought to her country. 72 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,680 And her mortuary temple is one of the grandest ever 73 00:03:57,760 --> 00:03:59,360 built in Egypt. 74 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,640 Its splendor is a monument to Egypt's success under 75 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,080 Hatshepsut's rule. 76 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:12,880 But how did this famous and celebrated queen become king? 77 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,800 Colleen investigates. 78 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,440 COLLEEN: This is a really interesting wall. 79 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:23,520 The name of Thutmose III is here and these would have been 80 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,600 the cartouches of Hatshepsut. 81 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,600 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut was the daughter of one pharaoh and 82 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:31,720 married to another. 83 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:33,200 When her husband died, 84 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:36,760 her infant nephew Thutmose the Third became king. 85 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,240 COLLEEN: Thutmose III was just a child, 86 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:42,840 so Hatshepsut essentially ruled Egypt as queen, 87 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,720 but then she transforms into Pharaoh herself, 88 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,080 into a co-regent, with Thutmose III. 89 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,360 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut ruled as co-regent for 90 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:55,480 20 prosperous years. 91 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,160 The magnificent temple is testament to her rule. 92 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,920 But why is it so hard to find evidence of her here? 93 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:06,360 COLLEEN (off-screen): After Hatshepsut's death, 94 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:08,400 Thutmose became sole pharaoh, 95 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,960 and later on in his reign he hacked out 96 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:14,200 the names and images of his aunt, Hatshepsut. 97 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,720 NARRATOR: Thutmose wanted to erase the memory of Hatshepsut 98 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,320 and her children to secure the throne for his son. 99 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,720 Yet, Hatshepsut's name survives as evidence of the 100 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,960 power women could attain in ancient Egypt. 101 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:31,400 COLLEEN (off-screen): She was a spectacular pharaoh. 102 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:33,200 From monumental building campaigns, 103 00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:35,200 to expeditions to far off lands, 104 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:38,760 but I want to know more about how she ruled as a woman. 105 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:49,520 NARRATOR: Archaeologist Patryk Chudzik is also 106 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,280 exploring the temple of Hatshepsut. 107 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,160 Like Colleen, he's on the trail of how she 108 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:56,760 ruled as a woman. 109 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,200 PATRYK: From 22nd-23rd dynasty. 110 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,160 NARRATOR: Patryk always dreamed of becoming an Egyptologist. 111 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,800 Now he leads the Polish mission at one of Egypt's most 112 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:09,280 famous monuments. 113 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,720 PATRYK: Hatshepsut is my favourite pharaoh. 114 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:18,720 It's a specific story of a woman who became a female king. 115 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,920 NARRATOR: His team excavates ground beside the temple. 116 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:28,120 The old pathway leads to an ancient tomb. 117 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:34,440 PATRYK: To me it's the most exciting tomb in the Hatshepsut temple. 118 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,240 NARRATOR: 100 years ago, American archaeologist 119 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,640 Herbert Winlock excavated here. 120 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,200 But he left a secret hidden beneath the Temple: 121 00:06:47,280 --> 00:06:51,080 a tomb that he recorded but never fully excavated. 122 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:08,040 PATRYK: We know that this tomb was erected 123 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,720 around five hundred years before Hatshepsut's reign. 124 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,320 And when she built her temple in this area 125 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:23,320 she left the area empty. 126 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,080 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut could have destroyed the tomb to 127 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,840 build her temple here, but she didn't. 128 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,960 PATRYK: The question is why she left the tomb open? 129 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,720 NARRATOR: Patryk hopes that the mystery of the tomb might 130 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,960 explain why Hatshepsut built her temple here and reveal 131 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,640 something of how she ruled as a pharaoh queen. 132 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:59,560 At Saqqara, Mohamed Megahed is also investigating 133 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:01,520 the queens of Egypt. 134 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:05,640 He is exploring the remains of a pyramid built for a queen. 135 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:08,440 MOHAMED: I like our work because it's not boring, 136 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,480 every day you have a change, every season you come here you 137 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:13,200 have something new. 138 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,080 NARRATOR: Mohamed, who lives in the Czech Republic, 139 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,320 has been returning to his native Egypt for 12 years 140 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:23,560 to excavate this site. 141 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,920 He sees archaeology as a forensic investigation. 142 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,600 MOHAMED: This is our crime scene, every piece of sand, 143 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,160 every piece of limestone it gives us an idea of how the 144 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:36,720 site looked like. 145 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,840 NARRATOR: Mohamed heads up to the top of the pyramid. 146 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:41,160 The core has collapsed, 147 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,840 forming a deep crater in the center. 148 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,880 But he plans to search for the original entrance tunnel. 149 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,000 MOHAMED: Today we will start digging and finding the 150 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:53,080 entrance of the pyramid. 151 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,600 NARRATOR: This is the biggest pyramid ever built 152 00:08:56,680 --> 00:08:58,280 for a queen. 153 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:01,120 She must have been extraordinarily powerful. 154 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,120 Who was she? 155 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:05,600 MOHAMED: For hundreds of years, 156 00:09:05,680 --> 00:09:08,560 we knew that this pyramid was a mystery. 