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This site
is unbelievable.
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Deep underground
a 2,000-year-old tomb filled
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with mummies has been
devastated by tomb raiders.
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Finding a
burial shaft like this.
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It makes our stay in
the desert worth it.
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Archaeologists scan
through the wreckage in search
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of clues to what happened.
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OK, that's it.
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Unbelievable.
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The mummy, it's
not looking usual.
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We're going to
investigate it right now.
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00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:45,360
The Great
pyramids of ancient Egypt.
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These structures were created
to protect the tombs of the
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mightiest kings and queens
of the ancient world and the
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unimaginable wealth
they were buried with.
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But ever since they rose
from the desert floor,
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they have been a target for
attack from tomb raiders.
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The battle between tomb
builders and tomb robbers has
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raged for millennia.
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Now, archaeologists across
Egypt are unlocking the
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secrets of the origins
of tomb raiding.
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How pyramids and tombs evolved
to better protect the dead and
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how the latest technology can
salvage vital information from
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the wreckage these ancient
raiders left behind.
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In Saqqara, British
archaeologist John Ward has
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come to Egypt's
first-ever pyramid the
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Great Step Pyramid of Djoser.
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Man's first
skyscraper in effect.
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What an achievement.
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John and his wife,
archaeologist Maria Nilsson,
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have spent 14 years
exploring the quarries of the
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00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,680
great pharaohs on the
banks of the Nile.
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Today, John is investigating
how the builders of the first
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pyramid tried to keep
the riches contained within,
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safe from tomb raiders.
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For the robbers, this
huge structure just literally
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dominating the landscape
was like a beacon.
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Tomb raiders were
the scourge of Ancient Egypt.
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Egyptians were often buried
with gold and other valuables,
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with the richest
taking vast stores of
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treasure to their graves.
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For robbers this
was irresistible,
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and the pyramid
builders knew it.
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Beneath thousands of tons of
limestone a vertical shaft
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descends 90 feet
to the burial chamber.
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Here, the pharaoh's mummy
was laid to rest within
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a vast granite sarcophagus.
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A 3.5-mile-long labyrinth
of underground tunnels,
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strewn with offerings,
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protected the burial chamber,
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in order to preserve
the pharaoh's body
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and riches for eternity.
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What's amazing is that
the achievement is supposed to
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be the pyramid above us that
rises out of the desert floor,
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but actually it's
this labyrinth.
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These tunnels just keep
on going on and on and on.
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With multiple
false doors and dead ends,
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builders designed the
labyrinth to confuse and deter
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any would-be thieves.
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I've only been in here
for about ten minutes and
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already I've completely
lost my bearings.
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If they got
past the labyrinth,
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the robbers then needed to
break into the burial chamber,
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to access the
riches it contained.
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Ancient Egyptians believed
they could take their
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luxurious possessions,
like jewelry and furniture,
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with them into the afterlife.
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So, to protect the
pharaoh and his treasures,
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the builders plugged the
entrance to the chamber with
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huge granite blocks.
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After going through all
of the challenges the labyrinth,
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getting lost like I did,
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they were confronted by all of
this stacked red granite and
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hiding behind it all
was the actual sarcophagus
of the living God,
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the pharaoh himself.
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This pyramid was
specifically engineered
from top to bottom
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to keep thieves out.
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But like almost every
other pyramid in Egypt,
it stands empty.
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Robbers found a way in.
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These pyramids failed
in their fundamental task in
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00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,520
protecting the Pharaoh
and his wealth,
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and we see evidence
of that everywhere.
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When robbers
broke into tombs,
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they looked for high-value,
easy-to-carry loot,
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such as jewels and gold.
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They often headed
straight for the mummies,
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as they contained highly
prized sacred amulets,
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concealed beneath
the bandages.
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They even stole the
valuable white limestone
that covered the pyramids,
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to use for their own
building projects.
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But ancient Egyptians
punished tomb robbers severely.
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If caught, they were
impaled on a giant spike,
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in a public execution.
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Despite the risks,
looters ransacked almost
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all of ancient Egypt's
elite burial sites,
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including the pyramids.
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How did raiders get into
such well-protected tombs?
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To find out, John is
traveling to the site of
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one of the most audacious
robberies in ancient Egypt,
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perfectly preserved
for thousands of years.
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00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,600
In Luxor's Deir El-Bahari,
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behind the cliffs of
the Valley of the Kings
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00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:23,880
Egyptian Archaeologist
Fahty Yaseen,
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and his 70-person team,
are excavating a colossal tomb
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built around 1,500 years
after the Great Pyramids.
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Fahty dreamed of becoming
an archaeologist ever since
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visiting nearby Luxor
on a school trip.
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He has worked here
for the last 30 years.
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The tomb was part
of a grand complex,
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with an ornate courtyard,
built to flaunt the high
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social status of
those buried inside.
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But, like the Great Pyramids,
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this ostentatious site
was a magnet for raiders.
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It's a mess of bones,
mummified remains and
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fragments of pottery.
