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NARRATOR: An Egyptian pyramid
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that's like no other.
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This makes you understand
what a pyramid is all about.
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NARRATOR: Surrounded
by a strange trench,
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this is the only pyramid
ever built
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to look like it floats on water.
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Wow, that is amazing.
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Now, our cameras
have exclusive access
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to venture inside
this bizarre megastructure
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for the very first time,
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exploring tunnels hidden
deep below ground.
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We follow investigators
using pioneering
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drone scanning technology
and forensic analysis.
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Wow! [indistinct]
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NARRATOR:
To decode the secrets of
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a pharaoh locked away
inside for 4,000 years.
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This is the real burial chamber.
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NARRATOR: We will digitally
deconstruct the pyramid's
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star-shaped inner skeleton,
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reveal its hidden tunnels,
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unearth its unique,
astonishing engineering secrets,
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and uncover long-lost treasures
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to solve the mystery of
the strangest pyramid of all.
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Over 100 pyramids rise
from the sands
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of the Egyptian desert.
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All are huge tombs for
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the pharaohs who once ruled
this ancient kingdom.
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The Great Pyramid of Giza is
the most famous,
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one of the seven wonders
of the ancient world.
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But 50 miles south,
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there's a more recent
and much stranger monument,
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the Pyramid of Lahun, dating
from Egypt's Middle Kingdom,
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an era consumed by war.
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This is a tomb like no other.
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Oh, wow.
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This makes you understand what
a pyramid is all about.
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It dominates the landscape.
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There's nothing else
for kilometers around,
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but here it stands
in its full grandeur.
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NARRATOR:
This is the brainchild of
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a pharaoh called Senusret II.
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Built around 1870 B.C.,
it's a mighty monument
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clad in gleaming limestone
that rises 160 feet above
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the desert... at the top,
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a black granite capstone makes
a connection to the heavens.
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Next to it, a smaller pyramid
for the Pharaoh's queen,
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and eight stone
mastaba memorials,
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all enclosed by a huge mud
brick wall.
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Senusret's
grand funerary complex
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is said
to be surrounded by water,
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seemingly floating in
the desert.
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♪♪
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Why is the pyramid built
in this extraordinary way?
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Now our cameras have
been granted
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exclusive access to explore
this remarkable complex
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for the first time.
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Salima Ikram has been
investigating the mysteries
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of ancient Egypt
for over 30 years.
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IKRAM: What a sight that
must have been for people,
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to look at something like that,
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this mountain of a pyramid
encircled by water.
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NARRATOR: The pyramid stands
in Egypt's vast western desert.
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So why is it surrounded
by water?
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We're in the middle of
a desert, but in the distance,
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you can see that there is
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actually lots of greenery
and vegetation,
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so there is water out there.
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NARRATOR: This is a fertile
area of the desert,
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known as the Fayoum Oasis.
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So the fact that
there's a lush oasis here
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means that there is
a constant supply of water.
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NARRATOR: Salima wants
to find out if this
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explains the water that once
encircles the monument.
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Oh, my God.
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NARRATOR: She uses
a high-resolution drone
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to survey the landscape
from above.
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Oh, wow! You can see that
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this vegetation stretches
for miles and miles.
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It's amazing, and beyond that,
there's this channel of water.
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And then there's the Nile.
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NARRATOR: The pyramid is built
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about 10 miles
from the River Nile.
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In ancient times, the annual
Nile floods inundate
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the barren land with life-giving
water and minerals.
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A huge canal, constructed
by an earlier pharaoh,
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also channels water from
the mighty river
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to the Fayoum.
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This large water channel that
connects to the Nile is one of
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the main sources of water for
this whole area near
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the pyramids.
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NARRATOR: Salima thinks
the Nile and the canal
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are not the only sources
of water.
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The weather in ancient times
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is also very different
from today.
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I wonder what it would have
been like 4,000 years ago
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when it was much wetter,
it rained much more,
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and there were even more
powerful floods.
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NARRATOR: Back then,
this whole area is much wetter.
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The amount of water here
makes it a bit curious
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that someone should choose
this site to build a pyramid.
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Senusret II could
have bean buried
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with his father several miles
to the north of here.
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But he actively came and sought
out and chose this place.
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So he must have had a very
good reason to do that.
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NARRATOR: Salima thinks a reason
may be found nearby
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in a centuries-old dam.
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What's really interesting is,
if you go all the way down,
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this dam is built on the
foundation of Senusret II's dam.
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This is the first dam
ever built in the Fayoum,
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and that he used, really,
to tame this region
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and turned it into
an agricultural sort of
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treasure trove.
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NARRATOR: The pharaohs
before Senusret
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dig out a waterway from
the Nile to the Fayoum,
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creating a massive
lake and oasis.
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Senusret himself builds dikes
and irrigation channels
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to distribute water to
the surrounding desert.
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Drawing water from the oasis,
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Senusret creates 17,000 acres
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of new farmland near Lahun,
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and he builds his pyramid
right next to it,
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to commemorate his achievement
and life's work.
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♪♪
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IKRAM: What makes
the positioning of this pyramid
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particularly poignant
is that Senusret II
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is the one who is responsible
for all of this
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agricultural work.
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With this pyramid,
you can clearly see the land of
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the living,
all of that vegetation.
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00:08:05,318 --> 00:08:07,586
And then here, the king is in
the land of the dead,
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looking over for eternity,
all of this greenery
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and all of this life.
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NARRATOR: The pharaoh
wants his tomb next
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to the paradise he creates.
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Water gives life,
but it's also a threat.
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How does the pharaoh
prevent water
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from damaging his pyramid?
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There are clues hidden in
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a trench that runs
around the pyramid.
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Carved 10 feet deep into
the limestone bedrock,
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it's filled with tons of
crushed stones
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and a thick layer of sand.
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It looks like the moat
around a medieval castle.
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In 1870 B.C., it sits right at
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the bottom edge of the pyramid.
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This mega trench is unique.
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No other pyramid
has anything like it.
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What is it used for?
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Ezzeldin Yazeed has been
solving the puzzles
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of ancient Egyptian
engineering for three decades.
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Ezz uses a hydrology simulator
to measure
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the amount of water
the trench absorbs.
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He thinks the trench stops
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water from damaging
the pyramid's foundations.
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The simulator releases
25 gallons of water over half
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an hour onto a bed
of sand and gravel
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that matches the materials
lining the trench.
