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[MUSIC PLAYING]
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>>Why were the ancients so
interested in the motion
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of the stars?
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Why was cosmology
sacred to the ancients?
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Pondering the history
of Ancient Egypt,
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we typically think of the
mysteries of the pyramids
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and the grandeur of the temples.
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But where did it all start?
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Do we know how long
ago the ancients
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began tracking the stars?
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Could there be lost worlds
buried beneath the sands?
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[MUSIC PLAYING]
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>>Cosmology is the study of
the universe in its totality.
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We think of
cosmology as science,
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whereas the Egyptians
considered it sacred.
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>>There's one thing we know
about the ancient Egypt
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for certainty, is that they
observed the star Sirius.
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We are sure when they
speak of that star.
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>>Everything that comes
out of the ancient world
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has to have a spiritual
and metaphysical base.
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>>The ancients-- and
the ancient Egyptians,
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in particular, but probably
ancient civilizations,
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more generally-- saw
themselves-- humanity, us-- as
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tied in with the
bigger environment,
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the cosmos, the bigger picture.
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>>They built monuments
in alignment.
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But what for?
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And do their belief systems
have validity today?
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>>If we want to decode
Egyptian symbolism,
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we should look for clues
in the ancient language
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that Hakim learned as
a child from his elders
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living along the Band of Peace.
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Looking at the many images
left by the Egyptians,
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we have assumed that they
were obsessed with death.
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Turning to the
ancient Suf language,
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however, we learn
that they didn't even
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have a word for death.
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They called it "westing."
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>>We have no word the death in
our culture-- no word "death."
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And to express this
operation of death,
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we say "westing"--
going towards west,
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like the Sun rise from
the east, and westing.
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So there is no
word "death" here.
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Well, they believe
in resurrection.
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If the Sun sets in the
west, the resurrection
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happen the next day, when
the Sun rise in the next day.
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So the deceased believe
that it's just like the Sun.
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>>The Egyptians obviously had
a very different world view
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from ours today.
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They believed in the afterlife
and the soul's immortality.
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>>Was it possible
at all that they
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had found some sort of science
of immortality, for example,
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we call it.
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As crazy as it may
seem, they seem
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to be very, very
convinced that they
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knew how to send the
king to his cosmic world.
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Those stellar gods-- of
whom the king believed
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that he, himself, would
become one stellar god
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after his death-- constructed
monuments and performed rituals
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that mimicked the events
that they saw in the sky.
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It sounds against all the tenets
of our scientific beliefs.
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But we have to see why
they were so convinced.
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The ancient Egyptians
perceived the land
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as a cosmic environment,
that it followed
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the activities of the sky.
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Because they believed them
to be running in parallel.
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And they had reasons
to believe that.
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One of the main reasons
was the cycles of the Nile.
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The Nile was the
lifeblood of Egypt,
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and it performed a
cycle, which followed
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the cycle of the
Sun and the stars.
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It's not surprising at
all that they associated
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the reappearance of the stars
with the rebirth of the Nile.
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Essentially, this star
religion, if you like,
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boiled down to one
important aspect--
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that it somehow could help the
king become a spiritual being
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and return to the cosmic
world in a specific place
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with Orion, and so forth.
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How they thought
they were going to do
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it is by looking very,
very carefully at what
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happened to the stars.
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The stars perform a
annual cycle that those
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who've seen this
in Orion give us
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a curious cycle in
that they disappear.
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Or they appear to disappear.
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But if you watch a star
over the course of the year,
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you'll find that there
comes a time when
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it is very low in the
west at time of sunset.
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So the Sun sets.
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And as it gets dark,
the star appears just
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for a few seconds over the west.
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If you come the next day,
you would not see that star.
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And for 70 days or
so, the star has gone.
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It seems to have
gone under the Earth.
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But after those 70 days, it
appears by this time at dawn,
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rising just before the Sun,
which we call the heliacal
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rising, whereas
the Egyptian called
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it the rebirth of the star.
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So in their mind,
something happened.
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In their mind, the star went
in the underworld, stayed
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in the underworld for 70 days,
and then, by magic, popped
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up again-- was reborn
again in the east.
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That's the Pyramid Texts.
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The Pyramid Texts
mimic this cycle.
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>>At the ancient
site of Saqqara,
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we find the Pyramid Texts, the
oldest known religious texts
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in the world.
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Covering the inner walls
of these small pyramids
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are thousands of hieroglyphs
showing knowledge
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of celestial mechanics
and cycles of time.
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Although we've come a long
way in our understanding
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of hieroglyphs, it is
possible that many layers
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of meaning in the symbols
remain hidden-- until now.
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When we approach
hieroglyphics, we
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do so from our
own point of view.
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And we assume that the
letters of our alphabet
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correspond with
certain hieroglyphs.
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There are 4,000 Egyptian
hieroglyphs, but only
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26 letters.
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In order to crack
the code, we need
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to open our minds to
different levels of meaning.
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>>I think it's just a
familiarity with the way
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modern languages work.
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No one expects that a word
would work differently.
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Our mindset is that a letter is
the carrier of a kinetic value,
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and that a word is a
carrier of a concept.
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To understand the
Egyptian words,
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you have to start
from the approach
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that the letter is the
carrier of the concept.
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And the word is an
extended sentence.
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There are nuances of
meanings to the words
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that you don't get if
you don't understand
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what the individual glyphs mean.
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For instance, there's
an Egyptian word
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that is translated
as "diving duck."
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But when you read
the glyphs, it really
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reads, "pool of water,
place of diving duck."
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>>In 1822, French scholar
Jean-Francois Champollion
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and British scientist
Thomas Young
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deciphered the hieroglyphics
from the Rosetta Stone.
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The stone was created in 196 BC.
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It showed the same text
in hieroglyphic, Greek,
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and demotic Egyptian
on the one tablet.
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Scholars have used
Champollion's translations
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as the basis for
deciphering hieroglyphs.
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Could Champollion have missed
subtleties or even withheld
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some information?
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>>One biographical
study of Champollion
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said that he delayed for
a very long period of time
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before producing his
translation because
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in the words of the study, he
clung stubbornly to the idea
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that an Egyptian glyph
might mean something more
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than just a phonetic value.
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>>Laird Scranton is a
computer software engineer
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who has interpreted a new
aspect of hieroglyphics.
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His research is revolutionizing
the way hieroglyphic
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is understood.
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>>Basically, Egyptian
hieroglyphic words
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work more like an acronym in
English-- like the phrase FYI
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or an acronym such
as CIA or CBS--
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where anyone who reads
English understands
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that you don't try to
pronounce this word.