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It will be
very difficult for us
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because we lost a
lot of information.
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Fahty wants to know
why this particular tomb has
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been so thoroughly disturbed.
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Surprisingly,
in Ancient Egypt,
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wealth and riches were
not the only prize that
raiders were after.
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The tomb itself was also
valuable for later re-use by
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elites and their families.
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Was this damage all down to
robbers hunting for treasure?
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Or was the tomb cleared
out so it could be used
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by someone new?
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To find out, Fahty is searching
for the tomb's original owner.
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We have to make our
excavation here slowly, slowly
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with patience and hope.
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His team is
clearing a path to the
tomb's burial chamber,
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where they hope to find
the tomb owner's body.
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Whoever the owner was,
they were rich.
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The tomb stands in prime
position next to the mighty
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temple of Hatshepsut.
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Its lavish entrance and large
sunken courtyard was designed
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00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,720
to impress, during special
festivals of the dead.
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Carved on the western
wall of the tomb's
hallway, a false door.
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which Ancient Egyptian's
believed acted as a portal for
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the tomb owner's spirit.
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During elaborate celebrations,
ancient Egyptians came here to
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leave offerings of food,
drink, and flowers,
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they believed the
spirits could take back
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into the afterlife.
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The revelers even slept here
at night to communicate with
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the souls of their
ancestors in dreams.
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But these tombs
became a target,
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not just for raiders,
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but also for people who wanted
the tombs for themselves.
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After several weeks' work,
Fahty's team have cleared the
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way to the burial chamber
at the tomb's heart.
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Fahty can now enter
it for the first time,
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to see if the original
owner is still inside.
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FAHTY Wow, wow.
Huge tomb. Big tomb.
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Oh my God.
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Like the
rest of the tomb,
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the mess of debris strewn
across the burial chamber floor
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is a sign ancient
tomb robbers ransacked
this room long ago.
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All of the stuff
suffered a lot from
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the robbers, during
the last ancient time
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because it is not arranged
in the original way.
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But it's not
clear when, or why,
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this tomb was disturbed.
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Was it looters on the
hunt for treasure?
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Or did someone remove
the original owner,
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and re-use the tomb,
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with a new mummy
installed in their place?
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The robbers during that
time, they broke everything.
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The burial
chamber contains no mummies.
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The original tomb owner has
been removed or destroyed.
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For this moment
we don't know yet.
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It is not clear
in front of me.
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But back
in the main chamber,
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Fahty's head
technician, Sayed,
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has made a breakthrough.
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He's found what looks
like a pristine mummy.
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We are so lucky
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because we found a really
beautiful mummy here.
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From the first look, I think
it's in really good condition.
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In Philadelphia,
an ancient city in the desert
south of Cairo...
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Come on, guys. Lift!
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Egyptian archaeologist Basem Gehad has
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spent years uncovering an
ancient necropolis buried
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under the desert.
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Today, he and his team are on
their way to a tomb from the
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final years of
Egyptian civilization.
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It was built almost 2,500
years after the first pyramid.
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And was created
with one thing in mind,
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keeping raiders out.
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The builders learned
from the mistakes of
their predecessors.
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They left no pyramid or temple
to mark the tomb's location,
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and hid it in the
middle of the desert,
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at the bottom of a perilous,
36-foot shaft.
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The idea behind this
deep burial shaft and hiding
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it in the mountain was to keep
it very safe and secure from
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these tomb raiders.
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It's a kind of
securing the afterlife.
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And we are very enthusiastic
to see what could be inside.
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00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,560
But how successful
were the tomb builders?
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00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,520
Did they manage to
keep the raiders out?
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00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:12,160
Basem needs to go
down and investigate.
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00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:19,440
To do that...
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Come on.
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00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:25,360
The team needs
to haul a 440-pound,
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00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:29,280
hand-operated winch
up the mountain,
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and secure it
over the shaft.
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00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:38,520
Come on Hamdy.
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00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,040
Tighten the bolts,
tighten the frame.
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00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,800
We have to keep
ourselves secure.
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00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,560
With the
winch in place...
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Slowly.
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00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:00,000
Basem is
ready to go down...
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00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:02,120
Bring it over.
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00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:03,160
OK.
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00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:04,240
Move it down.
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00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:06,880
Careful so my head
doesn't hit the wood.
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00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:08,720
Come on, one by one.
217
00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:11,680
OK, move it down
slowly and carefully.
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00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,680
Come on, down, Bismillah, OK.
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00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,000
BASEM It's really
scary and it's really dangerous.
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00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:22,320
If the winch fails,
the fall could kill him.
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00:13:24,680 --> 00:13:25,680
Excellent!
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00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:38,400
Relax.
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00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:39,760
Loosen up.
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00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,080
When he finally
arrives at the bottom,
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00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,760
he's greeted with an
astonishing sight...
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00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:50,040
BASEM
Unbelievable.
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Dozens of mummies.
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00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:02,840
30 feet underground,
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Basem begins to explore
the hidden tomb.