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00:10:04,070 --> 00:10:05,537
NARRATOR:
Two inches of rainwater
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falling in just
30 minutes is enough to
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cause devastating flooding
around the base of the pyramid.
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Ezz fits drainage pipes
beneath the simulator.
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If the sand and gravel
don't absorb the water,
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it will run through
and fill the pipes.
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30 minutes later,
it's time to check the result.
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The drainage pipes are empty.
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The sand and gravel
absorb the water.
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NARRATOR: Scaled up,
the trench will easily contain
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the worst of Egypt's winter
storms and flooding.
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NARRATOR: Ancient engineers
create an extraordinary-looking
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pyramid and also find
a way to keep
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it safe from floodwaters
for thousands of years.
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00:11:21,981 --> 00:11:25,383
But what are the strange
stone structures inside?
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Can they explain
how the monument
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seems to float on water?
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NARRATOR: The Pyramid of Lahun,
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an extraordinary ancient
megastructure from Egypt's
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mysterious Middle Kingdom that
appears to float on water.
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Pharaoh Senusret II
builds his tomb in
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an area of Egypt called
the Fayoum Oasis,
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complete with 500 square miles
of waterways,
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00:12:00,853 --> 00:12:03,888
lush palm trees,
and agricultural pastures.
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It's like new land
is being conquered
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and opened up by the Great King.
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NARRATOR:
How does the pharaoh construct
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this huge structure
on such wet, marshy ground?
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00:12:21,741 --> 00:12:23,942
Salima Ikram investigates.
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Before this pyramid
is erected around 1870 B.C.,
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all Egyptian monuments
are built from limestone,
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including the most famous
of all,
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the Great Pyramid of Giza.
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Its foundations sit
on solid bedrock,
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00:12:48,901 --> 00:12:51,803
but its Lahun cousin is
very different.
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Salima thinks that traditional
building techniques inspire
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00:12:55,975 --> 00:13:00,111
the pharaoh to create a new
kind of lightweight structure.
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00:13:00,212 --> 00:13:03,481
Mud brick is one of the basic
building materials in
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00:13:03,582 --> 00:13:05,650
ancient Egypt,
but they tended to use these
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00:13:05,751 --> 00:13:08,987
and houses rather than
in their tombs.
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NARRATOR: Workers
blend mud, straw,
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and sand to make mud bricks.
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00:13:17,563 --> 00:13:21,166
They're dried in the sun
or fired in a kiln.
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00:13:21,267 --> 00:13:24,269
This building method
dates back millennia.
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00:13:27,239 --> 00:13:29,407
The pharaoh's engineers
used these traditional
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00:13:29,508 --> 00:13:32,277
methods to devise
a technological breakthrough.
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00:13:34,847 --> 00:13:37,982
So here I am, sitting on
and absolutely surrounded
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00:13:38,083 --> 00:13:39,984
by mud brick, and this is
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00:13:40,085 --> 00:13:43,321
all what the pyramid
is basically made of.
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00:13:43,422 --> 00:13:46,324
NARRATOR: Senusret's pyramid
is the first
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to be built from mud brick.
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00:13:49,728 --> 00:13:51,229
IKRAM: If he was worried
about weight
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00:13:51,330 --> 00:13:52,997
and subsidence of the site,
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00:13:53,098 --> 00:13:55,733
then the mud brick would have
been lighter than stone,
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00:13:55,835 --> 00:13:57,335
and therefore, you can make
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00:13:57,436 --> 00:13:59,838
this impressive,
monumental pyramid,
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00:13:59,939 --> 00:14:03,374
but it's less dangerous
for your foundations.
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00:14:08,147 --> 00:14:10,315
NARRATOR: Using mud brick,
it's now possible
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00:14:10,416 --> 00:14:12,851
to build on the marshy
Fayoum Oasis,
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00:14:14,987 --> 00:14:16,688
but that's not
the only challenge
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00:14:16,789 --> 00:14:18,089
the pharaoh must overcome.
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00:14:20,860 --> 00:14:23,127
IKRAM: The big problem with
the mud brick is no matter
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00:14:23,229 --> 00:14:25,563
how well made it is,
when it rains,
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00:14:25,664 --> 00:14:28,433
and if they are torrential
rain, it starts to melt.
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00:14:28,534 --> 00:14:31,135
And that's why you have
this wash where
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00:14:31,237 --> 00:14:34,305
the thing is eroded
over and over again.
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00:14:37,743 --> 00:14:40,979
NARRATOR: Can clues found
inside the monument shed
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00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,848
light on how the pharaoh
solves this problem?
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00:14:47,953 --> 00:14:49,754
Blowing away the mud bricks
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00:14:51,123 --> 00:14:53,758
reveals a structure
hidden inside.
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00:14:56,028 --> 00:14:58,396
A star-shaped set of
limestone walls
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00:14:58,497 --> 00:15:00,131
radiate out from the center.
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00:15:04,370 --> 00:15:06,104
In the time of Senusret,
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00:15:06,205 --> 00:15:08,873
this limestone backbone
stretches all the way
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00:15:08,974 --> 00:15:10,875
through the pyramid.
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00:15:10,976 --> 00:15:13,111
The skeleton is designed to hold
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00:15:13,212 --> 00:15:15,313
the mud bricks in place
during construction
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00:15:17,816 --> 00:15:20,885
and make sure the shape
of the pyramid is perfect.
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00:15:22,955 --> 00:15:25,189
But how does the pharaoh
protect the mud bricks
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00:15:25,324 --> 00:15:27,625
from the elements when
the building is finished?
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00:15:31,931 --> 00:15:34,432
Salima believes
fragments of limestone
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00:15:34,533 --> 00:15:36,267
found here offer clues.
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00:15:39,238 --> 00:15:41,539
Although there's not
much of this left,
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00:15:41,674 --> 00:15:43,274
it's probable
that this was part of
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00:15:43,375 --> 00:15:45,643
the casing of this pyramid,
243
00:15:45,744 --> 00:15:49,881
so you wouldn't see the mud
brick or the stone skeleton.
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00:15:51,450 --> 00:15:54,218
NARRATOR: Ancient engineers
cover the exterior
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00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:58,222
in a layer of tough,
high-quality limestone.
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00:15:58,324 --> 00:16:00,124
Workers transport it here from
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00:16:00,225 --> 00:16:03,828
the pharaoh's quarries at Tura,
near Cairo.
