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Egypt,
the richest source
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of archaeological treasures
on the planet.
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Oh, that's a fabulous one!
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Beneath
this desert landscape
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lie the secrets of
an ancient civilization.
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Wow, you can see why
the pharaohs chose this place.
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Now, for a full
season of excavations,
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our cameras have
unprecedented access
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to follow teams on
the frontline of archaeology...
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I'm driving so fast
because I'm so excited!
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It's an entrance,
we can see an entrance.
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Revealing buried secrets...
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So I have just been told
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that they have found something.
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A sphinx!
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And making discoveries
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that could rewrite
ancient history.
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Hey!
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This time,
archaeologists reveal
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what tomb raiders left behind.
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John investigates an ancient
tomb-robbing scandal.
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Royal tombs are
not robbed by random robbers.
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Us homeland security
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helps bring a stolen mummy
back to Egypt.
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How fabulous.
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And Don
makes a discovery
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in a long-forgotten tomb.
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Oh, my gosh.
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It has a possibility
of being truly exciting.
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The Valley of the Kings.
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65 tombs hidden
in this remote gorge,
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built to contain the mummies
of Egypt's great pharaohs
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and their treasures.
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Throughout history
these tombs have been raided
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from within just a few weeks
of being sealed,
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right up to the 20th century.
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But to archaeologists,
what the thieves left behind
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is still priceless evidence,
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helping them to unlock
the secrets of ancient Egypt.
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Dr. Ryan.
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Renowned American
egyptologist Don Ryan
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is kicking off his season
in the valley.
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I first came to Egypt
as a student.
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It was my priority to come
and see this place.
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And I had a map of
the Valley of the Kings,
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and I noticed amongst all these
tombs of these famous rulers
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there were all these little dots
with numbers on them,
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and those really intrigued me.
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The dots
on Don's maps represented
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the smaller and lesser-known
tombs in the valley.
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Don made these
his area of expertise.
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Working in various tombs
around here
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has so many aspects
that make it special,
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apart from it being the most
famous archaeological site
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in the world.
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Dig season runs
from October to April
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and relies on the expertise
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of hundreds of
skilled local workers.
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I know this guy
from before.
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He's a good guy.
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This book is kind of special,
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because it goes back to my very
first field season in Egypt.
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This is 1989.
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Every tomb in
the Valley of the Kings
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is a piece of a great puzzle.
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Don's missions
have focused on a cluster
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of small tombs at the edge
of the valley.
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Nearby is the impressive
burial chamber
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of pharaoh Amenhotep ii.
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But most of the surrounding
tombs remain unidentified.
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All of them were looted
centuries ago,
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any treasures stolen
by robbers.
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But in some, they left behind
mummified animals
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and ancient pottery.
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This year, Don is excavating
one of the most mysterious
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tombs of them all:
Tomb number 49.
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Who it was built for
remains a mystery.
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Thought to be empty,
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no one has excavated it
for over a century.
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We are the first
archaeologists to go in there
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and clear the material out
since 1906.
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I know from previous experience
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having excavated a number
of tombs from that period
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that these early archaeologists
usually took the bigger things
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or the prettier things and
left everything else inside.
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Solving the mysteries
of this tomb will be tough.
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The chamber is
totally unmarked.
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At this point
we don't have any indication
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for whom this tomb
might have been built.
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We have to look for
all the little clues.
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Don has become
an expert in uncovering
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the secrets of these smaller,
undecorated tombs.
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The tombs I work with
don't have any inscriptions,
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one can't just go in
and read the walls.
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In the Valley of the Kings
just having a burial chamber
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is a magnificent honor.
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It could have been
a royal family member
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or it could have been
a very high official.
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Tomb 49 has been
robbed by ancient tomb raiders,
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but that doesn't mean
it's empty.
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We'll clear this stuff out
and we'll go through it,
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and it'd be really nice
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if we found something
with a name on it.
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We might find some objects
from the original burial.
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It has the possibility
of being truly exciting.
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The team has
just three weeks
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to move several tons of earth.
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Each bucketful must undergo
a fingertip search,
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with even the tiniest fragments
pulled out
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for further investigation.
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One never knows, it could
be the last basketful of debris
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that might give up the answer
that we're looking for.
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At the entrance
to the valley
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sits a complex of tombs and
temples called Deir El-Bahari.
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In the cliffs of this site
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are where important officials
were buried.
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Shukran.
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How many people
do we have today?
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Total, 3-0.
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So we need 10 more.
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Professor
Antonio Morales
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is an egyptologist from the
university of Aalcalá in Spain.
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He's in charge of 30
international experts
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working here on
one of the biggest
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archaeological projects
in Egypt.
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We came here to
excavate two or three tombs
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that belonged to
very prestigious,
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very powerful high officials.
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They provide much information
about things like religion,
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beliefs, ritual practices,
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and about ancient Egyptian
culture in general.
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But this year,
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his government permit
has come through late.
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This season is going
to be very intensive,
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because we were expecting to
work for five or six weeks,
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we're actually going to do it
for three weeks,
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which means that this is going
to be double intensive.
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Like the tombs
in the Valley of the Kings,
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this site was also robbed
by other ancient Egyptians.
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Most of the ancient
Egyptian tombs were plundered
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weeks or months
after the funeral,
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so for us it's very interesting
to try to come up
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with a reconstruction
of what happened here.
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So those are
the contents.
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Last year,
Antonio's team unearthed
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hundreds of body parts:
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Mummies ripped apart by thieves
looking for gold and jewels.
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The robbers
cut the bandages
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looking for as many objects
as possible,
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and once they were
finished with that,
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perhaps they burned the mummy,
they throw it away,
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they didn't want
to have any ghost,
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any visit from the afterlife.
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Tomb robbers believed
the dead would come back
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to haunt them unless
they destroyed the mummy.
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But for the dead themselves,
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this was the worst
possible fate.
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They needed their mummified
body to remain intact
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to live on in the afterlife.