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Did it protect its occupants,
or have raiders looted it?
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This site is
unbelievable for me.
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00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:20,160
I can see here one
complete mummy.
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00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:23,240
And also, at the
end of the room there is
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00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:24,920
one complete mummy.
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So, it's another mummy here.
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It's a huge complex,
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measuring 300 square feet,
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that proves that this
was an elite tomb.
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Inside, builders carved
three burial chambers
out of the bedrock,
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which housed around 80
intricately wrapped mummies.
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Finding a
burial shaft like this.
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00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,920
It makes our stay in
the desert worth it.
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00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:54,720
But something isn't right.
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00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,520
Basem isn't the first person
to set foot in this tomb.
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00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,240
It shows clear signs
of being raided,
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00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,640
and most of its contents
have been destroyed.
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00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:14,240
So, the tomb raiders
came here and then it seems to
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00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,840
me that they took most of
the precious materials,
249
00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:19,520
the wonderful objects.
250
00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,080
When Ancient
Egyptians died,
251
00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:25,280
their relatives
placed food, drink,
252
00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,880
and everyday objects
in their tombs.
253
00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,800
The wealthier elites took more
lavish personal belongings,
254
00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,000
like weapons, golden
furniture and even chariots.
255
00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,640
Ancient Egyptians believed
they could take these grave
256
00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:48,800
goods with them into
the afterlife to protect
257
00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,320
and sustain them.
258
00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,640
But the treasures in the
tombs of the elite made rich
259
00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,440
pickings for thieves.
260
00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:10,040
Basem's job now is to see
what the robbers left behind.
261
00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,000
They took
all the masks,
262
00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:16,440
except one gilded mask remains
of one gilded mask here which
263
00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:18,440
is shining in front of us,
264
00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:24,680
an amazing example
of what could be the state
of art during this period.
265
00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:30,480
The mask proves that
there could be a lot left to
266
00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,640
discover in the wreckage
left behind by the raiders.
267
00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,840
Basem will need to scour the
tomb for clues to find out
268
00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,320
when, and how, it was robbed.
269
00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:45,240
It's like working
on a crime scene.
270
00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,320
You have to collect
all the evidence,
271
00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,440
gather all the kind of clues.
272
00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:52,520
We still have a lot
of things to do.
273
00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,160
In Luxor's,
Deir El-Bahari
274
00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,520
Fahty is hunting
for the original owner of
275
00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:07,000
this raided tomb.
276
00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,040
His team has found a
spectacular mummy next
277
00:17:10,120 --> 00:17:11,400
to the main entrance.
278
00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:16,840
This is the best mummy
found here in our site.
279
00:17:18,120 --> 00:17:19,480
It's a very, very
complete mummy.
280
00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,800
You see from the head, the
arms, the body, the legs here.
281
00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:26,160
In his three decades
working as an archaeologist,
282
00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:31,040
this is one of the most pristine
mummies Fahty has ever found.
283
00:17:32,120 --> 00:17:34,960
Wow. Complete huh?
284
00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:36,400
Yeah, complete.
285
00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:38,200
Very, very good.
286
00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:39,320
I don't believe.
287
00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:41,360
Looks like
288
00:17:42,120 --> 00:17:44,680
mostly complete mummy.
289
00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:47,560
But I am wondering
why it is here.
290
00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:50,440
Why is this mummy here?
291
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:56,320
The mummy's
location in this first
hallway is a mystery.
292
00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:58,640
If they are the
owner of the tomb,
293
00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,080
they should be buried
in the burial chamber.
294
00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:05,440
To be here, it is
295
00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:07,840
for us it is not clear.
296
00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,160
Because it is not
in original situ.
297
00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,800
But it could be
brought here by robbers
298
00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:19,680
after the main burial
299
00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,000
after the time of the
owner of the tomb
300
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,800
somebody used this tomb.
301
00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,720
If this mummy is
the original owner of the tomb,
302
00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,640
it could be a clue to
what happened here.
303
00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,520
Was it robbers, or later
elites re-using the tomb?
304
00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:39,320
To know more,
305
00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,240
Fahty has to run further
tests on the mummy.
306
00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:44,640
So, I hope
it will give us
307
00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:45,800
a lot of information
308
00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:47,560
and you will know that
309
00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:49,240
belongs to the
310
00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:50,960
owner of the tomb
311
00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:52,560
or later.
312
00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:56,960
But first,
he has to remove the
mummy from the tomb.
313
00:18:57,720 --> 00:18:59,520
Careful.
314
00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,200
It's an incredibly
delicate procedure.
315
00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:06,120
The fragile mummy is thousands
of years old and could easily
316
00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:07,640
crumble when moved.
317
00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:11,040
We have to be stable.
318
00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,560
Can these ancient
remains reveal clues
319
00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,080
to what happened here?
320
00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,440
Is this mummy
the tomb's original owner
321
00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:26,600
or a later imposter?
322
00:19:38,360 --> 00:19:42,680
In the shadow of the
ruined Meidum Pyramid,
323
00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,600
John is investigating one
of the greatest heists
of the ancient world.