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00:16:05,064 --> 00:16:08,466
This limestone is the finest
limestone in Egypt,
249
00:16:08,567 --> 00:16:13,071
so the pyramid looked like
a white shining monument,
250
00:16:13,172 --> 00:16:17,241
just like the Giza pyramids
used to.
251
00:16:17,343 --> 00:16:21,079
NARRATOR: But even the finest
limestone is not foolproof.
252
00:16:21,180 --> 00:16:23,281
How can the builders prevent
water from
253
00:16:23,382 --> 00:16:26,117
seeping through any gaps
between the blocks?
254
00:16:30,356 --> 00:16:33,524
It takes hundreds of
huge white limestone blocks
255
00:16:33,625 --> 00:16:36,194
to fully encase
Senusret's pyramid.
256
00:16:41,333 --> 00:16:44,569
Butterfly connectors inscribed
with the king's name
257
00:16:46,939 --> 00:16:48,673
pull the blocks
tightly together.
258
00:16:52,845 --> 00:16:56,280
A socket cut into the bedrock
locks in the bottom
259
00:16:56,382 --> 00:16:59,684
row of blocks and provides
a solid foundation
260
00:16:59,785 --> 00:17:01,019
for the cladding.
261
00:17:03,188 --> 00:17:05,289
When it rains,
the water runs off
262
00:17:05,391 --> 00:17:08,593
the slick limestone skin
into the trench,
263
00:17:08,694 --> 00:17:10,928
keeping the mud brick
interior dry.
264
00:17:15,267 --> 00:17:17,568
This marvel of
ancient engineering
265
00:17:17,669 --> 00:17:19,137
can withstand water,
266
00:17:20,973 --> 00:17:24,208
allowing the pharaoh
to build an oasis.
267
00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:29,947
But the greatest challenge
that faces all pharaohs
268
00:17:30,049 --> 00:17:34,085
is how to prevent their tombs
from being raided.
269
00:17:36,655 --> 00:17:40,024
What ingenious technology
does the pyramid conceal
270
00:17:40,125 --> 00:17:42,960
to safeguard the pharaoh's
body for eternity?
271
00:17:53,906 --> 00:17:55,873
NARRATOR:
Investigators want to find out
272
00:17:55,974 --> 00:17:58,876
how Senusret II's engineers
273
00:17:58,977 --> 00:18:01,746
apply their technological
know-how
274
00:18:01,847 --> 00:18:05,149
to prevent grave robbers from
looting the pharaoh's tomb,
275
00:18:05,250 --> 00:18:08,619
deep inside the floating pyramid
of Lahun.
276
00:18:11,156 --> 00:18:12,824
IKRAM: This is a really
puzzling pyramid.
277
00:18:16,962 --> 00:18:19,864
NARRATOR: Archaeologists unearth
a chapel on the monument's
278
00:18:19,965 --> 00:18:21,032
north side,
279
00:18:23,335 --> 00:18:24,569
the traditional way in,
280
00:18:26,038 --> 00:18:28,840
but it's a dead end
that leads nowhere.
281
00:18:30,242 --> 00:18:31,409
On the east face,
282
00:18:31,510 --> 00:18:33,044
they find a second chapel,
283
00:18:34,746 --> 00:18:37,348
but its walls are also solid.
284
00:18:37,449 --> 00:18:39,150
There's no way in here either.
285
00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:43,421
Finally, on the south face,
286
00:18:44,890 --> 00:18:47,391
they discover
a buried narrow shaft
287
00:18:48,827 --> 00:18:50,461
that leads deep underground.
288
00:18:53,132 --> 00:18:55,166
Is this the entrance
to the tomb?
289
00:19:01,140 --> 00:19:05,476
Salima Ikram examines
the southern end of the pyramid,
290
00:19:05,577 --> 00:19:08,379
where investigators discover
the strange shaft.
291
00:19:10,582 --> 00:19:12,483
Now that is more like it.
292
00:19:12,584 --> 00:19:15,319
Here's a shaft right near
the pyramid,
293
00:19:15,420 --> 00:19:17,288
and this is more likely
to be the entrance
294
00:19:17,389 --> 00:19:19,690
even if it is the south face
of the pyramid.
295
00:19:22,427 --> 00:19:24,362
NARRATOR:
She measures the shaft to see
296
00:19:24,463 --> 00:19:25,997
if it's a possible way in.
297
00:19:28,233 --> 00:19:31,068
IKRAM: It's really hard
to tell how deep this is,
298
00:19:31,170 --> 00:19:34,939
so we're using a very
traditional way of finding out.
299
00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:36,374
There's rope that's knotted at
300
00:19:36,475 --> 00:19:39,143
every meter, and there's
a weight at the bottom,
301
00:19:41,046 --> 00:19:43,014
and it just keeps on going.
302
00:19:44,449 --> 00:19:45,650
Still a bit more.
303
00:19:47,519 --> 00:19:48,786
No, I think that's it.
304
00:19:49,821 --> 00:19:52,390
NARRATOR:
The shaft is 50 feet deep.
305
00:19:52,491 --> 00:19:54,992
It's also extremely narrow.
306
00:19:55,093 --> 00:19:57,495
It's possible that it was
something that the workers who
307
00:19:57,596 --> 00:19:59,797
were building the subterranean
structure did,
308
00:19:59,898 --> 00:20:02,800
because there really is no way
you can get a king's
309
00:20:02,901 --> 00:20:06,504
sarcophagus down something
this narrow.
310
00:20:06,605 --> 00:20:09,507
So obviously, this is not
the official entryway.
311
00:20:09,608 --> 00:20:11,242
There must be another entry.
312
00:20:13,312 --> 00:20:15,813
NARRATOR: Investigators unearth
the entrance beneath
313
00:20:15,914 --> 00:20:18,316
the tomb of one of
the royal children.
314
00:20:18,417 --> 00:20:20,084
Salima has rare access to
315
00:20:20,185 --> 00:20:22,820
explore this labyrinth of
underground tunnels.
316
00:20:24,890 --> 00:20:27,792
They've only recently been
excavated by archaeologists.
317
00:20:31,096 --> 00:20:33,998
Wow, this is amazing.
318
00:20:34,099 --> 00:20:36,334
NARRATOR: It's the very first
time that cameras
319
00:20:36,435 --> 00:20:39,704
have been allowed inside this
astonishing megastructure.