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So stopping thieves was about
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more than protecting
your treasure,
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it was also about ensuring
your eternal life.
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Now I can go
into the sarcophagus.
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Antonio
is investigating
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how the owner of this
4,000-year-old tomb
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tried to prevent his mummy from
being destroyed by looters.
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Now we are in
the deepest section of the tomb
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where his coffin and corpse
was deposited.
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The team
knows this tomb
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must have belonged to
an important official.
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There's no mummy, but
the sarcophagus is covered
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with intricate hieroglyphs.
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Among them, the team finds
the name of the owner.
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So this area
we can read, this Ipi,
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so the deceased is named Ipi.
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What you can see here is
actually all the things
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the deceased needs
for his afterlife.
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Ipi was a vizier,
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a role second only
to the pharaoh.
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A powerful statesman,
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he was buried in an ornately
inscribed sarcophagus,
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covered in spells to protect
him in the afterlife.
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To ensure his mummy
stayed intact,
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Ipi's tomb was designed
to stop robbers.
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The entrance was sealed
by huge boulders.
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And inside the burial chamber,
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the sarcophagus was
set into the floor,
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then covered with stone slabs
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so that the room
appeared empty.
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When robbers came,
they will see an empty chamber,
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a wonderful floor, and they will
think that the chamber was empty
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because it was already stolen.
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But even
this clever design
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wasn't enough to stop thieves.
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Ipi's mummy and
all his treasures
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were stolen centuries ago.
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Outside Ipi's tomb,
there's an exciting discovery.
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I have been told that
just in one of the sections
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we started working this morning
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it seems they have found
some kind of a structure.
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Antonio's team
has spotted
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an opening in the rubble.
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It could be an entrance
to a hidden chamber,
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undisturbed for
thousands of years.
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In the valley
of the kings,
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egyptologist Don Ryan
is investigating
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the mysterious tomb 49.
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It stops right there.
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Right there.
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His decision to
carefully sift tons of earth
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from a seemingly empty tomb
is paying off.
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The team has found
several artifacts
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that might help reveal
who the tomb was built for,
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including pottery,
wood, and linen.
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These are cloth fragments,
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and they tend to be
well preserved.
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These could be 3,000 years old,
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because it's, it's dry
down in the tomb
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and conducive to
the preservation.
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It, it does tell you something,
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it tells you that if
these are mummy wrappings,
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there was a mummy in there
at one time,
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and that's of course
important to know.
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These pieces of
ancient wood and pottery
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are over 3,000 years old.
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This is probably a big
chunk of coffin right here.
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And this is probably part of
a dowel or some piece of wood
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that was used to hold bits and
pieces of coffins together.
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You guys got
some good stuff.
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Well, maybe, we'll see.
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Based on
what he's found,
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Don can begin to piece together
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what was actually inside
tomb 49.
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A hidden staircase, chiseled
out of solid limestone,
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leads to
a six-by-three-yard chamber.
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The excavated pieces of wood
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were probably from
an elaborately painted coffin,
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that held
a tightly wrapped mummy.
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Stored around the coffin
were everyday items,
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everything the tomb owner
would need for the afterlife.
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It seems like tomb 49 is
a conventional burial site,
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but who it belongs to
is still a mystery.
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Suddenly, Don is called
to the chamber.
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Among the rubble is
a remarkable treasure.
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Oh!
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Exactly what Don
was hoping for.
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Oh, my gosh.
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An artifact
with a name on it.
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This is a ring
made out of glass,
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and possibly we have
on the surface
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the name of Ramses III,
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one of the great warrior
pharaohs of Egypt.
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My team would be the first to
hold this in over 3,000 years.
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The ring is
an extraordinary
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but unexpected find.
256
00:15:10,730 --> 00:15:14,230
If it does belong
to the pharaoh Ramses III,
257
00:15:14,230 --> 00:15:15,960
it shouldn't be here.
258
00:15:15,970 --> 00:15:22,650
Ramses was buried in
tomb number 11, not tomb 49.
259
00:15:22,660 --> 00:15:27,490
How this object got
into this tomb is the question.
260
00:15:32,630 --> 00:15:34,380
At Deir El-Bahari,
261
00:15:34,380 --> 00:15:38,650
egyptologist Antonio Morales
and his team are working
262
00:15:38,650 --> 00:15:42,360
near the ransacked tomb of
a pharaoh's right-hand man,
263
00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,760
the vizier Ipi.
264
00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:46,990
They've just discovered
an opening.
265
00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:48,900
What you can see here
now is rubble.
266
00:15:48,900 --> 00:15:52,350
After a couple of hours
we'll be able to see more.
267
00:15:52,350 --> 00:15:54,620
The entrance
is so well hidden,
268
00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:58,920
it's possible this chamber
was never found by robbers.
269
00:16:01,090 --> 00:16:03,160
He's going to clean
all this area around,
270
00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,260
and then once we know
what is around
271
00:16:05,260 --> 00:16:08,850
we can take up everything
to see what is behind.
272
00:16:08,850 --> 00:16:11,120
But make sure you keep
many people here working,
273
00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:13,320
we need to do all this
quickly, okay?
274
00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,160
With such
a short permit,
275
00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:20,090
the team must work
against the clock.
276
00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:21,660
It seems that
the structure we have found
277
00:16:21,660 --> 00:16:23,600
could be larger
than we expected,
278
00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,180
so we need to clean
first this area
279
00:16:25,180 --> 00:16:26,950
so that they can
continue excavating
280
00:16:26,950 --> 00:16:31,490
to see whether we can go into
this new structure underneath.
281
00:16:31,490 --> 00:16:33,690
Antonio hopes
for good results
282
00:16:33,690 --> 00:16:35,330
from this new chamber,
283
00:16:35,330 --> 00:16:38,700
because last season,
close to Ipi's tomb,
284
00:16:38,700 --> 00:16:41,750
the team discovered
something incredible:
285
00:16:41,750 --> 00:16:45,090
What Antonio suspects is
the largest deposit
286
00:16:45,090 --> 00:16:50,490
of intact mummification
equipment ever found in Egypt.