324
00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,760
He wants to find out how tomb
raiders got inside one of
325
00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,520
Ancient Egypt's
most well-protected tombs.
326
00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,040
It's truly an
astonishing monument this.
327
00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:02,760
This magnificent structure
literally just rises out of
328
00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:04,360
the desert floor.
329
00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:10,720
This huge,
300 by 150-foot mound
330
00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:12,600
is called a mastaba,
331
00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,720
a style of tomb
that predates the pyramids.
332
00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,640
Known as Mastaba 17,
this is one of the biggest,
333
00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:23,800
and most impressive
in all of Egypt.
334
00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:28,160
Unlike the pyramids
that were built with
335
00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:31,560
a complex network of
tunnels to get in and out,
336
00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,160
Mastabas were
completely sealed.
337
00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,080
Once finished, it
was never meant to be entered.
338
00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:40,800
It was a house of eternity
for those who were going
339
00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:42,760
to be entombed inside.
340
00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,440
At the
heart of the mastaba,
341
00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:53,280
a single body lay inside a
solid granite sarcophagus
342
00:20:53,360 --> 00:20:56,040
secured with a three-ton lid.
343
00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:00,240
The sarcophagus sat within a
solid limestone chamber with
344
00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:04,040
colossal limestone blocks
sealing the only entrance.
345
00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,720
The chamber itself sat
around 30 feet underground in a
346
00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,480
deep, natural recess.
347
00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:17,960
Finally, a vast mudbrick and
rubble structure covered the
348
00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,280
chamber and the
recess it sits in,
349
00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,640
with no way in, or out.
350
00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:28,640
100 feet of rock stood
between the inhabitant
351
00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:30,360
and the surface.
352
00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:37,800
Like a fortress
for the dead layer
after layer after layer,
353
00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:41,400
literally protected
that one single person lying
354
00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,640
inside the sarcophagus
inside the main chamber.
355
00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,040
But even this
protection was not enough to
356
00:21:48,120 --> 00:21:49,960
keep the robbers out.
357
00:21:50,360 --> 00:21:54,360
On the southern side, John
identifies a hand-cut tunnel
358
00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:56,840
carved out of the
walls by looters.
359
00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,880
Wow, look at this.
360
00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,480
Not only have they cut
through all of this
361
00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:06,480
mud brick exterior facade.
362
00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,760
But they've actually tunneled
underneath the mastaba.
363
00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,760
To understand
how the robbers carried
out such a daring raid,
364
00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,440
John has been
granted special access to
365
00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,400
enter their tunnel.
366
00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:23,880
I must admit, I'm
not looking forward to going
367
00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:25,920
into dark tunnels.
368
00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:28,800
Oh, wow.
369
00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:37,720
At the necropolis
of ancient Philadelphia,
370
00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:44,400
Basem is investigating
a hidden tomb.
371
00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:48,680
He wants to find out who
looted these burial chambers,
372
00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:50,400
and when.
373
00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:52,520
He's already discovered
mummies that appear to be
374
00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:56,320
undisturbed, and an
intact burial mask.
375
00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,440
There could be more evidence
hidden among the debris.
376
00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:05,800
Maybe we
could find one clue,
about the tomb raiders.
377
00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:10,280
Therefore, we could
understand when and who did this
378
00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:12,240
disturbance inside this room.
379
00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,080
Basem must
investigate this chamber,
380
00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:20,760
inch by inch.
381
00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:24,040
Normally, it would take
days of painstaking work.
382
00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:28,160
But his team is armed with
some cutting-edge technology
383
00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,920
more at home on a
modern-day crime scene.
384
00:23:33,120 --> 00:23:35,840
BASEM It's the
most advanced technique to be
385
00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:38,640
used in the
archaeological field.
386
00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:40,880
I can't wait to
see the results.
387
00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,680
As Basem's
laser scanner pans
around the chamber,
388
00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:49,760
a camera records hundreds
of images every second,
389
00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:53,320
while a laser measures the
space with pinpoint accuracy.
390
00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:57,320
Together, they create a
high-resolution model of the
391
00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:01,440
entire tomb, allowing Basem to
see things that are invisible
392
00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:03,360
to the naked eye.
393
00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:06,000
OK, that's it.
394
00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,680
Unbelievable.
395
00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:16,920
We have every single detail
of this room now in our hands
396
00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:21,600
As they
analyze the imagery,
397
00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:24,320
Basem notices
something unexpected.
398
00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,200
From the
assessment of the scan,
399
00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:29,680
there is something interesting.
400
00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,520
The mummy, it's
not looking usual.
401
00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:36,040
We are going to
investigate it right now.
402
00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,880
The mummy could
provide another clue to who
403
00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,440
raided the tomb, and when.
404
00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:44,160
Ahmed.
405
00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:48,440
But to
investigate properly, first,
they'll need to move it.
406
00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:51,800
Come on Ahmed, we
need to lift this mummy.
