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1
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NARRATOR: Ancient Egypt.
2
00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,394
For over 3000 years.
3
00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,831
the world's most vibrant
and puzzling civilisation
4
00:00:11,040 --> 00:00:14,112
flourished through war and peace.
5
00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:19,189
The Egyptians built great cities.
enduring monuments.
6
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:21,914
they advanced mathematics
and technology.
7
00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:26,113
Their astonishing legacy
survives to this day.
8
00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,556
What transformed a simple community
of riverside farmers
9
00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,275
into a great empire.
outlasting all others?
10
00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:38,914
Archaeologists have uncovered
new clues from Dynasty Zero.
11
00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,395
Egypt's very beginning.
12
00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:46,276
A 5000-year-old tablet
tells a fascinating tale
13
00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:49,517
of warfare just before
the founding of Egypt.
14
00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:53,030
But is it really
Egypt's birth certificate...
15
00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,310
or civilisation's oldest lie?
16
00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,274
Experts have begun to unravel
the mystery of what really happened.
17
00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:04,516
They are uncovering the truth
about the enigmatic King Narmer.
18
00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,598
the man who may have been
the first pharaoh.
19
00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,873
the man who possibly
created Egypt.
20
00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,718
Egypt around 3000 BC.
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00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,718
The time of Dynasty Zero.
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00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,639
Around one million people
live on the Nile -
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00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,274
fishermen. farmers. hunters.
24
00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,792
No single pharaoh rules
this divided country.
25
00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:39,956
Not yet.
26
00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,357
But history may hinge
on a royal messenger.
27
00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,553
He's been travelling
upstream on the Nile for weeks.
28
00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,277
He carries an urgent reply
to a message
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00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:59,393
sent by King Narmer.
the ruler of the country's south.
30
00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,910
The response could shape
the destiny of the entire country.
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00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:05,395
uniting it in peace...
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00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,356
or plunging it into war.
33
00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,793
King Narmer wants to expand his
increasingly powerful southern kingdom
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00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,072
to include the disparate tribes
of the north.
35
00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:21,033
But the principalities
of the delta in the north
36
00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,754
have always remained
beyond his reach.
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00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:29,318
Until recently. little was known about
this crucial period in Egypt's history.
38
00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:36,952
We are learning about Dynasty Zero
only for the past 10 or 15 years.
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00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:39,993
We had no idea prior to that time
40
00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:44,398
that there were kings.
powerful rulers. in Egypt.
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00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:49,718
King Narmer has demanded
that the northern tribes bow to his rule.
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00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:51,672
preferably without a fight.
43
00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:53,836
The messenger finally arrives
44
00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,077
with a response
the king has anxiously awaited.
45
00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,790
Control of the northern people would
magnify Narmer's power and wealth.
46
00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,514
But the news is disappointing.
47
00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:10,679
The tribal chiefs of the Nile Delta
defy his demands.
48
00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,474
They want to remain independent.
49
00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,356
But their decision apparently
won't quell Narmer's grand ambition
50
00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,120
to rule the whole of Egypt...
51
00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,914
all the way to the Mediterranean.
52
00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,318
Experts are just beginning
to speculate about Narmer's actions
53
00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:32,909
and his actual role in history.
54
00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:42,952
After five millennia. it's difficult
to separate fact from propaganda.
55
00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,913
Supposedly.
this relatively obscure king
56
00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:49,271
took up the simple spears
and stone clubs of his day
57
00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,153
and went to war.
vanquishing his enemies
58
00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:57,036
and uniting the tribes and towns
of Egypt into a single kingdom...
59
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:03,190
at least. according to what is now
known as the Narmer Palette.
60
00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,551
the most important source
from that time.
61
00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:11,515
The 5000-year-old stone inscription
shows Narmer wearing two crowns.
62
00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:13,711
representing all of Egypt.
63
00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:18,072
But does that mean
Egypt was founded by force?
64
00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,389
Some Egyptologists speculate
65
00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,070
that the tribal leaders had fought
each other for generations.
66
00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:47,033
But King Narmer sees
the bigger picture.
67
00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,073
He has consolidated his power
in the south
68
00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:54,512
and assembled several hundred men
to expand his domain.
69
00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:01,834
The king tells his men that the northern
tribes refuse to fall under his rule
70
00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,349
and that the time to strike is now.
71
00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:13,438
But Egyptologist Kent Weeks sees
another origin for the Egyptian empire.
72
00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:20,877
l think. myself. it was largely
a peaceful operation.
73
00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,952
And l think too that it was
something that was the result
74
00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,914
of a long period.
gradual period. of assimilation.
75
00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:34,432
l don't mean thousands of years
but l certainly mean several generations.
76
00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:41,239
during which time this gradual emergence
of a unified culture came about.
77
00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,837
Could Egypt be united in peace?