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This is not a word that you're
going to read for its meaning,
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in terms of the letters
all put together.
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It's one letter at a time
stands for one word at a time.
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And you put the words
together to get the meaning.
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>>If we think of each
hieroglyphic word
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as an acronym, rather than
having a phonetic value,
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a new layer of
interpretation appears.
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Hieroglyphs reveal in
symbolic terms the way
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the ancient Egyptians
thought the universe works.
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>>I can show that certain
key glyph shapes came out
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of cosmology, which describes
how the universe was created.
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And because the shapes
came out of cosmology,
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it makes sense that the meanings
that attach to the shape
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are associated with
cosmology, also.
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They would have meanings
related to the creation
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of the universe.
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Once you agree that the Sun
glyph means what it means--
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and that's all traditional
meanings-- it's
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hard to argue that the
word "month" doesn't say,
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the moon makes an orbit.
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Or it's hard to argue that the
word "year" doesn't say, time
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of the Earth's orbit
around the Sun.
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>>The ancient Egyptians were
almost obsessive keepers
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of records.
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And one thing that they observed
most was the celestial objects.
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But we'd expect them to
pay attention and record.
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Now how far back--
that's a big question.
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Well, we now have some
sites that go at least 6,000
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or 7,000 years before.
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There's a megalithic
site that has
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been found in the
early '70s, but not
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understood until lately, that
has astronomical language.
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And strangely, the astronomical
language that it has
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are precisely the ones you
find in the Pyramid Age.
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So Orion, Sirius, the summer
solstice-- they're all there.
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It's no more theory.
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We have evidence
that they did it.
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>>For decades,
author Robert Bauval
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has been studying the
alignment of Egyptian monuments
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to key stars.
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>>Muhammad's out guide.
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We've come here.
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And what we're trying to do
is get to the Nabta Playa.
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The most important
thing is we get there.
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>>Yeah.
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>>He is now planning an
expedition across the desert
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to a site called Nabta Playa,
100 kilometers west of the Nile
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and 30 kilometers north
of the Sudanese border.
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It is the location of Egypt's
oldest astronomical measuring
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device.
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>>And when we're there, how
do you know we're there?
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It's all desert.
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>>Yes, it's desert.
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Every place here in
Western Desert, I know it.
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>>If you can, we're
going to need a GPS.
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>>Yeah.
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>>If you can get one.
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>>Yes, I have one.
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>>That makes me
feel a lot happier.
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>>The team finds out
that permits from Cairo
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have been delayed.
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>>Now we wait.
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You tell us we wait for
the answer from Cairo.
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So in the meanwhile, let's
go and see the sights.
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Let's go and see some
of the temples here.
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>>OK.
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>>Let's do it.
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[MUSIC PLAYING]
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>>The key to decoding
Egypt is in the alignments
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of the temples, which
changed in different epochs
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to match the majestic drift of
the procession of the stars.
253
00:14:14,470 --> 00:14:18,060
>>We're now here at the
Karnak Temple in Luxor.
254
00:14:18,060 --> 00:14:21,290
On this wall, we
can see the ritual
255
00:14:21,290 --> 00:14:23,580
of the stretching of the cord.
256
00:14:23,580 --> 00:14:26,110
On the right-hand side
is the goddess, Seshat.
257
00:14:26,110 --> 00:14:31,460
She's represented by a priestess
holding a rope and a mallet.
258
00:14:31,460 --> 00:14:34,110
On the other side
is the pharaoh.
259
00:14:34,110 --> 00:14:35,997
There's the cord
looking between them.
260
00:14:35,997 --> 00:14:37,580
And what they're
doing is that they're
261
00:14:37,580 --> 00:14:39,600
aligning the monuments
to the stars.
262
00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,890
263
00:14:42,890 --> 00:14:46,010
>>We know from inscriptions
at the Temple of Karnak
264
00:14:46,010 --> 00:14:49,710
that they aligned monuments
with the circumpolar stars,
265
00:14:49,710 --> 00:14:50,930
principally, the Big Dipper.
266
00:14:50,930 --> 00:14:53,900
267
00:14:53,900 --> 00:14:57,550
>>They also aligned to the
stars of Orion, very similarly
268
00:14:57,550 --> 00:14:59,396
to what we also have at Nabta.
269
00:14:59,396 --> 00:15:01,930
The Karnak Temple,
the very center
270
00:15:01,930 --> 00:15:05,360
of Egyptian religious
activity, is
271
00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,190
aligned to the sunrise
at the winter solstice.
272
00:15:08,190 --> 00:15:12,050
So as we look down the axis this
way, on the winter solstice,
273
00:15:12,050 --> 00:15:14,670
the Sun will rise
along the axis.
274
00:15:14,670 --> 00:15:17,360
And in the summer
solstice, it will
275
00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,960
be aligned with the
sunset of the summer.
276
00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:23,700
So as we have at
the Nabta Playa,
277
00:15:23,700 --> 00:15:27,200
and the circle of the
calendrical circle, where there
278
00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,320
is the summer
solstice alignment,
279
00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,820
here we have another example
of the similar alignment
280
00:15:32,820 --> 00:15:35,920
3,000 years later.
281
00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,510
>>On the expedition
into the open desert,
282
00:15:38,510 --> 00:15:41,510
Robert Bauval hopes
to see for himself
283
00:15:41,510 --> 00:15:44,790
that these alignments exist
in the remote region of Nabta
284
00:15:44,790 --> 00:15:47,140
Playa.
285
00:15:47,140 --> 00:15:53,392
The team prepares by mapping a
route they will access via GPS.
286
00:15:53,392 --> 00:15:56,340
Jeeps are equipped with supplies
for the dangerous journey.
287
00:15:56,340 --> 00:16:07,380
288
00:16:07,380 --> 00:16:10,300
The team arrives at the
first stop on their journey
289
00:16:10,300 --> 00:16:11,142
through history.
290
00:16:11,142 --> 00:16:17,750
291
00:16:17,750 --> 00:16:20,590
In the heart of
the El Kharga Oasis
292
00:16:20,590 --> 00:16:23,590
lies a Christian
settlement dating back
293
00:16:23,590 --> 00:16:27,450
to the third century AD.
294
00:16:27,450 --> 00:16:30,930
Original paint graces the
ceiling of the chapel,
295
00:16:30,930 --> 00:16:33,210
telling the stories
of Adam and Eve.