407
00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,200
At the
Asasif necropolis,
408
00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:07,400
Fahty's team has unearthed
a pristine mummy among the
409
00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,960
debris of a heavily
raided tomb.
410
00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:14,560
Fahty wants to
find out if this mummy
411
00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:16,840
was the tomb's original owner.
412
00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:20,640
That will offer a vital clue
to whether this tomb was
413
00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,000
raided or reused.
414
00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:27,720
He's enlisted the help of
physical anthropologist
Jesus Herrerin,
415
00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:29,200
who's brought
a state-of-the-art
416
00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,920
X-ray scanner.
417
00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,560
With it, he should be able
to tell the mummy's sex,
418
00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,120
and even how much
manual labor they did.
419
00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,080
Already, he likes
what he sees.
420
00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:46,800
90% of the mummies
in Egypt are broken.
421
00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:49,280
90%?
90%.
422
00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:52,240
Only 10% is a complete
mummy like this.
423
00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:54,640
That's a great,
great discovery.
424
00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:56,880
Embalmers wrapped this mummy with an
425
00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,360
extraordinarily high
level of precision.
426
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,000
They even wrapped each
finger individually.
427
00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:04,240
Look at the fingers.
428
00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:06,600
This wrapping each one.
429
00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:07,880
Uh-huh.
430
00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,760
Individual independence
from each another.
431
00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:15,680
A high-quality mummy
like this could be the tomb's
432
00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:17,200
original owner.
433
00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:19,280
But they need more evidence.
434
00:26:24,120 --> 00:26:27,400
Jesus painstakingly
scans the entire body.
435
00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:33,080
Good, great image.
436
00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,240
He must take dozens
of images to piece together a
437
00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:40,720
full picture of what's
beneath the bandages and
438
00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:42,920
reveal the mummy's identity.
439
00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,480
At the necropolis of
ancient Philadelphia,
440
00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,600
Basem is investigating
a robbed tomb.
441
00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:56,880
He's discovered a
strange-looking mummy that
442
00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:00,480
could give him a crucial
clue to when, and how,
443
00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:02,400
this tomb was raided.
444
00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:04,560
But to investigate further,
445
00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,480
he needs to remove the
mummy from the burial chamber.
446
00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:12,160
It's really unsafe to
work and maneuver around an
447
00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,600
object with this
kind of roof inside,
448
00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:16,640
so we need to take it outside.
449
00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:20,800
Let's do it Ahmed,
from the legs.
450
00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:23,560
Raiders have
already disturbed the mummy,
451
00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:25,080
making it extremely delicate.
452
00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:27,240
No, no, no.
453
00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:31,160
One wrong move
and it could crumble to pieces.
454
00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:35,400
Go out, stop!
455
00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:37,520
You go out OK.
456
00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:40,920
Get Mohammed, let
Mohammed come in.
457
00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:43,240
Mohammed go in the middle.
458
00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:45,120
In the middle, quick!
459
00:27:45,360 --> 00:27:46,840
Support the middle, take it!
460
00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,200
Good, move out.
461
00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:54,240
Now he's
safely removed the mummy
from the burial chamber,
462
00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,840
Basem is able
to take a closer look.
463
00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:00,760
The mummy is
twisted in a strange way.
464
00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,280
The face is looking downwards.
465
00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:08,560
It's the first time we've
seen a mummy this way.
466
00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:14,000
It's not in the usual
articulation of the body
467
00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:15,920
it's very, very strange.
468
00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,400
It appears that the
mummy's neck has been twisted
469
00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:23,120
delicately to remove its
precious burial mask,
470
00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:26,880
while leaving the
mummy itself intact.
471
00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,080
For Basem, this suggests
that this tomb was raided
472
00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,040
relatively recently.
473
00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:37,960
Tombs raided in antiquity tend
to be much more disturbed,
474
00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:40,760
with mummies deliberately
smashed to pieces.
475
00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:45,560
So, for me,
it looks like it was
476
00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:47,480
raided like 100 years ago.
477
00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:50,360
It's
a big discovery.
478
00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:54,200
It means this hidden tomb,
built in 300 BC,
479
00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:58,840
managed to keep its dead safe
from raiders for two millennia.
480
00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:03,760
Only in modern times,
armed with modern equipment,
481
00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:06,680
did treasure hunters
finally manage to break in.
482
00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:10,120
Around a century ago,
it was the most interesting
483
00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,760
thing for people from
different places in the world
484
00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:17,040
to come to Egypt and to
collect wonderful objects from
485
00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:19,680
the tombs and from
different sites in Egypt.
486
00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:26,040
This so-called
'Egyptomania' craze spread
487
00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,960
around the world in the
early 20th century.
488
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,880
Culminating in 1922
with the discovery of
Tutankhamun's tomb
489
00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:35,160
by Howard Carter.
490
00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:40,120
During this period,
European explorers took
491
00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:43,720
countless precious
artifacts from ancient tombs.
492
00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:47,960
They ended up in museums or
sold to private collectors.