157 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,840 NARRATOR: The last attempt to excavate it in 1952 failed 158 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:13,600 to find the burial chamber. 159 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:17,360 MOHAMED: We knew that it was built for a queen, 160 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,080 but we never knew who was buried inside. 161 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,800 We used to call this pyramid, 'The pyramid of the unknown queen.' 162 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,080 NARRATOR: Mohamed discovered the identity of the owner 163 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:29,720 two years ago. 164 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,400 MOHAMED: We found the granite column lying in this area and on the column, 165 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,600 we have the name of the queen and her titles. 166 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,000 MOHAMED (off-screen): Now we can say that this pyramid belonged 167 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:42,080 to Queen Setibhor. 168 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,400 NARRATOR: Setibhor was the wife of King Djedkare, 169 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:47,960 a powerful Old Kingdom Pharaoh who ruled 170 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,440 4,400 years ago. 171 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:58,120 Djedkare built a pyramid 170-feet tall, 172 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:00,840 cased with white tura limestone, 173 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:03,800 and capped with a stone pyramidion... 174 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:05,080 plated with gold. 175 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,000 Around his pyramid sprawled a vast complex of columns, 176 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,040 statues, and temples. 177 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,560 To the northeast is a second pyramid for his wife, 178 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:20,480 Queen Setibhor, with blocks weighing up to 30 tons, 179 00:10:21,560 --> 00:10:25,280 rising 110-feet from the desert sand. 180 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,600 Clad in brilliant limestone, 181 00:10:28,680 --> 00:10:31,920 it had a burial chamber at its heart to keep Setibhor's 182 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,320 body safe for all eternity. 183 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:41,360 Queen Setibhor's pyramid is the largest remaining 184 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:43,800 with an unexplored burial chamber in Egypt. 185 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,840 MOHAMED: The pyramid of Setibhor is really the last pyramid 186 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:49,160 to enter in the modern time. 187 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:50,320 Nobody entered here. 188 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:52,320 It's a really important moment for all of us. 189 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:56,200 NARRATOR: Discoveries in her burial chamber could explain 190 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,360 her importance and why she has such a huge pyramid. 191 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,560 But today, large parts of the pyramid are missing and 192 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:05,760 filled with sand. 193 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,120 Mohamed has to dig deep to find any remains. 194 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:15,960 A metal scraping catches Mohamed's attention. 195 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,400 MOHAMED: We have here for the first time today some 196 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:23,040 nice white limestone. 197 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,720 NARRATOR: The high-quality limestone block could be a 198 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,000 sign of the entrance. 199 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:31,920 MOHAMED: We have to still go deeper. 200 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,440 NARRATOR: After many hours of hard digging, 201 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,040 Mohamed feels he is getting close. 202 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:39,000 MOHAMED (off-screen): I'm so excited. 203 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:42,520 Underneath here, I'm definitely sure that we will 204 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:44,240 have the entrance of the pyramid. 205 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,560 NARRATOR: No one in the modern era has entered 206 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:55,320 Queen Setibhor's burial chamber, 207 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,000 but Mohamed has discovered an ancient passage. 208 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,360 He could soon be the first person to step inside the 209 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:05,040 chamber in over 4,000 years. 210 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,720 But ahead, a wall of sand blocks the way. 211 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:24,280 A team excavated here in 1952. 212 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:28,280 They built a wall and propped up a collapsed ceiling before 213 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,320 they abandoned their search for the burial chamber. 214 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,720 MOHAMED: We will see if this wooden beam is really stable 215 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,880 enough and if it's not stable, we have to build here a small 216 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:41,280 wall to support this. 217 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:44,080 NARRATOR: Thousands of tons of rubble and stone are 218 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:45,640 directly above their heads. 219 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:48,240 MOHAMED: Let's hope it's safe. 220 00:12:48,680 --> 00:12:52,000 We will remove this part of wood 221 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:53,600 and we'll build here. 222 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:58,520 NARRATOR: Mohamed must make the corridor safe immediately 223 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:00,240 or risk a collapse. 224 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:02,760 MOHAMED: We cannot leave it for tomorrow. 225 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:04,200 We have immediately to build it. 226 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:06,320 Today. 227 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:13,840 NARRATOR: At Deir El-Bahari near Luxor, 228 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:17,000 Colleen is investigating the reign of the pharaoh 229 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:21,920 Queen Hatshepsut and how she ruled a society dominated by men. 230 00:13:23,680 --> 00:13:24,880 COLLEEN: See, this is interesting. 231 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:28,200 Hatshepsut is being breast fed by goddesses and this is 232 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,360 something that we know kings claimed. 233 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:34,400 That they were consuming the milk of various goddesses. 234 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,320 NARRATOR: The engraving reveals that Hatshepsut 235 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:42,280 claimed kingship as her divine right. 236 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:44,440 She was the choice of the gods. 237 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,520 COLLEEN: This is the god Amun, and he's seated, 238 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:54,840 his legs are, are slightly overlapping those of Ahmose, 239 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,960 the mother of Hatshepsut. 240 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:03,320 Amun is handing an Ankh sign, the sign of life to Queen Ahmose 241 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:06,720 and what this means is that Amun is 242 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,640 impregnating the queen. 243 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,960 This is the moment of Hatshepsut's conception. 