287
00:16:50,490 --> 00:16:52,360
We found these 56 jars
288
00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:56,160
related to the mummification
process of the vizier Ipi.
289
00:16:56,170 --> 00:17:00,350
For ancient robbers,
these jars had little value.
290
00:17:00,350 --> 00:17:01,920
What we were
not prepared for
291
00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,320
was when we really realized
292
00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,420
that some of the jars still
kept their contents.
293
00:17:07,430 --> 00:17:10,630
It really makes it
a treasure for us.
294
00:17:10,630 --> 00:17:13,900
Despite being
nearly 4,000 years old,
295
00:17:13,900 --> 00:17:18,120
the contents are
in incredible condition.
296
00:17:18,120 --> 00:17:19,850
Raoul?
297
00:17:19,860 --> 00:17:21,760
Coming in!
298
00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:22,920
So this is
the contents...
299
00:17:22,930 --> 00:17:23,920
Perfect.
300
00:17:23,930 --> 00:17:25,330
...of one of the jars.
301
00:17:25,330 --> 00:17:27,730
With 56 jars
to process,
302
00:17:27,730 --> 00:17:30,800
Antonio has called in
Salima Ikram,
303
00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:35,690
professor of Egyptology at the
American university in Cairo.
304
00:17:35,690 --> 00:17:39,560
She's forensically examining
all the items in the jars,
305
00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:42,730
including mummified body parts.
306
00:17:42,730 --> 00:17:44,660
Sometimes
it's a bit stinky,
307
00:17:44,660 --> 00:17:46,730
and then there are moments where
you realize you're in touch
308
00:17:46,730 --> 00:17:50,950
with people's bodily fluids,
which is a bit awkward.
309
00:17:50,950 --> 00:17:55,390
But it's fantastic because
one is in touch, literally,
310
00:17:55,390 --> 00:17:57,760
physically, as well as
sort of emotionally,
311
00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,760
with people who lived
thousands of years ago.
312
00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:07,220
Salima is
investigating 300 natron bags.
313
00:18:07,220 --> 00:18:09,890
The natron is a mixture
of salt and baking soda,
314
00:18:09,890 --> 00:18:12,190
and it naturally desiccates
and defats,
315
00:18:12,190 --> 00:18:13,460
because that's what we do
316
00:18:13,460 --> 00:18:17,030
as we----
dehydrate the body.
317
00:18:17,030 --> 00:18:19,930
Ancient Egyptians
practiced mummification
318
00:18:19,930 --> 00:18:23,480
to preserve bodies
for eternity.
319
00:18:23,490 --> 00:18:27,090
First, priests removed
the internal organs.
320
00:18:28,790 --> 00:18:31,390
To dry out these organs,
and the body,
321
00:18:31,390 --> 00:18:34,390
the priests used sponges
called natron bags
322
00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:39,150
to soak up fluids
inside the corpse.
323
00:18:39,150 --> 00:18:42,220
The soul was believed
to reside in the heart,
324
00:18:42,220 --> 00:18:46,660
so this organ was kept
inside the body.
325
00:18:46,660 --> 00:18:51,130
The other organs
were placed beside it.
326
00:18:51,130 --> 00:18:55,750
All materials used during the
process were considered sacred,
327
00:18:55,750 --> 00:19:00,320
so everything was packed into
jars and entombed close by.
328
00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,530
So this is the one
that I'm going to start with,
329
00:19:06,530 --> 00:19:08,900
and it was early on
in the mummification process,
330
00:19:08,900 --> 00:19:10,560
because it's really hard
331
00:19:10,570 --> 00:19:15,790
and it's absorbed a lot of
the liquids, the bodily juices,
332
00:19:15,790 --> 00:19:17,820
and it's been smushed down,
333
00:19:17,820 --> 00:19:20,220
and you can see its different
points of contact
334
00:19:20,230 --> 00:19:23,830
with Ipi's body.
335
00:19:23,830 --> 00:19:25,930
Ooh! Plumpy!
336
00:19:25,930 --> 00:19:28,320
God, that's fat!
337
00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,450
And this one smells a bit
different from the other one.
338
00:19:31,450 --> 00:19:34,620
This smells more of body and
the other one smelt more of oil.
339
00:19:36,360 --> 00:19:37,930
You know, if you look at
anything long enough
340
00:19:37,930 --> 00:19:40,630
you will kind of figure out
what happens.
341
00:19:40,630 --> 00:19:44,820
If forensic scientists
can do it for murders now,
342
00:19:44,820 --> 00:19:48,350
we can do it for deaths
a long time ago,
343
00:19:48,350 --> 00:19:50,990
because that's just what
archaeology really is.
344
00:19:50,990 --> 00:19:53,620
These materials
are some of the oldest
345
00:19:53,630 --> 00:19:56,990
mummification deposits
ever found.
346
00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:58,860
The earlier
we can go in time,
347
00:19:58,860 --> 00:20:01,100
the better it is for us
to try and track
348
00:20:01,100 --> 00:20:03,450
how mummification changed
over time.
349
00:20:03,450 --> 00:20:06,750
So really, these are testaments,
very physical testaments,
350
00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,390
to what happened and how.
351
00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,730
300 miles north
in Giza...
352
00:20:21,850 --> 00:20:26,990
Here, in the shadow
of the pyramids,
353
00:20:26,990 --> 00:20:29,360
a team of investigators
is in pursuit
354
00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:32,900
of modern-day tomb robbers.
355
00:20:32,900 --> 00:20:36,820
Shaaban Abd-Elgawad is
a government minister.
356
00:20:36,820 --> 00:20:39,890
He works with crime agencies
around the world
357
00:20:39,890 --> 00:20:43,560
to locate stolen
ancient Egyptian treasures.