493
00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:54,440
This mummy survived
the modern-day raiders.
494
00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:57,720
Now Basem wants to make
sure it is properly conserved
495
00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:00,560
for the future.
496
00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:03,840
To do this, he has to
remove it from the tomb.
497
00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:14,200
In Meidum, John is
following a narrow tunnel
498
00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:17,560
deep underneath a
heavily fortified tomb.
499
00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:20,480
He wants to find out how
looters robbed it nearly
500
00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,120
4,500 years ago.
501
00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:25,720
Wow.
502
00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,400
Their first
challenge was to reach the
503
00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,040
center of the vast
stone filled mastaba.
504
00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,800
I can't imagine working
in such an environment,
505
00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,160
so enclosed.
506
00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:45,920
Would have been horrible,
the dust on one's lungs.
507
00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,400
Digging a tunnel
like this involves shifting
508
00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,040
hundreds of tons of
rock and the constant
509
00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:55,360
threat of the
tunnel collapsing.
510
00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:56,920
Okay...
511
00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:58,680
It would have
taken months of dangerous
512
00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:00,920
painstaking work.
513
00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:07,840
JOHN You can
see all the chisel marks on
the walls are still intact.
514
00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:11,480
Using the most
rudimentary tools,
515
00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,960
they've been able to
create this tunnel.
516
00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:20,960
At the
end of the tunnel,
517
00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,480
a vertical shaft drops
20 feet straight down.
518
00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:31,080
Oh my God,
there's nothing holding
this ladder in place.
519
00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,400
I'm putting my foot
into darkness here.
520
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:37,960
Wow.
521
00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:40,880
At the
bottom of the shaft,
522
00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:43,320
John comes across
something incredible.
523
00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:49,080
JOHN That is
absolutely unbelievable.
524
00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,480
Oh, wow.
525
00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,680
John has reached the
end of the robber's tunnel.
526
00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:05,600
It's hit the rock casing
of the burial chamber with
527
00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:07,560
incredible precision.
528
00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,920
The robbers have
tunneled, all the way along,
529
00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:15,920
then dropped the shaft and
then literally tunneled this
530
00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:20,480
tiny little tunnel here
and hit this limestone
531
00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:22,800
casing dead on.
532
00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,320
The tomb raiders
undercut the mastaba on its
533
00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:33,040
south side and chiseled their
way through the limestone
534
00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:36,520
bedrock in a straight
line for 60 feet.
535
00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:42,440
Then they stopped and dug a
shaft straight down through
536
00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:47,800
the loose infill of the hollow
until they hit the limestone
537
00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:51,000
wall of the burial chamber.
538
00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:57,360
Just imagine just them
sitting here exactly kneeling
539
00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:00,520
where I'm kneeling right now,
just chiseling away
540
00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:05,720
frantically at this limestone,
knowing what lay behind it was
541
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:09,560
treasures that would elevate
them in this mortal life.
542
00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:12,360
Wow.
543
00:33:12,440 --> 00:33:14,760
To hit the outside
of the burial chamber with
544
00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:16,960
their tunnel with
such accuracy,
545
00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,000
John believes the looters must
have known the layout of the
546
00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:22,440
tomb in exceptional detail.
547
00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:26,200
They would definitely
have had to have had inside
548
00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,720
information to
know where to go.
549
00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,800
Whoever led this party knew
exactly where to place this
550
00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:38,280
final tunnel because
it led them directly,
551
00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:41,120
directly onto the chamber.
552
00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:49,880
Inside...
553
00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:51,320
Wow.
554
00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,200
The burial chamber
is beautifully finished in
smooth-cut limestone.
555
00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:57,160
Wow.
556
00:33:57,240 --> 00:34:00,640
I'm like a little giddy
kid in a sweetshop.
557
00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,960
But John is
not alone in the tomb.
558
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:08,160
Bats.
559
00:34:08,240 --> 00:34:11,360
Dozens of them, and John
has a serious phobia.
560
00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:15,760
Oh my god
they're hanging.
561
00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:17,600
Oh, my God,
they're everywhere.
562
00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,960
In Luxor's
Deir El-Bahari at the
Asasif necropolis,
563
00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:29,880
Jesus has finally stitched
dozens of X-ray images together
564
00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:31,680
to build a complete,
565
00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:34,800
detailed scan of the mummy
Fahty has discovered.
566
00:34:35,720 --> 00:34:38,720
He wants to know if this
mummy is the tomb's owner.
567
00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:42,400
It could be a vital clue to
whether this tomb was raided
568
00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,920
for treasure, or
if it was reused.
569
00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:50,400
By analyzing the bones,
Jesus can identify the mummy's
570
00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:52,520
gender and social standing.
571
00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:58,280
Whoa, it was a complete
mummy in very good condition.
572
00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:05,120
You can see the skull,
the torso and the sex is male.
573
00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:07,080
So, is a man?
574
00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:08,280
Yes, it's a man.
575
00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:12,400
We can see very clear in
the morphology of the hips.
