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(birds twittering)
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(water swishing)
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For 5000 years this land, Egypt
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and the epic civilization it gave birth to
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has been shaped by one thing more than any other.
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This awesome river,
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the river Nile.
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The Nile helped temples to rise,
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pharaohs to rule
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and pyramids to be built.
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Without the Nile, there'd have been no ancient Egypt.
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So I'm making the historical journey of a lifetime,
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a 900 mile adventure along the Nile,
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across the whole of Egypt.
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I'll explore Egypt's greatest achievements.
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It is truly wonderful, isn't it?
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And find treasures hidden for thousands of years.
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Oh my God, that's a sheer drop down there.
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This is my chance to travel this fabulous land
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Whoa lovely.
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And experience it as the ancient Egyptians did,
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from the river Nile.
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From pharaohs to slaves
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and facts to fantasies,
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I want to explore firsthand
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and to understand how this river shaped
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one of the world's first and greatest civilizations.
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Join me as I uncover 5000 years of history
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along the river Nile.
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(uplifting music)
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I'm almost 600 miles into my journey up the Nile
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and all along the way I've been given
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the warmest of Egyptian welcomes.
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Hello.
Hello, good luck,
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hope you have a good day.
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What's your name?
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Bettany, Bettany, salaam, salaam.
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Showing kindness to strangers
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is a huge part of Egyptian culture.
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Come get some breakfast with us.
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Thank you.
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Welcome, welcome.
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It looks like a lovely breakfast.
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Isn't this amazing, wherever you go
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the people on the banks invite you to come
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and share their food, it is such a beautiful thing.
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And of course, Egypt's hospitality has been matched
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by the wealth of its epic history.
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I'm now on the final leg of my journey,
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where arguably the river is at its most beautiful
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and you can explore ancient Egypt
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at the very height of its powers.
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(upbeat music)
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I'm now well past the famous sites of Luxor
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and heading to the intriguing treasures of southern Egypt.
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In beautiful Aswan with its island temples,
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I'll have to say goodbye to my lovely dahabeah boat
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before crossing the Aswan Dam
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to end my journey on the shores of Lake Nasser,
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at the world famous temple of Abu Simbel.
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(upbeat music)
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30 miles north of Aswan though,
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I'm enjoying the familiar rhythm of life on the river.
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But there was a time when the locals wouldn't have looked
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quite so relaxed near the water's edge,
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thanks to the presence of a ferocious predator.
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If I'd been sailing down here
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at the time of the ancient Egyptians,
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all these banks would have been thick with crocodiles.
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I mean thousands and thousands of them
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and this was a huge problem for the people
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who lived on the river.
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Crocodiles have now been hunted out of existence here
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but for ancient Egyptians who traveled on the Nile,
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fished in it, swam in it
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and drank from it there was a constant threat
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lurking just beneath the surface.
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The ancient Egyptians were very clever
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and they knew that they had to keep their enemies close.
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So they ended up actually worshiping crocodiles
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and sometimes they were kept in temples,
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they were dressed in jewelry
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and we're told that they were given wine and cakes to eat.
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In fact, the Nile's ultimate predator inspired my next stop.
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Kom Ombo, this temple was built
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towards the end of the ancient Egyptian era,
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2,300 years ago, by the family of Cleopatra.
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And it was here that the crocodile headed god,
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Sobek, was worshiped.
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(dramatic music)
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So there he is with his human body, very realistically done,
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he's got lovely, knobbly knees
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but that mad crocodile head and his scepter,
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his staff of power.
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(upbeat music)
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But I'm here because for the past year,
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a team of archeologists has been working
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to save Kom Ombo from rising water,
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which threatens to damage the temple and its foundations.
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It's given the team an amazing chance to dig through layers
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and layers of Egyptian history.
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So I've made my way round to the back of the temple.
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This is the outside wall
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and the reason I'm here is that I've had a call
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from one of the archeologists working here to say
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that they've just discovered something rather exciting.
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The mission is being led
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by archeologist Dr. Abdel Moneim Saeed.
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Hi, Bettany.
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Nice to meet you, how you doing?
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Welcome here in Kom Ombo.
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So what have you found?
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During their digging on the other side over there,
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they found a group of steles.
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So stele, like
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big stone slabs.
Big stones.
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And we have just uncovered it.
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Can I come and have a look?
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Of course, why not.
Thank you.
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Steles were like giant stone message boards
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used to make public announcements.
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So I'm hoping these finds might reveal something new
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about life here in ancient Egypt.
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How amazing.
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I don't know if you can see this
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it's an enormous slab of stone.
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And the slab is not alone.
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For some reason, several steles, some in pieces,
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have been buried beneath the wall of the temple.
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You had no idea these were down here?
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No, no idea.
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How brilliant.
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It looks like a seriously dangerous job down there
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because can you tell how much this weighs?
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What do you think?
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Almost three tons.
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Three tons.
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Yes.
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Oh, that's so exciting.
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Very exciting.
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We're going to be the first people
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to hear what it says, for 2000 years.
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Of course, yes.
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Amazing and so tantalizing.
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What are you going to tell us, stone?
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I feel like it's kind of teasing us.
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And nine feet below ground level,
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the dig is turning up more than just the stele.
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Oh, oh.
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There's a confusing mix of treasures here,
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including more recent Roman pottery.
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Why's the pottery here?
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Judamy, why has it ended up underneath the stele?
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The stele was like dumped here.
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Dumped here, yeah, that's really interesting.
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So because this is late Roman pottery,
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but it's underneath the stele level
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that shows us that the stele must have been just put down,
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dumped for some reason.
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So it starts out life as a work of art, this,
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and it looks like it's ended up as
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just a bit of a construction material, poor old stele.