244 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,880 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut claimed divine birth, 245 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,160 that she was the daughter of the god Amun. 246 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:22,800 It was a powerful claim. 247 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,920 COLLEEN: Hatshepsut is being very clever here. 248 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:30,400 Only the king can claim to be of divine birth. 249 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,520 She's using as propaganda the divine birth, 250 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,760 claiming her right to be a pharaoh. 251 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:43,240 NARRATOR: Egyptians expected the pharaoh to be male. 252 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,800 Hatshepsut's royal birth and marriage were not 253 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,280 enough to claim the throne. 254 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:51,200 She had to invoke the will of the gods. 255 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:54,680 COLLEEN: She was the daughter of a king, 256 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,640 and the wife of a king, but the divine birth scenes 257 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,240 enabled her to become king. 258 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,080 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut relied on clever propaganda 259 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,560 to legitimize her revolutionary rule. 260 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:11,080 COLLEEN (off-screen): From the beginning of Egyptian history, 261 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:15,600 queen mothers could rule when pharaohs were very young. 262 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:17,880 But Hatshepsut does something different. 263 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:22,440 She becomes pharaoh herself, co-regent with Thutmose III, 264 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,040 and here in Hatshepsut's temple, 265 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:28,120 we see her remarkable rise to power. 266 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,880 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut was the firstborn of a pharaoh. 267 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,680 She married the next pharaoh, her half-brother. 268 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,200 But when he died, the next male heir was her 269 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,080 infant nephew Thutmose. 270 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,800 When the child took the throne, 271 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,720 she ruled by his side for seven years, 272 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,480 but then she made a power grab, 273 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:53,680 declaring herself a true Pharaoh. 274 00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:00,800 As Pharaoh, Hatshepsut launched a campaign of propaganda. 275 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,640 Painting scenes showing the great god Amun as 276 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:08,400 her father and of her birth, in the presence of the gods, 277 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,240 legitimizing her as the divine heir to 278 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:12,560 the throne of Egypt. 279 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:17,600 COLLEEN: Ooh, this is incredible! 280 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:21,280 This is Hatshepsut as a sphinx and you can see her 281 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:26,120 long curling tail and what's awesome are the legs of the 282 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:30,080 enemies flying up in the air, as she tramples them. 283 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,120 Even though Hatshepsut was a female king, 284 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,480 this depiction of her as a trampling sphinx indicates the 285 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,920 ferocity of her rule. 286 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,320 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut had to project a carefully crafted 287 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:48,320 image of physical strength and divine right. 288 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:53,200 She was a prototype for ruling queens throughout history. 289 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,680 COLLEEN: As a female pharaoh Hatshepsut had tremendous power, 290 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:00,320 but what I want to know is did other queens exert 291 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:02,240 the same authority? 292 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,280 NARRATOR: Colleen wants to find out if more ancient 293 00:17:06,360 --> 00:17:09,920 Egyptian queens followed Hatshepsut's example. 294 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,840 Or if there was another way to be a powerful Queen. 295 00:17:19,120 --> 00:17:22,280 At Saqqara, Mohamed's team races to reinforce the 296 00:17:22,360 --> 00:17:25,480 entrance to queen Setibhor's ancient pyramid. 297 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,080 While Mohamed waits, the rest of his team excavates 298 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,920 the strange ruins next to her pyramid. 299 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,560 They have found huge stone blocks buried in a deep 300 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:38,760 sand-filled pit. 301 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,920 They could reveal clues to the role and power of Setibhor. 302 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,600 But first they have to dig them out. 303 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,640 MOHAMED: It was a very simple calculation: The block weight 304 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:50,760 is six and a half tons. 305 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:54,120 For moving heavy stones like this you don't need muscles, 306 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:55,760 you need brain. 307 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:58,000 NARRATOR: As the men get started, 308 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:01,320 Mohammed spots ancient hieroglyphs carved into the granite. 309 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:05,920 MOHAMED: It's mentioning twice the name of the queen 310 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,800 and one of her titles, that's it. 311 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:13,400 Interestingly, she's not mentioning that she's the king's wife. 312 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,480 NARRATOR: The hieroglyphs suggest Setibhor is not just a 313 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:19,240 royal wife. 314 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,880 Also, the block itself could be part of an 315 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,520 important structure next to her pyramid. 316 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:28,200 And could reveal the extent of her power and importance. 317 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,080 MOHAMED: This is the fun maybe in our work. 318 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,520 We collect small pieces and it makes you try to 319 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:35,360 understand the rest of the story. 320 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,040 NARRATOR: The men roll the block again, 321 00:18:40,120 --> 00:18:42,520 until it sits precariously on the rails. 322 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:47,400 MOHAMED: Six ton and a half, 323 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,920 any mistake it could cause an injury. 324 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:55,360 NARRATOR: The block is finally moving... 325 00:18:57,320 --> 00:18:59,600 The wrong way. 326 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:09,040 NARRATOR: The men struggle to move the granite block 327 00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:10,120 from the pit. 328 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:11,480 (cheering) 329 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:16,840 But Mohamed has a new plan to get it out 330 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:18,800 using a chain block. 