576
00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,360
The bones also
reveal a clue to the man's
577
00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:22,080
social status in life.
578
00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,000
In the
vertebral column,
579
00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:27,320
there aren't any signs
of osteoarthritis.
580
00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,360
The excellent
condition of the bones suggest
581
00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:32,840
that this man did
not do any hard,
582
00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:35,560
manual work during his life.
583
00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:37,760
He was probably a
high-ranking nobleman.
584
00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:41,520
The owner of the tomb
is a very important one
585
00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:44,600
to create the tomb,
big tomb like that.
586
00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:48,560
And he is in a good
position, good job,
587
00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:50,880
with a high social rank also.
588
00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:54,000
This is a sign
that this mummy could be the
589
00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:56,960
original owner of
this lavish tomb.
590
00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:01,600
Normally, high-status mummies
would have amulets of precious
591
00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:04,160
stones wrapped
inside its chest.
592
00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:06,920
These should show
up on the x-ray.
593
00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:11,000
For the chest,
did you see any amulets?
594
00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:13,080
Unfortunately no
595
00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:16,360
there aren't any
amulets in the chest.
596
00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:20,480
Maybe they had an
amulet in the chest
597
00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:23,440
but the thief took it.
598
00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:25,680
Took it.
Yeah, unfortunately.
599
00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:32,040
The evidence
suggests a complex series of
600
00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,160
crimes and events.
601
00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:37,680
It looks like this mummy was
the tomb's original owner.
602
00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:42,400
But someone moved
it from its initial
location inside the chamber,
603
00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:46,840
and robbers took
its precious jewelry.
604
00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:49,160
Meanwhile, the rest of
the tomb has been almost
605
00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:51,200
completely destroyed.
606
00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:55,600
For Fahty, this suggests the
tomb wasn't simply robbed,
607
00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:57,640
or reused once.
608
00:36:57,720 --> 00:37:00,480
It was raided and
reused many times,
609
00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:02,720
across hundreds of years.
610
00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,600
Like the pyramids,
this elaborate tomb
611
00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:08,400
drew people to it.
612
00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:10,160
Not only raiders for treasure,
613
00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:13,000
but people who wanted
to be buried in it themselves,
614
00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:15,000
when they passed away.
615
00:37:15,120 --> 00:37:18,120
With more
investigation from our side
616
00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:20,640
we will know if he's
the owner of the tomb,
617
00:37:20,720 --> 00:37:22,960
but we still need time
to study all the objects.
618
00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:25,680
Fahty still has
a long way to go to piece
619
00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:29,600
together the
mess that generations
of robbers left behind.
620
00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:31,840
But with every new clue,
621
00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:33,840
and with the help
of new technology,
622
00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:35,920
he's getting closer
to unravelling the
623
00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:38,080
mystery behind this tomb.
624
00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,160
In Meidum, John
is investigating how ancient
625
00:37:47,240 --> 00:37:50,800
tomb raiders carried out a
spectacular heist on one of
626
00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:53,200
the biggest Mastabas in Egypt.
627
00:37:54,240 --> 00:37:57,200
The ceiling of the burial
chamber is teeming with bats.
628
00:37:58,080 --> 00:37:59,960
I don't do bats.
629
00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:03,560
It's like giant
flying spiders.
630
00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:08,440
4,500 years ago,
instead of bats,
631
00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:11,760
this chamber would
have contained riches,
632
00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:14,520
such as gilded
furniture and pottery.
633
00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:17,480
But to reach the most valuable
bounty the robbers faced
634
00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:20,400
one final challenge:
635
00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:22,880
A giant stone sarcophagus,
636
00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:28,040
which contained the
mummy's gold death mask
and precious jewels.
637
00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:31,960
This red
granite sarcophagus,
638
00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:35,080
weighs in excess of eight ton.
639
00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:38,640
It's one
of the biggest sarcophagi
in all of Egypt.
640
00:38:38,720 --> 00:38:41,200
But still the robbers
were able to get in,
641
00:38:41,720 --> 00:38:45,280
and they left
a 4,500-year-old clue
642
00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:47,120
to how they did it.
643
00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:51,560
JOHN
Oh, wow, look at that.
644
00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:54,160
Amazing!
645
00:38:54,240 --> 00:39:00,560
The original mallet
that the looters used
and they've left it there.
646
00:39:02,720 --> 00:39:07,200
The thieves
used long wooden levers
to prize the lid open,
647
00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:10,520
then propped it up
using their wooden mallets.
648
00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:15,600
It's actually quite
amazing to think that this lid
649
00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:19,800
is just literally sat on top
of that mallet in exactly the
650
00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:22,640
same position that
the robbers left it.
651
00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:26,880
This was a
truly spectacular heist,
652
00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:31,080
and the evidence
preserved for millennia
reveals how determined,
653
00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:33,800
and well prepared,
the looters were.
654
00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:37,760
But the real secret to their
success was their inside
655
00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:40,040
knowledge of the
layout of the tomb.