296
00:16:33,210 --> 00:16:38,030
>>What is important here
is that at Nabta, we
297
00:16:38,030 --> 00:16:43,910
have a settlement that
is 6,000 BC, at least.
298
00:16:43,910 --> 00:16:47,340
And here, we have
a Roman settlement,
299
00:16:47,340 --> 00:16:51,730
which is of the
first-- second century.
300
00:16:51,730 --> 00:16:54,280
Surely, the people here
were aware of some sort
301
00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,618
of origins in the desert.
302
00:16:56,618 --> 00:17:00,020
They must've moved around here.
303
00:17:00,020 --> 00:17:01,964
And this is a big world
that anthropologists
304
00:17:01,964 --> 00:17:04,394
have to get into-- cultural
anthropologists-- people who
305
00:17:04,394 --> 00:17:09,390
understand how to look for
clues within a lost culture.
306
00:17:09,390 --> 00:17:10,930
We're looking for
a lost culture.
307
00:17:10,930 --> 00:17:12,930
And it could be the origins
of our civilization.
308
00:17:12,930 --> 00:17:15,398
That's what we're
talking about here.
309
00:17:15,398 --> 00:17:20,318
310
00:17:20,318 --> 00:17:23,349
>>Off in the distance,
the Christian settlement
311
00:17:23,349 --> 00:17:25,329
can be seen.
312
00:17:25,329 --> 00:17:28,220
In the valley below, we
can see the old riverbed
313
00:17:28,220 --> 00:17:34,470
of the Nile, which has migrated
over 60 kilometers to the east.
314
00:17:34,470 --> 00:17:36,520
How many thousands
of years would it
315
00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,560
take to wind back
the geological time
316
00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,393
clock to when the
Nile flowed here?
317
00:17:43,393 --> 00:17:44,866
>>The Nile we know
there was here.
318
00:17:44,866 --> 00:17:46,170
>>Yeah.
319
00:17:46,170 --> 00:17:47,885
>>Before, we didn't know.
320
00:17:47,885 --> 00:17:49,620
Realize what this is.
321
00:17:49,620 --> 00:17:51,640
Almost surely, the
ideas of these people--
322
00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,930
their beliefs, the way they
look at the stars, the way
323
00:17:53,930 --> 00:17:56,360
they look at the Sun, the
way they buried people--
324
00:17:56,360 --> 00:17:59,428
comes from here through.
325
00:17:59,428 --> 00:18:02,322
Influenced the
following civilization.
326
00:18:02,322 --> 00:18:07,100
Imagine 2,000 years ago.
327
00:18:07,100 --> 00:18:11,200
It was a Roman garrison, with
Centurians walking about,
328
00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:16,340
and priests, and Roman
ladies in carriages.
329
00:18:16,340 --> 00:18:18,830
And it's amazing to think
that this was like this.
330
00:18:18,830 --> 00:18:21,190
People have been here
for thousands of years.
331
00:18:21,190 --> 00:18:22,473
We know that.
332
00:18:22,473 --> 00:18:23,995
But now you have
to show us caves.
333
00:18:23,995 --> 00:18:26,245
You're going to show us
prehistoric caves, where there
334
00:18:26,245 --> 00:18:28,860
are drawings that tell
us that people were here
335
00:18:28,860 --> 00:18:31,780
even longer than we thought--
maybe 10,000, maybe 15,000
336
00:18:31,780 --> 00:18:33,074
years ago.
337
00:18:33,074 --> 00:18:34,535
And that's incredible.
338
00:18:34,535 --> 00:18:42,360
339
00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:44,292
[MUSIC PLAYING]
340
00:18:44,292 --> 00:18:54,873
341
00:18:54,873 --> 00:18:59,480
>>Now we're on a
30-40-meter-high dune,
342
00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,300
right in the middle of
the path of the road.
343
00:19:02,300 --> 00:19:04,600
The old road, as you can
see-- it's quite amazing.
344
00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:06,702
The old road actually
strikes a dune.
345
00:19:06,702 --> 00:19:08,050
This is a new dune.
346
00:19:08,050 --> 00:19:12,190
It's been formed, what, in
the last 30 years or so.
347
00:19:12,190 --> 00:19:15,370
It shows you how
the sand moves fast.
348
00:19:15,370 --> 00:19:18,360
>>The team test the
Jeeps in the open desert
349
00:19:18,360 --> 00:19:20,345
by heading off to an
ancient desert monastery.
350
00:19:20,345 --> 00:19:39,850
351
00:19:39,850 --> 00:19:42,930
Along the way, the team stumbles
across a large outcropping
352
00:19:42,930 --> 00:19:47,765
of stone with obviously
layers of stratification.
353
00:19:47,765 --> 00:19:51,074
The guide tells the team that
the area is an ancient ocean
354
00:19:51,074 --> 00:19:52,930
bed.
355
00:19:52,930 --> 00:19:56,780
There is water-like ripples,
and seashells are still
356
00:19:56,780 --> 00:19:59,570
embedded in the hard
rock, indicating
357
00:19:59,570 --> 00:20:02,670
a vast change in
geology and climate
358
00:20:02,670 --> 00:20:06,123
over the past several
thousand years.
359
00:20:06,123 --> 00:20:08,980
>>That is very
petrified timber that's
360
00:20:08,980 --> 00:20:10,255
from a much later period.
361
00:20:10,255 --> 00:20:12,400
But you can see the shells here.
362
00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:14,405
The shell is encrusted.
363
00:20:14,405 --> 00:20:18,160
They're millions of years old.
364
00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,920
We're walking on terrain that
is millions of years old.
365
00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:28,570
366
00:20:28,570 --> 00:20:31,680
>>The Western Desert
today is rainless.
367
00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:35,670
But in the past, it received
as much as 500 millimeters
368
00:20:35,670 --> 00:20:38,550
of precipitation per year.
369
00:20:38,550 --> 00:20:41,790
There were permanent
lakes, large springs,
370
00:20:41,790 --> 00:20:44,730
and seasonal streams.
371
00:20:44,730 --> 00:20:50,850
The most recent wet period
was between 130,000 and 70,000
372
00:20:50,850 --> 00:20:53,360
years ago.
373
00:20:53,360 --> 00:20:57,120
Then, it was thorn
brush savanna.
374
00:20:57,120 --> 00:21:00,420
At that time, the area
supported many large animals:
375
00:21:00,420 --> 00:21:05,510
gazelles, giraffes, buffalo,
camels, and antelopes.