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I'm glad you're happy with this though.
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Yeah.
Beautiful.
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It seems that all these intriguing artifacts have been
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dumped here to help support the foundations of the temple.
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(speaking in foreign language)
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(speaking in foreign language)
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(speaking in foreign language)
I can't bear to watch
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because the idea of that coming down on people's arms,
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it's actually my heart's in my throat watching them
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because it's so perilous.
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And these men they've been doing this all their lives,
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so they're the experts.
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They are strong men, who have good experience
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not just the strength, both of them together.
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Strong and wise-
Exactly.
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that's how we like men.
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(laughing)
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(speaking in foreign language)
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So I've just seen the top of the steles.
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I hadn't realized there's inscriptions, oh my God.
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No just hieroglyphics
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but it has a scene on it.
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Yes, yes, yes, so you hieroglyphs and a scene, oh my.
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Exactly.
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Amazing.
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(singing in foreign language)
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(singing in foreign language)
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Now out of the ground,
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it's clear that two broken pieces actually fit together,
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allowing an ancient stele to be reformed
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after thousands of years in the dirt.
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(singing in foreign language)
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It's great to see that, I love it.
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I love the fact that they are loving
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the rescuing of this thing from the earth.
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But what we don't know is what our ancient stone stele
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may be about to reveal.
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Just a stone's throw from the Nile,
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at the crocodile temple of Kom Ombo,
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I'm watching as a team of archeologists excavate,
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a giant stone stele.
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These were public message boards,
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the press releases of ancient Egypt.
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And I'm about to be one of the first people,
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in over 2000 years, to see what's written on it.
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So slowly, slowly, the hieroglyphs are coming out.
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Look at the detail in that.
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Is it painted?
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Yes
Yes, remains of colors.
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This is amazing, the paint is still on it.
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All of the colors they come from nature,
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plants, trees, stones, mix it with water,
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covered by honey to be very bright.
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I'm blown away by the paint.
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I've never seen it come out of the earth like that before.
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It's unusual to find them,
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they are still in a good condition
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with the nice original colors like this.
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Amazing, so you can just imagine it in its heyday,
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glaring out with these jewel-like colors.
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And then we spot a familiar face in the dust.
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This is so big.
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So this is just too exciting.
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So what's just been cleaned is Sobek's face,
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so the crocodile god.
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Amazing and it's just all appearing,
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right in front of our eyes.
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Sobek's image is proof that this discarded stele
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was originally made for this sacred site.
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So how old is it?
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(speaking in foreign language)
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The Egyptologists have noticed the all important clue,
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a Pharaoh's name.
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You can see his name is here, Seti.
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So which Seti?
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The father of Ramesses II.
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So this is the father of Ramesses II,
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arguably one of the most powerful men on Earth.
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Seti I ruled 3300 years ago,
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he expanded the Egyptian empire and built beautiful temples.
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It will be months before experts
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can fully decipher this stele
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but it's new evidence that his influence reached all the way
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to this sacred spot on the Nile.
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This is kind of CVs or kind of boasty biography
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of what Seti achieved.
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So means a press release.
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It's not just started now.
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It dates back to 1300 BC.
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Of course it did.
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We're all weird showoffs, as a species,
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we want the world to know how great we are.
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And we now know that the crocodile god was worshiped here
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over a thousand years before the current temple.
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We'll have to start writing
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all our press releases in stone
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so that they survived 3300 years as well.
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(uplifting music)
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Honestly, gentlemen
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thank you so much for letting me see this.
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It's just the most incredible thing
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and a real privilege to witness it.
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I'm still completely reeling from today.
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What an incredible experience
267
00:12:55,227 --> 00:12:59,610
and I'm covered in sand and Nile mud
268
00:13:00,580 --> 00:13:03,760
but watching those men, there was a lot of camaraderie
269
00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:07,120
and support and laughter and that must have been the case
270
00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:08,920
in ancient Egypt, too.
271
00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:13,270
And those stone stele, they are beautiful things.
272
00:13:13,270 --> 00:13:16,390
They are historical gold, they're going to tell us
273
00:13:16,390 --> 00:13:20,620
so much about the land here thousands of years ago
274
00:13:20,620 --> 00:13:23,600
and they've been hidden in the foundations
275
00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,113
of this incredible temple of the crocodile god.
276
00:13:30,424 --> 00:13:33,174
(dramatic music)
277
00:13:35,970 --> 00:13:38,990
I'm genuinely sad to be leaving Kom Ombo,
278
00:13:38,990 --> 00:13:41,173
but now I've got to head further south.
279
00:13:42,460 --> 00:13:45,123
I'm entering one of the Nile's busiest stretches.
280
00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:49,073
Hi.
281
00:13:50,450 --> 00:13:51,560
I do love this river
282
00:13:51,560 --> 00:13:53,170
'cause you never know quite who's going to come down it.
283
00:13:53,170 --> 00:13:54,660
It feels very peaceful
284
00:13:54,660 --> 00:13:56,660
and then suddenly there's a massive barge
285
00:13:56,660 --> 00:13:59,500
carrying stones or sand or cement
286
00:13:59,500 --> 00:14:02,460
or one of these modern day luxury liners
287
00:14:02,460 --> 00:14:05,393
taking tourists on there voyage of a lifetime.
288
00:14:07,620 --> 00:14:09,713
Many of us are heading to the same place.
289
00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:14,140
30 miles south of Kom Ombo
290
00:14:14,140 --> 00:14:16,483
is the great southern city of Aswan.