358
00:20:59,830 --> 00:21:02,330
Shaaban has
already intercepted
359
00:21:02,330 --> 00:21:06,730
over 1,000 stolen artifacts
from the global black market.
360
00:21:16,790 --> 00:21:19,260
After
a year-long operation,
361
00:21:19,260 --> 00:21:24,000
ancient mummy parts have been
seized in the United States.
362
00:21:46,820 --> 00:21:48,560
In the 1900s,
363
00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:52,730
thieves stole thousands
of newly unearthed artifacts
364
00:21:52,730 --> 00:21:57,300
from the Valley of the Kings,
including human remains.
365
00:22:20,360 --> 00:22:22,520
Could these
stolen artifacts
366
00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:27,690
be the mummified parts of
one of Egypt's great pharaohs?
367
00:22:41,390 --> 00:22:44,690
Shaaban is on his way
to the Egyptian museum,
368
00:22:44,700 --> 00:22:47,000
where the illegal artifacts
are arriving
369
00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,150
from the United States.
370
00:22:59,860 --> 00:23:02,860
Who the parts
belong to is a mystery,
371
00:23:02,870 --> 00:23:05,750
but mummification was
usually reserved
372
00:23:05,750 --> 00:23:08,420
for nobility and pharaohs.
373
00:23:08,420 --> 00:23:10,920
We're going to the lab.
374
00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,060
Shaaban and his team
will finally see
375
00:23:17,060 --> 00:23:20,900
these extraordinary relics
up close.
376
00:24:04,230 --> 00:24:05,730
Finally home
in Egypt,
377
00:24:05,730 --> 00:24:08,030
can forensic analysis reveal
378
00:24:08,030 --> 00:24:12,220
exactly who the hands
and this head belong to?
379
00:24:18,660 --> 00:24:20,960
In the Valley of the Kings,
380
00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:24,190
Don and the local workers
are starting their day
381
00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,030
with a team ritual.
382
00:24:28,420 --> 00:24:30,820
One of our workers,
his wife,
383
00:24:30,820 --> 00:24:34,960
she started making cakes for us,
so he got the nickname Abu cake.
384
00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:36,590
Yeah, take the whole thing.
385
00:24:36,590 --> 00:24:40,760
Don't be shy,
you know it's good.
386
00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,200
A lot of times we start
with tea and cake,
387
00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:47,320
and then we get right to work.
388
00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:49,990
Today, Don is
visiting one of the largest
389
00:24:49,990 --> 00:24:53,360
and most spectacular sites
in the valley...
390
00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:57,530
Tomb number 11.
391
00:25:00,670 --> 00:25:04,780
After his discovery of a ring
that could belong to a pharaoh,
392
00:25:04,790 --> 00:25:08,560
he's hoping to verify
the inscription.
393
00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:10,790
We're in the tomb
of Ramses III,
394
00:25:10,790 --> 00:25:15,730
perhaps the last great pharaoh
of Egypt's age of empire,
395
00:25:15,730 --> 00:25:19,450
and of course he's entitled to
a special and beautiful tomb
396
00:25:19,450 --> 00:25:22,520
in the Valley of the Kings.
397
00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,960
So he was obviously very
powerful, was a great warrior.
398
00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,760
This magnificent,
well-preserved temple
399
00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:33,660
shows him just causing havoc
on foreign invaders
400
00:25:33,670 --> 00:25:36,250
and anyone else
who gets in his way.
401
00:25:36,250 --> 00:25:39,320
Each pharaoh had
his own name and insignia,
402
00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,350
called a cartouche.
403
00:25:41,360 --> 00:25:44,290
It was a key part
of tomb decoration,
404
00:25:44,290 --> 00:25:51,300
found on walls, the coffin, and
precious artifacts, like rings.
405
00:25:51,300 --> 00:25:55,750
In front of me, we have
a depiction of his names.
406
00:25:55,750 --> 00:25:59,060
We have a seated figure
of the goddess Ma'at.
407
00:25:59,060 --> 00:26:03,230
On the right we have the sign
for usar, or powerful,
408
00:26:03,230 --> 00:26:07,630
and then a sun disc
up here for Ra.
409
00:26:07,630 --> 00:26:12,450
This is a blown-up image of the
ring we encountered in tomb 49.
410
00:26:16,190 --> 00:26:21,230
By looking at the hieroglyphs
on the ring,
411
00:26:21,230 --> 00:26:23,330
you know, it's essentially
identical.
412
00:26:27,390 --> 00:26:30,750
Ramses III
was a warrior,
413
00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,260
famed for battling Libya
and other neighbors
414
00:26:33,260 --> 00:26:36,190
trying to invade Egypt.
415
00:26:36,190 --> 00:26:39,660
But his wars drained
the state of its wealth,
416
00:26:39,670 --> 00:26:43,220
and in an argument over which
son would inherit the throne,
417
00:26:43,220 --> 00:26:46,320
Ramses was murdered.
418
00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:50,360
Some believe his wife plotted
to have him killed.
419
00:26:50,360 --> 00:26:53,190
His burial and tomb
were lavish.
420
00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,060
Golden amulets and jewelry
would have been placed
421
00:26:56,060 --> 00:26:59,750
in every layer of
his mummy wrappings.
422
00:26:59,750 --> 00:27:02,890
But Ramses' tomb
fell prey to raiders.
423
00:27:02,890 --> 00:27:05,690
And like the tombs
of many other pharaohs,
424
00:27:05,690 --> 00:27:07,890
the mummies were stolen,
unwrapped,
425
00:27:07,890 --> 00:27:10,590
and stripped
of their treasures.
426
00:27:14,730 --> 00:27:18,180
This tomb is just across
the way from tomb 49.
427
00:27:18,190 --> 00:27:23,620
I find it interesting that we,
we find a ring of Ramses III
428
00:27:23,630 --> 00:27:24,960
inside tomb 49.