78
00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,669
Or would it take a vicious war
to bring the country together
79
00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,950
in a single empire?
80
00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:53,797
Was an act of suppression.
81
00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:59,074
an absolute victory over enemy peoples
necessary to create a great civilisation?
82
00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,915
The answer to this question is crucial
83
00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:07,716
to our understanding
the next 3000 years of Egyptian history.
84
00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:13,752
To find that answer.
85
00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:18,272
scholars must gather evidence
from every corner of the empire.
86
00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,119
The swampy lands of the Nile Delta
87
00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,869
swallowed the secrets
of this pre-dynastic period.
88
00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:30,514
But the southern desert
hides many surprises.
89
00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:35,271
including a political power centre
dating to Dynasty Zero -
90
00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,552
a place called Abydos.
91
00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,117
lt was a magical settlement.
92
00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:47,313
nestled in the desert lowlands
next to the Nile River Valley.
93
00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,389
ln this sacred centre.
94
00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,115
the graves of the first pharaohs
were discovered.
95
00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:05,071
And Abydos may help scientists
unravel how Egypt was founded.
96
00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:15,075
The excavation here
has been the life's work
97
00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,840
of Egyptologist Gunter Dreyer.
98
00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,953
The ancient ruins speak volumes
about early Egyptian architecture.
99
00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:31,510
But they're practically silent
about how Egypt was founded.
100
00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:37,276
These tombs. looted repeatedly
over the last 5000 years.
101
00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:40,278
hold little except broken pottery.
102
00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,755
Dreyer's team spent 30 years
103
00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,191
meticulously sifting
through mountains of sand.
104
00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,198
Some of the most spectacular finds
105
00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,436
are no larger than a fingernail.
106
00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:55,235
like this evidence of perhaps
the world's earliest writing.
107
00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,313
Next to the tombs
of the very first pharaohs
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00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:07,436
lie some of the oldest graves so far.
dating back to the 4th millennium BC.
109
00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,990
lt's here. at the edge
of this ancient cemetery.
110
00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:19,910
that archaeologists found the tomb
of the mysterious King Narmer.
111
00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:24,236
ln fact. it's surprisingly modest
112
00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,591
for the man who portrayed himself
as a great war leader
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00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,268
and founder of the Egyptian empire.
114
00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,597
And it wasn't even built to last.
115
00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:58,279
These photographs
from Dreyer's 1 g81 excavation
116
00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:02,234
show what Narmer's tomb
once looked like.
117
00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,675
lt consisted of two simple
brick-lined chambers.
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00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:12,192
one for a body.
one for a few funerary ornaments.
119
00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:17,076
Narmer's generic tomb
seems to contradict his grand claim
120
00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,192
as Egypt's unifier.
121
00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:24,508
Just a few hundred years later
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00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,518
Egyptian tombs would grow
to epic proportions.
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00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,156
taking thousands of workers
decades to complete.
124
00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,511
And entombed within them
were rulers so powerful
125
00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,393
they were venerated like gods.
126
00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:42,196
Such achievements were only possible
in a unified kingdom...
127
00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,029
with a single ruler.
128
00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,832
lf Narmer truly unified Egypt.
129
00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:54,031
one would think he'd rate
130
00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:57,596
that sort of monumental
funerary treatment for himself.
131
00:09:57,800 --> 00:09:59,950
But apparently not.
132
00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:05,796
Could Narmer's glory be nothing
but an elaborate fiction?
133
00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:10,470
Perhaps.
134
00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:16,398
The most important monument
to this king is the Narmer Palette.
135
00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:22,470
a document to recount a battle
that may or may not have happened.
136
00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:28,159
For the next 3000 years.
137
00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:31,955
every Egyptian king
portrayed himself as a victor.
138
00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:33,991
even if he never fought a war.
139
00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:37,317
Narmer may have been no different.
140
00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,153
There's another important centre
of Dynasty Zero
141
00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,557
that might help solve the mystery
of the Narmer Palette.
142
00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,912
lt's 250 kilometres south of Abydos...
143
00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,554
in Hierakonpolis.
144
00:10:55,720 --> 00:11:00,714
This city had a pivotal role
in the founding of the empire.
145
00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:08,874
For 500 years. this was one
of the great power centres of the south.
146
00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,117
a vital part of King Narmer's rule.
147
00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,359
And here. during the 1 gth century.
148
00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:24,552
archaeologists found the Narmer Palette.
149
00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,516
Archaeologist Renee Friedman
has been working at Hierakonpolis
150
00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:33,517
for more than a decade.
151
00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,554
piecing together the few remaining
traces of the ancient city.
152
00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,389
She and her team have
painstakingly assembled a picture
153
00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:44,717
of what this place
must have looked like.
154
00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:50,351
They've learned to tease
vital information from mundane ruins.