376
00:21:05,510 --> 00:21:10,990
377
00:21:10,990 --> 00:21:18,260
After that period, it was hyper
arid until 12,000 or 13,000 BC.
378
00:21:18,260 --> 00:21:22,480
Before 12,000 years ago,
the summer tropical monsoons
379
00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,470
reached southern Egypt.
380
00:21:25,470 --> 00:21:28,650
Precipitation was
limited and fell mostly
381
00:21:28,650 --> 00:21:31,180
during the summer months.
382
00:21:31,180 --> 00:21:35,360
It was sufficient to support
small animals and cattle.
383
00:21:35,360 --> 00:21:39,100
The small animals
could live off the dew.
384
00:21:39,100 --> 00:21:42,546
The climate resulted in highly
mobile human populations.
385
00:21:42,546 --> 00:21:46,750
386
00:21:46,750 --> 00:21:50,910
There are ancient cave paintings
in a remote location that
387
00:21:50,910 --> 00:21:53,410
may provide clues
to human settlements
388
00:21:53,410 --> 00:21:56,790
from the distant past.
389
00:21:56,790 --> 00:21:59,630
Is this crucial
evidence being protected
390
00:21:59,630 --> 00:22:00,685
by Egyptian authorities?
391
00:22:00,685 --> 00:22:03,780
392
00:22:03,780 --> 00:22:05,470
>>It's terrible.
393
00:22:05,470 --> 00:22:09,585
It's priceless
prehistoric evidence.
394
00:22:09,585 --> 00:22:10,320
Look here.
395
00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:14,006
396
00:22:14,006 --> 00:22:14,780
What's this?
397
00:22:14,780 --> 00:22:15,740
A dog or a gazelle.
398
00:22:15,740 --> 00:22:18,290
A man-- do you see the man here?
399
00:22:18,290 --> 00:22:20,290
He's wearing pharaonic clothes.
400
00:22:20,290 --> 00:22:23,890
401
00:22:23,890 --> 00:22:29,580
It's terrible what
scribbles are over.
402
00:22:29,580 --> 00:22:31,290
The evidence that
we're looking for
403
00:22:31,290 --> 00:22:35,580
is being destroyed by
irresponsible people coming
404
00:22:35,580 --> 00:22:36,700
here.
405
00:22:36,700 --> 00:22:38,480
The site is unprotected.
406
00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:40,775
And the irony is that
people who are responsible
407
00:22:40,775 --> 00:22:43,440
are prevented from coming
here and driven crazy
408
00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:50,220
with licenses, and
papers, and-- look here.
409
00:22:50,220 --> 00:22:52,285
Oh, there's a beautiful
Hathorian cow.
410
00:22:52,285 --> 00:22:52,990
Look at this.
411
00:22:52,990 --> 00:22:54,485
This is an artist.
412
00:22:54,485 --> 00:22:57,790
This is not a primitive carver.
413
00:22:57,790 --> 00:23:03,850
414
00:23:03,850 --> 00:23:06,450
>>Predynastic Egyptian
belief systems
415
00:23:06,450 --> 00:23:12,000
originated with cattle
cults linked to the Nile.
416
00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,320
A cow was seen as the
mother of the the Sun.
417
00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,020
Cattle were deified
and were considered
418
00:23:18,020 --> 00:23:22,480
earthly representatives
of the gods, an enduring
419
00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:27,010
ideology with Hathor
as the center figure.
420
00:23:27,010 --> 00:23:31,200
Images of bulls were shown
with depictions of stars.
421
00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,020
And this dates to before
predynastic Egypt.
422
00:23:34,020 --> 00:23:36,990
423
00:23:36,990 --> 00:23:39,800
Cattle pasturalists
were in the Sahara
424
00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,330
several thousand years
before predynastic Egypt.
425
00:23:43,330 --> 00:23:47,910
426
00:23:47,910 --> 00:23:51,280
Gilf Kebir, which
means "large plateau,"
427
00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:55,450
is another large ceremonial
center a further 600 kilometers
428
00:23:55,450 --> 00:24:01,370
west, near the borders of
Libya, the Sudan, and Egypt.
429
00:24:01,370 --> 00:24:04,235
The cave of the swimmers--
made famous by the movie,
430
00:24:04,235 --> 00:24:09,230
"The English Patient,"
is located here.
431
00:24:09,230 --> 00:24:14,390
Prehistoric rock art shows
people and their cattle.
432
00:24:14,390 --> 00:24:17,810
Since Gilf Kebir is
600 kilometers away,
433
00:24:17,810 --> 00:24:19,820
it seems as though
cattle cults were
434
00:24:19,820 --> 00:24:24,130
prevalent throughout North
Africa in ancient times.
435
00:24:24,130 --> 00:24:26,780
Could this be another clue
that the nomadic tribes
436
00:24:26,780 --> 00:24:28,280
were connected?
437
00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:31,020
Could they have influence
the ancient Egyptians?
438
00:24:31,020 --> 00:24:35,620
439
00:24:35,620 --> 00:24:37,630
Arriving at the
monastery, we can
440
00:24:37,630 --> 00:24:41,810
see it has never been
accessible by road.
441
00:24:41,810 --> 00:24:45,850
Once occupied by Christians,
it lies upon an ancient camel
442
00:24:45,850 --> 00:24:49,756
trail, 40 days from its
closest neighboring site.
443
00:24:49,756 --> 00:25:02,160
444
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:06,110
It still shows evidence
of having been an oasis,
445
00:25:06,110 --> 00:25:11,350
with a huge acacia tree that
is more than 800 years old.
446
00:25:11,350 --> 00:25:14,180
The team has a picnic on
a carpet of yellow acacia
447
00:25:14,180 --> 00:25:16,510
flowers.
448
00:25:16,510 --> 00:25:19,020
>>This is a wonderful oasis.
449
00:25:19,020 --> 00:25:20,140
I'm very pleased.
450
00:25:20,140 --> 00:25:21,250
We tested the cars.
451
00:25:21,250 --> 00:25:23,700
Everything's working fine.
452
00:25:23,700 --> 00:25:25,490
The drivers are fine.
453
00:25:25,490 --> 00:25:29,562
And it was a good idea
to come and rest here.
454
00:25:29,562 --> 00:25:30,640
I needed the rest.
455
00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:33,590
Because after all this tense
of waiting for the permits,
456
00:25:33,590 --> 00:25:34,433
everything is ready.
457
00:25:34,433 --> 00:25:35,349
The permits are ready?