291
00:14:18,210 --> 00:14:20,407
It once marked the border between ancient Egypt
292
00:14:20,407 --> 00:14:21,760
and the rest of Africa
293
00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:27,400
and remains the final stop for many great Nile journeys.
294
00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,261
So I can just see the Aswan bridge, which means that soon,
295
00:14:30,261 --> 00:14:33,380
I'm going to have to say goodbye to this beautiful boat,
296
00:14:33,380 --> 00:14:34,773
goodbye to the dahabeah.
297
00:14:36,514 --> 00:14:39,264
(dramatic music)
298
00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:42,370
Just a few miles upstream,
299
00:14:42,370 --> 00:14:45,120
the famous Aswan Dam means that this is as far
300
00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:46,843
as large boats like mine can go.
301
00:14:50,190 --> 00:14:51,610
I got to go, I've got to go.
302
00:14:51,610 --> 00:14:54,810
Captain, thank you so much.
303
00:14:54,810 --> 00:14:57,443
I enjoyed every moment.
Hope to see you again.
304
00:14:58,390 --> 00:15:00,184
Boys thank you so much.
305
00:15:00,184 --> 00:15:01,470
It's been so lovely.
306
00:15:01,470 --> 00:15:04,360
Bye bye, thank you, thank you guys.
307
00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:06,560
You've been amazing, thank you.
308
00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:08,790
Should we do a quick photo, d'you think?
309
00:15:08,790 --> 00:15:10,090
Yeah.
Okay.
310
00:15:11,390 --> 00:15:13,024
I don't think you've got Saeed in.
311
00:15:13,024 --> 00:15:13,857
(speaking in foreign language)
312
00:15:13,857 --> 00:15:15,485
That's it? That's it.
313
00:15:15,485 --> 00:15:16,330
What d'you say in Arabic?
314
00:15:16,330 --> 00:15:18,517
Not cheese, it's something else.
315
00:15:18,517 --> 00:15:20,389
(speaking in foreign language)
316
00:15:20,389 --> 00:15:21,352
Okay, let's try one, two, three.
317
00:15:21,352 --> 00:15:23,487
(speaking in foreign language)
318
00:15:23,487 --> 00:15:26,490
(laughing)
319
00:15:26,490 --> 00:15:29,190
Thank you, it was really great, thank you.
320
00:15:29,190 --> 00:15:32,203
Bye, bye, see you, see you.
321
00:15:34,170 --> 00:15:37,393
Bye, thank you, it's amazing.
322
00:15:41,530 --> 00:15:43,490
With it's multitude of islands,
323
00:15:43,490 --> 00:15:45,010
Aswan is considered by many
324
00:15:45,010 --> 00:15:47,653
to be the Nile's ultimate beauty spot.
325
00:15:49,500 --> 00:15:52,793
A reputation that helped create one Aswan icon,
326
00:15:53,700 --> 00:15:55,633
the Old Cataract Hotel.
327
00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:00,750
This place was built when Egypt
328
00:16:00,750 --> 00:16:03,170
was the winter playground of the British Empire
329
00:16:05,820 --> 00:16:08,180
and it's remained the place to stay
330
00:16:08,180 --> 00:16:09,803
for over a hundred years.
331
00:16:12,890 --> 00:16:13,773
Oh my goodness.
332
00:16:15,390 --> 00:16:16,510
Hello.
333
00:16:16,510 --> 00:16:18,803
Hi, hi, I'm Bettany.
334
00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:21,400
And this is your key.
335
00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,549
Thank you.
Hope you enjoy.
336
00:16:23,549 --> 00:16:24,382
Great.
337
00:16:25,482 --> 00:16:27,453
1101, okay.
338
00:16:28,550 --> 00:16:31,660
Now I've gotta try and find it.
339
00:16:31,660 --> 00:16:32,980
I've been allowed to borrow the key
340
00:16:32,980 --> 00:16:35,660
to one of the hotel's most famous suites
341
00:16:35,660 --> 00:16:39,173
dedicated to none other than Winston Churchill.
342
00:16:40,446 --> 00:16:43,120
I just hit a dead end up that way.
343
00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:44,710
Churchill on the other hand
344
00:16:44,710 --> 00:16:47,410
would have known this hotel like the back of his hand.
345
00:16:48,860 --> 00:16:51,100
He first stayed here in 1902
346
00:16:51,100 --> 00:16:53,140
when he was just 28 years old
347
00:16:53,140 --> 00:16:55,033
and he returned many times.
348
00:16:57,459 --> 00:16:59,826
Okay, how does this work?
349
00:16:59,826 --> 00:17:02,477
A few things have been updated since though.
350
00:17:03,844 --> 00:17:06,372
(laughing)
351
00:17:06,372 --> 00:17:08,102
I'm always hopeless with these things
352
00:17:08,102 --> 00:17:10,883
but that is definitely not letting me in.
353
00:17:15,985 --> 00:17:17,410
Yeah.
This is the master key.
354
00:17:17,410 --> 00:17:18,243
Oh okay.
355
00:17:18,243 --> 00:17:19,076
So-
Yes.
356
00:17:20,209 --> 00:17:22,387
And push.
Good, ah.
357
00:17:22,387 --> 00:17:24,054
Thank you very much.
358
00:17:29,750 --> 00:17:32,740
That is ridiculously posh, isn't it?
359
00:17:32,740 --> 00:17:35,750
So this is called the Winston Churchill suite
360
00:17:35,750 --> 00:17:36,850
and this is where he came back
361
00:17:36,850 --> 00:17:39,050
when he was Prime Minister, with his family.
362
00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:45,980
It's a nice bathroom.
363
00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,180
Ooh, very nice touch.