656
00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:42,920
Armed with that information,
657
00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:45,600
and the promise
of untold riches,
658
00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:48,160
the tomb builders
didn't stand a chance.
659
00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:52,280
One can only imagine
when they crawled through and
660
00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:55,000
then walked into this chamber.
661
00:39:57,480 --> 00:39:59,440
What lay in wait for them...
662
00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:01,120
treasures beyond
their wildest dreams.
663
00:40:01,200 --> 00:40:03,480
It would change their
lives completely.
664
00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:13,680
At the necropolis
of ancient Philadelphia,
665
00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:17,880
Basem has discovered that this
raided tomb kept its occupants
666
00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:21,640
safe for two millennia,
before modern treasure hunters
667
00:40:21,720 --> 00:40:23,320
looted it a century ago.
668
00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:26,720
I'll help you
with the head.
669
00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:30,400
Now, he wants
to make sure this mummy is
preserved for posterity...
670
00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:32,520
Come on, together.
671
00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:34,640
By removing it from
the tomb and taking it to a
672
00:40:34,720 --> 00:40:36,520
museum for safe keeping.
673
00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:40,600
To do that, he'll need to haul
it up a 36-foot burial shaft.
674
00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:43,360
Most of us
are a bit stressed.
675
00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:47,040
I'm a bit afraid that this
operation is a delicate one.
676
00:40:49,920 --> 00:40:52,720
That's why we have to do it
in a proper way to save it.
677
00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:56,920
Lift it, be careful,
the box is heavy!
678
00:40:57,040 --> 00:40:59,120
The box
weighs 220 pounds,
679
00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:02,680
and his team must pull it
out of the tomb by hand.
680
00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:10,560
Watch your hands,
everybody watch your hands.
681
00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:15,640
Lift.
682
00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:17,600
OK.
683
00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:19,880
BASEM You see how,
how tough is this operation?
684
00:41:19,960 --> 00:41:21,360
It's really hard.
685
00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:23,160
OK.
686
00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:25,640
The shaft is
only seven foot wide and cut
687
00:41:25,720 --> 00:41:27,040
from loose rock.
688
00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:30,760
If the box smashes into a wall,
it could collapse.
689
00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:37,520
Be careful, be careful.
690
00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:39,320
This is not safe!
691
00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:43,800
It's not safe to be
inside the shaft while
they are lifting the box.
692
00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:47,320
This is the, the most nervous
part of the work today.
693
00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:53,160
All good, yes?
694
00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:55,040
God bless!
695
00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:58,000
Good, good, good, good.
696
00:41:59,720 --> 00:42:02,760
Finally, they
lift the mummy to safety.
697
00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:06,200
Basem has discovered
that this humble,
698
00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:09,720
secret tomb was in some
ways more successful than
699
00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:11,920
the Great Pyramids.
700
00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:16,000
It protected its occupants
for 2,000 years and now,
701
00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:18,720
at least some of its
precious artifacts can be
702
00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:21,200
preserved for the future.
703
00:42:21,480 --> 00:42:24,360
BASEM
I believe that there are
still wonderful things
704
00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:27,200
that we could recover
from this burial shaft.
705
00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:32,040
Our role now is to safeguard
these objects and to record it
706
00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:33,720
for the future generation.
707
00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:36,320
Protecting the
people buried within ancient
708
00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:38,040
tombs like this,
709
00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:40,680
remains a challenge even today.
710
00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:45,360
But this hidden desert tomb,
undisturbed for two millennia,
711
00:42:45,840 --> 00:42:48,240
proves how tomb builders
adapted their methods
712
00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:50,520
to beat the raiders.
713
00:42:53,480 --> 00:42:55,800
The earliest tombs,
the mastabas,
714
00:42:56,440 --> 00:42:58,760
couldn't keep robbers out,
715
00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:02,320
so builders improved the design.
716
00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:08,560
Pyramids with elaborate
anti-theft devices came next,
717
00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:11,760
to try and keep
the tombs safe.
718
00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:19,720
But adding huge structures
on top just made them an even
719
00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:21,440
bigger target.
720
00:43:24,240 --> 00:43:27,960
So eventually, tomb builders
abandoned pyramids and temples
721
00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:31,280
and hid their tombs
deep in the bedrock of
722
00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:33,400
sacred and secret valleys.
723
00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:41,000
Every season, with the
help of new technology,
724
00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:44,480
archaeologists understand
more about the centuries-long
725
00:43:44,560 --> 00:43:48,640
battle between tomb builders,
and tomb raiders.
726
00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:52,320
How the earliest robbers used
inside knowledge to break into
727
00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:54,120
the richest tombs.
728
00:43:54,200 --> 00:43:57,320
How wealthy
tombs were raided and reused
729
00:43:57,400 --> 00:44:01,160
in a cycle that lasted
hundreds of years and how,
730
00:44:01,240 --> 00:44:03,280
at the end of
Egyptian civilization,
731
00:44:03,360 --> 00:44:07,360
some tombs were
finally able to protect
their occupants for millennia.