1 00:00:08,648 --> 00:00:11,438 For 5,000 years this land, Egypt, 2 00:00:11,438 --> 00:00:15,118 and the epic civilisation it gave birth to 3 00:00:15,118 --> 00:00:19,018 has been shaped by one thing more than any other. 4 00:00:19,018 --> 00:00:20,917 This awesome river. 5 00:00:22,328 --> 00:00:23,808 The River Nile. 6 00:00:25,837 --> 00:00:30,318 The Nile helped temples to rise... 7 00:00:30,318 --> 00:00:32,847 ...Pharaohs to rule... 8 00:00:32,847 --> 00:00:34,648 ...and pyramids to be built. 9 00:00:36,047 --> 00:00:39,748 Without the Nile, there'd have been no ancient Egypt. 10 00:00:41,538 --> 00:00:45,138 So I'm making the historical journey of a lifetime. 11 00:00:46,828 --> 00:00:52,937 A 900 mile adventure along the Nile across the whole of Egypt. 12 00:00:52,937 --> 00:00:56,008 I'll explore Egypt's greatest achievements... 13 00:00:56,008 --> 00:00:58,218 It is truly wonderful, isn't it? 14 00:00:58,218 --> 00:01:01,828 ...and find treasures hidden for thousands of years. 15 00:01:01,828 --> 00:01:04,187 Oh, my God. That's a sheer drop down there. 16 00:01:04,187 --> 00:01:07,548 This is my chance to travel this fabulous land... 17 00:01:07,548 --> 00:01:09,348 Oh, lovely. 18 00:01:09,348 --> 00:01:12,208 ...and experience it as the ancient Egyptian's did... 19 00:01:12,208 --> 00:01:14,648 "from the River Nile. 20 00:01:14,648 --> 00:01:18,857 From Pharaohs to slaves, from facts to fantasies, 21 00:01:18,857 --> 00:01:21,138 I want to explore first hand 22 00:01:21,138 --> 00:01:24,067 and to understand how this river shaped 23 00:01:24,067 --> 00:01:28,548 one of the world's first and greatest civilisations. 24 00:01:29,708 --> 00:01:37,018 Join me as I uncover 5,000 years of history along the River Nile. 25 00:01:44,107 --> 00:01:47,468 I'm almost 600 miles into my journey up the Nile... 26 00:01:47,468 --> 00:01:48,908 ...and all along the way, 27 00:01:48,908 --> 00:01:51,778 I've been given the warmest of Egyptian welcomes. 28 00:01:51,778 --> 00:01:56,857 Hello. Hello. Good luck. Hope you have a good day. 29 00:01:56,857 --> 00:01:59,708 Betanny! Betanny! Salaam. Salaam. 30 00:02:01,977 --> 00:02:05,898 Showing kindness to strangers is a huge part of Egyptian culture. 31 00:02:08,578 --> 00:02:10,908 Thank you. You're welcome. 32 00:02:10,908 --> 00:02:13,888 It looks like a lovely breakfast. Isn't this amazing? 33 00:02:13,888 --> 00:02:16,328 Wherever you go, the people on the banks invite you 34 00:02:16,328 --> 00:02:19,157 to come and share their food. It is such a beautiful thing. 35 00:02:20,598 --> 00:02:23,328 And of course Egypt's hospitality has been matched 36 00:02:23,328 --> 00:02:25,987 by the wealth of its epic history. 37 00:02:27,117 --> 00:02:29,947 I'm now on the final leg of my journey, 38 00:02:29,947 --> 00:02:34,187 where arguably the river is at its most beautiful, 39 00:02:34,187 --> 00:02:38,578 and you can explore ancient Egypt at the very height of its powers. 40 00:02:45,298 --> 00:02:48,698 I'm now well past the famous sites of Luxor, 41 00:02:48,698 --> 00:02:51,937 and heading to the intriguing treasures of southern Egypt. 42 00:02:53,698 --> 00:02:57,558 In beautiful Aswan, with its island temples. 43 00:02:57,558 --> 00:03:00,268 I'll have to say goodbye to my lovely dahabiya boat... 44 00:03:01,987 --> 00:03:04,708 ...before crossing the Aswan Dam to end my journey 45 00:03:04,708 --> 00:03:10,268 on the shores of Lake Nasser, at the world famous temple of Abu Simbel. 46 00:03:16,308 --> 00:03:18,308 30 miles north of Aswan, though, 47 00:03:18,308 --> 00:03:21,658 I'm enjoying the familiar rhythm of life on the river. 48 00:03:23,918 --> 00:03:25,668 But there was a time when the locals 49 00:03:25,668 --> 00:03:29,758 wouldn't have looked quite so relaxed near the water's edge, 50 00:03:29,758 --> 00:03:33,148 thanks to the presence of a ferocious predator. 51 00:03:34,747 --> 00:03:37,638 If I'd been sailing down here at the time of the ancient Egyptians, 52 00:03:37,638 --> 00:03:41,148 all these banks would have been thick with crocodiles. 53 00:03:41,148 --> 00:03:43,348 I mean thousands and thousands of them. 54 00:03:43,348 --> 00:03:47,708 And this was a huge problem for the people who lived on the river. 55 00:03:47,708 --> 00:03:51,558 Crocodiles have now been hunted out of existence here, 56 00:03:51,558 --> 00:03:55,588 but for ancient Egyptians who travelled on the Nile, 57 00:03:55,588 --> 00:03:59,508 fished in it, swam in it... 58 00:03:59,508 --> 00:04:01,798 ...and drank from it, 59 00:04:01,798 --> 00:04:05,438 there was a constant threat lurking just beneath the surface. 60 00:04:07,987 --> 00:04:09,428 The Egyptians were very clever 61 00:04:09,428 --> 00:04:12,268 and they knew that they had to keep their enemies close, 62 00:04:12,268 --> 00:04:15,708 so they ended up actually worshipping crocodiles. 63 00:04:15,708 --> 00:04:18,348 And sometimes they were kept in temples, 64 00:04:18,348 --> 00:04:19,857 they were dressed in jewellery 65 00:04:19,857 --> 00:04:23,468 and we're told that they were given wine and cakes to eat. 66 00:04:25,668 --> 00:04:29,997 In fact, the Nile's ultimate predator inspired my next stop. 67 00:04:29,997 --> 00:04:31,428 Kom Ombo. 68 00:04:31,428 --> 00:04:34,918 This temple was built towards the end of the ancient Egyptian era, 69 00:04:34,918 --> 00:04:38,867 2,300 years ago, by the family of Cleopatra... 70 00:04:41,588 --> 00:04:46,478 ...and it was here that the crocodile-headed god Sobek was worshipped. 71 00:04:52,067 --> 00:04:54,268 So there he is with his human body. 72 00:04:54,268 --> 00:04:57,348 Very realistically done. He's got lovely knobbly knees. 73 00:04:57,348 --> 00:05:03,028 But that mad crocodile head and his sceptre, his staff of power. 74 00:05:07,708 --> 00:05:09,987 But I'm here because, for the past year, 75 00:05:09,987 --> 00:05:12,278 a team of archaeologists has been working 76 00:05:12,278 --> 00:05:14,228 to save Kom Ombo from rising water, 77 00:05:14,228 --> 00:05:17,598 which threatens to damage the temple and its foundations. 78 00:05:21,358 --> 00:05:24,838 It's given the team an amazing chance to dig through layers 79 00:05:24,838 --> 00:05:26,937 and layers of Egyptian history. 80 00:05:28,548 --> 00:05:31,258 So I've made my way round to the back of the temple. 81 00:05:31,258 --> 00:05:32,618 This is the outside wall. 82 00:05:32,618 --> 00:05:35,177 And the reason I'm here is that I've had a call 83 00:05:35,177 --> 00:05:37,208 from one of the archaeologists working here 84 00:05:37,208 --> 00:05:40,727 to say that they've just discovered something rather exciting. 