331 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,240 MOHAMED (off-screen): We will see if it will work or no. 332 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:30,600 (speaking in native language) 333 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:34,760 So finally, it's working! 334 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:38,560 It's slow but it's working. 335 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:41,600 NARRATOR: At last, the men move the block and 336 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:43,640 set it aside. 337 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,560 MOHAMED: Wow they did it. 338 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,040 NARRATOR: So Mohamed can examine it in detail. 339 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:50,640 MOHAMED: It's so beautiful. 340 00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:53,800 This was the door hinge, so the door socket was here. 341 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:56,920 NARRATOR: Mohamed discovers the block is a lintel that 342 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,240 would have sat above a grand doorway. 343 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:01,880 MOHAMED: Now we know exactly the width of the door. 344 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,280 In the future, we can reconstruct it. 345 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,760 NARRATOR: The lintel bears Queen Setibhor's name 346 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:11,720 a clue it's part of the mysterious structure 347 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:13,880 built next to her pyramid. 348 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,000 MOHAMED: She's using very special granite, 349 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,000 which was only used for kings, not for queens. 350 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,120 NARRATOR: Was Setibhor acting as a king? 351 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,880 What will this mystery building, and her pyramid, 352 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,600 reveal about Queen Setibhor's power? 353 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,240 At Deir El-Bahari near Luxor, 354 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:40,200 Patryk is also investigating a queen, Hatshepsut. 355 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:45,240 Strangely, she preserved an ancient tomb beneath her 356 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:47,760 magnificent mortuary temple. 357 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,120 Patryk wants to know if it can shed light on how 358 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:52,960 Hatshepsut ruled as a pharaoh queen. 359 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:56,840 The original occupant of the tomb remains a mystery. 360 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:01,040 PATRYK: We are sure that it wasn't a prince 361 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:03,320 or even another son of a king. 362 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:07,720 NARRATOR: A hollow in the floor once held a mummy 363 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:09,320 in a wooden coffin. 364 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,560 They are both long gone. 365 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:14,360 But Patryk's uncovered some significant clues. 366 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:18,120 PATRYK: We are cleaning the tomb inside. 367 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:22,760 Among the thousands of kilograms of debris 368 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:26,760 we found magnificent objects from the tomb. 369 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,000 NARRATOR: Their excavations confirm that the tomb 370 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:34,080 pre-dates Hatshepsut's temple by hundreds of years. 371 00:21:37,360 --> 00:21:40,200 Hatshepsut built her temple with three huge, 372 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:44,440 layered terraces carved into the rocks and parades 373 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:46,280 of 22 columns. 374 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,240 She adorned the walls with scenes that proclaimed her 375 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:52,760 divine right to rule Egypt. 376 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,440 But in the far corner she left a small entrance 377 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:02,560 to a corridor that led down to a plain burial chamber. 378 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,960 Patryk's team excavated rubble containing thousands of 379 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:11,200 ancient artifacts including pottery and 380 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,200 mysterious wooden figurines. 381 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,840 Why did Hatshepsut build her temple on top of 382 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:18,960 this hidden tomb? 383 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:25,680 PATRYK: Unfortunately there is no inscriptional evidence 384 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,520 but I want to get to know what the objects 385 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:31,960 which we revealed from the debris will tell us. 386 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,720 NARRATOR: Pottery expert Ania Wezranowska is working 387 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,760 through the thousands of finds from the tomb. 388 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,120 She thinks she's found something important. 389 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:48,320 ANIA: I wanted to show you, there's a complete one, actually. 390 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:50,040 Ever seen something like that? 391 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:51,440 PATRYK: Never before. 392 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:52,880 Oh, that's impressive. 393 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,240 NARRATOR: Even the smallest find could help reveal the 394 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,960 secrets of the tomb, and what significance it 395 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:00,720 holds for Hatshepsut. 396 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,560 In Saqqara, deep inside the pyramid, 397 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:13,880 Mohamed's team has built an extra supporting wall. 398 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,360 Now, he can resume the search for 399 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:18,560 Queen Setibhor's burial chamber. 400 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:21,400 MOHAMED: We have measured above the pyramid, 401 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,080 and we are almost in the middle of the pyramid here. 402 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:27,120 NARRATOR: If Mohamed can reach her tomb, 403 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,760 it may answer vital questions. 404 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,120 Why did Setibhor have the biggest pyramid ever 405 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,200 built for a queen? 406 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,160 What was the extent of her power? 407 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,640 But to get any further, 408 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:43,000 Mohamed faces his toughest obstacle yet. 409 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:47,040 The end of the corridor is blocked by an unstable wall of 410 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:49,000 sand and rubble. 411 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,880 It could avalanche down at the slightest touch. 412 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,240 MOHAMED: I called now the Rais to instruct him how to proceed. 413 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:04,160 I also trust him, so I will take his opinion if this is stable. 