320
00:20:40,973 --> 00:20:43,674
It's amazing to be
in these tunnels.
321
00:20:43,775 --> 00:20:48,212
Up to about almost a year ago,
they were filled until here
322
00:20:48,313 --> 00:20:50,982
with sand and rubble and dirt.
323
00:20:51,083 --> 00:20:53,351
NARRATOR: The pyramid is
built six centuries
324
00:20:53,452 --> 00:20:56,754
before the invention of
iron tools.
325
00:20:56,855 --> 00:20:59,490
Workers use soft
copper chisels to
326
00:20:59,591 --> 00:21:01,659
carve the tunnels out of
the bedrock.
327
00:21:04,329 --> 00:21:06,097
IKRAM:
It's really quite spectacular.
328
00:21:06,198 --> 00:21:11,202
You can see the chisel marks
cut into the bedrock over here.
329
00:21:11,303 --> 00:21:13,137
It's fantastic,
because these tunnels go
330
00:21:13,238 --> 00:21:15,439
on for ages,
and they're so deep.
331
00:21:19,111 --> 00:21:20,411
Oh, wow.
332
00:21:21,713 --> 00:21:24,415
So this... ha!
333
00:21:24,516 --> 00:21:28,185
NARRATOR: A few yards in,
Salima stumbles on
334
00:21:28,287 --> 00:21:31,122
the bottom of the shaft
she was measuring.
335
00:21:31,223 --> 00:21:36,193
It comes all the way down
here, and it does lead to what
336
00:21:36,295 --> 00:21:38,863
was made to look like
a burial chamber,
337
00:21:38,964 --> 00:21:41,465
because it's got this
arch roof over here,
338
00:21:41,566 --> 00:21:43,200
which is typical
of burial chambers.
339
00:21:43,302 --> 00:21:45,336
So if robbers had come in here,
340
00:21:45,437 --> 00:21:48,105
they would have thought,
"Oh, wow. Great. This is it."
341
00:21:49,574 --> 00:21:52,343
The chamber is designed to
throw tomb raiders
342
00:21:52,444 --> 00:21:53,444
off the scent.
343
00:21:56,081 --> 00:21:57,848
But they wouldn't
have found anything.
344
00:21:57,949 --> 00:22:00,117
Though it's so cleverly done...
345
00:22:00,218 --> 00:22:02,219
There's even a niche here,
346
00:22:02,321 --> 00:22:05,356
as if this is where
the canopic chest that had
347
00:22:05,457 --> 00:22:07,124
the internal organs would have
348
00:22:07,225 --> 00:22:09,460
been placed, so they really
would have bean fooled.
349
00:22:11,129 --> 00:22:13,931
Pharaoh Senusret goes to
extraordinary lengths
350
00:22:14,032 --> 00:22:16,133
to protect his final
resting place.
351
00:22:18,303 --> 00:22:21,172
Clearly, Senusret's
architect's and Senusret
352
00:22:21,273 --> 00:22:24,241
were trying to make sure
that robbers didn't get into
353
00:22:24,343 --> 00:22:25,943
his tomb and loot it the way
354
00:22:26,044 --> 00:22:28,112
they'd done for everyone else
before him.
355
00:22:33,385 --> 00:22:37,021
NARRATOR: This decoy chamber
lies at the edge of the pyramid.
356
00:22:39,791 --> 00:22:40,925
But beyond it,
357
00:22:43,195 --> 00:22:47,098
there's a hidden passage that
leads to a second chamber
358
00:22:47,199 --> 00:22:50,301
with shafts that stretch deep
below ground.
359
00:22:52,771 --> 00:22:54,205
The tunnel continues,
360
00:22:57,442 --> 00:22:58,909
looping through the pyramid,
361
00:23:01,847 --> 00:23:05,149
and finally leads
to a majestic room...
362
00:23:05,250 --> 00:23:07,151
The pharaoh's burial chamber.
363
00:23:08,854 --> 00:23:10,988
Do Senusret's many decoys
364
00:23:11,089 --> 00:23:14,658
keep his body and treasures
safe from intruders?
365
00:23:18,096 --> 00:23:21,432
[gasps] It's the burial chamber,
366
00:23:21,533 --> 00:23:24,135
and this is the real
burial chamber.
367
00:23:24,236 --> 00:23:25,469
It's got a vaulted roof,
368
00:23:25,570 --> 00:23:28,606
and it is, though, made out
of pink granite
369
00:23:28,707 --> 00:23:31,108
brought from Aswan all
the way from the south.
370
00:23:33,211 --> 00:23:34,545
This is fabulous.
371
00:23:34,646 --> 00:23:36,947
Here, you've got
the true burial chamber
372
00:23:37,048 --> 00:23:38,916
with the sarcophagus still here,
373
00:23:40,819 --> 00:23:42,019
and it's been polished.
374
00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:45,456
You can see this wonderful
sheen on it.
375
00:23:45,557 --> 00:23:49,393
NARRATOR: But the body of
the pharaoh is no longer here.
376
00:23:49,494 --> 00:23:52,096
So what happens to it?
377
00:23:52,197 --> 00:23:54,532
A clue comes from a priceless
378
00:23:54,633 --> 00:23:56,500
object that belongs
to the pharaoh.
379
00:23:58,970 --> 00:24:02,206
When archaeologists unearth
Senusret's tomb,
380
00:24:02,307 --> 00:24:03,507
they find it looted.
381
00:24:05,143 --> 00:24:07,411
But in a corner buried in sand,
382
00:24:07,512 --> 00:24:09,246
they discover one treasure
383
00:24:09,347 --> 00:24:11,749
the robbers leave behind...
384
00:24:11,850 --> 00:24:15,319
A solid gold figure of
an Egyptian cobra.
385
00:24:15,420 --> 00:24:19,223
It's a uraeus, a precious
ornament that identifies
386
00:24:19,324 --> 00:24:22,560
the wearer as the pharaoh.
387
00:24:25,864 --> 00:24:29,433
The uraeus represents
the snake goddess Wadjet,
388
00:24:29,534 --> 00:24:33,137
the divine protector of Egypt
and the River Nile.
389
00:24:36,842 --> 00:24:38,943
It adorns
the pharaoh's headwear.
390
00:24:41,813 --> 00:24:43,314
Only he can wear it.