458
00:25:35,349 --> 00:25:38,062
>>Yeah, but you must
be to leaving now,
459
00:25:38,062 --> 00:25:41,565
this place, to go to the
hotel, and stay overnight.
460
00:25:41,565 --> 00:25:48,062
And then we start tomorrow
up early at 3 AM morning.
461
00:25:48,062 --> 00:25:49,456
>>I'm ready.
462
00:25:49,456 --> 00:25:50,580
>>Yes, I know you're ready.
463
00:25:50,580 --> 00:25:53,610
But you don't know it's a
hard way, hard, hard way
464
00:25:53,610 --> 00:25:55,220
to arrive to Abu Simbel.
465
00:25:55,220 --> 00:25:57,135
>>Let's do it.
466
00:25:57,135 --> 00:25:58,090
We wait a long time.
467
00:25:58,090 --> 00:25:58,715
Let's do it.
468
00:25:58,715 --> 00:26:00,572
Let's have a good night's sleep.
469
00:26:00,572 --> 00:26:05,018
470
00:26:05,018 --> 00:26:06,994
[MUSIC PLAYING]
471
00:26:06,994 --> 00:26:12,200
472
00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:16,410
>>The team gets an early start,
armed with long-awaited permits
473
00:26:16,410 --> 00:26:19,265
granted by the Supreme
Council of Antiquities
474
00:26:19,265 --> 00:26:21,715
and the Egyptian Army.
475
00:26:21,715 --> 00:26:25,090
They will enter the dangerous
region of the Western Desert,
476
00:26:25,090 --> 00:26:26,880
to the south of El Kharga Oasis.
477
00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:29,895
478
00:26:29,895 --> 00:26:34,870
>>Well, after days of
waiting and of uncertainty,
479
00:26:34,870 --> 00:26:36,700
we're finally on the road.
480
00:26:36,700 --> 00:26:38,310
We've got the permits.
481
00:26:38,310 --> 00:26:43,710
And we're ready to go out
in the desert to Nabta.
482
00:26:43,710 --> 00:26:45,226
[MUSIC PLAYING]
483
00:26:45,226 --> 00:27:05,826
484
00:27:05,826 --> 00:27:08,730
>>[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
485
00:27:08,730 --> 00:27:10,056
>>[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
486
00:27:10,056 --> 00:27:52,064
487
00:27:52,064 --> 00:27:55,740
>>After driving south for
hours along an old road covered
488
00:27:55,740 --> 00:28:00,010
by occasional sand dunes, there
is nervousness in the air.
489
00:28:00,010 --> 00:28:03,120
The team will be traveling
blind in the open desert
490
00:28:03,120 --> 00:28:07,150
for the last part of the
journey, relying solely on GPS
491
00:28:07,150 --> 00:28:11,216
equipment to locate the
ancient site of Nabta Playa.
492
00:28:11,216 --> 00:28:12,601
>>Yeah, I would--
493
00:28:12,601 --> 00:28:13,600
>>No, this is very good.
494
00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:14,641
This is going to tell us.
495
00:28:14,641 --> 00:28:15,850
>>See, we can do this.
496
00:28:15,850 --> 00:28:17,791
>>No.
497
00:28:17,791 --> 00:28:18,290
>>I'm sure.
498
00:28:18,290 --> 00:28:19,268
>>That's good.
499
00:28:19,268 --> 00:28:24,158
500
00:28:24,158 --> 00:28:26,890
>>What clues will be
uncovered at Nabta Playa?
501
00:28:26,890 --> 00:28:30,790
502
00:28:30,790 --> 00:28:32,940
How have these
influences drifted
503
00:28:32,940 --> 00:28:34,350
across the African continent?
504
00:28:34,350 --> 00:28:39,030
505
00:28:39,030 --> 00:28:43,340
More than 3,000 kilometers
further west in Mali,
506
00:28:43,340 --> 00:28:47,380
there is a living culture with
a surprisingly similar world
507
00:28:47,380 --> 00:28:49,246
view to that of the
ancient Egyptians.
508
00:28:49,246 --> 00:28:52,780
509
00:28:52,780 --> 00:28:59,010
The Dogon live in Mali,
largely in isolation.
510
00:28:59,010 --> 00:29:02,430
Studies of the Dogon
culture mirror the ideology
511
00:29:02,430 --> 00:29:07,069
of the ancient Egyptians
with uncanny precision.
512
00:29:07,069 --> 00:29:08,610
>>I realized through
my Dogon studies
513
00:29:08,610 --> 00:29:11,500
that there were relationships
between Dogon words
514
00:29:11,500 --> 00:29:12,600
and Egyptian words.
515
00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:15,270
And I noticed that
Dogon drawings turned up
516
00:29:15,270 --> 00:29:17,350
as glyphs in those
Egyptian words.
517
00:29:17,350 --> 00:29:20,320
>>Laird Scranton's
radical reinterpretation
518
00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,350
of Egyptian hieroglyphs
came directly
519
00:29:23,350 --> 00:29:28,330
from his studies of Dogon
cosmological symbols.
520
00:29:28,330 --> 00:29:32,610
Their priests use cosmological
drawings-- symbols
521
00:29:32,610 --> 00:29:36,290
they have used for
thousands of years.
522
00:29:36,290 --> 00:29:39,160
While it is impossible to
ask the ancient Egyptians
523
00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,980
to explain their
beliefs, Dogon priests
524
00:29:42,980 --> 00:29:45,690
can explain their
cosmology and how
525
00:29:45,690 --> 00:29:48,892
their symbols are
written and pronounced.
526
00:29:48,892 --> 00:29:52,210
>>The Dogon lay things
out in such detail
527
00:29:52,210 --> 00:29:53,760
that it's like
having the teacher's
528
00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:55,805
copy of the manual
of the book you're
529
00:29:55,805 --> 00:29:58,430
studying, with the answers
to the questions written down
530
00:29:58,430 --> 00:29:59,420
in the back.
531
00:29:59,420 --> 00:30:00,920
You can go to a
Dogon priest, or you
532
00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:02,820
can go to the
anthropological studies that
533
00:30:02,820 --> 00:30:05,340
were taken in relation
to the Dogon priests,
534
00:30:05,340 --> 00:30:09,600
and they flat out tell you
what their symbol means
535
00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:11,740
and what they're
trying to talk about.
536
00:30:11,740 --> 00:30:19,080
537
00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:23,510
The general pattern I could
say is that Dogon cosmology
538
00:30:23,510 --> 00:30:28,480
tells us how a concept
should be expressed--
539
00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,790
how the words should
be pronounced,
540
00:30:31,790 --> 00:30:33,860
what multiple levels
of meaning the word
541
00:30:33,860 --> 00:30:36,560
should be associated with,
and what kind of a drawing
542
00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,430
it should be associated with.