414 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:09,320 NARRATOR: The foreman, the Rais gives a cautious go-ahead 415 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:11,680 to continue the search for the burial chamber. 416 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:19,240 (rocks shifting) 417 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:27,280 (speaking in native language) 418 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:33,320 From the top of the pyramid, 419 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,720 Mohamed can see the problem. 420 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:37,840 A hole is forming in the crater. 421 00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:40,560 The rubble is falling straight through to the 422 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:41,680 men in the tunnel. 423 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,720 MOHAMED: The bad sign is part of the ceiling is not preserved. 424 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:47,920 The good sign? 425 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:52,080 We are not very deep, so we are very close to the burial chamber. 426 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:56,120 NARRATOR: Down below, the rubble just keeps on coming. 427 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,320 NARRATOR: The dust slows the work of Mohamed's men. 428 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:10,560 But finally, they make a breakthrough. 429 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:14,320 MOHAMED: For the first time, we have daylight inside the 430 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:16,000 burial chamber of the queen. 431 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:19,080 We have to continue removing the rubble 432 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,200 and limestone chips. 433 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,040 NARRATOR: Mohamed checks the pyramid core. 434 00:25:26,120 --> 00:25:29,840 But he must tread carefully where the tomb ceiling has collapsed. 435 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,240 MOHAMED: Part of the north wall of the burial chamber of 436 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:36,160 Queen Setibhor which is fantastic to see from 437 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,200 the other side. 438 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:40,920 NARRATOR: There's still a lot of ancient rubble to 439 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,680 remove before he can investigate inside. 440 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:48,160 He only has one week left on his permit for the site. 441 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,040 Will it be enough time to reveal the secrets of 442 00:25:52,120 --> 00:25:54,920 Queen Setibhor's burial chamber? 443 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,400 At Abu Simbel, near Egypt's southern border, 444 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,520 Colleen visits one of Egypt's most remarkable monuments. 445 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:13,000 She is investigating how women wielded power as queens 446 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:15,560 in a world dominated by men. 447 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,440 Hatshepsut turned herself into a King. 448 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:22,760 But was there another way for queens to exercise power? 449 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,360 Colleen has come to the temple of one of the most 450 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,200 exalted queens of all to find out. 451 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,320 COLLEEN: I want to investigate one of the greatest 452 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:34,720 queens of history. 453 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,040 Her name is Nefertari and she's the wife 454 00:26:37,120 --> 00:26:39,400 of Ramses the Great. 455 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:44,720 NARRATOR: Ramses the Second ruled Egypt for 60 years. 456 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:47,320 He expanded the empire and built more monuments 457 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,680 than any other ruler. 458 00:26:50,360 --> 00:26:52,640 His achievements earned him the title, 459 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,200 "Ramses the Great." 460 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,360 COLLEEN (off-screen): This is a statue of Queen Nefertari 461 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:02,040 to either side are images of her husband, Ramses the Second. 462 00:27:02,120 --> 00:27:05,680 But what's remarkable is she's almost of equal height 463 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:07,600 to the pharaoh himself. 464 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,240 NARRATOR: In Ancient Egypt, size meant power. 465 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:15,880 Nefertari was portrayed as having virtually equal power 466 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,240 as Ramses himself. 467 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,560 But Colleen finds an inscription revealing 468 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,800 something even more impressive. 469 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:25,680 COLLEEN: Here's an inscription that tells us 470 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:31,640 Weben-Ra en Mirit-as, "Ra Rises for love of her." 471 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,120 NARRATOR: Ra was the ancient Egyptian sun god. 472 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:38,960 COLLEEN: This column of Hieroglyphs means that 473 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,520 Nefertari was one of the few queens to achieve 474 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,640 the status of a goddess. 475 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:46,760 NARRATOR: Nefertari was honored as a goddess even 476 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:50,560 though she was not a pharaoh queen like Hatshepsut. 477 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,440 What did she do to deserve this exalted status? 478 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:57,640 COLLEEN: So now I want to know, 479 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,680 is this just propaganda for a favorite wife or did she 480 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:03,720 actually wield power? 481 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:13,280 This is the queen. 482 00:28:13,360 --> 00:28:15,640 Nefertari is incredibly beautiful, 483 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,920 but I think there's more to the story than that. 484 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:23,040 This is a clay tablet found in modern day Turkey. 485 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:28,840 NARRATOR: It's a letter written in ancient Akkadian. 486 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:33,120 It shows the queen of the Hittites writing to Nefertari 487 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:36,400 before the two empires completed the world's first 488 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:38,320 recorded peace treaty. 489 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:41,280 COLLEEN: This means that she was really involved in 490 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,920 diplomacy between the two greatest empires of 491 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:45,520 the ancient world. 492 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:51,080 NARRATOR: It shows that Nefertari was an influential figure. 493 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,000 She helped broker a treaty that kept peace between the 494 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:56,640 great empires for 40 years. 495 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,040 Ramses acknowledged his queen's importance on the 496 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:01,600 walls of her temple. 497 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:06,880 COLLEEN (off-screen): This is Ramses smiting an enemy. 498 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:10,600 It's a brutal, but this is how ancient Egyptian kings 499 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:12,560 express their power. 500 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:17,240 What's unusual is that Queen Nefertari is behind him. 501 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:21,920 NARRATOR: Kings rarely shared the glory of military 502 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,440 victories with their queens. 