429
00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:28,330
Maybe that ring
dropped off a mummy,
430
00:27:28,330 --> 00:27:31,000
it could've been dropped
by tomb robbers.
431
00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,220
So we can start with
an interesting idea
432
00:27:34,220 --> 00:27:36,890
and then see where
the evidence takes us.
433
00:27:36,890 --> 00:27:39,490
Don's challenge now
is to find out
434
00:27:39,490 --> 00:27:43,090
why a ring with Ramses III's
name on it
435
00:27:43,100 --> 00:27:47,900
was found in the rubble
of the mysterious tomb 49.
436
00:27:57,330 --> 00:27:58,830
At Deir El-Bahari,
437
00:27:58,830 --> 00:28:02,130
Antonio and his team have been
working to uncover
438
00:28:02,130 --> 00:28:05,070
a secret entrance
found close to the tomb
439
00:28:05,070 --> 00:28:09,720
of a pharaoh's right-hand man,
a vizier called Ipi.
440
00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,120
It could be a chamber built
to hide treasures,
441
00:28:13,130 --> 00:28:16,230
or even a body, from thieves.
442
00:28:22,450 --> 00:28:24,580
After two days of digging,
443
00:28:24,590 --> 00:28:28,560
for the first time
in possibly 4,000 years,
444
00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:31,120
the entrance is finally clear.
445
00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,500
I will have a look now.
446
00:28:42,420 --> 00:28:43,920
Oh, yeah.
447
00:28:58,020 --> 00:29:01,320
Well, it's perfectly empty.
448
00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:05,160
There's nothing in there.
449
00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:08,630
Just a magnificent,
rectangular, empty space.
450
00:29:08,630 --> 00:29:10,230
So how was that?
451
00:29:10,230 --> 00:29:13,150
Well, it probably had
been dug for a burial,
452
00:29:13,150 --> 00:29:16,120
and it, it can fit
for a small coffin,
453
00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:18,190
also funeral materials.
454
00:29:18,190 --> 00:29:20,760
Anyway.
455
00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:22,990
Of course this means
that robbers, tomb robbers,
456
00:29:22,990 --> 00:29:28,260
actually was ahead and
they took whatever was there.
457
00:29:28,270 --> 00:29:30,550
The team removes
all the rubble
458
00:29:30,550 --> 00:29:33,850
to verify the chamber has been
completely stripped.
459
00:29:33,860 --> 00:29:35,220
So we will like
to find things
460
00:29:35,220 --> 00:29:36,790
in the way they were
constructed,
461
00:29:36,790 --> 00:29:38,990
but all these robberies
and plundering
462
00:29:38,990 --> 00:29:42,500
somehow tell us a lot about
the, the rest of the process.
463
00:29:42,500 --> 00:29:45,680
All they can do now
is number the tomb
464
00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:47,720
and map its location.
465
00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:53,490
Disappointment should
not be a scientific thing,
466
00:29:53,490 --> 00:29:55,360
it's a, you know,
it's human feelings,
467
00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:57,360
and of course sometimes
you feel it,
468
00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:00,260
but you have to live with it.
469
00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:07,020
On the other side
of the site,
470
00:30:07,020 --> 00:30:11,060
Ipi's mummification jars
are proving more rewarding.
471
00:30:11,060 --> 00:30:12,030
Hello, Salima.
472
00:30:12,030 --> 00:30:13,060
Hey, Antonio.
473
00:30:13,060 --> 00:30:14,490
One jar in particular
474
00:30:14,500 --> 00:30:17,160
contains something
extremely unusual.
475
00:30:17,170 --> 00:30:20,450
So I brought you
this organ.
476
00:30:20,450 --> 00:30:22,490
Oh!
477
00:30:22,490 --> 00:30:25,320
We can see this is quite
a well-preserved heart.
478
00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:28,090
You can see
the different chambers,
479
00:30:28,090 --> 00:30:33,530
and here you can just see
this very nice, reddish resin.
480
00:30:33,530 --> 00:30:35,950
And this sort of red/gold color
is important,
481
00:30:35,950 --> 00:30:39,220
because people used to use resin
not just because it deodorizes,
482
00:30:39,220 --> 00:30:41,890
disinfects, inhibits bacteria,
and smells nice--
483
00:30:41,890 --> 00:30:44,590
when you're a corpse
it's good to smell nice--
484
00:30:44,590 --> 00:30:47,460
but also because
it gives you this color,
485
00:30:47,460 --> 00:30:49,630
and when you're being mummified,
you're being transformed
486
00:30:49,630 --> 00:30:55,950
from a human being into a divine
being whose flesh was of gold.
487
00:30:55,950 --> 00:30:58,150
Found in
the embalming jars,
488
00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:02,090
the heart almost certainly
belongs to Ipi.
489
00:31:02,090 --> 00:31:07,360
It's sort of amazing to
actually be holding Ipi's heart.
490
00:31:07,370 --> 00:31:09,750
But I mean, also you think, oh,
my god, what is it doing here?
491
00:31:09,750 --> 00:31:11,580
Because it should be with Ipi,
wherever he might be.
492
00:31:11,590 --> 00:31:13,150
Yeah.
493
00:31:13,150 --> 00:31:14,850
The ancient Egyptians
believed the heart
494
00:31:14,860 --> 00:31:18,690
contained the soul and
was vital in the afterlife.
495
00:31:18,690 --> 00:31:20,490
So it's amazing.
496
00:31:20,500 --> 00:31:23,300
To find one
separated from its mummy
497
00:31:23,300 --> 00:31:25,130
is extremely rare.
498
00:31:25,130 --> 00:31:27,180
This is the only
mummified heart
499
00:31:27,190 --> 00:31:29,490
that I have ever seen.
500
00:31:29,490 --> 00:31:31,020
Perhaps the embalmers
made a mistake
501
00:31:31,020 --> 00:31:32,690
and thought that it was
one of the natron bags.
502
00:31:32,690 --> 00:31:34,020
Yeah.