364
00:17:50,180 --> 00:17:52,547
There's a little bag with a hairdryer and it says,
365
00:17:52,547 --> 00:17:55,990
"Wonderful hair begins with a little wind."
366
00:17:57,981 --> 00:18:02,981
I'll remember that, next time I'm getting ready to get out.
367
00:18:03,010 --> 00:18:04,160
Oh it is lovely though.
368
00:18:05,993 --> 00:18:08,826
(uplifting music)
369
00:18:10,624 --> 00:18:13,916
Now that is how I like my views.
370
00:18:13,916 --> 00:18:16,130
That really is something.
371
00:18:16,130 --> 00:18:17,890
I'm very lucky in my life
372
00:18:17,890 --> 00:18:20,980
and I spend my time traveling around to ancient sites
373
00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:23,110
and fascinating places
374
00:18:23,110 --> 00:18:24,680
but this is something else.
375
00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,470
So you've got a little bit of history
376
00:18:27,470 --> 00:18:32,423
just beyond your balcony rimmed by the waters of the Nile.
377
00:18:32,423 --> 00:18:33,693
That is quite something.
378
00:18:36,900 --> 00:18:40,040
It's scenes like this have made Aswan famous
379
00:18:41,510 --> 00:18:44,583
but early British guests weren't just here for the view.
380
00:18:47,670 --> 00:18:51,450
The 19th century saw a huge boom in health tourism.
381
00:18:51,450 --> 00:18:53,780
with doctors prescribing their wealthier clients
382
00:18:53,780 --> 00:18:57,720
a stay in Egypt as a cure for bronchitis, tuberculosis
383
00:18:57,720 --> 00:18:59,903
and the ills of industrial Britain.
384
00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,640
Visiting here became so popular that, in 1894,
385
00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,950
a book was produced called "Wintering in Egypt"
386
00:19:08,950 --> 00:19:11,600
and it gave the English visitor all kinds of tips
387
00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:13,330
about how to have a marvelous time.
388
00:19:13,330 --> 00:19:16,380
The climate here was described as dry and tonic,
389
00:19:16,380 --> 00:19:18,590
and it was perfect as a counterbalance
390
00:19:18,590 --> 00:19:22,035
to the gloom and rigors of an English winter.
391
00:19:22,035 --> 00:19:24,420
It was particularly recommended
392
00:19:24,420 --> 00:19:28,270
that men between the ages of 50 and 60 come here,
393
00:19:28,270 --> 00:19:31,320
if they had a gouty tendency.
394
00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:33,950
In the book, there's all sorts of recommendations as to what
395
00:19:33,950 --> 00:19:35,510
women and men need to bring with them.
396
00:19:35,510 --> 00:19:39,330
So a woman had to bring a deck chair and cushions,
397
00:19:39,330 --> 00:19:43,620
parasol, a dressing gown and sketching materials, of course.
398
00:19:43,620 --> 00:19:47,720
And for men, they had to bring all kinds of different suits,
399
00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:49,270
for the evening and for the daytime.
400
00:19:49,270 --> 00:19:53,170
I'm sorry to say two flannel shirts for shooting
401
00:19:53,170 --> 00:19:55,793
and of course, tennis whites.
402
00:19:58,060 --> 00:20:00,010
Well aware of this advice was Britain's
403
00:20:00,010 --> 00:20:02,773
most famous travel agent, Thomas Cook.
404
00:20:04,780 --> 00:20:07,270
He'd already pioneered the modern Nile cruise
405
00:20:08,660 --> 00:20:12,280
and with his fleet of steam ships, ready to bring in guests,
406
00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,970
his company opened the Old Cataract
407
00:20:14,970 --> 00:20:16,923
as the ultimate health resort.
408
00:20:17,870 --> 00:20:20,280
With all of this, it meant that this place
409
00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:24,800
became a real trigger for that golden age of Egyptomania
410
00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,030
where people loved everything
411
00:20:28,030 --> 00:20:30,813
and anything to do with Egypt.
412
00:20:30,813 --> 00:20:33,563
(dramatic music)
413
00:20:34,660 --> 00:20:37,320
I may have had to leave my dahabeah behind
414
00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,223
but that hasn't stopped my river journey through Aswan.
415
00:20:43,030 --> 00:20:45,910
The city overlooks a unique stretch of the Nile
416
00:20:45,910 --> 00:20:48,070
with many islands and narrow channels,
417
00:20:48,070 --> 00:20:49,633
it's known as the Cataract.
418
00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:55,890
A small boat is needed to explore these rocky outcrops
419
00:20:55,890 --> 00:20:57,253
and shallow waters.
420
00:20:58,670 --> 00:21:00,980
For the ancient Egyptians, the Cataract
421
00:21:00,980 --> 00:21:02,760
formed a physical barrier,
422
00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,012
a natural southern border to their land.
423
00:21:06,012 --> 00:21:08,762
(birds flapping)
424
00:21:10,500 --> 00:21:12,500
And it was here each year
425
00:21:12,500 --> 00:21:14,720
that they experienced the first signs
426
00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:16,663
of the annual Nile flood.
427
00:21:19,690 --> 00:21:24,210
The flood meant fertile land, crops, food and prosperity
428
00:21:26,500 --> 00:21:28,833
so monitoring the flood was vital.
429
00:21:30,210 --> 00:21:33,080
The islands of Aswan were perfectly placed to do this
430
00:21:34,180 --> 00:21:37,033
and the ancient Egyptians developed a nifty tool,
431
00:21:38,250 --> 00:21:39,283
a nilometer.
432
00:21:40,620 --> 00:21:42,010
Oh thank you.
433
00:21:42,010 --> 00:21:43,840
This is how the waters would have flooded
434
00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:45,390
into the nilometer.