155
00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:54,678
Like this foundation
of a simple house.
156
00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:58,111
She can even determine
who it belonged to.
157
00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,470
This is a house of a potter
158
00:12:00,680 --> 00:12:04,559
who. fortunately for us.
burnt his house down with his own kiln.
159
00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,194
ensuring its incredible preservation
160
00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:11,837
because it's been cut into the native dirt.
161
00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,316
And otherwise it would have
eroded away. but because he burnt it
162
00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:19,832
and made it like pottery - it's red
like pottery now because of the fire -
163
00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,713
it's preserved it against
the wind and the elements.
164
00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:24,717
So we can see and get a feel
165
00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:28,310
for how the ancient Egyptians
at this time actually lived.
166
00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,158
Until tragedy burnished
his place in history.
167
00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,591
the potter lived with his family
in a simple clay house.
168
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like many of his neighbours.
169
00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:50,916
ln the adjacent shop. he produced pottery
for inhabitants of Hierakonpolis.
170
00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,829
at that time one of the greatest
settlements in the world.
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Nearly 1 0.000 people lived here.
172
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where a huge temple
dominated the city centre.
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00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:05,710
But fire isn't the only way
the structures of Hierakonpolis survived.
174
00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:12,680
Archaeologists have excavated remains
of central breweries and bakeries.
175
00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:21,118
The most remarkable discovery. however.
came from outside the city.
176
00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:25,757
lt's a cemetery for the Egyptian elite.
with about 200 tombs.
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00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,077
and not just people were buried here.
178
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Antelopes. two elephants
179
00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,313
and several dogs
have been found in the sand.
180
00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:39,196
With our elite. they were all buried
with many animals surrounding them.
181
00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:40,992
and it's unique in Egypt.
182
00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:43,555
We don't know exactly
why they chose to do this
183
00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:45,557
but we think it's a symbol of power.
184
00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:50,117
lt's a symbol of their wealth
and their control of nature.
185
00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:55,070
Their burial practices
may seem strange to us
186
00:13:55,280 --> 00:14:00,877
but life in Hierakonpolis
seems orderly and strikingly civilised.
187
00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:05,119
The city stretched for 5 kilometres
along the Nile.
188
00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,870
When most Europeans
still lived in fragmented settlements.
189
00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,709
the residents of Hierakonpolis
enjoyed a flourishing society
190
00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:18,912
based on trade and cooperation.
191
00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:27,591
And that suggests
that Narmer's battle never happened
192
00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:32,920
and that the Egyptians of the country's
north and south united peacefully.
193
00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,793
But it doesn't really prove it.
194
00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,515
To get to the truth.
we need to dig further back into history
195
00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,508
to discover where the ancient Egyptians
actually came from.
196
00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:46,792
The search for roots
of the very first Egyptians
197
00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:52,199
takes us 500 kilometres across
one of the driest deserts on earth...
198
00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,152
the Sahara.
199
00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,717
Prehistorian and climatologist
Rudolph Kuper
200
00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,515
has been exploring Africa's deserts
for over 30 years.
201
00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,314
Now he heads to the Gilf Kebir plateau
202
00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:09,354
to examine a cave
tourists discovered a few years ago.
203
00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:15,311
The drifting sands of the Sahara
have partially hidden the cave's interior.
204
00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:18,830
As the archaeologists go to work.
205
00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:24,751
they bring to light images
unseen for up to 9000 years.
206
00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,711
But Kuper and his team
have years of work ahead of them
207
00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:33,038
uncovering and interpreting
the significance of this site.
208
00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:38,670
lt may well be one of the world's
largest prehistoric paintings.
209
00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:43,358
The pictures on the cave walls
show ancient people dancing.
210
00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:47,599
like snapshots
from a vivacious prehistoric world.
211
00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:52,510
Strange creatures.
beasts without heads...
212
00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:58,597
hunters chasing deer.
children at play.
213
00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,839
And animals
not associated with the desert...
214
00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:06,431
antelopes. ostriches. even giraffes.
215
00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:24,350
But who lived here. and why.
remains a mystery.
216
00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,152
Prehistorians Heiko Riemer
and Franziska Bartz
217
00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:31,635
are part of the expedition.
218
00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:37,675
Everywhere. they've discovered evidence
of early human habitation.
219
00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,759
As they carefully examine
the area around the cave.
220
00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,157
they make some surprising discoveries.
221
00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:56,237
Layers of sediment -
deposits of an ancient lake -
222
00:16:56,440 --> 00:17:00,831
reveal why people could live
in this deserted area long ago.
223
00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,555
The landscape looked
very different back then.
224
00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:11,995
9000 years ago. the climate here
supported a savannah.
225
00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:18,830
Giant herds roamed
the fertile plains of North Africa.