503
00:31:34,030 --> 00:31:35,460
To be put
into the jars, yeah.
504
00:31:35,460 --> 00:31:37,090
I think they messed up,
and we just hope that poor Ipi
505
00:31:37,100 --> 00:31:39,560
is not having a problem
in the hereafter,
506
00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:42,850
because he's lacking
this very key organ.
507
00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:48,420
We have been
studying the vizier Ipi
508
00:31:48,420 --> 00:31:50,320
from the historical
point of view,
509
00:31:50,330 --> 00:31:52,160
and suddenly now
you see yourself
510
00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:55,400
having the heart
of, of this vizier.
511
00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,880
It's kind of impossible
to imagine being so close
512
00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:03,620
to someone that you have been
studying for so many years.
513
00:32:03,620 --> 00:32:05,970
For me this is
the best job ever.
514
00:32:05,970 --> 00:32:09,730
The adventure of having to deal
with so many new questions
515
00:32:09,730 --> 00:32:13,600
every day, so many
new decisions, new findings,
516
00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:18,220
exciting ideas, makes this job
incredibly interesting,
517
00:32:18,220 --> 00:32:20,550
much more than any other thing
in the world.
518
00:32:29,630 --> 00:32:31,560
At tomb 49,
519
00:32:31,570 --> 00:32:35,620
Don's discovery of what might
be a great pharaoh's ring
520
00:32:35,620 --> 00:32:38,740
has caught the attention
of the authorities.
521
00:32:38,740 --> 00:32:42,260
The director
of the wider area here,
522
00:32:42,260 --> 00:32:45,260
it's a very, very important
position to have,
523
00:32:45,260 --> 00:32:47,060
he wants to take a look
at that ring
524
00:32:47,070 --> 00:32:51,480
with the name of Ramses III.
525
00:32:51,490 --> 00:32:53,420
The chief inspector
of the valley
526
00:32:53,420 --> 00:32:58,090
assesses the progress
of the excavations on site.
527
00:32:58,090 --> 00:33:00,660
Bust out the jewelry box.
528
00:33:00,660 --> 00:33:02,860
Here it is.
529
00:33:02,860 --> 00:33:07,450
He has the power to
take over the dig at any time.
530
00:33:19,930 --> 00:33:22,720
Any relics found
in the Valley of the Kings
531
00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:26,550
belong to the government and
must be verified and catalogued
532
00:33:26,550 --> 00:33:31,090
according to strict rules.
533
00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:33,790
Shukran.
534
00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:35,560
Congratulations.
535
00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:39,000
The inspector gives
his seal of approval.
536
00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:41,120
Okay. Thank you.
537
00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:42,050
You're very welcome.
538
00:33:42,050 --> 00:33:43,020
Thanks for coming out.
539
00:33:43,020 --> 00:33:44,790
Bye-bye.
540
00:33:44,790 --> 00:33:47,160
The Egyptian authorities
seem to be quite excited
541
00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:49,230
by, by the whole thing.
542
00:33:49,230 --> 00:33:50,890
I think he was impressed.
543
00:33:50,900 --> 00:33:52,560
So that's always good.
544
00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,260
For the ring,
really it is, it's amazing,
545
00:33:55,270 --> 00:33:58,680
because, you know, it is
the most important for us
546
00:33:58,690 --> 00:34:01,490
is continuing the name
of Ramses III.
547
00:34:08,730 --> 00:34:11,380
The ring is
a major discovery,
548
00:34:11,380 --> 00:34:13,980
likely to end up in a museum.
549
00:34:13,990 --> 00:34:17,090
But for Don the question
still remains;
550
00:34:17,090 --> 00:34:22,930
how did pharaoh Ramses III's
ring end up in tomb 49?
551
00:34:22,930 --> 00:34:25,730
One theory is that it was
accidentally dropped there
552
00:34:25,730 --> 00:34:29,280
by robbers, and the ring
isn't the only thing
553
00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:30,920
they left behind.
554
00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:33,750
One of the things that
makes this particular tomb
555
00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:38,560
very special is that
above its doorway
556
00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:43,200
we have two examples
of ancient graffiti.
557
00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:46,220
It's written in red
558
00:34:46,220 --> 00:34:49,520
in a cursive form
of, of hieroglyphs.
559
00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:56,030
And the graffiti talks about
there being very fine linen
560
00:34:56,030 --> 00:35:02,280
and linen shawls being stored
in this particular tomb.
561
00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:05,080
The graffiti is
actually a list of items
562
00:35:05,090 --> 00:35:10,190
commonly used to wrap mummies,
and it's signed.
563
00:35:10,190 --> 00:35:13,560
There's a prominent name
mentioned,
564
00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:15,660
a fellow named Butehamun.
565
00:35:15,660 --> 00:35:17,160
Could there be a link
566
00:35:17,170 --> 00:35:23,150
between Butehamun's
list of materials
567
00:35:23,150 --> 00:35:25,860
and Ramses III's ring?
568
00:35:29,330 --> 00:35:32,700
Helping to discover how
they might be linked
569
00:35:32,700 --> 00:35:37,080
are professor John and
Dr. Colleen Darnell.
570
00:35:37,090 --> 00:35:40,090
They've studied Butehamun's
letters and inscriptions
571
00:35:40,090 --> 00:35:43,120
for decades.
572
00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:45,460
Rock inscriptions
are probably about as close
573
00:35:45,460 --> 00:35:49,560
as you can get to the mind of
an ancient Egyptian thinking,
574
00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:52,130
"what do I want people
to think about me?
575
00:35:52,130 --> 00:35:55,120
How do I want
to present myself?"
576
00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:59,420
Today, they're on
their way to Butehamun's house,
577
00:35:59,420 --> 00:36:03,660
a temple complex
called Medinet Habu.
578
00:36:03,660 --> 00:36:06,130
To visit
temples that I read about
579
00:36:06,130 --> 00:36:08,200
when I was a 5-year-old
580
00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:11,680
and to go back and be able
to know what everything says
581
00:36:11,690 --> 00:36:13,920
and the historical
interrelationships
582
00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:17,720
is just truly a dream come true.