435
00:21:45,390 --> 00:21:46,590
Thank you Drokur.
436
00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,930
So the river waters would come flooding up here
437
00:21:53,930 --> 00:21:56,100
and as they raised,
438
00:21:56,100 --> 00:21:59,090
the levels were marked by all these grooves in the wall.
439
00:21:59,090 --> 00:22:01,620
So that meant that the powers that be could work out
440
00:22:01,620 --> 00:22:04,030
exactly what the level of the floods were,
441
00:22:04,030 --> 00:22:06,720
which meant they could estimate what the sediments
442
00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:08,010
would be on the soil,
443
00:22:08,010 --> 00:22:11,980
so they could work out how many crops could be grown.
444
00:22:11,980 --> 00:22:14,500
And from that, it meant that they could predict
445
00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:17,763
exactly how much they could tax the people.
446
00:22:19,980 --> 00:22:22,600
But despite their clever nilometers,
447
00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,170
the ancient Egyptians never worked out
448
00:22:24,170 --> 00:22:27,303
where the energy of the floodwaters actually came from.
449
00:22:28,410 --> 00:22:30,430
They rarely saw rainfall.
450
00:22:30,430 --> 00:22:33,583
To them, water from the sky was a gift of the gods.
451
00:22:35,950 --> 00:22:38,390
We now know that the monsoons of central Africa
452
00:22:38,390 --> 00:22:39,860
cause the floods each year
453
00:22:40,914 --> 00:22:43,826
but the ancient Egyptians believed the floodwaters
454
00:22:43,826 --> 00:22:46,943
emerged from beneath the rocks of the Cataract.
455
00:22:51,750 --> 00:22:54,223
Down here, there was a system of caves
456
00:22:54,223 --> 00:22:55,894
and the crazy thing was
457
00:22:55,894 --> 00:22:58,110
that you could actually hear the flood waters
458
00:22:58,110 --> 00:22:59,500
before you could see them.
459
00:22:59,500 --> 00:23:00,860
So for the ancient Egyptians,
460
00:23:00,860 --> 00:23:03,530
this was a kind of magic moment
461
00:23:03,530 --> 00:23:05,713
and they believed that the gods and goddesses of the Nile
462
00:23:05,713 --> 00:23:08,340
and the Nile floods lived down here.
463
00:23:08,340 --> 00:23:11,060
And that this was the source
464
00:23:11,060 --> 00:23:14,523
of the life giving powers of the Nile.
465
00:23:14,523 --> 00:23:17,440
(mysterious music)
466
00:23:18,690 --> 00:23:20,520
Along with the ancient Egyptians,
467
00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:23,850
the true cause of the floods, baffled Greeks and Romans
468
00:23:23,850 --> 00:23:25,723
and remained a mystery for centuries.
469
00:23:27,180 --> 00:23:29,630
But just over a hundred years ago,
470
00:23:29,630 --> 00:23:32,123
the Nile flood was brought under control.
471
00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:38,110
Ahead of me spans the great Aswan Dam
472
00:23:39,310 --> 00:23:41,670
whose construction would threaten
473
00:23:41,670 --> 00:23:44,433
one of the Niles most beautiful treasures.
474
00:23:46,032 --> 00:23:49,540
(dramatic music)
475
00:23:49,540 --> 00:23:52,333
I've reached the final city on my journey up the Nile.
476
00:23:55,260 --> 00:23:57,220
The rocks and islands of Aswan,
477
00:23:57,220 --> 00:23:59,873
make it quite unlike any other stretch of the river.
478
00:24:02,310 --> 00:24:05,053
It's always been a natural stop off for travelers.
479
00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:07,390
If you know where to look on these rocks,
480
00:24:07,390 --> 00:24:09,140
you can find inscriptions that date
481
00:24:09,140 --> 00:24:11,720
right the way back to the Pharaonic period.
482
00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,530
And they were left by traders who traveled this stretch
483
00:24:14,530 --> 00:24:16,934
of the Nile as kind of, "I was here" stamp
484
00:24:16,934 --> 00:24:20,990
and we know that festival goers would come in order to mark
485
00:24:20,990 --> 00:24:23,380
the fact they'd come to this sacred spot.
486
00:24:23,380 --> 00:24:25,020
They're really amazing
487
00:24:25,020 --> 00:24:27,440
and they carry on for around 3000 years
488
00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:30,153
but you have to have quite keen eyes to find them.
489
00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:39,190
Aswan once mark the edge of the Egyptian world,
490
00:24:39,190 --> 00:24:41,053
the gateway to the rest of Africa.
491
00:24:43,825 --> 00:24:45,923
(tuk tuk hooting)
492
00:24:45,923 --> 00:24:50,590
(chattering)
(laughing)
493
00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:54,800
Gemstones, ebony, incense,
494
00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,023
and ivory flowed through this city,
495
00:24:57,960 --> 00:24:59,780
along with Egypt's most revered
496
00:24:59,780 --> 00:25:02,443
and precious item, gold.
497
00:25:04,790 --> 00:25:06,740
Tutankhamen's funeral mask is one
498
00:25:06,740 --> 00:25:08,190
of the few golden treasures
499
00:25:08,190 --> 00:25:10,443
to have escaped the robbers and raiders.
500
00:25:11,930 --> 00:25:14,450
But here in this part of ancient Egypt,
501
00:25:14,450 --> 00:25:17,763
gold was once said to be as common as dirt.
502
00:25:19,521 --> 00:25:22,521
(ladies chattering)
503
00:25:24,220 --> 00:25:27,180
So these lovely ladies have just come in and I think
504
00:25:27,180 --> 00:25:28,740
because she's got this black henna on her hand,
505
00:25:28,740 --> 00:25:31,760
she's must be choosing a wedding or an engagement ring.