226
00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:27,357
For 4000 years. human hunter-gatherers
had more than enough to eat.
227
00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,552
Then the rains stopped.
228
00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,514
The savannah turned to desert.
229
00:17:54,760 --> 00:18:00,710
As the Sahara dried out. it became
the motive force of Egyptian history.
230
00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,879
The expanding desert
drove humans before it.
231
00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,550
Their search for water
took them to the Nile.
232
00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,593
where they stopped and settled.
233
00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:16,392
Many generations later.
234
00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:21,549
the people of the Nile constructed
some of antiquity's greatest buildings
235
00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:27,278
and became one of history's
longest-lived civilisations.
236
00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:31,268
A civilisation forged
from diverse. embattled tribes
237
00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:33,311
by the power of King Narmer...
238
00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:38,279
at least.
according to the Narmer Palette.
239
00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:44,115
Now. the king's soldiers
prepare for war.
240
00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:48,359
Their weapons include not just lances
and maces. but also bows and arrows.
241
00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:52,473
like their ancestors
hundreds of years ago in the savannah.
242
00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:58,277
They train well.
always ready for battle.
243
00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,152
Narmer. his country's
most senior warrior.
244
00:19:03,360 --> 00:19:06,557
senses that war there will be.
245
00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:23,236
And when it comes.
he is prepared to lead.
246
00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:29,276
But more than a military leader.
247
00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,631
Narmer controls
just about everything else as well.
248
00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:38,676
Taxes. religion and the annual harvest
fall under his command.
249
00:19:42,360 --> 00:19:44,078
As the chief administrator.
250
00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:47,795
he travels with his family
through the kingdom of the south.
251
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:52,915
The wellbeing of his subjects
falls squarely on his shoulders.
252
00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:59,909
But there is one thing he can't control.
253
00:20:00,120 --> 00:20:02,953
one thing even more powerful
than himself...
254
00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,629
the mighty Nile.
255
00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,628
The rising and falling tides
of this gigantic river
256
00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:20,311
determine the welfare
of the whole country.
257
00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:24,636
Jutting into the Nile River.
258
00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:29,960
the island of Elephantine
marks Egypt's southern border.
259
00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,357
The early Egyptians considered it
the source of the Nile
260
00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:36,358
and. therefore. all life.
261
00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:42,159
As early as Dynasty Zero.
pilgrims flock to Elephantine.
262
00:20:42,360 --> 00:20:45,272
one of the oldest sacred sites in Egypt.
263
00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:48,870
They come to worship
the goddess of the Nile floods...
264
00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:52,992
Satet.
265
00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,918
Called ''the donor of the cool water
which springs from Elephantine''.
266
00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:01,908
Satet plays a pivotal role
in Egyptian life.
267
00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:10,839
The real sources of the Nile
weren't discovered until the 1 gth century.
268
00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:18,476
Some of its water springs from
the mountains of Ethiopia.
269
00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:24,118
lt feeds into the Blue Nile. providing
almost 60% of the Nile's volume.
270
00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:30,033
And there's a second tributary -
the White Nile in Sudan.
271
00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,953
lt's here that one can see
what the Nile looked like
272
00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,391
at the time of the first Egyptians.
273
00:21:40,360 --> 00:21:46,799
A menagerie of African animals
thrived in the river's fertile flood plains.
274
00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,553
Papyrus and lotus plants
flourished in the marshes.
275
00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:02,956
At Khartoum in the Sudan.
276
00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,390
the White and the Blue Nile merge
277
00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:09,195
to form the longest river in the world.
278
00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:12,432
And once a year.
279
00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,950
the river lets loose its fury like no other.
280
00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:21,109
delivering bounty - or destruction -
along its entire path.
281
00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:28,790
Each summer. weeks of severe rainfall
in the Ethiopian highlands
282
00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,276
swell the waters of the Nile
enormously.
283
00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:41,075
Kilometre by kilometre.
the flood advances northward.
284
00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,909
leaving only small islands
poking above the water.
285
00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:48,950
Depending on the amount of rainfall.
286
00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:53,790
the water rises
between 2 and 8 metres.
287
00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,915
The floodwaters
finally swallow the Nile Delta.
288
00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:03,510
turning much of it
into a shallow lake.
289
00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:11,910
For some of the first settlers.
the flooding Nile often meant disaster.
290
00:23:12,120 --> 00:23:16,113
lf they built their house on low-lying land.
they could lose everything.
291
00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:20,518
To survive. they had to learn
to live with the flood...
292
00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:22,517
and use it.
293
00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,832
The ancient Egyptians learned fast.
294
00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:32,111
At the time of Dynasty Zero.
295
00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:36,950
they would wait keenly at Elephantine
for the first sign of the flood.
296
00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:43,672
Their descendants
even built a Nilometer.