391
00:24:46,785 --> 00:24:48,419
Do the tomb raiders leave
392
00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,722
the uraeus is behind
by accident or design?
393
00:24:53,925 --> 00:24:56,160
I'm sure the robbers
didn't notice, because
394
00:24:56,261 --> 00:25:00,097
they had so much other loot
with them, no doubt.
395
00:25:01,900 --> 00:25:04,201
NARRATOR: The uraeus
remains undisturbed
396
00:25:04,302 --> 00:25:05,769
in the pharaoh's mighty pyramid
397
00:25:05,871 --> 00:25:07,638
for almost four millennia.
398
00:25:10,642 --> 00:25:12,977
All that remains on
the sarcophagus are
399
00:25:13,078 --> 00:25:16,847
a few haunting reminders of
where the pharaoh once lay.
400
00:25:19,050 --> 00:25:21,418
IKRAM: Uneven marks.
401
00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:24,355
Like to imagine these are
smears left over from the body.
402
00:25:26,458 --> 00:25:29,226
NARRATOR: Senusret's body
has long gone from his final
403
00:25:29,327 --> 00:25:32,663
resting place, violated
in the search for treasure.
404
00:25:36,101 --> 00:25:39,236
Now can clues hidden in
a mysterious desert
405
00:25:39,337 --> 00:25:42,573
structure reveal more about
the secrets of Egypt's
406
00:25:42,674 --> 00:25:43,774
strangest pyramid?
407
00:25:56,655 --> 00:26:01,125
NARRATOR: 4,000 years ago,
Pharaoh Senusret II
408
00:26:01,226 --> 00:26:04,161
builds his pyramid in
the Fayoum Oasis.
409
00:26:05,931 --> 00:26:09,934
Nearby, archaeologists
unearth a mysterious find...
410
00:26:11,403 --> 00:26:13,304
A second massive construction.
411
00:26:16,308 --> 00:26:18,409
Are the pharaoh's final
resting place
412
00:26:18,510 --> 00:26:21,111
and these strange ruins
somehow linked?
413
00:26:23,582 --> 00:26:26,183
It's an insight
into life, into work,
414
00:26:26,318 --> 00:26:28,385
into religion, into play that
415
00:26:28,486 --> 00:26:30,821
we simply don't get
from other states from Egypt.
416
00:26:33,291 --> 00:26:35,593
NARRATOR: To the east of
Senusret's pyramid,
417
00:26:35,694 --> 00:26:38,896
investigators discover
the remains of a walled
418
00:26:38,997 --> 00:26:42,700
settlement over a million
square feet in size.
419
00:26:44,469 --> 00:26:48,672
The western part is crammed
full of small, narrow houses.
420
00:26:48,773 --> 00:26:50,741
To the north,
421
00:26:50,809 --> 00:26:52,977
a larger building
towers over them.
422
00:26:54,379 --> 00:26:56,847
Nearby are more big houses,
423
00:26:56,948 --> 00:27:00,050
some measuring over
20,000 square feet.
424
00:27:04,022 --> 00:27:05,422
PRICE: When we think of
ancient Egypt,
425
00:27:05,523 --> 00:27:08,025
we think off pharaohs,
we think of gold.
426
00:27:08,126 --> 00:27:09,193
We think of death.
427
00:27:09,294 --> 00:27:11,295
Lahun is none of those things.
428
00:27:11,396 --> 00:27:14,765
It is about living people.
429
00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,335
NARRATOR:
Campbell Price investigates
430
00:27:18,436 --> 00:27:19,870
the purpose of
this enormous site,
431
00:27:19,971 --> 00:27:23,007
hidden by the desert
sands for millennia.
432
00:27:23,108 --> 00:27:25,943
He believes
answers may be found here,
433
00:27:26,044 --> 00:27:29,279
at the Manchester Museum
in England
434
00:27:29,381 --> 00:27:31,749
in this 19th century map,
435
00:27:31,850 --> 00:27:34,251
drawn up by the first
archaeologists
436
00:27:34,352 --> 00:27:35,719
to explore at Lahun.
437
00:27:36,788 --> 00:27:41,892
It shows the breakdown
of houses in the town,
438
00:27:41,993 --> 00:27:43,994
which were planned,
which were mapped,
439
00:27:44,062 --> 00:27:46,930
and which were reproduced
on this document.
440
00:27:49,467 --> 00:27:52,036
NARRATOR: The streets are laid
out in a regular pattern.
441
00:27:53,438 --> 00:27:55,806
Most of the buildings are made
from mud brick.
442
00:27:57,375 --> 00:27:59,777
It's a fair assumption that
these are the smallest
443
00:27:59,878 --> 00:28:01,845
dwellings in the entire town,
444
00:28:01,946 --> 00:28:05,082
and they belong
to the least important people,
445
00:28:05,183 --> 00:28:06,650
the ordinary workers.
446
00:28:06,751 --> 00:28:10,320
NARRATOR: The pyramid and town
date to the Middle Kingdom,
447
00:28:10,422 --> 00:28:13,824
a little-studied era of
Egyptian history.
448
00:28:13,925 --> 00:28:16,326
The central section contains
larger buildings,
449
00:28:16,428 --> 00:28:18,295
possibly for
commercial purposes.
450
00:28:20,031 --> 00:28:22,433
The third
and final area is perhaps
451
00:28:22,534 --> 00:28:25,002
the most intriguing of all.
452
00:28:25,103 --> 00:28:27,471
Up here, what
the archaeologists first called
453
00:28:27,572 --> 00:28:29,373
the Acropolis, a raised area,
454
00:28:29,474 --> 00:28:32,109
there seem to be larger,
more impressive
455
00:28:32,210 --> 00:28:34,912
villa-type dwellings.
456
00:28:35,013 --> 00:28:37,281
NARRATOR: Campbell suspects
that the biggest villa
457
00:28:37,382 --> 00:28:40,184
is reserved for
a very special visitor...
458
00:28:40,285 --> 00:28:42,219
The pharaoh, Senusret.
459
00:28:45,290 --> 00:28:47,991
Campbell wants to know
if the pharaoh's
460
00:28:48,093 --> 00:28:51,695
visits help explain
why he builds this town.
461
00:28:51,796 --> 00:28:54,631
An object found at the site
may offer clues.