506
00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:32,960
Are you getting married?
507
00:25:33,928 --> 00:25:36,030
(speaking in foreign language)
508
00:25:36,030 --> 00:25:37,260
It's like engagement.
509
00:25:37,260 --> 00:25:38,343
Engagement.
510
00:25:39,770 --> 00:25:41,670
Gold jewelry has been found in Egypt
511
00:25:41,670 --> 00:25:45,853
that predates Tut's treasure, by more than 2000 years.
512
00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:49,360
Super special for the ancient Egyptians
513
00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:50,860
because they also thought it was sacred
514
00:25:50,860 --> 00:25:53,390
and they believed that gold came from
515
00:25:53,390 --> 00:25:56,200
the flesh of the sun god, Ra
516
00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,500
and that because it didn't tarnish in the ground
517
00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:00,460
it had magical properties.
518
00:26:00,460 --> 00:26:02,630
So it was a status symbol
519
00:26:02,630 --> 00:26:05,590
but it was also something spiritual.
520
00:26:07,460 --> 00:26:10,043
(upbeat music)
521
00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,890
For many of us Aswan isn't known for its gold
522
00:26:14,890 --> 00:26:18,933
but for a famous engineering project, the Aswan Dam.
523
00:26:21,950 --> 00:26:23,510
Just over a century ago,
524
00:26:23,510 --> 00:26:25,180
the British were in control here
525
00:26:25,180 --> 00:26:27,313
and changed the Nile forever.
526
00:26:30,450 --> 00:26:34,220
In 1902, a dam opened here just south of the city
527
00:26:35,930 --> 00:26:39,490
but 60 years later, the Egyptians added another,
528
00:26:39,490 --> 00:26:40,463
the High Dam.
529
00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,830
Sandwiched precariously between them though
530
00:26:44,830 --> 00:26:47,940
was a small island with a big treasure,
531
00:26:47,940 --> 00:26:50,256
the temple of Philae.
532
00:26:50,256 --> 00:26:53,060
(dramatic music)
533
00:26:53,060 --> 00:26:55,240
Reflected in the waters of the Nile,
534
00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:58,863
this temple is truly romantic.
535
00:26:59,770 --> 00:27:01,290
I think there's something a bit magical about
536
00:27:01,290 --> 00:27:02,900
all ancient Egyptian temples
537
00:27:02,900 --> 00:27:05,840
but this one is particularly special
538
00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:07,500
because when I was a teenager,
539
00:27:07,500 --> 00:27:10,930
it was 15 feet submerged underwater,
540
00:27:10,930 --> 00:27:15,540
and it's been moved block by block, over 37,000 blocks
541
00:27:15,540 --> 00:27:19,050
and jigsaw puzzled together to be in its new place here.
542
00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:24,780
As the second dam was completed in 1970
543
00:27:24,780 --> 00:27:27,800
and the reservoir between the two dams rose,
544
00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:29,890
all but the uppermost parts of the temple
545
00:27:29,890 --> 00:27:31,593
disappeared beneath the water.
546
00:27:33,810 --> 00:27:38,483
The only way to save it was to move it to a higher island.
547
00:27:40,453 --> 00:27:44,070
(birds twittering)
548
00:27:44,070 --> 00:27:48,030
The ancient Egyptians dedicated Philae to Isis,
549
00:27:48,030 --> 00:27:49,740
a goddess of resurrection
550
00:27:50,750 --> 00:27:55,680
and the temple now has a new life at a new location,
551
00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,010
allowing visitors to appreciate one of Egypt's
552
00:27:59,010 --> 00:28:01,223
most famed beauties.
553
00:28:04,120 --> 00:28:05,910
This place felt so perfect,
554
00:28:05,910 --> 00:28:09,500
it was described as the pearl or the jewel of the Nile
555
00:28:09,500 --> 00:28:12,353
and it attracted travelers across the centuries.
556
00:28:17,307 --> 00:28:19,270
One of the English visitors who came here,
557
00:28:19,270 --> 00:28:21,400
was Florence Nightingale.
558
00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:23,530
She spent three months traveling the Nile
559
00:28:23,530 --> 00:28:26,770
and she thought that Egypt was a place full of life
560
00:28:26,770 --> 00:28:29,320
and lights and beauty
561
00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:33,900
but her heart was really taken by Philae.
562
00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:37,830
She described it as having a kind of super sacred sense
563
00:28:37,830 --> 00:28:40,730
and it was actually here in Egypt that she followed
564
00:28:40,730 --> 00:28:44,110
what she thought was a calling from God to become a nurse.
565
00:28:44,110 --> 00:28:47,100
And she went straight from here to train for five years
566
00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:49,113
on the shores of Alexandria.
567
00:28:52,330 --> 00:28:54,997
(calming music)
568
00:28:57,070 --> 00:29:00,160
This place hasn't just enchanted with its beauty,
569
00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:02,170
it has a fascinating tale to tell
570
00:29:02,170 --> 00:29:04,543
about the last days of ancient Egypt.
571
00:29:07,430 --> 00:29:09,740
Just over 2000 years ago,
572
00:29:09,740 --> 00:29:13,150
with the death of the last great pharaoh, Cleopatra,
573
00:29:13,150 --> 00:29:15,530
the Romans seized control of Egypt
574
00:29:18,545 --> 00:29:21,500
but they weren't here just to conquer and suppress,
575
00:29:21,500 --> 00:29:25,230
they were massive fans of ancient Egyptian culture
576
00:29:25,230 --> 00:29:27,923
and even made their own additions to this temple.