297
00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:28,793
For the ancient Egyptians. the height
of the water is no random event.
298
00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:34,711
lt flows as a blessing - or a curse -
directly from their gods.
299
00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:38,710
The people must be worthy.
300
00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:43,436
As the water surges.
it carries hope along with it.
301
00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,871
The king is crucial to the process.
302
00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:52,715
lf he displeases the gods.
his people will perish.
303
00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:56,119
So King Narmer performs
spiritual ceremonies
304
00:24:56,320 --> 00:25:00,199
to ensure that the floodwaters
flow in the proper volumes
305
00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,710
to bring a healthy harvest each year.
306
00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:10,959
The rising waters renew the annual bond
between the gods and the people.
307
00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:14,754
And to ensure this great gift
isn't squandered.
308
00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:19,158
Narmer has to see
that the water is properly managed.
309
00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:25,079
Controlling the Nile flood. ensuring
there were healthy crops each year.
310
00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:28,352
was one of the many duties
that fell on the pharaoh.
311
00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:34,715
lt was his task to ensure that the gods
treated us properly by raising the Nile -
312
00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:38,469
not too much. not too little.
but just enough for a good flood -
313
00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,639
by producing adequate crops
to provide surplus foods
314
00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:46,196
for trade. and in case
of emergencies and so forth.
315
00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:51,549
The river brought dual gifts
to the people of Egypt -
316
00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,115
not one. but two great elements
317
00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:58,319
essential for the development
of an advanced culture.
318
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,914
This is the reason Egyptian civilisation
could exist. the River Nile.
319
00:26:04,120 --> 00:26:07,271
lt not only provided water.
essential for all life.
320
00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:12,395
but every year about a millimetre
of fresh Nile silts were deposited
321
00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:14,397
over the landscape of Egypt.
322
00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:16,556
The nutrients in these silts
made possible
323
00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:20,639
the richest agricultural landscape
on the face of the planet.
324
00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:25,395
And the Nile silt does more
than just feed the fields.
325
00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:27,636
This muddy sediment
326
00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:31,628
provides the building materials
for huts and palaces.
327
00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:35,833
Whole cities rise from mud bricks.
328
00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:40,470
ln its marshes. papyrus flourishes.
329
00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:44,559
providing the raw material
for the very first paper...
330
00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:47,949
for the chronicles of the scribes...
331
00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,149
the letters of the living...
332
00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,678
and the books of the dead.
333
00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:06,117
But mud alone can't guarantee
a good harvest.
334
00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:11,440
People have to learn
how to manage the Nile's great gift.
335
00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:14,950
Through dams. reservoirs
and irrigation canals.
336
00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,118
the Egyptians learn
to manage their agriculture.
337
00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,790
simply but very effectively.
338
00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:26,479
Even today. many farmers along the Nile
use the same time-proven methods
339
00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:28,591
as their ancestors.
340
00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:34,108
The ancient Egyptians
recognise only three seasons...
341
00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,437
Flood. Planting and Harvest.
342
00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,195
That's all that matters.
343
00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:46,315
Each sowing season. they plant
an area of 2.5 million hectares.
344
00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,552
A ceremonial mace
from the time of Dynasty Zero
345
00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:55,276
shows a king inaugurating
an irrigation canal.
346
00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,995
The opening of the sluice gate
is a ritual reserved for the king.
347
00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,795
lt demonstrates the reverence
of the ancient Egyptians
348
00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,719
for the mighty and temperamental river.
349
00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:09,271
After the flood subsides.
350
00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:13,951
the stored water
is channelled to irrigate the fields.
351
00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:20,953
ln the rich soil of the Nile valley.
352
00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,596
the wheat grows faster
than anywhere else in the world.
353
00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:28,190
producing enough grain to feed
an estimated one million people
354
00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:31,278
at the time of Dynasty Zero.
355
00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:39,957
Ancient tomb paintings
depict cattle breeding
356
00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:45,280
and the bounty that Egypt's
agricultural society relied on.
357
00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:53,034
Grain becomes the country's currency
358
00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,949
and also Egypt's most important export.
359
00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:01,316
Early on. the Egyptians realised
360
00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:06,594
that cooperation amongst themselves
was going to be key to their success.
361
00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:10,156
And by success. l mean
having agricultural surpluses
362
00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:12,555
that could see them
through the bad times
363
00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:15,274
or having the ability
to repair damage
364
00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,870
that might be caused by a flood
that was a bit too high.
365
00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:22,993
This kind of cooperative effort also
provided something extremely important
366
00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:28,069
and that was the ability for specialists
to develop in Egyptian society.
367
00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:34,069
The Nile provides
more than bumper harvests.
368
00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:36,748
lt is also the country's main thoroughfare.
369
00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:43,030
With no regular roads
to connect the Egyptian towns.