583
00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:27,380
It's one of the most
intricately inscribed sites
584
00:36:27,390 --> 00:36:29,090
of ancient Egypt.
585
00:36:29,090 --> 00:36:31,950
It should reveal more
about Butehamun,
586
00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:33,590
a high-ranking scribe
587
00:36:33,590 --> 00:36:36,560
who oversaw
the Valley of the Kings.
588
00:36:39,100 --> 00:36:42,100
Where is the title
that we need?
589
00:36:42,100 --> 00:36:45,650
Oh, wait, there's a ma-ha.
590
00:36:45,650 --> 00:36:48,990
It's great to see,
Bu-Tehey-Amun.
591
00:36:48,990 --> 00:36:53,330
So I think this is
"overseer of the treasury."
592
00:36:53,330 --> 00:36:55,130
But there is
no treasury as such,
593
00:36:55,130 --> 00:36:57,100
there's no treasury building.
594
00:36:57,100 --> 00:37:00,020
Of course he is overseeing
the greatest treasures
595
00:37:00,020 --> 00:37:01,420
of new kingdom Egypt,
596
00:37:01,420 --> 00:37:06,290
he's in charge of
the Valley of the Kings.
597
00:37:06,290 --> 00:37:09,490
Letters have also
survived that give more details
598
00:37:09,490 --> 00:37:12,560
about Butehamun's role
in the valley.
599
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:15,730
One of the really
most important bits
600
00:37:15,730 --> 00:37:17,150
of direct information
601
00:37:17,150 --> 00:37:20,450
is this letter saying,
"get together a team."
602
00:37:20,460 --> 00:37:21,390
Mm-hmm.
603
00:37:21,390 --> 00:37:22,920
Of whom Butehamun is one,
604
00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:24,220
and they're basically told
605
00:37:24,230 --> 00:37:25,760
they have to carry out
this commission.
606
00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:27,430
And the really important
part here,
607
00:37:27,430 --> 00:37:29,730
it says,
"open one of the tombs,"
608
00:37:29,730 --> 00:37:31,460
and that's interesting,
because this is something
609
00:37:31,470 --> 00:37:34,680
then apparently it's,
it's like a special mission.
610
00:37:34,690 --> 00:37:36,850
The letters
and inscriptions reveal
611
00:37:36,850 --> 00:37:40,620
that 80 years after
the death of Ramses III,
612
00:37:40,630 --> 00:37:43,060
Butehamun was given
the official role
613
00:37:43,060 --> 00:37:46,000
of protecting the valley
from robbers.
614
00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:49,450
In reality, he was secretly
ordered to loot the tombs
615
00:37:49,450 --> 00:37:53,050
of long-dead pharaohs
like Ramses.
616
00:37:53,050 --> 00:37:55,320
One by one, he opened them up,
617
00:37:55,320 --> 00:38:00,130
taking any treasure to restore
the wealth of Egypt.
618
00:38:00,130 --> 00:38:03,360
He even unwrapped the pharaohs'
mummified bodies,
619
00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:06,880
taking the gold and jewels
hidden in the bandages.
620
00:38:09,050 --> 00:38:12,590
But Butehamun still respected
the pharaohs,
621
00:38:12,590 --> 00:38:14,760
so he rewrapped them
in new linen
622
00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:19,430
so they would remain intact
for the afterlife.
623
00:38:19,430 --> 00:38:23,450
Royal tombs are not robbed
by random robbers,
624
00:38:23,450 --> 00:38:27,590
they're opened systematically
by people like Butehamun.
625
00:38:27,590 --> 00:38:30,720
They're basically doing
something for the state
626
00:38:30,730 --> 00:38:33,590
before actual robbers do it.
627
00:38:33,590 --> 00:38:38,160
For decades, the real source
of wealth of the state
628
00:38:38,170 --> 00:38:40,780
is probably to a great extent
629
00:38:40,790 --> 00:38:42,820
what Butehamun
and his associates
630
00:38:42,820 --> 00:38:45,420
are bringing out of
the earlier royal tomb.
631
00:38:45,420 --> 00:38:48,920
Did Butehamun
drop Ramses III's ring
632
00:38:48,930 --> 00:38:52,190
while carrying out
a state-sanctioned robbery
633
00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:54,560
in tomb 49?
634
00:39:09,700 --> 00:39:12,260
In Cairo,
the Egyptian authorities
635
00:39:12,270 --> 00:39:15,480
are battling modern-day
tomb robbers.
636
00:39:15,490 --> 00:39:17,750
Stolen mummy parts intercepted
637
00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:20,620
on the international
black market
638
00:39:20,630 --> 00:39:24,630
have been returned
to the Egyptian museum.
639
00:39:24,630 --> 00:39:27,530
Thought to be from
the Valley of the Kings,
640
00:39:27,530 --> 00:39:31,680
could these be the mummified
remains of a great pharaoh?
641
00:39:35,490 --> 00:39:38,590
As Egypt's foremost
mummification expert,
642
00:39:38,590 --> 00:39:43,360
professor Salima Ikram has come
to analyze the remains.
643
00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:46,920
It is always exciting to
meet another ancient Egyptian,
644
00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:49,050
even in bits and pieces.
645
00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:54,360
How fabulous.
646
00:39:56,830 --> 00:39:58,960
Oh!
647
00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:02,500
Well, this is just
a child's hand.
648
00:40:02,500 --> 00:40:04,950
But look at those little rings.
649
00:40:04,950 --> 00:40:07,420
People who were robbing mummies,
650
00:40:07,420 --> 00:40:09,460
what they did was they
would cut off pieces,
651
00:40:09,460 --> 00:40:11,660
because it was easier
to sell to tourists,
652
00:40:11,660 --> 00:40:14,660
and hands were really
very, very popular
653
00:40:14,660 --> 00:40:16,930
because often they had
rings on them.