503 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,440 It suggests Nefertari played a significant role 504 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:30,320 in Ramses' reign. 505 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:32,760 COLLEEN: It's possible that this is propaganda, 506 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:37,680 but it's also likely that this shows Queen Nefertari had real 507 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:39,600 political power. 508 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:43,200 NARRATOR: The evidence suggests Nefertari and Ramses 509 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,480 formed a royal power couple, 510 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,240 each vital to the success of the other. 511 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:50,280 COLLEEN: Ancient Egyptian queens, 512 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:54,600 whether they were married to a pharaoh or ruled as pharaoh in their own right, 513 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:58,480 they truly wielded authority. 514 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:01,000 NARRATOR: While Hatshepsut ruled as a king, 515 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:04,960 Nefertari exercised a different sort of power. 516 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:09,400 From behind the throne, her astute diplomacy and political 517 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:13,440 influence helped change the course of Egypt's history. 518 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:23,760 At Saqqara, time is running out for Mohamed to discover 519 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:29,520 the secrets of Queen Setibhor's burial chamber. 520 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:33,280 His team has finally cleared a path. 521 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:38,320 Now Mohamed can get through to see the chamber for himself. 522 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:45,000 But they face a new danger from above. 523 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:48,360 The roof of the burial chamber has completely collapsed, 524 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:51,400 and the crumbling, overhanging walls could follow 525 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:53,240 at any moment. 526 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:56,480 MOHAMED: This is the area which we need to support. 527 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:58,680 NARRATOR: If the walls are only propped up by the 528 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:01,880 loose rubble underfoot, the slightest move could bring 529 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,040 them crashing down in an instant. 530 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:09,040 But if they can find solid stone foundations beneath the wall, 531 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:11,160 they can be more confident that the overhang 532 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:13,320 won't collapse as they dig. 533 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,120 MOHAMED: We have here parts of the large stones, 534 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,800 and he's looking for the continuation of the stones. 535 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:23,680 NARRATOR: They search for the massive stone slabs that once 536 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:25,760 supported the structure above. 537 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,640 Until they find them, their only protection is to patch 538 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:31,320 the walls with mortar. 539 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:39,920 NARRATOR: Outside Setibhor's pyramid, 540 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,440 Czech archaeologist Hana Vymazalova helps Mohamed 541 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:46,320 investigate the mysterious ruins. 542 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:48,760 If she can discover what they were, 543 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:52,280 it might reveal the source of Setibhor's power and 544 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,160 how she ruled as queen. 545 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,160 She finds an important clue. 546 00:31:57,240 --> 00:31:58,240 HANA: Yep... 547 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:02,280 So, we have here the typical pattern of the ceilings, 548 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:04,320 like a night sky with stars. 549 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:06,840 NARRATOR: The stars would have originally been 550 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:10,240 painted yellow on a dark blue background. 551 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:13,240 They help Hana identify the structure. 552 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:14,960 HANA: This is a roofing block, 553 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:18,120 which came from the portico of the queen. 554 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:20,920 NARRATOR: It's part of a huge portico, 555 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:24,640 a ceremonial entrance to what must have been a temple. 556 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:29,080 HANA: This was the portico, and here is an entrance into 557 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:33,440 the temple which was just opposite to the stairs and if 558 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:36,080 you measure the width of this entrance, 559 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:37,960 it actually fits very nicely. 560 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:42,280 NARRATOR: Hana's discovery proves this mysterious 561 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,640 building was Queen Setibhor's funerary temple. 562 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:48,760 Where priests and worshippers spoke her name, 563 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:50,720 and according to Egyptian belief, 564 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:53,480 ensured her soul lived for eternity. 565 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:56,800 HANA: It is very exciting to see it all coming together. 566 00:32:56,880 --> 00:32:59,240 It's a puzzle, 3-D! 567 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:02,240 NARRATOR: It's a significant find, 568 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,560 and its size is more evidence that Setibhor was 569 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:07,240 a powerful woman. 570 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:10,120 MOHAMED: The funerary temple is the biggest funerary temple 571 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:12,200 built for a queen in the Old Kingdom. 572 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:16,760 NARRATOR: What more can these ruins reveal about Setibhor and 573 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:18,600 the queens of the Old Kingdom? 574 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:23,000 Could she have paved the way for powerful New Kingdom queens 575 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:25,720 like Hatshepsut and Nefertari? 576 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:34,800 At Deir El-Bahari, Patryk wants to know why Hatshepsut 577 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,280 chose this location for her temple, 578 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,280 and how she ruled in a world dominated by men. 579 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:44,400 He hopes that the thousands of finds from a tomb 580 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:46,800 beneath it might yield clues. 581 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:50,920 One new discovery intrigues Patryk and his colleague Ania. 582 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:55,920 PATRYK: It's amazing, a double bottle showing two females 583 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,520 with a female breast in the upper part. 584 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:01,360 ANIA: And that's interesting, this has female features also. 585 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:02,600 PATRYK: And it also came from the tomb? 586 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:04,080 ANIA: Yes, yes. 587 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:06,640 NARRATOR: The pieces look like religious charms. 