370
00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:45,800
people rely on the Nile to get around.
371
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,594
Boats are indispensable.
372
00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:51,598
for food and transportation.
373
00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:56,237
The Nile provides a dual lifeline
for the people of Dynasty Zero.
374
00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:01,393
By boat. Narmer and his family
visit the entire kingdom.
375
00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:04,512
Every village is in easy reach.
376
00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,196
They travel south using wind power.
377
00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:16,393
When they go back north.
they're carried by the current.
378
00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,515
The wind is faster than the current.
379
00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:23,474
One cruises upstream
at about 4 kilometres an hour.
380
00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,358
Travelling from the delta to the far south
381
00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:31,313
takes just 30 days.
382
00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:40,479
Hundreds of model boats
have been found in Egyptian tombs.
383
00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,958
a testimony to their value.
even in the afterlife.
384
00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:51,713
Boats can carry crops. building materials.
people - and their ideas.
385
00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:54,718
Everyone possesses a boat.
386
00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:00,795
The farmers and fishermen
use small papyrus boats.
387
00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:05,869
They're perfectly adequate for crossing
from one bank of the Nile to the other.
388
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,197
For longer journeys.
they sail in more substantial vessels
389
00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:15,520
built from tougher materials. with more
sophisticated construction methods.
390
00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:19,114
These are boats built out of
wooden planks. and we know that
391
00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:23,438
not only by their shape but because
we found one from about the same age.
392
00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:25,551
These wooden planks
are held together
393
00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:28,911
in a way that nobody else
in the world has built boats
394
00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:33,671
and it's a way that actually reflects
the construction of the papyrus raft.
395
00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:39,709
The Egyptians built their earliest boats
by lashing papyrus reeds together.
396
00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:42,070
lifting the ends out of the water
397
00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:45,750
and forming a crescent
to cut through the waves.
398
00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:57,310
A straw roof gave shelter
and oars steered.
399
00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:06,310
The first wooden boats mimicked
the shape of the papyrus boats
400
00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:09,512
and were constructed in the same way.
401
00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:17,876
Wooden planks were sown together
with straps made of grass or papyrus.
402
00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:21,868
They were strong enough to haul
heavy cargo over long distances.
403
00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:26,437
But they could also be taken apart
and carried over land.
404
00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:31,111
They formed the backbone of
the Egyptian trade and transport system
405
00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:34,312
which began during Dynasty Zero.
406
00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:38,033
Boats were the major means
of transportation.
407
00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:41,198
And having said that.
they were also a major means
408
00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:45,871
of bringing together the country.
of unifying the country.
409
00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:52,437
According to most
of the archaeological evidence.
410
00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:54,232
5000 years ago.
411
00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:58,991
a prosperous agricultural and trading
society flourished peacefully
412
00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,555
along the banks of the Nile.
413
00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,995
But one would never guess that.
looking at the Narmer Palette.
414
00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,309
The stone is a monument to war
415
00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:11,909
with graphic depictions of violence.
416
00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:13,792
the slaughter of enemies
417
00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:17,470
and prisoners bound through their noses.
418
00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:20,668
How can both accounts be right?
419
00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:25,590
How can archaeologists
reconcile the contradictions?
420
00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:32,193
The Narmer Palette was discovered
in the temple of Hierakonpolis.
421
00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:36,279
so archaeologists believe
King Narmer offered it to Horus.
422
00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:40,712
the god of kings.
to whom the temple was dedicated.
423
00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:49,553
The Palette proclaims that Narmer.
the ''unifier of both lands''.
424
00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,991
laid the foundation for a great future.
425
00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:57,149
But this could be part
of the official cult of the king
426
00:33:57,360 --> 00:33:59,555
rather than historical reality.
427
00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:05,437
Narmer's great battle could be
a metaphor. or an exaggeration.
428
00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:12,117
ln Cairo. Belgian Egyptologist
Stan Hendrickx
429
00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:16,199
is allowed to examine the Narmer Palette
for the first time in 1 00 years.
430
00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:22,635
The tiniest detail could provide clues
about events of 5000 years ago.
431
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,993
He and his team assess the data
in their research facility in Belgium.
432
00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:36,557
Perhaps some overlooked detail
could solve the great mystery
433
00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:40,469
that has confounded Egyptologists
for decades.
434
00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:47,234
ls the Narmer Palette...
does it refer to historical facts
435
00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:52,833
or is it only a symbolic representation
of the power of Egyptian kings
436
00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:56,237
and of the violence
that is related to this power?
437
00:34:56,920 --> 00:34:59,718
But even with precise copies
of the reliefs.
438
00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:02,195
the images remain cryptic.
439
00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:06,439
There's a figure with papyrus
growing out of its back - the enemy -
440
00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:10,269
but we still don't know anything
about him apart from his name.
441
00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:12,869
Yet the weight of the evidence.