85 00:05:41,967 --> 00:05:47,088 The mission is being led by archaeologist Dr Abdul Moneim Saeed. 86 00:05:47,088 --> 00:05:49,768 Hi. Bettany. Nice to meet you. How are you doing? 87 00:05:49,768 --> 00:05:51,967 Welcome here in Kom Ombo. So what have you found? 88 00:05:51,967 --> 00:05:54,388 During their digging on the other side over there, 89 00:05:54,388 --> 00:05:56,197 they found a group of steles. 90 00:05:56,197 --> 00:05:58,678 So, like big stone... Big stone. ..slabs. 91 00:05:58,678 --> 00:06:01,508 And we have just uncovered eight of them. 92 00:06:01,508 --> 00:06:04,228 Can I come and have a look? Of course, why not. Thank you. 93 00:06:05,947 --> 00:06:08,908 Steles were like giant stone message boards 94 00:06:08,908 --> 00:06:11,285 used to make public announcements, 95 00:06:11,285 --> 00:06:13,944 so I'm hoping these finds might reveal something new 96 00:06:13,944 --> 00:06:16,964 about life here in ancient Egypt. 97 00:06:16,964 --> 00:06:18,794 How amazing. 98 00:06:18,794 --> 00:06:22,125 Don't know if you can see, it's an enormous slab of stone. 99 00:06:22,125 --> 00:06:24,435 And the slab is not alone. 100 00:06:24,435 --> 00:06:28,005 For some reason, several steles, some in pieces, 101 00:06:28,005 --> 00:06:30,934 had been buried beneath the wall of the temple. 102 00:06:33,255 --> 00:06:35,255 You had no idea these were down here? 103 00:06:35,255 --> 00:06:37,615 No. No idea. How brilliant. 104 00:06:40,615 --> 00:06:43,844 Looks like a seriously dangerous job down there because... 105 00:06:43,844 --> 00:06:46,844 Can you tell how much this weighs? What do you think? 106 00:06:46,844 --> 00:06:50,555 Almost three tonnes. Three tonnes? Yes. 107 00:06:50,555 --> 00:06:53,085 Oh, that's exciting. Very exciting. 108 00:06:53,085 --> 00:06:56,575 We're going to be the first people to hear what it says 109 00:06:56,575 --> 00:06:59,645 for 2,000 years. of course, yes. 110 00:06:59,645 --> 00:07:01,844 Amazing and so tantalizing. 111 00:07:01,844 --> 00:07:04,005 What are you going to tell us, stone? 112 00:07:04,005 --> 00:07:06,005 It's like it's kind of teasing us. 113 00:07:09,645 --> 00:07:11,685 And nine feet below ground level, 114 00:07:11,685 --> 00:07:14,895 the dig is turning up more than just the stele. 115 00:07:19,005 --> 00:07:21,834 There's a confusing mix of treasures here, 116 00:07:21,834 --> 00:07:24,145 including more recent Roman pottery. 117 00:07:24,145 --> 00:07:25,625 Why's the pottery here? 118 00:07:25,625 --> 00:07:29,615 Why has it ended up underneath the stele? 119 00:07:29,615 --> 00:07:32,675 The steles that are here were dumped here. 120 00:07:32,675 --> 00:07:35,225 Dumped here, yeah. That's really interesting. 121 00:07:35,225 --> 00:07:37,495 So because this is late-Roman pottery, 122 00:07:37,495 --> 00:07:39,265 but it's underneath the stele level, 123 00:07:39,265 --> 00:07:41,625 that shows us that the stele must have been just put down, 124 00:07:41,625 --> 00:07:42,904 dumped for some reason. 125 00:07:42,904 --> 00:07:45,115 So it starts out life as a work of art, this, 126 00:07:45,115 --> 00:07:46,425 and it looks like it's ended "P 127 00:07:46,425 --> 00:07:48,755 as just a bit of a construction material. 128 00:07:48,755 --> 00:07:51,505 Poor old stele. I'm glad you're happy with this, though. Yeah. 129 00:07:51,505 --> 00:07:52,755 THEY LAUGH 130 00:07:52,755 --> 00:07:53,834 Beautiful. 131 00:07:54,995 --> 00:07:58,415 It seems that all these intriguing artefacts have been dumped here 132 00:07:58,415 --> 00:08:01,415 to help support the foundations of the temple. 133 00:08:01,415 --> 00:08:06,575 THEY SPEAK OWN LANGUAGE 134 00:08:10,125 --> 00:08:13,415 Because the idea of that coming down on people's arms, 135 00:08:13,415 --> 00:08:16,814 it's actually... My heart's in my throat watching them, 136 00:08:16,814 --> 00:08:18,854 because it's so perilous, 137 00:08:18,854 --> 00:08:21,495 and these men, they've been doing this all their lives. 138 00:08:21,495 --> 00:08:23,695 So they're experts. 139 00:08:23,695 --> 00:08:26,215 They are strong men who have good experience. 140 00:08:26,215 --> 00:08:28,854 Not just the strength, both of them together. 141 00:08:28,854 --> 00:08:31,335 Strong and wise. Exactly. That's how we like men. 142 00:08:31,335 --> 00:08:32,685 THEY LAUGH 143 00:08:37,005 --> 00:08:39,615 So I've just seen the top of the steles. 144 00:08:39,615 --> 00:08:41,445 I recognise those inscriptions. Oh, my God. 145 00:08:41,445 --> 00:08:45,655 Not just hieroglyphics, but it has a scene. Yes. 146 00:08:45,655 --> 00:08:47,005 Yes. Yes. 147 00:08:47,005 --> 00:08:50,984 So you've got hieroglyphs and a scene. Oh, my God. Exactly, yes. 148 00:08:50,984 --> 00:08:52,135 Amazing. 149 00:09:02,135 --> 00:09:03,575 Now out of the ground, 150 00:09:03,575 --> 00:09:07,245 it's clear that two broken pieces actually fit together... 151 00:09:09,005 --> 00:09:11,645 ...allowing an ancient stele to be reformed 152 00:09:11,645 --> 00:09:14,215 after thousands of years in the dirt. 153 00:09:14,215 --> 00:09:19,054 THEY CHANT IN OWN LANGUAGE 154 00:09:21,695 --> 00:09:23,375 Great to see that. I love it. 155 00:09:23,375 --> 00:09:26,135 I love the fact that they are loving the rescuing of this thing 156 00:09:26,135 --> 00:09:28,335 from the earth. 157 00:09:28,335 --> 00:09:32,535 But what we don't know is what our ancient stone stele 158 00:09:32,535 --> 00:09:34,165 may be about to reveal. 159 00:09:48,456 --> 00:09:52,486 Just a stone's throw from the Nile at the crocodile Temple of Kom Ombo, 160 00:09:52,486 --> 00:09:54,816 I'm watching as a team of archaeologists 161 00:09:54,816 --> 00:09:57,626 excavate a giant stone stele. 162 00:10:00,106 --> 00:10:04,686 These were public message boards, the press releases of ancient Egypt. 163 00:10:04,686 --> 00:10:08,886 And I'm about to be one of the first people in over 2,000 years 164 00:10:08,886 --> 00:10:11,255 to see what's written on it. 165 00:10:11,255 --> 00:10:14,566 So slowly, slowly the hieroglyphs are coming out. 166 00:10:14,566 --> 00:10:17,466 Look at the detail on that. 167 00:10:17,466 --> 00:10:19,055 Is it painted? Yes. 168 00:10:19,055 --> 00:10:21,896 The remains of colours. 169 00:10:21,896 --> 00:10:25,005 This is amazing. The paint is still on it. 170 00:10:25,005 --> 00:10:28,055 All of the colours, they come from nature. 171 00:10:28,055 --> 00:10:32,776 Plants, the trees, thorns mixed in with water... 172 00:10:32,776 --> 00:10:36,766 ...covered by honey to be very bright. 173 00:10:36,766 --> 00:10:38,456 I'm blown away by the paint. 174 00:10:38,456 --> 00:10:41,096 I've never seen it come out of the earth like that before. 