588 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:11,400 PATRYK: This cow head with a cobra and a solar disc 589 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:15,200 between the horns, which is unfortunately gone. 590 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:20,040 Amulets showing the head of a woman with cow ears. 591 00:34:22,240 --> 00:34:26,000 NARRATOR: Patryk has a hunch that he's seen these features before. 592 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:29,880 He heads up to a shrine that Hatshepsut built in her temple. 593 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:34,040 It could reveal why the pharaoh queen built here. 594 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:39,880 PATRYK: On pillars we can see a female head 595 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:42,440 with cow ears on both sides. 596 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:48,160 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut dedicated this shrine to the cow goddess Hathor. 597 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:51,400 It's directly above the tomb. 598 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:54,840 The matching finds confirm a theory Patryk has, 599 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:59,040 that the tomb was used by a religious cult that worshiped Hathor. 600 00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:04,520 Hathor was the mother of the gods and their representatives here on earth, 601 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:06,480 the pharaohs. 602 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:13,240 Ancient Egyptians worshipped Hathor in the form of a cow or 603 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:16,920 as a woman with cow horns, holding the sun disc. 604 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:22,720 She was the powerful goddess of motherhood and fertility... 605 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:25,720 who breathed new life into dead souls and guided 606 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:27,360 them to the hereafter. 607 00:35:29,720 --> 00:35:34,320 In some myths, Hathor gave birth to the sun each day, 608 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:38,480 bringing life and banishing the darkness. 609 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:43,840 She was particularly revered by pharaohs. 610 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,360 By feeding them her divine milk, 611 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:48,960 Hathor bestowed on them the power to rule. 612 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,000 PATRYK: It's really exciting because the items which we found 613 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:57,640 in the tomb, now we know that 614 00:35:57,720 --> 00:36:01,640 they were connected for sure with the cow goddess Hathor. 615 00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:06,320 NARRATOR: The tomb was built long before Hatshepsut. 616 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:10,880 But the Hathor amulets discovered in it date to her era. 617 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:15,800 They're powerful proof that the old tomb was used in the 618 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:19,280 cult worship of Hathor in Hatshepsut's time. 619 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,800 PATRYK: It's telling us about a very intensive story 620 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:27,360 of the cult of the cow goddess. 621 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:30,920 NARRATOR: Patryk believes this is why Hatshepsut 622 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:32,560 built her temple here. 623 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:36,280 This entire valley had ancient links with the Hathor cult. 624 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:39,040 And the sheer quantity of discoveries in the tomb prove 625 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:42,800 the cult was very active during Hatshepsut's reign. 626 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:47,240 PATRYK: The cow goddess was worshipped in Deir El-Bahari 627 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:49,000 at least since the Middle Kingdom. 628 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:51,520 But Hatshepsut decided to build 629 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:53,720 not only her temple at Deir El-Bahari 630 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:59,040 but also to construct a special shrine for the cow goddess. 631 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:03,400 NARRATOR: Hatshepsut was one of the few queens ever 632 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:05,520 to become pharaoh. 633 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:09,200 She used masculine images all over her temple to 634 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:10,720 project her power. 635 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:13,840 But Patryk's new evidence shows that she projected 636 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:17,360 feminine powers too, promoting Hathor here, 637 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:20,320 ahead of all the other gods. 638 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:23,240 Hathor, the powerful goddess of femininity, 639 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:27,000 motherhood and women, helped Hatshepsut become the 640 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:28,760 mother of her nation. 641 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:39,640 At Saqqara, in Setibhor's burial chamber, 642 00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:42,120 Mohamed's team is searching for solid limestone 643 00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:45,200 foundations beneath the overhanging walls, 644 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:46,840 so they can be sure they are safe. 645 00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:50,280 He hopes the chamber will hold clues to how Setibhor 646 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:51,960 ruled as a queen. 647 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:54,680 Was she a ruling pharaoh like Hatshepsut, 648 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:57,120 or a powerful wife like Nefertari? 649 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:01,200 Finally, a worker sees a smooth limestone face. 650 00:38:03,240 --> 00:38:06,040 Mohamed confirms it's the stone he's been looking for. 651 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:10,600 MOHAMED: It's good news because it's supporting all of the area here. 652 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:14,360 NARRATOR: Solid stone foundations underpin the overhang, 653 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:16,920 so digging can safely resume. 654 00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:27,000 NARRATOR: It's the last day of excavation inside the pyramid. 655 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:29,680 Hana joins Mohamed in the burial chamber. 656 00:38:30,720 --> 00:38:33,720 But will they have time to excavate all this rubble and 657 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:35,760 find any traces of Setibhor? 658 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:40,400 They've discovered she built the largest pyramid and 659 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:44,040 funerary temple of any queen of the Old Kingdom. 660 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:46,600 She was a great Old Kingdom Queen... 661 00:38:46,680 --> 00:38:48,240 But how did she rule? 662 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:51,920 Was she pharaoh herself, or part of a royal power couple? 663 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:56,760 Mohamed hopes that he might find answers in the burial chamber itself. 664 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:00,440 MOHAMED: It seems everything was smashed. 665 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:05,560 This very small, tiny, small pieces of limestone, 666 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:09,080 it means that stone robbers came here and smashed everything. 