Hendrickx believes.
442
00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:16,629
suggests that the war really happened.
443
00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:23,352
There are too many details
referring to apparently specific places.
444
00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:31,114
A specific person who... the name
of his principal victim is mentioned.
445
00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:33,993
There are too many
of this kind of details
446
00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:38,079
to accept that it's just
a purely symbolic representation.
447
00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:41,516
ln his headquarters in Abydos.
448
00:35:41,720 --> 00:35:44,234
Professor Gunter Dreyer
searches for evidence
449
00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:47,318
among the fragments
he has excavated.
450
00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:54,634
Most of these ivory and clay tablets
refer to shipments of oil and wheat.
451
00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:02,798
But the oldest of them
has some special information.
452
00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:07,034
lt dates an oil delivery to a specific year...
453
00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:09,957
''The year...
454
00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:13,311
''that Narmer... defeated
455
00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:15,795
''the Papyrus people.''
456
00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:21,988
This tiny piece of clay
has rewritten history.
457
00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:52,832
Proof at last that descriptions of
violence and warfare from Dynasty Zero
458
00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:55,554
are more than simply mythical.
459
00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:09,878
Archaeologist Maria Gatto.
working deep in southern Egypt.
460
00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:12,514
has found more evidence.
461
00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:17,037
Rock art. long thought lost.
462
00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:22,633
that tells of a king whose power
reached all corners of the kingdom.
463
00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:27,678
These pictures have been vandalised
over recent decades.
464
00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:32,836
Luckily. they were photographed
many years ago.
465
00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:40,195
To study the pictures better.
466
00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:42,834
Maria Gatto has
transcribed them onto paper.
467
00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:48,478
The drawings show an impressive.
sweeping royal procession.
468
00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:53,754
There was a king
with the white crown and a stick.
469
00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:56,315
Then there was
a fan-bearer behind him
470
00:37:56,520 --> 00:37:58,351
and then there was a dog
in the centre.
471
00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:01,870
So because of this iconographic
connection with the Narmer Palette
472
00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:04,913
and because of
this presence of the dog.
473
00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:07,873
we're wondering if this king
might be Narmer.
474
00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:13,351
Perhaps King Narmer wanted
to impose his authority here too.
475
00:38:13,560 --> 00:38:16,233
far from the centre of his power.
476
00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:19,955
Many other similar depictions
have been found across the region.
477
00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,628
A reminder of who was in charge.
478
00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:26,831
And so it seems likely
479
00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:31,158
that King Narmer
did unify Egypt by force.
480
00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:37,152
When the north refuses
to succumb to the rule of the south.
481
00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:39,635
King Narmer plans for war.
482
00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:54,709
Controlling the north is now essential
for the rulers of the south.
483
00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,878
As their prosperity
and population have grown.
484
00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:01,117
so has southern demand
for luxury goods
485
00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:05,313
that can only be supplied
via the Near East.
486
00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:27,194
Narmer and his invading army
set off on the long march north
487
00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:29,914
through unforgiving terrain.
488
00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:35,870
The locals watch anxiously
as Narmer's warriors pass.
489
00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:43,951
The Papyrus people are determined
to preserve their independence.
490
00:39:45,400 --> 00:39:47,994
But Narmer has other plans...
491
00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:51,351
and hundreds of warriors behind him.
492
00:39:54,960 --> 00:40:00,353
We now know that the Narmer Palette
depicts actual historical events.
493
00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:03,552
The outcome of Narmer's battle
against the Papyrus people
494
00:40:03,760 --> 00:40:07,594
unifies and transforms Egypt.
495
00:40:11,840 --> 00:40:16,197
This is one of the first great battles
ever recorded.
496
00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:21,473
Somewhere in the Nile Delta.
5000 years ago.
497
00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:24,877
King Narmer's royal forces of the south
498
00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:28,914
clash with the principalities
of the delta to the north
499
00:40:29,120 --> 00:40:32,271
in a battle without mercy.
500
00:40:33,040 --> 00:40:36,316
At stake is the independence
of the northern people.
501
00:40:38,160 --> 00:40:43,154
But eventually.
Narmer and his army triumph.
502
00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:52,392
One of Narmer's ceremonial maces
shows a victory parade.
503
00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:56,195
Narmer sits under a canopy
with the crown of Egypt.
504
00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:59,233
his standard bearers behind him.
505
00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:05,355
The hieroglyphics record the booty...
506
00:41:06,120 --> 00:41:09,590
1 20.000 captives.
507
00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:13,195
more than a million goats.
508
00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:16,359
400.000 cattle.
509
00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:18,718
On the Narmer Palette.
510
00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:22,469
the king inspects
the lines of enemy dead.
511
00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:27,434
They've been beheaded...
and castrated.