543
00:30:39,430 --> 00:30:43,180
That predicts for us what
we ought to find in Egypt.
544
00:30:43,180 --> 00:30:45,560
And so when I go to
Egyptian studies,
545
00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:47,650
I look at the Egyptian
hieroglyphic dictionary,
546
00:30:47,650 --> 00:30:51,490
or go to a book about
Egyptian cosmology,
547
00:30:51,490 --> 00:30:54,720
sure enough, I
find the same word
548
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,620
expressing the same
meanings, written
549
00:30:56,620 --> 00:30:59,620
with the same drawing or
the same drawn character.
550
00:30:59,620 --> 00:31:01,260
And I say, I've got a match.
551
00:31:01,260 --> 00:31:04,020
552
00:31:04,020 --> 00:31:06,660
>>How is it possible
that the Dogon culture
553
00:31:06,660 --> 00:31:11,660
in present-day Mali is connected
to the ancient Egyptians?
554
00:31:11,660 --> 00:31:14,310
What is the link?
555
00:31:14,310 --> 00:31:17,770
>>The Dogon seem to have come
out of a class of priests
556
00:31:17,770 --> 00:31:19,990
who had very
specialized knowledge
557
00:31:19,990 --> 00:31:22,080
and who, for one
reason or another,
558
00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:24,330
were not happy with the way
things were going in Egypt
559
00:31:24,330 --> 00:31:25,980
and deliberately left.
560
00:31:25,980 --> 00:31:27,800
I would say that
sounds like it's true.
561
00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:30,510
I can't prove it's
true, but it doesn't
562
00:31:30,510 --> 00:31:31,829
contradict anything I know.
563
00:31:31,829 --> 00:31:34,120
The fact that there's a match
between the Dogon drawing
564
00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:38,410
and the Egyptian glyph in the
context of the same word--
565
00:31:38,410 --> 00:31:41,520
pronounced the same way,
carrying the same meanings--
566
00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:43,152
is just another
level of validation
567
00:31:43,152 --> 00:31:45,360
that I'm on the right track--
that these words really
568
00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:46,660
do correspond to each other.
569
00:31:46,660 --> 00:31:49,560
570
00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,840
>>Using this new
interpretation of hieroglyphic,
571
00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:56,250
what can we learn about
the ancient Egyptian view
572
00:31:56,250 --> 00:31:57,215
of sacred cosmology?
573
00:31:57,215 --> 00:32:02,460
574
00:32:02,460 --> 00:32:04,940
[MUSIC PLAYING]
575
00:32:04,940 --> 00:32:08,910
576
00:32:08,910 --> 00:32:11,530
>>I had some
concerns originally,
577
00:32:11,530 --> 00:32:13,100
as I began writing
some of the books,
578
00:32:13,100 --> 00:32:16,300
about what right did I have
to be revealing secrets that
579
00:32:16,300 --> 00:32:19,040
had been kept for 3,000 years.
580
00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:22,230
But when I realized that
cosmology is about science--
581
00:32:22,230 --> 00:32:25,640
it's about the creation of
matter and things like that--
582
00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:29,090
and I realized how close
our science is right now
583
00:32:29,090 --> 00:32:35,390
to being caught up with what
the ancient cosmology seemed
584
00:32:35,390 --> 00:32:37,585
to know, I realized
that if anybody's going
585
00:32:37,585 --> 00:32:39,850
to get any benefit
out of it at all,
586
00:32:39,850 --> 00:32:41,210
that it has to come out now.
587
00:32:41,210 --> 00:32:42,690
It can't wait any longer.
588
00:32:42,690 --> 00:32:45,671
We're only about 50 years away
from discovering all the things
589
00:32:45,671 --> 00:32:49,910
that I've found in the Dogon
and Egyptian cosmology.
590
00:32:49,910 --> 00:32:53,110
>>Is it possible the
ancient Egyptian cosmology
591
00:32:53,110 --> 00:32:56,930
was more advanced
than today's science?
592
00:32:56,930 --> 00:33:01,366
>>I'd say there is information
in the ancient cosmology that
593
00:33:01,366 --> 00:33:03,700
would be a benefit to
the string theorists
594
00:33:03,700 --> 00:33:07,920
and to the modern cosmologists
if they'd pay attention to it.
595
00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:09,800
I think the Dogon
and the Egyptians
596
00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:14,200
explain to us how it is that
a mere act of perception
597
00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:16,850
can cause the wavelike
behavior of matter
598
00:33:16,850 --> 00:33:20,820
to turn into particles,
that scientists don't know.
599
00:33:20,820 --> 00:33:24,755
When you ask Stephen Hawking
how many fundamental particles
600
00:33:24,755 --> 00:33:27,650
there are, he says,
more than 200.
601
00:33:27,650 --> 00:33:33,800
If you ask a Dogon
priest, he says 266.
602
00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,620
>>Science is on the verge
of understanding things
603
00:33:36,620 --> 00:33:41,760
that ancient civilizations
seemed to know long ago.
604
00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:43,216
How is this possible?
605
00:33:43,216 --> 00:33:52,806
606
00:33:52,806 --> 00:33:57,972
>>You're very, very
close-- within a couple
607
00:33:57,972 --> 00:33:59,230
of hundred meters.
608
00:33:59,230 --> 00:34:01,770
>>The excitement builds
for the real destination
609
00:34:01,770 --> 00:34:06,218
of the expedition-- the
ancient site of Nabta Playa.
610
00:34:06,218 --> 00:34:16,259
611
00:34:16,259 --> 00:34:16,800
>>Is that it?
612
00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:17,300
>>Yeah.
613
00:34:17,300 --> 00:34:24,409
614
00:34:24,409 --> 00:34:26,019
[MUSIC PLAYING]
615
00:34:26,019 --> 00:34:41,506
616
00:34:41,506 --> 00:34:44,350
>>Here we have this
bunch of huge megaliths
617
00:34:44,350 --> 00:34:50,530
that they dragged from God knows
where and placed in a pattern--
618
00:34:50,530 --> 00:34:54,817
a sort of center point
of the whole area.
619
00:34:54,817 --> 00:34:57,090
It's essential that
we do not disturb
620
00:34:57,090 --> 00:34:59,020
the stones-- we
not touch anything.