462
00:28:56,468 --> 00:29:01,538
This small stone weight is
known as a plumb bob,
463
00:29:01,639 --> 00:29:05,109
which would be attached on
the end of a string,
464
00:29:05,210 --> 00:29:07,077
tight and straight.
465
00:29:07,178 --> 00:29:09,947
This would allow precision
in architecture,
466
00:29:10,048 --> 00:29:14,651
and it allows straight lines
to be followed
467
00:29:14,753 --> 00:29:17,921
in the building of
a major monument.
468
00:29:19,524 --> 00:29:21,458
NARRATOR: Campbell believes
that this major
469
00:29:21,559 --> 00:29:24,528
monument is
the pharaoh's pyramid,
470
00:29:24,629 --> 00:29:30,400
which is being constructed
just 800 yards from the town.
471
00:29:30,502 --> 00:29:35,305
It throws light on why
the town is built.
472
00:29:35,406 --> 00:29:37,941
It wasn't something
that grew gradually.
473
00:29:38,042 --> 00:29:41,111
It was planned in advance
by the state
474
00:29:41,212 --> 00:29:44,715
to be occupied by people
involved in the building
475
00:29:44,816 --> 00:29:45,816
of the pyramid.
476
00:29:50,889 --> 00:29:54,691
The town is called
Hat-Hetep-Senusret,
477
00:29:54,793 --> 00:29:57,394
or "King Senusret is at peace."
478
00:30:01,466 --> 00:30:04,868
The pharaoh fills it with
workers and engineers
479
00:30:04,969 --> 00:30:07,371
and gives them the latest
tools to complete
480
00:30:07,505 --> 00:30:08,806
his grand project.
481
00:30:12,377 --> 00:30:15,913
But the discovery of a strange
statue leads investigators to
482
00:30:16,014 --> 00:30:18,715
wonder if this is
more than just a place
483
00:30:18,817 --> 00:30:21,451
for the pharaoh's
builders to live.
484
00:30:21,553 --> 00:30:23,620
It's made of limestone, and it
485
00:30:23,721 --> 00:30:27,357
depicts a very distinctive
divine entity.
486
00:30:27,458 --> 00:30:33,230
She is one part hippo.
One part lion,
487
00:30:33,331 --> 00:30:35,065
one part crocodile.
488
00:30:36,734 --> 00:30:40,137
The statue is of
a goddess called Taweret.
489
00:30:40,271 --> 00:30:43,941
She's associated with
fertility and childbirth.
490
00:30:44,042 --> 00:30:47,644
PRICE: She comes from a village,
probably from a house,
491
00:30:47,745 --> 00:30:50,147
so she's probably not set up
in a temple.
492
00:30:50,248 --> 00:30:52,249
She comes from
a domestic setting.
493
00:30:55,119 --> 00:30:57,721
NARRATOR: Campbell believes
that the houses on the map
494
00:30:57,822 --> 00:31:01,792
provide clues to help explain
the mysterious statue.
495
00:31:01,893 --> 00:31:04,328
I think when we look
at these houses,
496
00:31:04,429 --> 00:31:07,431
they don't indicate
the dwellings of slaves.
497
00:31:07,532 --> 00:31:09,666
So these are simply
the houses of
498
00:31:09,767 --> 00:31:13,871
the less well off members
of the free community.
499
00:31:13,972 --> 00:31:16,773
NARRATOR: Pyramid builders
are paid workmen,
500
00:31:16,875 --> 00:31:20,143
and they bring their wives
and children with them, too.
501
00:31:20,245 --> 00:31:23,146
The town was not just
a town of builders,
502
00:31:23,248 --> 00:31:26,283
but was a fully fledged
family community.
503
00:31:27,452 --> 00:31:30,020
NARRATOR: Investigators believe
that the pharaoh plans
504
00:31:30,121 --> 00:31:32,589
the town to have a life
505
00:31:32,690 --> 00:31:34,358
long after his death.
506
00:31:36,261 --> 00:31:40,397
Now, can the discovery of
a huge cache of papyrus texts
507
00:31:40,498 --> 00:31:44,668
in the town reveal the extent
of his plans for eternal life?
508
00:31:55,079 --> 00:31:56,813
NARRATOR: The Pyramid of Lahun,
509
00:31:58,383 --> 00:32:02,085
built 4,000 years ago during
Egypt's Middle Kingdom.
510
00:32:03,755 --> 00:32:05,589
Now, investigators
want to know if
511
00:32:05,690 --> 00:32:08,458
a remarkable discovery in
the nearby town
512
00:32:09,961 --> 00:32:13,363
can shed light on the pharaoh's
plans for immortality.
513
00:32:17,535 --> 00:32:19,403
Buried among the ruins
of the town,
514
00:32:19,504 --> 00:32:22,172
archaeologists unearth
a treasure trove of
515
00:32:22,273 --> 00:32:23,941
papyrus scrolls.
516
00:32:24,042 --> 00:32:26,643
It's one of the largest
517
00:32:26,744 --> 00:32:29,613
collections of ancient texts
ever found.
518
00:32:29,714 --> 00:32:32,349
What can they reveal of
the pharaoh's
519
00:32:32,450 --> 00:32:34,251
plans for eternal life?
520
00:32:38,423 --> 00:32:40,624
Glenn Godenho has
been deciphering
521
00:32:40,725 --> 00:32:43,827
the Lahun papyri for a decade.
522
00:32:43,928 --> 00:32:45,495
GODENHO: We haven't just got
one or two fragments
523
00:32:45,596 --> 00:32:46,830
of these Lahun papyri.
524
00:32:46,931 --> 00:32:48,865
We've got hundreds of them.
525
00:32:48,967 --> 00:32:50,834
They're more like letters
or emails that we might
526
00:32:50,935 --> 00:32:53,070
send to each other,
the unofficial stuff.
527
00:32:53,171 --> 00:32:54,905
We've got communications
between people,
528
00:32:55,006 --> 00:32:57,507
maybe over business,
maybe private matters,
529
00:32:57,608 --> 00:33:00,210
and they comment on absolutely
everything you can imagine.
530
00:33:01,245 --> 00:33:03,246
NARRATOR: The letters are
written onto papyrus
531
00:33:03,348 --> 00:33:05,549
using a reed pen.
532
00:33:05,650 --> 00:33:07,317
They're not
written in hieroglyphs.