654
00:40:22,650 --> 00:40:24,290
Oh, wow!
655
00:40:24,290 --> 00:40:28,420
Okay, this, this is clearly
the hand of an adult,
656
00:40:28,430 --> 00:40:34,400
but what's extraordinary is that
it's missing some of its digits.
657
00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:38,480
But even so, there's a ring.
658
00:40:38,490 --> 00:40:41,320
A blue ring is
clearly visible
659
00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:44,160
through the mummy's wrappings.
660
00:40:44,160 --> 00:40:46,230
Oh, wow!
661
00:40:46,230 --> 00:40:50,200
But could this be
a pharaoh's head?
662
00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:52,230
The methods used
for mummification
663
00:40:52,230 --> 00:40:54,250
changed over time.
664
00:40:54,250 --> 00:40:56,520
Salima is hoping to find clues
665
00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:59,120
that will help her
date these remains.
666
00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:01,320
Oh, look! I think
you can see its hair!
667
00:41:01,330 --> 00:41:03,940
Look. Right there's the hair.
668
00:41:03,950 --> 00:41:09,680
So there's hair here,
and hair here.
669
00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:11,180
That means it's a man?
670
00:41:11,190 --> 00:41:12,320
Yes, it's a man.
671
00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:13,250
How old?
672
00:41:13,250 --> 00:41:15,920
How old? Good question.
673
00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:19,560
There, there's gold, and here.
674
00:41:19,560 --> 00:41:22,190
Salima has spotted
small flecks of gold
675
00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:26,120
all over the head,
in particular around the eyes.
676
00:41:26,120 --> 00:41:30,920
This is a Roman-period
mummy because it's gilded.
677
00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:32,520
During Roman times,
678
00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:34,560
the bodies of
important individuals
679
00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:37,290
were often coated
with gold leaf,
680
00:41:37,300 --> 00:41:40,200
but at that time
the Valley of the Kings
681
00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:43,120
was no longer used
as a burial site.
682
00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:45,150
So this means
it's unlikely
683
00:41:45,150 --> 00:41:47,220
that it's from
the Valley of the Kings.
684
00:41:47,220 --> 00:41:49,360
Dealers would want to
make up a good story
685
00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:50,990
that would hike up the price,
686
00:41:50,990 --> 00:41:52,960
and so the Valley of the Kings
of course is a pedigree
687
00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:55,790
that most people would jump on.
688
00:41:55,800 --> 00:41:57,700
He may not
have been a pharaoh,
689
00:41:57,700 --> 00:41:59,980
but such liberal
application of gold
690
00:41:59,980 --> 00:42:03,490
would've been reserved for
someone extremely wealthy.
691
00:42:03,490 --> 00:42:04,790
These three pieces,
692
00:42:04,790 --> 00:42:06,720
I don't think any of them
are related
693
00:42:06,720 --> 00:42:09,730
in terms of belonging
to the same body.
694
00:42:09,730 --> 00:42:11,090
But still they're mummies,
695
00:42:11,100 --> 00:42:13,800
so they can teach us
about mummification,
696
00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:15,400
the history of robbery,
697
00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,150
and the, you know,
their own life history.
698
00:42:18,150 --> 00:42:21,050
So they're really
very important pieces.
699
00:42:23,560 --> 00:42:26,990
For Shaaban, from
the ministry of antiquities,
700
00:42:26,990 --> 00:42:31,800
it's a rare victory
over the tomb robbers.
701
00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:33,220
It's very important for us
702
00:42:33,220 --> 00:42:37,950
that we recover all
the information for the history.
703
00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:41,320
This is very important that
we will add some information
704
00:42:41,330 --> 00:42:44,930
to the history of Egypt and
the history of the whole world.
705
00:42:44,930 --> 00:42:48,360
This is an unbelievable feeling.
706
00:42:55,690 --> 00:42:57,620
In the Valley of the Kings,
707
00:42:57,630 --> 00:43:00,790
Don Ryan is assessing
all the discoveries
708
00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:04,430
excavated from tomb 49.
709
00:43:04,430 --> 00:43:08,920
He has an incredible new story
for this tomb.
710
00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:11,320
We're almost done.
711
00:43:11,320 --> 00:43:15,790
I would describe our season
as unexpected.
712
00:43:15,790 --> 00:43:19,360
You have this chamber that we
sifted through every bit of it,
713
00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:22,780
and we, we found some
interesting things.
714
00:43:22,780 --> 00:43:26,520
This tomb, it was robbed
like all the other ones
715
00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:30,120
and at a later point
put to some other use.
716
00:43:32,190 --> 00:43:34,560
Don's finds
of the mummy wrappings
717
00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:38,130
and Ramses III's ring,
718
00:43:38,130 --> 00:43:41,050
combined with the graffiti
outside the door,
719
00:43:41,050 --> 00:43:44,420
suggest this tomb could have
played a central role
720
00:43:44,420 --> 00:43:48,260
in a state-sanctioned
criminal plot.
721
00:43:48,260 --> 00:43:52,490
In here, Butehamun
unwrapped royal mummies
722
00:43:52,500 --> 00:43:56,920
and stole the jewels hidden
inside their bandages.
723
00:43:56,920 --> 00:44:00,220
Some treasures,
like Ramses III's ring,
724
00:44:00,220 --> 00:44:03,020
were accidentally left behind.
725
00:44:03,020 --> 00:44:04,290
All these little tombs,
726
00:44:04,290 --> 00:44:07,630
they're full of
fascinating things,
727
00:44:07,630 --> 00:44:09,430
and when you put it
all together,
728
00:44:09,430 --> 00:44:12,980
this place truly is amazing.
729
00:44:16,020 --> 00:44:19,720
Archaeology in the Valley of
the Kings is by no means over.
730
00:44:19,720 --> 00:44:23,160
Just when you think it might be,
it isn't.
731
00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:24,730
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