175 00:10:41,096 --> 00:10:44,325 It's unusual to find them still in a good condition 176 00:10:44,325 --> 00:10:46,545 with the nice original colours like this. 177 00:10:46,545 --> 00:10:48,725 Amazing. So you can just imagine it in its heyday 178 00:10:48,725 --> 00:10:51,465 kind of blaring out with these jewel like colours. 179 00:10:54,934 --> 00:10:59,455 And then...we spot a familiar face in the dust. 180 00:10:59,455 --> 00:11:01,085 This is Sobek. 181 00:11:01,085 --> 00:11:02,845 So this is just too exciting. 182 00:11:02,845 --> 00:11:06,845 So what's just been cleaned is Sobek's face, the crocodile god. 183 00:11:09,565 --> 00:11:14,004 Amazing. And it's just all appearing right in front of our eyes. 184 00:11:14,004 --> 00:11:17,365 Sobek's image is proof that this discarded stele 185 00:11:17,365 --> 00:11:20,195 was originally made for this sacred site. 186 00:11:21,845 --> 00:11:23,765 So, how old is it? 187 00:11:28,234 --> 00:11:31,595 The Egyptologists have noticed the all important clue. 188 00:11:31,595 --> 00:11:33,024 A Pharaoh's name. 189 00:11:34,114 --> 00:11:36,154 You can see his name is here. 190 00:11:36,154 --> 00:11:38,185 Seti. So, which Seti? 191 00:11:38,185 --> 00:11:40,385 The father of Ramesses ll. 192 00:11:42,345 --> 00:11:44,185 So this is the father of Ramesses ll, 193 00:11:44,185 --> 00:11:47,038 arguably one of the most powerful men on Earth. 194 00:11:48,595 --> 00:11:51,984 Seti I ruled 3,300 years ago. 195 00:11:53,875 --> 00:11:58,114 He expanded the Egyptian Empire and built beautiful temples. 196 00:11:59,885 --> 00:12:03,475 It will be months before experts can fully decipher the stele, 197 00:12:03,475 --> 00:12:07,254 but it's new evidence that his influence reached all the way 198 00:12:07,254 --> 00:12:10,054 to this sacred spot on the Nile. 199 00:12:10,054 --> 00:12:13,034 This is like a kind of CV, sort of, 200 00:12:13,034 --> 00:12:16,275 kind of boasty biography of what Seti achieved. 201 00:12:16,275 --> 00:12:19,525 So it means the press release, it's not just started now, 202 00:12:19,525 --> 00:12:22,475 it dates back to 1300 BC. Of course it did. 203 00:12:22,475 --> 00:12:24,675 We're all big show offs as a species, 204 00:12:24,675 --> 00:12:27,545 we want the world to know how great we are. 205 00:12:27,545 --> 00:12:31,395 And we now know that the crocodile God was worshipped here 206 00:12:31,395 --> 00:12:34,755 over a thousand years before the current temple. 207 00:12:35,825 --> 00:12:38,495 We'll have to start writing all our press releases in stone, 208 00:12:38,495 --> 00:12:41,095 so they survive 3,300 years as well. 209 00:12:49,054 --> 00:12:52,384 Honestly, gentlemen, thank you so much for letting me see this, 210 00:12:52,384 --> 00:12:54,174 it's just the most incredible thing. 211 00:12:54,174 --> 00:12:56,295 And a real privilege to witness it. 212 00:12:58,184 --> 00:13:01,415 I'm still completely reeling from today. 213 00:13:01,415 --> 00:13:03,895 What an incredible experience. 214 00:13:03,895 --> 00:13:08,124 And I'm covered in sand and Nile mud, 215 00:13:08,124 --> 00:13:12,985 but watching those men, there was a lot of camaraderie and support 216 00:13:12,985 --> 00:13:17,335 and laughter and that must have been the case in ancient Egypt too. 217 00:13:17,335 --> 00:13:21,725 And those stone stele, they are beautiful things. 218 00:13:21,725 --> 00:13:24,064 They are historical gold. 219 00:13:24,064 --> 00:13:27,205 They're going to tell us so much about the land here 220 00:13:27,205 --> 00:13:29,134 thousands of years ago. 221 00:13:29,134 --> 00:13:32,215 And they've been hidden in the foundations 222 00:13:32,215 --> 00:13:35,695 of this incredible temple of the crocodile God. 223 00:13:44,175 --> 00:13:47,165 I'm genuinely sad to be leaving Kom Ombo, 224 00:13:47,165 --> 00:13:49,884 but now I've got to head further south. 225 00:13:50,924 --> 00:13:53,895 I'm entering one of the Nile's busiest stretches. 226 00:13:56,285 --> 00:13:58,285 Hi! 227 00:13:58,285 --> 00:13:59,695 I do love this river, 228 00:13:59,695 --> 00:14:01,975 because you never know quite who's going to come down it. 229 00:14:01,975 --> 00:14:03,165 It feels very peaceful, 230 00:14:03,165 --> 00:14:07,085 and then suddenly there's a massive barge carrying stones or sand 231 00:14:07,085 --> 00:14:10,635 or cement or one of these modern day luxury liners 232 00:14:10,635 --> 00:14:12,985 taking tourists on their voyage of a lifetime. 233 00:14:15,934 --> 00:14:18,177 Many of us are heading to the same place. 234 00:14:20,816 --> 00:14:25,177 30 miles south of Kom Ombo is the great southern city of Aswan. 235 00:14:26,707 --> 00:14:29,087 It once marked the border between ancient Egypt 236 00:14:29,087 --> 00:14:31,287 and the rest of Africa... 237 00:14:31,287 --> 00:14:35,867 ...and remains the final stop for many great Nile journeys. 238 00:14:35,867 --> 00:14:37,627 So I can just see the Aswan Bridge, 239 00:14:37,627 --> 00:14:40,457 which means that soon I'm going to have to say goodbye 240 00:14:40,457 --> 00:14:43,136 to this beautiful boat, goodbye to the dahabiya. 241 00:14:49,266 --> 00:14:52,177 Just a few miles upstream, the famous Aswan Dam 242 00:14:52,177 --> 00:14:55,627 means that this is as far as large boats like mine can go. 243 00:14:58,377 --> 00:15:03,297 I got to go, I've got to go. Captain, thank you so much. 244 00:15:03,297 --> 00:15:06,577 I enjoyed every moment. Hope to see you again. Yeah. 245 00:15:06,577 --> 00:15:08,507 Boys, thank you so much. 246 00:15:08,507 --> 00:15:11,367 It's been so lovely. Bye-bye. Thank you. 247 00:15:11,367 --> 00:15:15,136 Thank you, guys. You've been amazing. Thank you. 248 00:15:15,136 --> 00:15:18,707 Should we do a quick photo, do you think? Yeah. OK. OK. 249 00:15:18,707 --> 00:15:21,907 I don't think you've got Saeed in. 250 00:15:21,907 --> 00:15:25,066 That's it, that's it. What do you say in Arabic? Not cheese, 251 00:15:25,066 --> 00:15:26,657 it's something else. 252 00:15:26,657 --> 00:15:27,936 SPEAKS ARABIC 253 00:15:27,936 --> 00:15:29,796 OK, let's try one, two, three. 254 00:15:29,796 --> 00:15:31,837 THEY SPEAK ARABIC 255 00:15:31,837 --> 00:15:34,437 BETTANY LAUGHS 256 00:15:34,437 --> 00:15:36,157 Yeah, thank you. 257 00:15:36,157 --> 00:15:39,876 That was really great. Thank you. Bye. Bye. See you. 258 00:15:42,617 --> 00:15:46,097 Bye! Thank you. It was amazing. 259 00:15:49,987 --> 00:15:51,857 With its multitude of islands, 260 00:15:51,857 --> 00:15:56,016 Aswan is considered by many to be the Nile's ultimate beauty spot... 261 00:15:57,587 --> 00:16:02,146 ...a reputation that helped create one Aswan icon. 262 00:16:02,146 --> 00:16:03,946 The Old Cataract Hotel. 