621
00:34:59,020 --> 00:35:00,040
We just look at them.
622
00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:01,555
Because the
alignments are there,
623
00:35:01,555 --> 00:35:05,476
and they've been there for
thousands of years undisturbed.
624
00:35:05,476 --> 00:35:08,066
And we can use them
to date this place.
625
00:35:08,066 --> 00:35:11,312
>>A group of archaeologists
led by Fred Wendorf, called
626
00:35:11,312 --> 00:35:14,150
the Combined Prehistoric
Expedition, by chance
627
00:35:14,150 --> 00:35:16,865
found some pottery
shards at Nabta Playa.
628
00:35:16,865 --> 00:35:21,010
629
00:35:21,010 --> 00:35:25,046
They thought that the megaliths
were just outcrops of rock.
630
00:35:25,046 --> 00:35:26,670
And then they started
to realize, well,
631
00:35:26,670 --> 00:35:29,620
these are sitting on top of
playa sediments-- sediments
632
00:35:29,620 --> 00:35:33,670
that were built up during
the Neolithic time.
633
00:35:33,670 --> 00:35:35,724
And so how did they get there?
634
00:35:35,724 --> 00:35:38,110
So they had to get
there from man.
635
00:35:38,110 --> 00:35:42,090
These are man-made
objects, these megaliths.
636
00:35:42,090 --> 00:35:45,800
One of the possible links
to Egypt before the pharaohs
637
00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:49,800
is that Nabta Playa
became climatically hyper
638
00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:54,210
arid, like it is
today, around 3800 BC,
639
00:35:54,210 --> 00:35:57,604
and it has not been
lived at or used since.
640
00:35:57,604 --> 00:36:00,620
>>It has been
assumed by historians
641
00:36:00,620 --> 00:36:05,920
that Egypt borrowed its complex
society from Mesopotamia.
642
00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:08,590
However, it is now
generally recognized
643
00:36:08,590 --> 00:36:11,880
that a process of
social complexity
644
00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:15,100
is not diffused from
one location to another
645
00:36:15,100 --> 00:36:17,175
but, rather, develops locally.
646
00:36:17,175 --> 00:36:22,560
647
00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:27,810
>>3400 BC is when you see
predynastic cultures building
648
00:36:27,810 --> 00:36:33,010
up on the Nile Valley, just 100
kilometers east of Nabta Playa.
649
00:36:33,010 --> 00:36:35,440
If that's the
case, then a lot of
650
00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:39,750
the great dynastic Egyptian
stuff we're all familiar with
651
00:36:39,750 --> 00:36:43,880
had some aspect of origin
in the Nabta Playa people's
652
00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:47,190
cultural development.
653
00:36:47,190 --> 00:36:50,050
>>Dr. Nicole Douek
is an Egyptologist
654
00:36:50,050 --> 00:36:52,080
who lectures at
the British Museum
655
00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:56,290
and at the Metropolitan
Museum in New York.
656
00:36:56,290 --> 00:36:58,840
By strange coincidence,
she happened
657
00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:03,600
to be at Nabta Playa on
the same day as our team.
658
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:05,090
>>From what I
understand from her,
659
00:37:05,090 --> 00:37:07,980
she also believes
that this could
660
00:37:07,980 --> 00:37:11,320
be the source of
Egyptian civilization.
661
00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:13,533
>>This is just amazing.
662
00:37:13,533 --> 00:37:16,660
I've wanted to come here since
the first publications came
663
00:37:16,660 --> 00:37:17,359
out.
664
00:37:17,359 --> 00:37:19,317
>>What are the odds of
meeting on the same day?
665
00:37:19,317 --> 00:37:19,817
>>None.
666
00:37:19,817 --> 00:37:20,766
>>Exactly.
667
00:37:20,766 --> 00:37:23,870
>>The coincidences, for
me, are astonishing.
668
00:37:23,870 --> 00:37:28,740
Last year, the same people-- we
went to Gilf Kebir and Uweinat.
669
00:37:28,740 --> 00:37:31,420
We spent two days roaming
around Karkur Talh
670
00:37:31,420 --> 00:37:36,020
and looking at the graffiti, and
all the bovids, and the cattle,
671
00:37:36,020 --> 00:37:39,570
and the people moving
around with their animals.
672
00:37:39,570 --> 00:37:41,770
And it's the same dates as here.
673
00:37:41,770 --> 00:37:47,284
>>These people had what
today we'd call a calendar.
674
00:37:47,284 --> 00:37:49,060
They'd use the
position of the Sun
675
00:37:49,060 --> 00:37:51,710
to mark the specific
days of the year.
676
00:37:51,710 --> 00:37:54,590
And the main stations
of the year, of course,
677
00:37:54,590 --> 00:37:56,980
are the summer solstice,
the winter solstice,
678
00:37:56,980 --> 00:37:58,530
and the two equinoxes.
679
00:37:58,530 --> 00:38:01,050
No doubts they tracked
the Sun through the year.
680
00:38:01,050 --> 00:38:03,910
And therefore, they
had a calendar.
681
00:38:03,910 --> 00:38:07,940
>>This structure may not appear
significant above ground.
682
00:38:07,940 --> 00:38:11,860
Looking beneath the
surface reveals an enigma.
683
00:38:11,860 --> 00:38:16,440
>>These complex structures are
the most enigmatic remaining
684
00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:17,629
aspects of Nabta Playa.
685
00:38:17,629 --> 00:38:19,170
When they estimated
the central one--
686
00:38:19,170 --> 00:38:23,640
the largest one-- underneath
the surface, down in the playa
687
00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:27,610
sediments-- the playa sediment
is about 10 feet deep--
688
00:38:27,610 --> 00:38:29,350
they found this
megalithic sculpture.
689
00:38:29,350 --> 00:38:31,260
Some people call
it the Cow Stone.
690
00:38:31,260 --> 00:38:33,890
It has, perhaps, a vague
resemblance to a cow.
691
00:38:33,890 --> 00:38:37,990
But it also seems, maybe, to
have an astronomical meaning,
692
00:38:37,990 --> 00:38:40,166
because it's in this
astronomical complex.
693
00:38:40,166 --> 00:38:41,790
And then underneath
the sculpted stone,
694
00:38:41,790 --> 00:38:44,500
on the bedrock-- underneath
all the sediments
695
00:38:44,500 --> 00:38:46,810
that were laid
down earlier-- they
696
00:38:46,810 --> 00:38:49,520
found another sculpture sculpted
out of the living bedrock,
697
00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:50,695
sort of like the
Sphinx is sculpted out
698
00:38:50,695 --> 00:38:51,770
of the bedrock itself.