512
00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:32,469
Warfare is not only violence
but also psychology.
513
00:41:33,720 --> 00:41:38,111
So... humiliation of your opponent
514
00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:43,189
may break the resistance
of your opponent.
515
00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:47,358
For Narmer. victory is complete.
516
00:41:47,560 --> 00:41:51,792
On the front of the Palette.
he wears the crown of Upper Egypt.
517
00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:56,753
On the back. the crown of Lower Egypt.
518
00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:07,155
King Narmer has finished
what his predecessors began...
519
00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:10,636
the unification of the empire.
520
00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:14,037
And to symbolise that unity.
521
00:42:14,240 --> 00:42:18,074
the two crowns of Lower and Upper Egypt
are combined into one.
522
00:42:18,280 --> 00:42:22,831
From now on. and for at least
3000 years to come.
523
00:42:23,040 --> 00:42:25,031
every pharaoh will wear it.
524
00:42:25,240 --> 00:42:28,869
Something truly new has begun.
525
00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:50,151
Narmer's victory ushers in 3000 years -
31 dynasties - of god-like pharaohs.
526
00:42:50,360 --> 00:42:54,478
Great names will follow.
names we still remember...
527
00:42:55,360 --> 00:42:56,998
Thutmose...
528
00:42:58,640 --> 00:43:00,358
Amenhotep...
529
00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:03,478
Akhenaten...
530
00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:05,759
Ramses...
531
00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:08,958
Hatshepsut...
532
00:43:09,160 --> 00:43:11,549
and many others.
533
00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:19,036
At last. the lotus of the south
534
00:43:19,240 --> 00:43:22,073
and the papyrus of the north are linked.
535
00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:27,352
From now on.
the pharaoh's most important task
536
00:43:27,560 --> 00:43:32,714
is to protect the unity of the kingdom
and to defend its borders.
537
00:43:37,520 --> 00:43:42,230
Egypt has become
the first territorial state in history -
538
00:43:42,440 --> 00:43:45,034
the first empire.
539
00:43:46,920 --> 00:43:52,438
Before long. the country subdivides
into administrative districts. the nomes...
540
00:43:52,640 --> 00:43:54,392
22 in the north.
541
00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:56,397
20 in the south.
542
00:43:58,040 --> 00:44:01,589
When King Narmer dies.
after a successful reign.
543
00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:03,711
the entire country mourns.
544
00:44:07,720 --> 00:44:12,510
ln Abydos. Narmer's body
begins its final journey.
545
00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:17,879
Even here.
at the time of Dynasty Zero.
546
00:44:18,080 --> 00:44:22,949
the people of Egypt believe
that death is the portal to eternal life.
547
00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:27,995
Mummification is important.
but not yet perfected.
548
00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:31,510
Beneath the desert sand.
549
00:44:31,720 --> 00:44:35,156
an eternal home receives
the crudely preserved body
550
00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:37,510
of the founder of the kingdom.
551
00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:48,117
Burial here is a simple affair
compared to what would come later.
552
00:44:56,800 --> 00:45:02,272
The end of Narmer's reign
marks the beginning of a new era.
553
00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:11,392
By the next generation. royal tombs
are growing considerably larger.
554
00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:20,433
At Abydos. construction starts
on a new cemetery area.
555
00:45:22,360 --> 00:45:27,309
The necropolis of the first pharaohs
of a unified empire.
556
00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:50,033
The kings - now pharaohs -
are no longer obsessed with war.
557
00:45:50,240 --> 00:45:54,028
but with eternal life
awaiting them in the beyond.
558
00:45:54,920 --> 00:45:59,869
And so they turn their architectural
ambitions to the construction of tombs.
559
00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:10,035
Each successive pharaoh will build
a grander underground tomb.
560
00:46:11,640 --> 00:46:16,395
And the monuments above them
will reach new. extravagant heights.
561
00:46:18,440 --> 00:46:21,989
They culminate in the pyramids.
562
00:46:22,200 --> 00:46:28,594
an expression of the glory and power
of the united Egyptian state.
563
00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:33,269
The pyramids dazzled visitors then.
564
00:46:33,480 --> 00:46:36,278
as they still do today.
565
00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:38,277
Born out of warfare.
566
00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:44,316
Egypt's peaceful and collaborative
traditions ultimately prevailed.
567
00:46:44,520 --> 00:46:48,832
The blessings of the Nile
gave rise to a civilisation of plenty
568
00:46:49,040 --> 00:46:53,272
where ample food
created a wealthy culture.
569
00:46:55,720 --> 00:46:58,792
Civilisation sprouted and flourished.
570
00:46:59,480 --> 00:47:03,758
united under godlike kings.
571
00:47:05,080 --> 00:47:09,392
The Age of the Pharaohs had begun.
572
00:47:35,800 --> 00:47:39,349
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