533
00:33:07,418 --> 00:33:09,920
Instead, what we use is
a cursive handwritten
534
00:33:10,021 --> 00:33:12,889
form of hieroglyphs, and this is
called hieratic.
535
00:33:12,991 --> 00:33:15,192
It's the way people would
communicate with each other.
536
00:33:16,260 --> 00:33:18,628
NARRATOR: Glenn believes
the papyri offer clues
537
00:33:18,730 --> 00:33:21,031
to Senusret's long-term plans.
538
00:33:24,035 --> 00:33:26,770
The only way for
a dead pharaoh to survive
539
00:33:26,871 --> 00:33:29,873
in the afterlife is to be
remembered by the living.
540
00:33:30,942 --> 00:33:33,243
You can't survive in
the afterlife just by
541
00:33:33,344 --> 00:33:35,645
slowly decaying in a hole
in the ground.
542
00:33:37,515 --> 00:33:39,449
NARRATOR: One of
the ancient texts found in
543
00:33:39,550 --> 00:33:42,352
the town throws light
on why it's built.
544
00:33:43,821 --> 00:33:45,889
GODENHO: A document like this
reminds us
545
00:33:45,990 --> 00:33:47,858
what the Lahun was set up to do,
546
00:33:49,527 --> 00:33:52,062
to look after the cult
of Senusret II,
547
00:33:52,163 --> 00:33:55,699
and they're continuing
to do that even after he's dead.
548
00:33:57,802 --> 00:34:00,137
NARRATOR: It is the job of
the town's priests
549
00:34:00,238 --> 00:34:02,672
to keep the memory
of Senusret alive.
550
00:34:05,576 --> 00:34:08,779
Glenn believes one of
the papyri offers clues to
551
00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:11,982
the extent of the pharaoh's
ambitions for eternal life.
552
00:34:13,551 --> 00:34:16,420
This is a transfer deed
or a will from Lahun.
553
00:34:16,521 --> 00:34:17,954
This one survived really well.
554
00:34:18,056 --> 00:34:20,657
The ink has survived really,
really clearly on this,
555
00:34:20,758 --> 00:34:23,360
so it's a really nice example.
556
00:34:23,461 --> 00:34:25,762
NARRATOR: The document is
written by a man called
557
00:34:25,863 --> 00:34:29,332
Mery, who is transferring
property to his son.
558
00:34:29,434 --> 00:34:32,102
This is the oldest
legal manuscript
559
00:34:32,203 --> 00:34:35,505
on papyrus ever discovered
in Egypt.
560
00:34:35,606 --> 00:34:38,075
The property that
he's transferring is his office.
561
00:34:38,176 --> 00:34:39,309
It's his job.
562
00:34:39,410 --> 00:34:41,478
So it's kind of like his
retirement plan, he's coming up
563
00:34:41,579 --> 00:34:45,215
for retirement, and his role
will be passed on to his son,
564
00:34:45,316 --> 00:34:49,219
and his son will be able to
look after him in his old age.
565
00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:51,621
NARRATOR: The job that Mery
is passing on
566
00:34:51,722 --> 00:34:55,125
is controller of a group
of priests.
567
00:34:55,226 --> 00:34:57,994
The document reveals part
of Senusret's
568
00:34:58,096 --> 00:35:00,897
elaborate plans
to achieve eternal life.
569
00:35:06,571 --> 00:35:10,006
To make sure his soul
lives on after his death,
570
00:35:11,642 --> 00:35:14,010
Senusret builds a temple
in the town.
571
00:35:17,148 --> 00:35:19,983
This is where the priests
come to worship the pharaoh
572
00:35:22,153 --> 00:35:25,689
and service his cult
so that he remains eternal.
573
00:35:27,859 --> 00:35:31,094
Groups of priests take turns,
574
00:35:31,195 --> 00:35:36,333
each spending a month in
the service of the dead king.
575
00:35:39,003 --> 00:35:41,938
They hold festivals with
dancers and music,
576
00:35:42,039 --> 00:35:44,608
keeping the pharaoh's
memory alive,
577
00:35:44,709 --> 00:35:47,244
ensuring he lives in
the afterlife.
578
00:35:50,615 --> 00:35:53,650
But Glenn believes that's not
how it works out.
579
00:35:55,720 --> 00:35:56,987
GODENHO: After a certain
amount of time,
580
00:35:57,088 --> 00:35:59,823
things move on,
memory starts to wane.
581
00:35:59,924 --> 00:36:01,658
New pharaohs have come
into place
582
00:36:01,759 --> 00:36:04,127
and died and are being buried.
583
00:36:04,228 --> 00:36:06,930
And so it's quite natural
that after a period of time,
584
00:36:07,031 --> 00:36:10,267
a pharaoh's cult
will stop being serviced.
585
00:36:12,270 --> 00:36:15,172
NARRATOR: The cult of Senusret
slips into oblivion.
586
00:36:17,141 --> 00:36:19,910
GODENHO: After about 100 years,
Lahun is abandoned,
587
00:36:20,011 --> 00:36:23,380
and these documents stop
referencing Senusret II,
588
00:36:23,481 --> 00:36:24,948
So it looks like
that's the point
589
00:36:25,049 --> 00:36:27,184
at which his memory's
starting to fade.
590
00:36:28,853 --> 00:36:30,887
NARRATOR: Can the end of
the pharaoh's cult
591
00:36:30,988 --> 00:36:34,658
also explain why
his pyramid lies in ruins?
592
00:36:45,770 --> 00:36:48,605
NARRATOR: The Pyramid of Lahun,
built by
593
00:36:48,706 --> 00:36:50,307
Pharaoh Senusret II,
594
00:36:52,076 --> 00:36:55,212
a megastructure like no other
in ancient Egypt.
595
00:36:58,082 --> 00:37:01,218
Its exterior is once
gleaming and white,
596
00:37:01,319 --> 00:37:03,320
made from the finest limestone.
597
00:37:03,421 --> 00:37:06,523
What you see here is not what
was originally built.
598
00:37:06,624 --> 00:37:09,259
So although it's still
very impressive,
599
00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:11,228
this is not
the magnificent monument
600
00:37:11,329 --> 00:37:14,064
that Senusret II had intended.
601
00:37:14,165 --> 00:37:18,235
NARRATOR: Surrounded by water,
it seems to float above the desert.