263 00:16:07,707 --> 00:16:10,427 This place was built when Egypt was the winter playground 264 00:16:10,427 --> 00:16:11,977 of the British Empire... 265 00:16:14,277 --> 00:16:18,147 ...and it's remained the place to stay for over 100 years. 266 00:16:20,996 --> 00:16:22,407 Oh, my goodness. 267 00:16:23,767 --> 00:16:25,767 Hello. Hi. 268 00:16:25,767 --> 00:16:26,837 Hi, I'm Bettany. Hi. 269 00:16:29,407 --> 00:16:33,727 Your key. Thank you. Hope you enjoy. Great. 270 00:16:33,727 --> 00:16:36,687 1101. OK. 271 00:16:36,687 --> 00:16:39,767 Now I've got to try and find it. 272 00:16:39,767 --> 00:16:41,967 I've been allowed to borrow the key 273 00:16:41,967 --> 00:16:43,967 to one of the hotel's most famous suites, 274 00:16:43,967 --> 00:16:47,437 dedicated to none other than Winston Churchill. 275 00:16:49,126 --> 00:16:51,527 I've just hit a dead-end up that way. 276 00:16:51,527 --> 00:16:52,997 Churchill, on the other hand 277 00:16:52,997 --> 00:16:56,867 would have known this hotel like the back of his hand. 278 00:16:56,867 --> 00:17:01,377 He first stayed here in 1902 when he was just 28 years old, 279 00:17:01,377 --> 00:17:03,387 and he returned many times. 280 00:17:05,707 --> 00:17:06,707 I've found this one. 281 00:17:08,026 --> 00:17:11,136 A few things have been updated since, though. 282 00:17:14,555 --> 00:17:17,195 I'm always hopeless with these things, 283 00:17:17,195 --> 00:17:19,784 but it's definitely not letting me in. 284 00:17:24,225 --> 00:17:26,435 Yeah. OK. 285 00:17:26,435 --> 00:17:31,205 So... Yes. Push. Push, right. Thank you very much. 286 00:17:37,595 --> 00:17:40,874 That is ridiculously posh, isn't it? 287 00:17:40,874 --> 00:17:43,635 So this is called the Winston Churchill Suite 288 00:17:43,635 --> 00:17:46,405 and this is where he came back when he was Prime Minister, 289 00:17:46,405 --> 00:17:47,695 with his family. 290 00:17:52,365 --> 00:17:53,725 It's a nice bathroom. 291 00:17:56,275 --> 00:17:58,485 Oh, very nice touch. 292 00:17:58,485 --> 00:18:00,924 There's a little bag with a hairdryer and it says, 293 00:18:00,924 --> 00:18:04,155 "Wonderful hair begins with a little wind." 294 00:18:06,044 --> 00:18:07,515 I'll remember that... 295 00:18:08,924 --> 00:18:11,235 ...next time I'm getting ready to go out. 296 00:18:11,235 --> 00:18:13,085 Oh, it is lovely, though. 297 00:18:18,874 --> 00:18:21,924 Now, that is how I like my views. 298 00:18:21,924 --> 00:18:26,275 That really is something. I've been very lucky in my life, 299 00:18:26,275 --> 00:18:30,515 and I spend my time travelling around to ancient sites... 300 00:18:30,515 --> 00:18:33,205 ...and fascinating places. But this is something else. 301 00:18:33,205 --> 00:18:35,435 So you've got a little bit of history 302 00:18:35,435 --> 00:18:40,725 just beyond your balcony, rimmed by the waters of the night. 303 00:18:40,725 --> 00:18:42,555 That is quite something. 304 00:18:45,365 --> 00:18:48,565 It's scenes like this that have made Aswan famous. 305 00:18:49,945 --> 00:18:53,924 But early British guests weren't just here for the view. 306 00:18:55,864 --> 00:18:59,475 The 19th century saw a huge boom in health tourism 307 00:18:59,475 --> 00:19:03,235 with doctors prescribing their wealthier clients a stay in Egypt 308 00:19:03,235 --> 00:19:06,004 as a cure for bronchitis tuberculosis 309 00:19:06,004 --> 00:19:08,285 and the ills of industrial Britain. 310 00:19:10,635 --> 00:19:12,945 Visiting here became so popular 311 00:19:12,945 --> 00:19:17,435 that in 1894 a book was produced called Wintering In Egypt 312 00:19:17,435 --> 00:19:19,635 and it gave the English visitor all kinds of tips 313 00:19:19,635 --> 00:19:21,835 about how to have a marvellous time. 314 00:19:21,835 --> 00:19:24,625 The climate here was described as dry and tonic 315 00:19:24,625 --> 00:19:27,755 and it was perfect as a counterbalance to the gloom 316 00:19:27,755 --> 00:19:30,385 and rigours of an English winter. 317 00:19:30,385 --> 00:19:35,055 It was particularly recommended that men between the ages of 50 318 00:19:35,055 --> 00:19:39,295 and 60 come here if they had a gout-y tendency. 319 00:19:39,295 --> 00:19:41,695 In the book, there's all sorts of recommendations 320 00:19:41,695 --> 00:19:43,984 as to what women and men need to bring with them. 321 00:19:43,984 --> 00:19:48,585 So a woman had to bring a deck chair and cushions, parasol, 322 00:19:48,585 --> 00:19:52,114 a dressing gown and sketching materials, of course. 323 00:19:52,114 --> 00:19:56,085 And for men, they had to bring all kinds of different suits 324 00:19:56,085 --> 00:19:58,004 for the evening and for the daytime. 325 00:19:58,004 --> 00:20:01,605 Sorry to say, two flannel shirts for shooting 326 00:20:01,605 --> 00:20:03,605 and, of course, tennis whites. 327 00:20:06,495 --> 00:20:07,804 Well aware of this advice 328 00:20:07,804 --> 00:20:11,205 was Britain's most famous travel agent Thomas Cook. 329 00:20:13,235 --> 00:20:16,595 He'd already pioneered the modern Nile cruise... 330 00:20:16,595 --> 00:20:20,855 ...and with his fleet of steam ships ready to bring in guests, 331 00:20:20,855 --> 00:20:26,325 his company opened the Old Cataract as the ultimate health resort. 332 00:20:26,325 --> 00:20:30,215 With all of this, it meant that this place became a real trigger 333 00:20:30,215 --> 00:20:33,235 for that golden age of Egypt-o-mania 334 00:20:33,235 --> 00:20:38,934 where people loved everything and anything to do with Egypt. 335 00:20:42,884 --> 00:20:45,725 I may have had to leave my dahabiya behind, 336 00:20:45,725 --> 00:20:48,645 but that hasn't stopped my river journey through Aswan. 337 00:20:51,195 --> 00:20:54,135 The city overlooks a unique stretch of the Nile. 338 00:20:54,135 --> 00:20:56,495 With many islands and narrow channels, 339 00:20:56,495 --> 00:20:58,425 it's known as the Cataract. 340 00:21:01,285 --> 00:21:04,315 A small boat is needed to explore these rocky outcrops 341 00:21:04,315 --> 00:21:05,605 and shallow waters. 342 00:21:07,085 --> 00:21:08,575 For the ancient Egyptians, 343 00:21:08,575 --> 00:21:10,955 the cataract formed a physical barrier, 344 00:21:10,955 --> 00:21:13,645 a natural southern border to their land. 345 00:21:18,924 --> 00:21:23,175 And it was here each year that they experienced the first signs 346 00:21:23,175 --> 00:21:24,965 of the annual Nile flood. 347 00:21:28,165 --> 00:21:32,035 The flood meant fertile land, crops, food and prosperity... 348 00:21:34,955 --> 00:21:37,365 ...so monitoring the flood was vital. 