577
00:29:30,230 --> 00:29:32,600
Archeologist, Fatma Magdy Anwar,
578
00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:34,510
has invited me to see the evidence.
579
00:29:34,510 --> 00:29:35,869
Fantastic, thank you so much
580
00:29:35,869 --> 00:29:36,817
because I've read a lot about this
581
00:29:36,817 --> 00:29:38,448
but I've never seen it so-
582
00:29:38,448 --> 00:29:40,620
This will be pleasure for me to show you.
583
00:29:40,620 --> 00:29:41,453
Thank you.
584
00:29:41,453 --> 00:29:42,286
Come after me.
585
00:29:43,330 --> 00:29:44,163
Watch your step.
586
00:29:44,163 --> 00:29:45,680
I will.
587
00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:47,160
Thank you very much.
588
00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:53,370
As you can see here, this is Augustus, emperor.
589
00:29:53,370 --> 00:29:54,759
Uh-huh.
590
00:29:54,759 --> 00:29:57,750
And how do you know that is definitely Augustus?
591
00:29:57,750 --> 00:29:59,630
You can see, that's his name,
592
00:29:59,630 --> 00:30:01,833
he's written it in hieroglyphic letters.
593
00:30:04,150 --> 00:30:07,440
Augustus was the first emperor of the new power, Rome
594
00:30:08,950 --> 00:30:11,600
but he chose to mark his presence here
595
00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:14,550
using the ancient language of Egypt.
596
00:30:14,550 --> 00:30:15,790
He couldn't be looking more Egyptian.
597
00:30:15,790 --> 00:30:19,310
He's standing in that really typical Egyptian pose
598
00:30:19,310 --> 00:30:21,030
and he's making offerings to the gods
599
00:30:21,030 --> 00:30:22,780
as a good Pharaoh would do.
600
00:30:22,780 --> 00:30:24,970
And I mean, the Romans are kind of more
601
00:30:24,970 --> 00:30:26,460
than half in love with Egypt.
602
00:30:26,460 --> 00:30:27,780
They love the fact it's very wealthy
603
00:30:27,780 --> 00:30:29,330
but they love everything about it.
604
00:30:29,330 --> 00:30:32,120
Yes, when they came to Egypt
605
00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:34,070
they wanted to win the hearts of the Egyptians
606
00:30:34,070 --> 00:30:37,600
so they worshiped the same gods of the Egyptians.
607
00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:40,580
So it's a kind of hearts and minds campaign
608
00:30:40,580 --> 00:30:41,790
'cause they're already in power.
609
00:30:41,790 --> 00:30:45,820
Not just power cause he needed to be loved.
610
00:30:45,820 --> 00:30:48,180
And are there any other emperors represented
611
00:30:48,180 --> 00:30:49,380
anywhere else in the temple?
612
00:30:49,380 --> 00:30:51,280
Yeah, we have Nero there.
613
00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,171
Nero? I would love to see Nero as
614
00:30:54,171 --> 00:30:56,493
an Egyptian pharaoh.
Okay, let's go and see it.
615
00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,223
Nero was notorious.
616
00:31:02,380 --> 00:31:06,250
Known for his lavish lifestyle and tumultuous reign.
617
00:31:06,250 --> 00:31:09,070
He's got a particularly splendid headdress on, hasn't he?
618
00:31:09,070 --> 00:31:11,190
Yes he's loving to be showoff.
619
00:31:11,190 --> 00:31:13,360
Yeah, well, I love the fact that he's not even
620
00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:15,180
just represented as a pharaoh here,
621
00:31:15,180 --> 00:31:17,589
he's trying to show himself to be an Egyptian god.
622
00:31:17,589 --> 00:31:21,690
As you can see he's wearing the crown of god Amun.
623
00:31:21,690 --> 00:31:23,780
Everybody wants to be like an Egyptian.
624
00:31:23,780 --> 00:31:24,613
Yes.
625
00:31:24,613 --> 00:31:26,640
And it must make you proud,
626
00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:28,630
I'd imagine as an Egyptian woman,
627
00:31:28,630 --> 00:31:32,200
the fact that people come here, not just today as tourists
628
00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:33,690
but through history.
629
00:31:33,690 --> 00:31:36,470
Yes, from every ages and from every country,
630
00:31:36,470 --> 00:31:39,520
there is another people want to be Egyptians
631
00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:41,560
and want to involve with Egyptian culture.
632
00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:43,273
You look very proud, you're actually filling up.
633
00:31:43,273 --> 00:31:44,106
Yes.
634
00:31:44,106 --> 00:31:45,490
No but it is, it's a great thing
635
00:31:45,490 --> 00:31:48,653
and we're very lucky to be able to share it today.
636
00:31:48,653 --> 00:31:49,952
Thank you.
So thank you.
637
00:31:49,952 --> 00:31:51,669
Thank you for looking after it.
638
00:31:51,669 --> 00:31:53,150
(laughing)
639
00:31:53,150 --> 00:31:54,150
Oh, well thank you.
640
00:31:54,150 --> 00:31:56,226
Thank you for looking after it.
641
00:31:56,226 --> 00:31:57,059
It's great.
642
00:31:57,059 --> 00:31:58,860
Really beautiful, thank you.
643
00:31:58,860 --> 00:32:00,073
Thank you, fantastic.
644
00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:03,270
On my Nile journey,
645
00:32:03,270 --> 00:32:05,380
I've met so many people like Fatima
646
00:32:05,380 --> 00:32:08,133
who are incredibly proud of their country's history.