667 00:39:10,520 --> 00:39:12,560 NARRATOR: Stone robbers plundered valuable 668 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:16,320 white limestone from most of Egypt's ancient tombs, 669 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:18,560 just as tomb robbers took their treasures. 670 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:22,320 But Mohamed still sees a treasure trove of clues. 671 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:25,520 MOHAMED: Yes, we have more surprises. 672 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:28,520 NARRATOR: The exposed limestone reveals an 673 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:30,000 important new discovery. 674 00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:31,400 MOHAMED: The serdab. 675 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:32,640 It's very nice. 676 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:36,000 The queen built for the first time, a serdab. 677 00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:39,440 It's a storeroom to the east of her burial chamber. 678 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,040 NARRATOR: A serdab was a chamber usually reserved for 679 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:45,280 a statue of the pharaoh. 680 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:48,840 Later queens had serdabs, but Mohamed has discovered 681 00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:52,200 Setibhor was the first queen to build one. 682 00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:55,560 Why was Setibhor able to claim this, and other, 683 00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:57,240 privileges of kings? 684 00:39:59,960 --> 00:40:02,880 All the clues show that Mohamed and Hana have 685 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:05,200 discovered one of the most illustrious queens 686 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:06,640 of Ancient Egypt. 687 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:10,080 Setibhor was wife of Djedkare, 688 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:12,800 one of the great pharaohs of the Old Kingdom. 689 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:17,080 She was powerful enough to build the largest pyramid and 690 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:20,040 temple complex of any Old Kingdom queen. 691 00:40:23,960 --> 00:40:26,720 The size and design of her mortuary temple, 692 00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:31,280 looks less like a queen's and more like a king's. 693 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:38,400 Could this mean that Djedkare's mysterious queen 694 00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:40,600 may have ruled, as king? 695 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:49,800 Hieroglyphics expert, Hana, thinks that the answer might 696 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:52,880 be hiding on a column they discovered by her pyramid. 697 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,600 It's inscribed with her name, Setibhor. 698 00:40:56,680 --> 00:40:59,040 The last part of it, "Hor" stands for Horus, 699 00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:00,200 the falcon god. 700 00:41:00,720 --> 00:41:03,760 HANA (off-screen): The name of Horus is written with the individual letters, 701 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:06,600 not with the sign of the falcon, 702 00:41:06,680 --> 00:41:09,800 because if it's written as a falcon then that would 703 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:11,080 be the king's name. 704 00:41:11,640 --> 00:41:13,800 NARRATOR: The Horus' inscription reveals the true 705 00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:15,760 extent of Setibhor's power. 706 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:19,960 HANA: They are features which scream I'm the important queen, 707 00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:22,760 but at the same time, they are features which show 708 00:41:22,840 --> 00:41:25,680 that she is not a royal person, she's not the ruler, 709 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:26,920 she's not the king. 710 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:30,360 NARRATOR: Setibhor was not a pharaoh queen, 711 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:32,800 the supreme ruler of Egypt. 712 00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:35,800 She didn't have the power of Hatshepsut. 713 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:39,080 But the evidence uncovered here suggests she was a 714 00:41:39,160 --> 00:41:42,640 powerful royal from a powerful royal dynasty, 715 00:41:42,720 --> 00:41:46,960 and perhaps reigned more like Nefertari, 1,000 years later. 716 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:50,320 HANA: Everything that we are uncovering here. 717 00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:54,160 They all seem to indicate that she might have been 718 00:41:54,240 --> 00:41:56,320 related to the kings. 719 00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:59,760 So maybe she was the link between those kings and 720 00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:01,400 Djedkare himself. 721 00:42:01,480 --> 00:42:04,520 Maybe that's why she was so important because she was the 722 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:08,080 one who helped him to the throne of Egypt, 723 00:42:08,160 --> 00:42:10,880 and she was the power behind the throne. 724 00:42:12,240 --> 00:42:15,080 NARRATOR: Their discoveries reveal that Queen Setibhor was 725 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:18,000 one of the most powerful and influential figures 726 00:42:18,080 --> 00:42:19,320 of Ancient Egypt. 727 00:42:20,240 --> 00:42:23,160 And in a society that venerated its ancestors, 728 00:42:23,240 --> 00:42:25,160 perhaps even a role model for 729 00:42:25,240 --> 00:42:27,040 the great queens that followed her. 730 00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:32,080 Finally, the team's excavated enough rubble for 731 00:42:32,160 --> 00:42:35,760 Mohamed to see the dimensions of Setibhor's burial chamber. 732 00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:39,320 MOHAMED: Maybe this is a line of the height of the room. 733 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:42,680 The ceiling reached up until this line all the way we have 734 00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:45,160 the line in the room. 735 00:42:45,240 --> 00:42:47,120 All the way here. 736 00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:50,840 NARRATOR: The discovery of the ceiling line means there 737 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:53,960 is still ten feet of rubble to clear to reveal 738 00:42:54,040 --> 00:42:57,000 the entire tomb and time is running out. 739 00:42:58,160 --> 00:43:01,160 Today is the last day on his permit for the site. 740 00:43:01,240 --> 00:43:02,880 MOHAMED: I'm not sure we will reach the floor today, 741 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:06,080 actually, I'm not sure even if we will have a floor. 742 00:43:08,560 --> 00:43:11,160 NARRATOR: But Mohamed has achieved his goal, 743 00:43:11,240 --> 00:43:13,680 he's found Setibhor's burial chamber and 744 00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:15,720 will return to excavate it fully. 745 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:18,640 MOHAMED: I hope in the coming season we will come again, 746 00:43:18,720 --> 00:43:20,520 and we will continue and will finish the work. 747 00:43:22,560 --> 00:43:25,400 NARRATOR: Mohamed and Hana have rediscovered a long-lost 748 00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:30,680 queen that towered over Egypt, 900-years before Hatshepsut. 749 00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:33,520 A queen ahead of her time, 750 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:36,240 inspiring queens for centuries to come. 751 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:41,000 Like Hatshepsut, who projected masculine power 752 00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:44,200 but drew on the feminine goddess Hathor... 753 00:43:44,280 --> 00:43:46,000 And Nefertari, 754 00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:49,000 who wielded her formidable power alongside one of the 755 00:43:49,080 --> 00:43:51,080 greatest kings of all time. 756 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:55,400 Perhaps Setibhor was the trailblazer for both. 757 00:43:56,480 --> 00:43:59,800 Now she can be restored to her rightful place 758 00:43:59,880 --> 00:44:03,120 alongside them and be recognized amongst the 759 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:06,080 greatest queens of Ancient Egypt.