349 00:21:38,684 --> 00:21:42,245 The islands of Aswan were perfectly placed to do this 350 00:21:42,245 --> 00:21:46,435 and the ancient Egyptians developed a nifty tool. 351 00:21:46,435 --> 00:21:48,924 A nilometer. 352 00:21:48,924 --> 00:21:50,225 Oh, thank you. 353 00:21:50,225 --> 00:21:53,694 This is how the waters would have flooded into the nilometer. 354 00:21:53,694 --> 00:21:54,804 Thank you. 355 00:21:58,855 --> 00:22:02,405 So the river waters would come flooding up here, 356 00:22:02,405 --> 00:22:05,365 and, as they raised, the levels were marked 357 00:22:05,365 --> 00:22:07,575 by all these grooves in the wall. 358 00:22:07,575 --> 00:22:10,245 So that meant that the powers that be could work out 359 00:22:10,245 --> 00:22:12,445 exactly what the level of the floods were, 360 00:22:12,445 --> 00:22:15,134 which meant they could estimate what the sediments would be 361 00:22:15,134 --> 00:22:20,455 on the soil, so they could work out how many crops could be grown. 362 00:22:20,455 --> 00:22:23,215 And, from that, it meant that they could predict 363 00:22:23,215 --> 00:22:26,205 exactly how much they could tax the people. 364 00:22:28,365 --> 00:22:31,045 But despite their clever nilometers, 365 00:22:31,045 --> 00:22:32,845 the ancient Egyptians never worked out 366 00:22:32,845 --> 00:22:36,855 where the energy of the floodwaters actually came from. 367 00:22:36,855 --> 00:22:38,804 They rarely saw rainfall. 368 00:22:38,804 --> 00:22:41,845 To them, water from the sky was a gift of the gods. 369 00:22:44,395 --> 00:22:46,655 We now know that the monsoons of central Africa 370 00:22:46,655 --> 00:22:49,215 cause the floods each year. 371 00:22:49,215 --> 00:22:52,175 But the ancient Egyptians believed the flood waters 372 00:22:52,175 --> 00:22:55,325 emerged from beneath the rocks of the cataract. 373 00:23:00,165 --> 00:23:02,884 Down here there was a system of caves. 374 00:23:02,884 --> 00:23:06,215 The crazy thing was that you could actually hear the flood waters 375 00:23:06,215 --> 00:23:07,965 before you could see them. 376 00:23:07,965 --> 00:23:12,215 So, for the ancient Egyptians, this was a kind of magic moment. 377 00:23:12,215 --> 00:23:14,585 They believed that the gods and goddesses of the Nile 378 00:23:14,585 --> 00:23:17,455 and the Nile floods lived down here 379 00:23:17,455 --> 00:23:22,225 and that this was the source of the life giving powers of the Nile. 380 00:23:27,175 --> 00:23:29,004 Along with the ancient Egyptians, 381 00:23:29,004 --> 00:23:32,165 the true cause of the floods baffled Greeks and Romans 382 00:23:32,165 --> 00:23:34,475 and remained a mystery for centuries. 383 00:23:35,684 --> 00:23:37,965 But just over 100 years ago, 384 00:23:37,965 --> 00:23:40,375 the Nile flood was brought under control. 385 00:23:43,635 --> 00:23:46,605 Ahead of me stands the great Aswan Dam... 386 00:23:47,764 --> 00:23:50,115 ...whose construction would threaten 387 00:23:50,115 --> 00:23:52,814 one of the Nile's most beautiful treasures. 388 00:24:06,644 --> 00:24:09,235 I've reached the final city on my journey up the Nile. 389 00:24:12,314 --> 00:24:14,055 The rocks and islands of Aswan 390 00:24:14,055 --> 00:24:17,225 make it quite unlike any other stretch of the river. 391 00:24:19,454 --> 00:24:22,585 It's always been a natural stop-off for travellers. 392 00:24:22,585 --> 00:24:24,475 If you know where to look on these rocks, 393 00:24:24,475 --> 00:24:27,025 you can find inscriptions that date right the way back 394 00:24:27,025 --> 00:24:29,945 to the Pharaonic Period, and they were left by traders 395 00:24:29,945 --> 00:24:32,145 who travelled this stretch of the Nile. 396 00:24:32,145 --> 00:24:34,464 It was a kind of "I was here" stamp. 397 00:24:34,464 --> 00:24:37,055 And we know that festival goers would come 398 00:24:37,055 --> 00:24:40,385 in order to mark the fact they'd come to this sacred spot. 399 00:24:40,385 --> 00:24:44,615 They're really amazing and they carry on for around 3,000 years. 400 00:24:44,615 --> 00:24:47,745 But you have to have quite keen eyes to find them. 401 00:24:52,255 --> 00:24:55,935 Aswan once marked the edge of the Egyptian world, 402 00:24:55,935 --> 00:24:58,145 the gateway to the rest of Africa. 403 00:25:00,505 --> 00:25:02,975 HORN BEEPS 404 00:25:02,975 --> 00:25:04,414 Small, I have. 405 00:25:04,414 --> 00:25:06,875 THEY LAUGH 406 00:25:09,595 --> 00:25:14,865 Gemstones, ebony, incense and ivory flowed through the city, 407 00:25:14,865 --> 00:25:19,735 along with Egypt's most revered and precious item - gold. 408 00:25:21,654 --> 00:25:25,334 Tutankhamun's funeral mask is one of the few golden treasures 409 00:25:25,334 --> 00:25:28,605 to have escaped the robbers and Raiders. 410 00:25:28,605 --> 00:25:31,654 But here in this part of ancient Egypt 411 00:25:31,654 --> 00:25:34,815 gold was once said to be as common as dirt. 412 00:25:41,155 --> 00:25:43,705 So these lovely ladies have just come in and, I think, 413 00:25:43,705 --> 00:25:45,905 because she's got this black henna on her hand, 414 00:25:45,905 --> 00:25:48,584 she must be choosing a wedding or an engagement ring. 415 00:25:48,584 --> 00:25:50,225 Are you getting married? 416 00:25:50,225 --> 00:25:52,664 SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE 417 00:25:52,664 --> 00:25:54,865 It's like engagement. Engagement. 418 00:25:56,584 --> 00:25:58,905 Gold jewellery has been found in Egypt 419 00:25:58,905 --> 00:26:03,045 that predates Tut's treasure by more than 2,000 years. 420 00:26:04,295 --> 00:26:06,524 Super special for the ancient Egyptians, 421 00:26:06,524 --> 00:26:09,305 because they also thought it was sacred, 422 00:26:09,305 --> 00:26:13,125 and they believe that gold came from flesh of the sun god Ra. 423 00:26:13,125 --> 00:26:15,534 And that because it didn't tarnish in the ground, 424 00:26:15,534 --> 00:26:17,584 it had magical properties. 425 00:26:17,584 --> 00:26:22,095 So it was a status symbol, but it was also something spiritual. 426 00:26:28,865 --> 00:26:31,895 For many of us, Aswan isn't known for its gold, 427 00:26:31,895 --> 00:26:35,895 but for a famous engineering project, the Aswan Dam. 428 00:26:39,096 --> 00:26:42,455 Just over a century ago, the British were in control here 429 00:26:42,455 --> 00:26:44,405 and changed the Nile forever. 430 00:26:47,606 --> 00:26:51,046 In 1902, a dam opened here just south of the city. 431 00:26:53,046 --> 00:26:58,246 But 60 years later, the Egyptians added another. The high dam. 432 00:26:59,376 --> 00:27:02,176 Sandwiched precariously between them, though, 433 00:27:02,176 --> 00:27:05,046 was a small island with a big treasure. 