699
00:38:51,770 --> 00:38:54,080
>>The bedrock
sculpture was carved,
700
00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:57,990
and sediment filled it in
over thousands of years.
701
00:38:57,990 --> 00:39:01,426
Then the Cow Stone was
carved and placed there.
702
00:39:01,426 --> 00:39:04,600
And then sediment
filled it in again.
703
00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:09,140
We are looking at three
subsurface layers of sediment.
704
00:39:09,140 --> 00:39:12,660
This is a clue to the
extreme age of Nabta Playa.
705
00:39:12,660 --> 00:39:20,120
706
00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:22,610
>>What makes all this
far more exciting
707
00:39:22,610 --> 00:39:26,002
is that they also
align to stars.
708
00:39:26,002 --> 00:39:28,560
Now that's a totally
different ballgame here.
709
00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:32,275
Because aligning to stars means
that they tracked the seasons.
710
00:39:32,275 --> 00:39:35,800
The climatic conditions
were very important to them.
711
00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:38,190
There was the beginning
of the monsoons.
712
00:39:38,190 --> 00:39:40,810
And therefore, the stars
would be the signal to them
713
00:39:40,810 --> 00:39:43,580
that the monsoons had started.
714
00:39:43,580 --> 00:39:45,456
They would start migrating here.
715
00:39:45,456 --> 00:39:47,830
And they would arrive here
when the water-- the monsoons,
716
00:39:47,830 --> 00:39:50,350
the rainfalls-- had
filled the lakes.
717
00:39:50,350 --> 00:39:54,100
It was essential that they get
here when the lakes have water.
718
00:39:54,100 --> 00:39:57,190
It would have been a fatal
mistake had they come here
719
00:39:57,190 --> 00:40:00,906
20 or 30 days before the event.
720
00:40:00,906 --> 00:40:02,595
From the central
complex radiates
721
00:40:02,595 --> 00:40:11,640
three series of lines east
and a series of lines north.
722
00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:17,112
According to Wendorf and
the check-ups by Rophie,
723
00:40:17,112 --> 00:40:21,410
we've got alignments to
the rising of certain stars
724
00:40:21,410 --> 00:40:23,450
here and here.
725
00:40:23,450 --> 00:40:28,150
>>A double alignment of
blocks 250 meters long
726
00:40:28,150 --> 00:40:32,750
points to the brightest
stars in the belt of Orion.
727
00:40:32,750 --> 00:40:37,890
The second line points to the
rising position of Sirius.
728
00:40:37,890 --> 00:40:41,285
Another long line of stones
aligns to the brightest star
729
00:40:41,285 --> 00:40:45,270
of the Big Dipper, which
later Egyptians represented
730
00:40:45,270 --> 00:40:48,960
as a cow thigh or leg.
731
00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:51,310
The stelli faced the
circumpolar region
732
00:40:51,310 --> 00:40:55,120
of the heavens, which the
Pyramid Texts describe
733
00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:57,500
as a place where
the stars never die.
734
00:40:57,500 --> 00:41:01,120
735
00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:07,110
>>They've got Orion's
Belt and Sirius.
736
00:41:07,110 --> 00:41:10,306
What's interesting is that
they seem to be tracking them,
737
00:41:10,306 --> 00:41:11,574
not just aligning to.
738
00:41:11,574 --> 00:41:13,740
But they seem to be tracking
them over the movement,
739
00:41:13,740 --> 00:41:15,620
over the long period of time.
740
00:41:15,620 --> 00:41:17,600
>>So they knew the stars moved.
741
00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:21,140
And they knew that the Sun
moved the same every year,
742
00:41:21,140 --> 00:41:22,410
on an annual cycle.
743
00:41:22,410 --> 00:41:24,000
Maybe the whole
ceremonial complex
744
00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:26,890
had something to do with the
Age of Gemini and transition
745
00:41:26,890 --> 00:41:28,410
to the Age of Taurus.
746
00:41:28,410 --> 00:41:32,970
>>The constellation of Taurus
is represented by a bull.
747
00:41:32,970 --> 00:41:35,250
If we are talking
about the transition
748
00:41:35,250 --> 00:41:38,640
to the Age of Taurus,
was the symbolism
749
00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:41,390
of cows in Ancient
Egypt connected
750
00:41:41,390 --> 00:41:45,270
to the nomadic cattle cults
prevalent in the area?
751
00:41:45,270 --> 00:41:48,785
>>So astronomy is telling
us that there's a link.
752
00:41:48,785 --> 00:41:51,610
Now we need the anthropologists
and the Egyptologists
753
00:41:51,610 --> 00:41:52,857
to find that link.
754
00:41:52,857 --> 00:41:55,370
>>The problem is that
most of these disciplines
755
00:41:55,370 --> 00:41:58,905
are so entrenched in
their own little world
756
00:41:58,905 --> 00:42:02,184
that it's very difficult to move
people one side or the other.
757
00:42:02,184 --> 00:42:04,176
I don't know how it is
in the United States,
758
00:42:04,176 --> 00:42:08,450
but in Britain, everyone
is in his own little world.
759
00:42:08,450 --> 00:42:11,110
And people who deal
with texts won't
760
00:42:11,110 --> 00:42:14,612
talk to people who deal with
sites in the same discipline.
761
00:42:14,612 --> 00:42:19,094
762
00:42:19,094 --> 00:42:21,090
>>It's becoming more
than obvious now--
763
00:42:21,090 --> 00:42:22,055
>>I think it is.
764
00:42:22,055 --> 00:42:23,010
>>That there are--
765
00:42:23,010 --> 00:42:24,010
>>There are connections.
766
00:42:24,010 --> 00:42:24,470
>>Connections.
767
00:42:24,470 --> 00:42:25,390
>>Of course there are.
768
00:42:25,390 --> 00:42:27,265
And they're very, very
important connections.
769
00:42:27,265 --> 00:42:30,430
Because there are no other
answers, for the moment,
770
00:42:30,430 --> 00:42:31,250
anyway.
771
00:42:31,250 --> 00:42:32,536
And this is as good as any.
772
00:42:32,536 --> 00:42:33,036
>>Yeah.
773
00:42:33,036 --> 00:42:33,536
>>Better.
774
00:42:33,536 --> 00:42:42,090
775
00:42:42,090 --> 00:42:44,240
[MUSIC PLAYING]
776
00:42:44,240 --> 00:44:26,411
59676
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