602
00:37:21,906 --> 00:37:25,775
The pyramid's original
limestone casing has long gone,
603
00:37:25,876 --> 00:37:28,812
exposing its mud brick
interior to the elements.
604
00:37:30,514 --> 00:37:33,450
Salima Ikram investigates
what happens to it.
605
00:37:36,687 --> 00:37:39,322
IKRAM: If there'd been a major
disaster like an earthquake,
606
00:37:39,423 --> 00:37:41,057
and it had a lot fallen off,
607
00:37:41,158 --> 00:37:45,028
you would see large blocks of
it everywhere, but you don't.
608
00:37:45,129 --> 00:37:47,030
Instead, we've got
these teeny weeny shards
609
00:37:47,131 --> 00:37:48,331
scattered over the place.
610
00:37:49,867 --> 00:37:53,336
Salima wants to know why.
611
00:37:55,172 --> 00:37:56,573
So it looks as if the pyramid
612
00:37:56,674 --> 00:37:59,476
must have been
very skillfully robbed
613
00:37:59,577 --> 00:38:02,445
for all of this limestone
to vanish.
614
00:38:04,148 --> 00:38:07,717
NARRATOR: The limestone has
been deliberately removed
615
00:38:07,818 --> 00:38:11,054
not by robbers,
but by officials.
616
00:38:12,723 --> 00:38:15,892
It was really taken away
deliberately, the skilled
617
00:38:15,993 --> 00:38:18,228
workmen systematically stripped
618
00:38:18,329 --> 00:38:20,363
this pyramid of its limestone
619
00:38:20,464 --> 00:38:22,932
and carted it off somewhere
to use it for something else.
620
00:38:24,201 --> 00:38:27,404
Who orders such
an act of vandalism?
621
00:38:27,505 --> 00:38:30,373
For answers,
Salima examines accounts
622
00:38:30,474 --> 00:38:32,842
of the first explorers.
623
00:38:32,943 --> 00:38:35,945
She finds an intriguing piece
of evidence...
624
00:38:36,047 --> 00:38:39,049
A cartouche,
an oval-shaped hieroglyph
625
00:38:39,150 --> 00:38:41,885
that contains the name of
a pharaoh.
626
00:38:41,986 --> 00:38:45,955
In this account, over 100 years
old, it says that
627
00:38:46,057 --> 00:38:47,924
the cartouche of Ramesses II
628
00:38:48,025 --> 00:38:51,227
was found scrawled
across the surface of a joint.
629
00:38:54,031 --> 00:38:56,700
NARRATOR: Ramesses II... one of
630
00:38:56,801 --> 00:38:59,636
the greatest pharaohs
in Egyptian history.
631
00:38:59,737 --> 00:39:02,372
He rules Egypt
in its golden age,
632
00:39:02,473 --> 00:39:06,676
500 years after
the death of Senusret.
633
00:39:08,045 --> 00:39:10,680
Ramesses glorifies his rule
by building
634
00:39:10,781 --> 00:39:13,149
a huge number of
astonishing monuments.
635
00:39:14,819 --> 00:39:15,652
Luxor,
636
00:39:18,622 --> 00:39:19,723
Karnak,
637
00:39:23,828 --> 00:39:24,794
Abu Simbel.
638
00:39:30,701 --> 00:39:32,902
But for these,
639
00:39:33,003 --> 00:39:34,704
he needs a lot of stone.
640
00:39:37,007 --> 00:39:40,610
IKRAM: Ramesses II was one of
the most prolific builders of
641
00:39:40,711 --> 00:39:42,011
all the pharaohs,
642
00:39:42,113 --> 00:39:44,013
and one of the reasons
he could do this was because
643
00:39:44,115 --> 00:39:46,616
he stole material
from his predecessors
644
00:39:46,717 --> 00:39:48,685
and also usurped
their monuments.
645
00:39:50,087 --> 00:39:53,456
NARRATOR: Ramesses makes
no attempt to hide his theft.
646
00:39:55,593 --> 00:39:58,461
IKRAM: Ramesses II probably
just put his cartouche there so
647
00:39:58,562 --> 00:40:01,231
everyone would know who had
taken the material, because he
648
00:40:01,332 --> 00:40:03,767
didn't think he was doing
anything wrong, and because,
649
00:40:03,868 --> 00:40:07,871
in fact, what he was doing was
linking himself with Senusret II
650
00:40:07,972 --> 00:40:09,305
as his ancestor.
651
00:40:15,212 --> 00:40:18,281
NARRATOR: And yet the legacy of
Senusret does live on.
652
00:40:21,452 --> 00:40:24,287
Farmers still grow huge
amounts of crops
653
00:40:24,388 --> 00:40:26,156
in the Fayoum today,
654
00:40:26,257 --> 00:40:28,958
the area the Pharaoh irrigates.
655
00:40:29,059 --> 00:40:31,161
IKRAM: His reign was marked
656
00:40:31,262 --> 00:40:35,465
by wonderful innovations
that really turned Egypt
657
00:40:35,566 --> 00:40:38,701
into an even more
agriculturally rich area.
658
00:40:40,037 --> 00:40:42,439
And he leaves us with
a stunning memorial...
659
00:40:44,041 --> 00:40:48,344
His pyramid,
built 4,000 years ago,
660
00:40:48,446 --> 00:40:50,613
still overlooking the Fayoum.
661
00:40:50,714 --> 00:40:54,217
It still towers above us
and dominates
662
00:40:54,318 --> 00:40:55,752
the surrounding landscape.
663
00:40:57,721 --> 00:41:01,224
NARRATOR: The pyramid at Lahun
is Egypt's strangest,
664
00:41:02,393 --> 00:41:05,495
once encircled by water,
so it appears to float.
665
00:41:07,798 --> 00:41:09,933
And deep inside, a maze of
666
00:41:10,034 --> 00:41:13,203
tunnels and decoys
to deter tomb robbers.
667
00:41:17,174 --> 00:41:20,143
This ancient engineering
marvel of mud brick
668
00:41:20,244 --> 00:41:23,046
and gleaming white limestone
669
00:41:23,147 --> 00:41:26,983
is an everlasting memorial
to Pharaoh Senusret II.
670
00:41:27,084 --> 00:41:34,157
♪♪
671
00:41:34,258 --> 00:41:42,258
♪♪
672
00:41:44,168 --> 00:41:52,168
♪♪
673
00:41:54,178 --> 00:42:02,085
♪♪
53343
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