434 00:27:05,046 --> 00:27:07,405 The temple of Philae. 435 00:27:10,166 --> 00:27:16,616 Reflected in the waters of the Nile, this temple is truly romantic. 436 00:27:16,616 --> 00:27:18,306 I think there's something a bit magical 437 00:27:18,306 --> 00:27:20,016 about all ancient Egyptian temples. 438 00:27:20,016 --> 00:27:22,606 But this one is particularly special, 439 00:27:22,606 --> 00:27:27,686 because when I was a teenager, it was 15 feet submerged under water 440 00:27:27,686 --> 00:27:32,046 and it's been moved block-by -block, over 37,000 blocks, 441 00:27:32,046 --> 00:27:36,046 and jigsaw puzzled together to be in its new place here. 442 00:27:38,325 --> 00:27:41,325 As the second dam was completed in 1970 443 00:27:41,325 --> 00:27:44,936 and the reservoir between the two dams rose, 444 00:27:44,936 --> 00:27:47,606 all but the uppermost parts of the temple disappeared 445 00:27:47,606 --> 00:27:48,886 beneath the water. 446 00:27:50,946 --> 00:27:55,096 The only way to save it was to move it to a higher island. 447 00:28:01,216 --> 00:28:04,766 The ancient Egyptians dedicated Philae to Isis, 448 00:28:04,766 --> 00:28:07,575 a goddess of resurrection. 449 00:28:07,575 --> 00:28:11,936 And the temple now has a new life at a new location, 450 00:28:11,936 --> 00:28:18,376 allowing visitors to appreciate one of Egypt's most famed beauties. 451 00:28:20,946 --> 00:28:23,136 This place felt so perfect. 452 00:28:23,136 --> 00:28:26,616 It was described as the pearl or the jewel of the Nile, 453 00:28:26,616 --> 00:28:29,335 and it attracted travellers across the centuries. 454 00:28:34,765 --> 00:28:38,106 One of the English visitors who came here was Florence Nightingale 455 00:28:38,106 --> 00:28:40,635 She spent three months travelling the Nile, 456 00:28:40,635 --> 00:28:43,826 and she thought that Egypt was a place full of life 457 00:28:43,826 --> 00:28:46,385 and light and beauty. 458 00:28:46,385 --> 00:28:50,096 But her heart was really taken by Philae. 459 00:28:50,096 --> 00:28:54,976 She described it as having a kind of super sacred sense. 460 00:28:54,976 --> 00:28:58,535 And it was actually here in Egypt that she followed what she thought 461 00:28:58,535 --> 00:29:01,405 was a calling from God to become a nurse. 462 00:29:01,405 --> 00:29:04,205 And she went straight from here to train for five years 463 00:29:04,205 --> 00:29:06,205 on the shores of Alexandria. 464 00:29:13,946 --> 00:29:17,296 This place hasn't just enchanted with its beauty, 465 00:29:17,296 --> 00:29:19,195 it has a fascinating tale to tell 466 00:29:19,195 --> 00:29:21,585 about the last clays of ancient Egypt- 467 00:29:24,486 --> 00:29:26,335 Just over 2,000 years ago 468 00:29:26,335 --> 00:29:29,826 with the death of the last great Pharaoh - Cleopatra, 469 00:29:29,826 --> 00:29:32,576 the Romans seized control of Egypt. 470 00:29:35,665 --> 00:29:38,606 But they weren't here just to conquer and suppress. 471 00:29:38,606 --> 00:29:42,386 They were massive fans of ancient Egyptian culture 472 00:29:42,386 --> 00:29:45,136 and even made their own additions to this temple. 473 00:29:47,026 --> 00:29:51,665 Archaeologist Fatma Magdi Anwar has invited me to see the evidence. 474 00:29:51,665 --> 00:29:55,096 Thank you so much. I've read a lot about this but I've never seen it. 475 00:29:55,096 --> 00:29:57,696 This will be a pleasure for me to show you. 476 00:29:57,696 --> 00:29:59,936 Thank you. Come after me. 477 00:29:59,936 --> 00:30:02,256 Watch your step. I will. 478 00:30:02,256 --> 00:30:03,766 Thank you very much. 479 00:30:06,465 --> 00:30:12,016 As you can see here, this is Augustus, the Emperor. Uh-huh. 480 00:30:12,016 --> 00:30:14,856 How do you know that is definitely Augustus? 481 00:30:14,856 --> 00:30:16,766 You can see, that's his name. 482 00:30:16,766 --> 00:30:18,926 He's written it in hieroglyphic letters. 483 00:30:20,846 --> 00:30:26,046 Augustus was the first emperor of the new power Rome... 484 00:30:26,046 --> 00:30:28,415 ...but he chose to mark his presence here 485 00:30:28,415 --> 00:30:31,056 using the ancient language of Egypt. 486 00:30:31,056 --> 00:30:32,926 He couldn't be looking more Egyptian. 487 00:30:32,926 --> 00:30:36,056 He's standing in that really typical Egyptian pose 488 00:30:36,056 --> 00:30:39,826 and he's making offerings to the gods as a good Pharaoh would do. 489 00:30:39,826 --> 00:30:41,966 And, I mean, the Romans are kind of more 490 00:30:41,966 --> 00:30:43,486 than half in love with Egypt. 491 00:30:43,486 --> 00:30:45,056 They love the fact it's very wealthy, 492 00:30:45,056 --> 00:30:47,266 but they love everything about it. Yes. 493 00:30:47,266 --> 00:30:51,215 When they came to Egypt, they wanted to win the hearts of Egyptians. 494 00:30:51,215 --> 00:30:54,776 So they worshipped the same gods of the Egyptians. 495 00:30:54,776 --> 00:30:57,665 So it's a kind of hearts and minds campaign, 496 00:30:57,665 --> 00:30:59,066 cos they're already in power. 497 00:30:59,066 --> 00:31:02,616 Yes. But just power. He needed to be loved. 498 00:31:02,616 --> 00:31:04,306 And are there any other emperors 499 00:31:04,306 --> 00:31:06,465 represented anywhere else in the temple? 500 00:31:06,465 --> 00:31:09,455 Yes. We have Nero there. Nero? Yeah. 501 00:31:09,455 --> 00:31:11,616 I would love to see Nero as an Egyptian Pharaoh. 502 00:31:11,616 --> 00:31:13,455 OK. Let's go and see it. 503 00:31:16,376 --> 00:31:19,296 Nero was notorious... 504 00:31:19,296 --> 00:31:23,535 ...known for his lavish lifestyle and tumultuous reign. 505 00:31:23,535 --> 00:31:25,926 He's got a particularly splendid headdress on, hasn't he? 506 00:31:25,926 --> 00:31:28,335 Yes, it is lovely, to be sure. 507 00:31:28,335 --> 00:31:31,126 Yeah. Well, I love the fact that he's not even just represented 508 00:31:31,126 --> 00:31:34,545 as a Pharaoh here, he's trying to show himself to be an Egyptian god. 509 00:31:34,545 --> 00:31:38,465 Yes. As you can see he's wearing the crown of god Amun. 510 00:31:38,465 --> 00:31:40,926 Everybody wants to be like an Egyptian. 511 00:31:40,926 --> 00:31:43,736 Yes. And it must make you proud, 512 00:31:43,736 --> 00:31:45,415 I'd imagine, as an Egyptian woman, 513 00:31:45,415 --> 00:31:49,295 the fact that people come here, not just today as tourists, 514 00:31:49,295 --> 00:31:50,816 but through history. 515 00:31:50,816 --> 00:31:53,186 Yes. From every ages and from every country 516 00:31:53,186 --> 00:31:55,976 there is a lot of people who want to be Egyptians 517 00:31:55,976 --> 00:31:58,746 and want to involve with Egyptian culture. 518 00:31:58,746 --> 00:32:01,026 You look very proud, you're actually filling up. Yes. 519 00:32:01,026 --> 00:32:03,026 Yeah, but it is, it's a great thing, 520 00:32:03,026 --> 00:32:05,786 and we're very lucky to be able to share it today. 521 00:32:05,786 --> 00:32:09,295 So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for looking after us. 522 00:32:09,295 --> 00:32:13,295 Awh. Oh, well, thank you for looking after us. 523 00:32:13,295 --> 00:32:16,936 It was great, really beautiful. Thank you. Thank you, fantastic. 524 00:32:18,936 --> 00:32:22,176 On my Nile journey, I've met so many people like Fatma 525 00:32:22,176 --> 00:32:26,386 who are incredibly proud of their country's history. 526 00:32:26,386 --> 00:32:28,136 And it's understandable, 527 00:32:28,136 --> 00:32:32,856 since this amazing civilisation endured over 5,000 years 528 00:32:32,856 --> 00:32:35,176 and has been celebrated ever since 529 00:32:35,176 --> 00:32:38,626 by everyone from the Romans, right through to us. 530 00:32:40,856 --> 00:32:43,986 There's one final treat here at Philae, 531 00:32:43,986 --> 00:32:46,626 a tiny detail that bears witness 532 00:32:46,626 --> 00:32:50,345 to the dying breath of ancient Egyptian culture. 533 00:32:50,345 --> 00:32:54,186 The whole of this temple is covered with historical clues 534 00:32:54,186 --> 00:32:57,425 and information, so it might seem slightly perverse to pick this one 535 00:32:57,425 --> 00:32:58,936 which isn't particularly pretty, 536 00:32:58,936 --> 00:33:02,906 but what I'm looking at here is really significant. 537 00:33:02,906 --> 00:33:05,976 These are the last Egyptian hieroglyphs 538 00:33:05,976 --> 00:33:09,646 ever carved on a wall in Egypt. 539 00:33:09,646 --> 00:33:13,186 They date from 394 AD and they were put here by somebody 540 00:33:13,186 --> 00:33:18,576 who was a member of a dynasty of priests who served the goddess Isis. 541 00:33:18,576 --> 00:33:21,576 Now, it's really poignant because what it says here 542 00:33:21,576 --> 00:33:26,576 is that this is a cult that is going to carry on for ever and ever. 543 00:33:26,576 --> 00:33:30,376 But that's not the case, because increasingly the Roman Empire, 544 00:33:30,376 --> 00:33:33,576 and Rome dominated Egypt at this time, is becoming Christian 545 00:33:33,576 --> 00:33:38,176 and within just a few generations paganism was outlawed 546 00:33:38,176 --> 00:33:42,086 and this temple was turned into a Christian church. 547 00:33:47,356 --> 00:33:50,356 Philae marks an end point for ancient Egypt 548 00:33:50,356 --> 00:33:52,686 and for many Nile journeys. 549 00:33:54,476 --> 00:33:59,356 But, for me, there's one last stop on the river I want to show you. 550 00:33:59,356 --> 00:34:04,126 It reveals just how captivated we still are by Egypt. 551 00:34:18,326 --> 00:34:22,286 Many travellers end their Nile journeys here in Aswan... 552 00:34:24,406 --> 00:34:27,166 ...but I've got one more treat in store. 553 00:34:27,166 --> 00:34:30,955 And getting there takes me away from the river. 554 00:34:40,126 --> 00:34:44,526 I'm heading to a special place for a very special date. 555 00:34:46,526 --> 00:34:50,476 This drive allows me to get around Aswan's might dams 556 00:34:50,476 --> 00:34:54,085 and press on, 180 miles in fact, 557 00:34:54,085 --> 00:34:57,256 where the ancient Nile Valley is now engulfed by Lake Nasser. 558 00:35:05,556 --> 00:35:09,816 This is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, 559 00:35:09,816 --> 00:35:13,015 created by the second of those dams downstream. 560 00:35:15,206 --> 00:35:17,095 From the time of the ancients onwards, 561 00:35:17,095 --> 00:35:19,166 Egypt always seems to have attracted 562 00:35:19,166 --> 00:35:21,936 these massive ambitious construction projects, 563 00:35:21,936 --> 00:35:24,326 and that tradition continues. 564 00:35:24,326 --> 00:35:29,686 Lake Nasser, or Lake Nubia as some call it, is 340 miles long 565 00:35:29,686 --> 00:35:32,406 and it took six years to fill. 566 00:35:35,088 --> 00:35:36,755 But I've come this far south 567 00:35:36,755 --> 00:35:40,926 to see one of ancient Egypt's most impressive engineering feats. 568 00:35:42,556 --> 00:35:44,745 There's a temple coming up just here 569 00:35:44,745 --> 00:35:47,236 which symbolises Egypt's glory days. 570 00:35:52,556 --> 00:35:54,396 Abu Simbel. 571 00:35:54,396 --> 00:35:59,246 Without a doubt one of the most striking of Egypt's ancient temples. 572 00:36:00,556 --> 00:36:04,036 Unusually, it was built in one reign by one Pharaoh. 573 00:36:05,955 --> 00:36:09,906 Abu Simbel encapsulates the glory clays of Egyptian rule. 574 00:36:11,955 --> 00:36:14,446 Now, we're used to the leaders of nations 575 00:36:14,446 --> 00:36:17,156 making shouting statements of power. 576 00:36:17,156 --> 00:36:21,406 But, even today, you cannot argue with this. 577 00:36:21,406 --> 00:36:25,396 This is Egypt telling the world that she is in charge 578 00:36:25,396 --> 00:36:28,835 and the incarnation of her power is this man. 579 00:36:28,835 --> 00:36:33,196 It's Ramesses ll, the Pharaoh also known as Ramesses The Great. 580 00:36:33,196 --> 00:36:36,015 And Ramesses is so certain of his potency, 581 00:36:36,015 --> 00:36:39,955 there isn't just one of him here, there's one, two, three, four, 582 00:36:39,955 --> 00:36:42,156 all set in stone. 583 00:36:45,196 --> 00:36:47,456 3,300 years ago, 584 00:36:47,456 --> 00:36:50,406 Ramesses enjoyed one of the longest reigns in history. 585 00:36:53,246 --> 00:36:58,396 Over 67 years, he proved a great leader on the battlefield... 586 00:36:58,396 --> 00:37:01,396 ...and a famous builder of enormous temples. 587 00:37:02,916 --> 00:37:05,596 Ramesses left Egypt with more statues of himself 588 00:37:05,596 --> 00:37:11,176 than any other Pharaoh, and it was said that he fathered 100 children. 589 00:37:12,556 --> 00:37:15,835 But what's really interesting is that, despite all of his power, 590 00:37:15,835 --> 00:37:18,316 Ramesses still needs to keep the Nile onside. 591 00:37:18,316 --> 00:37:21,236 So, at the entrance to the temple here, you've got an inscription 592 00:37:21,236 --> 00:37:24,716 showing Hapi, the god of the Nile and the Nile's flood, 593 00:37:24,716 --> 00:37:27,126 and he's binding together the country, 594 00:37:27,126 --> 00:37:29,476 uniting it with the power of the river. 595 00:37:32,765 --> 00:37:38,556 Inside, the temple stretches 185 feet into the mountain. 596 00:37:38,556 --> 00:37:42,276 And, as you might expect, eight more massive images of Ramesses 597 00:37:42,276 --> 00:37:44,676 flank the entrance hall. 598 00:37:44,676 --> 00:37:48,446 There's also a wealth of historical clues. 599 00:37:48,446 --> 00:37:53,326 Like many in power, Ramesses was no stranger to propaganda. 600 00:37:53,326 --> 00:37:57,806 Now, there's absolutely no mistaking the message that is being sent out 601 00:37:57,806 --> 00:38:01,726 by these, frankly, quite disturbing images. 602 00:38:01,726 --> 00:38:05,955 This is the almighty Pharaoh smiting his enemies. 603 00:38:05,955 --> 00:38:09,166 But you've actually got to read these pictures really carefully. 604 00:38:09,166 --> 00:38:12,965 So, if you look at this wall, the whole of this space is being used 605 00:38:12,965 --> 00:38:16,166 to commemorate a very famous battle, The Battle Of Kadesh 606 00:38:16,166 --> 00:38:19,835 between the Egyptians and their arch-enemies the Hittites. 607 00:38:19,835 --> 00:38:22,436 Now, what's really interesting is that this is portrayed 608 00:38:22,436 --> 00:38:24,316 as a glorious victory. 609 00:38:24,316 --> 00:38:26,965 But the truth is, the Egyptians probably didn't win. 610 00:38:26,965 --> 00:38:30,406 I mean, if anything this was a kind of a messy draw. 611 00:38:30,406 --> 00:38:33,206 So this isn't quite fake news, 612 00:38:33,206 --> 00:38:37,726 but it's Ramesses ll being very economical with the truth. 613 00:38:47,246 --> 00:38:51,476 One rather amazing thing did come out of the Battle Of Kadesh. 614 00:38:51,476 --> 00:38:55,276 Years later, the two sides signed the Eternal Treaty, 615 00:38:55,276 --> 00:38:59,206 which has been described as the world's first peace treaty. 616 00:38:59,206 --> 00:39:00,975 And, actually, there's a copy of it 617 00:39:00,975 --> 00:39:04,176 that sits inside the UN building in New York. 618 00:39:04,176 --> 00:39:08,126 It's full of very beautiful words and ideas. 619 00:39:08,126 --> 00:39:10,126 There's talk of the need for the lands 620 00:39:10,126 --> 00:39:13,326 and the people within it to flourish. 621 00:39:13,326 --> 00:39:16,645 Mind you, it makes for devastating reading now, 622 00:39:16,645 --> 00:39:20,276 because Kadesh is in what is modern day Syria. 623 00:39:20,276 --> 00:39:27,085 So 3,300 years on, that promise of peace has been shattered. 624 00:39:29,635 --> 00:39:32,095 One thing that hasn't changed in all that time though 625 00:39:32,095 --> 00:39:35,606 is the aura that Ramesses worked so hard to create. 626 00:39:35,606 --> 00:39:39,396 And, here, there's a unique bit of ancient Egyptian magic. 627 00:39:40,635 --> 00:39:43,645 So I've got to go back to my hotel room now to get some rest 628 00:39:43,645 --> 00:39:47,006 because I have to be back here really, really, really, early 629 00:39:47,006 --> 00:39:49,696 tomorrow morning, because I've actually timed my visit 630 00:39:49,696 --> 00:39:52,686 because something rather unique is going to happen. 631 00:39:57,606 --> 00:40:00,806 Twice a year, this remote spot in southern Egypt 632 00:40:00,806 --> 00:40:02,965 fills with thousands of people. 633 00:40:04,046 --> 00:40:06,926 They come from all over the world to witness an event 634 00:40:06,926 --> 00:40:10,356 that's been going on for over three millennia. 635 00:40:29,965 --> 00:40:35,095 In a few minutes, a shaft of direct sunlight will pierce the temple, 636 00:40:35,095 --> 00:40:37,406 shine right through the hypostyle hall 637 00:40:37,406 --> 00:40:39,835 and hit the far wall of the inner sanctuary. 638 00:40:41,606 --> 00:40:45,286 There, it will illuminate the face of Ramesses The Great 639 00:40:45,286 --> 00:40:48,895 as he sits in line with Egypt's most powerful gods. 640 00:40:51,566 --> 00:40:54,095 There'd have been great excitement in Ramesses time 641 00:40:54,095 --> 00:40:56,456 because the moment when the sun hit his face 642 00:40:56,456 --> 00:41:00,176 was thought to be the moment that it was proved that he was divine. 643 00:41:03,715 --> 00:41:07,926 The moment of alignment is said to happen on Ramesses's birthday 644 00:41:07,926 --> 00:41:09,645 and on his coronation day. 645 00:41:10,686 --> 00:41:13,006 But it doesn't last for long. 646 00:41:28,715 --> 00:41:31,406 As the sun crosses the doorframe, 647 00:41:31,406 --> 00:41:34,486 the light strikes the back of the temple... 648 00:41:40,616 --> 00:41:43,775 ...and Ramesses glows in the sun. 649 00:41:56,725 --> 00:41:59,686 Once again, he displays his godlike power... 650 00:42:00,715 --> 00:42:05,046 ...just as he did to the ancient Egyptians over 3,000 years ago. 651 00:42:20,446 --> 00:42:24,286 And then as quickly as it started, the moment is gone. 652 00:42:32,016 --> 00:42:36,816 Outside, the festivities continue on the shore of Lake Nasser. 653 00:42:36,816 --> 00:42:38,006 And in the past, 654 00:42:38,006 --> 00:42:42,645 this event would have been the cause for huge celebration, too. 655 00:42:42,645 --> 00:42:45,895 It's really great to see this kind of party festival atmosphere 656 00:42:45,895 --> 00:42:49,126 carrying on outside, because the ancient Egyptians loved a party, 657 00:42:49,126 --> 00:42:51,076 they loved a festival, but we know, 658 00:42:51,076 --> 00:42:53,616 cos it's inscribed in some of the temples 659 00:42:53,616 --> 00:42:56,086 that what they called "the common people" 660 00:42:56,086 --> 00:42:58,496 were only allowed into certain spaces 661 00:42:58,496 --> 00:43:00,855 and never into the inner sanctuary itself. 662 00:43:02,796 --> 00:43:05,926 But with Ramesses desperate to be considered immortal, 663 00:43:05,926 --> 00:43:10,086 I think he'd have loved this modern crowd turning up to honour him. 664 00:43:24,356 --> 00:43:27,056 At the end of my epic journey along the Nile, 665 00:43:27,056 --> 00:43:31,256 here's more proof that we're still fascinated by the great civilisation 666 00:43:31,256 --> 00:43:33,366 that this river gave birth to. 667 00:43:41,136 --> 00:43:45,655 Coming here and making this journey has taught me a huge amount. 668 00:43:47,136 --> 00:43:48,926 I've always known from the history books 669 00:43:48,926 --> 00:43:51,895 that Egypt is described as the gift of the Nile. 670 00:43:51,895 --> 00:43:53,286 But now I really get it, 671 00:43:53,286 --> 00:43:56,536 I understand what that actually means. 672 00:43:56,536 --> 00:43:59,216 The Nile didn't just shape Egypt, 673 00:43:59,216 --> 00:44:02,735 it nourished the lives and life expefience 674 00:44:02,735 --> 00:44:05,446 of millions of rich and poor alike. 675 00:44:07,536 --> 00:44:11,975 The Nile really is the gift that keeps on giving, 676 00:44:11,975 --> 00:44:15,256 because its treasures are shared across the millennia, 677 00:44:15,256 --> 00:44:20,735 not just by the ancients, but by all of us. 678 00:44:28,905 --> 00:44:33,796 Subtitles by Red Bee Media