647
00:32:09,300 --> 00:32:13,280
And it's understandable since this amazing civilization
648
00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:15,920
endured over 5000 years
649
00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:18,220
and has been celebrated ever since
650
00:32:18,220 --> 00:32:21,453
by everyone, from the Romans right through to us.
651
00:32:23,750 --> 00:32:26,630
There's one final treat here at Philae,
652
00:32:26,630 --> 00:32:29,204
a tiny detail that bears witness
653
00:32:29,204 --> 00:32:32,763
to the dying breath of ancient Egyptian culture.
654
00:32:33,603 --> 00:32:35,610
The whole of this temple is covered
655
00:32:35,610 --> 00:32:37,920
with historical clues and information
656
00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:40,440
so it might seems slightly perverse to pick this one,
657
00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:41,970
which isn't particularly pretty
658
00:32:41,970 --> 00:32:45,203
but what I'm looking at here is really significant.
659
00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,060
These are the last Egyptian hieroglyph
660
00:32:49,060 --> 00:32:52,550
ever carved on a wall in Egypt.
661
00:32:52,550 --> 00:32:54,570
They date from 394 AD
662
00:32:54,570 --> 00:32:56,070
and they were put here by somebody
663
00:32:56,070 --> 00:32:58,120
who was a member of a dynasty,
664
00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:01,430
a priest who served the goddess Isis.
665
00:33:01,430 --> 00:33:03,280
Now it's really poignant
666
00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:05,670
because what it says here is that this is a cult
667
00:33:05,670 --> 00:33:08,413
that is going to carry on forever and ever.
668
00:33:09,455 --> 00:33:11,210
But that's not the case
669
00:33:11,210 --> 00:33:13,340
because increasingly the Roman Empire
670
00:33:13,340 --> 00:33:15,180
and Rome-dominated Egypt at this time,
671
00:33:15,180 --> 00:33:16,470
is becoming Christian.
672
00:33:16,470 --> 00:33:20,619
And within just a few generations, Paganism was outlawed
673
00:33:20,619 --> 00:33:24,903
and this temple was turned into a Christian church.
674
00:33:26,485 --> 00:33:29,318
(uplifting music)
675
00:33:30,220 --> 00:33:33,800
Philae marks an endpoint for ancient Egypt.
676
00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:35,683
and for many Nile journeys.
677
00:33:37,525 --> 00:33:39,950
But for me there's one last stop on the river
678
00:33:39,950 --> 00:33:40,967
I want to show you.
679
00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:47,203
It reveals just how captivated we still are by Egypt.
680
00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:51,750
(dramatic music)
681
00:33:52,890 --> 00:33:55,940
Many travelers end their Nile journeys here, in Aswan
682
00:33:58,865 --> 00:34:02,230
but I've got one more treat in store
683
00:34:02,230 --> 00:34:04,853
and getting there takes me away from the river.
684
00:34:09,057 --> 00:34:11,640
(upbeat music)
685
00:34:14,690 --> 00:34:19,273
I'm heading to a special place for a very special date.
686
00:34:21,420 --> 00:34:25,160
This drive allows me to get around Aswan's mighty dams
687
00:34:25,160 --> 00:34:29,250
and press on 180 miles, in fact, where the ancient
688
00:34:29,250 --> 00:34:31,893
Nile Valley is now engulfed by Lake Nasser.
689
00:34:33,474 --> 00:34:36,307
(water splashing)
690
00:34:40,139 --> 00:34:44,290
This is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world,
691
00:34:44,290 --> 00:34:48,373
created by the second of those dams downstream.
692
00:34:49,750 --> 00:34:51,640
From the time of the ancients onwards
693
00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:53,720
Egypt always seems to have attracted these
694
00:34:53,720 --> 00:34:56,530
massive, ambitious construction projects.
695
00:34:56,530 --> 00:34:58,580
And that tradition continues
696
00:34:58,580 --> 00:35:01,520
and Lake Nasser or Lake Nubia, as some call it,
697
00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:06,520
is 340 miles long and it took six years to fill.
698
00:35:09,660 --> 00:35:13,130
But I've come this far south to see one of ancient Egypt's
699
00:35:13,130 --> 00:35:15,363
most impressive engineering feats.
700
00:35:17,140 --> 00:35:18,860
There's a temple coming up just here,
701
00:35:18,860 --> 00:35:22,143
which symbolizes Egypt's glory days.
702
00:35:23,772 --> 00:35:27,320
(dramatic music)
703
00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:30,200
Abu Simbel, without a doubt
704
00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:33,463
one of the most striking of Egypt's ancient temples.
705
00:35:35,140 --> 00:35:39,303
Unusually, it was built in one reign, by one pharaoh.
706
00:35:40,490 --> 00:35:44,603
Abu Simbel encapsulates the glory days of Egyptian rule.
707
00:35:46,530 --> 00:35:48,970
Now we're used to the leaders of nations
708
00:35:48,970 --> 00:35:51,730
making shouty statements of power
709
00:35:51,730 --> 00:35:55,910
but even today, you cannot argue with this.
710
00:35:55,910 --> 00:35:59,930
This is Egypt telling the world that she is in charge
711
00:35:59,930 --> 00:36:02,610
and the incarnation of her power
712
00:36:02,610 --> 00:36:04,750
is this man, it's Ramesses II,
713
00:36:04,750 --> 00:36:07,730
the pharaoh also known as Ramesses The Great
714
00:36:07,730 --> 00:36:10,580
and Ramesses is so certain of his potency,
715
00:36:10,580 --> 00:36:11,970
there isn't just one of him here,
716
00:36:11,970 --> 00:36:16,363
there's one, two, three, four, all set in stone.
717
00:36:18,459 --> 00:36:20,130
(dramatic music)
718
00:36:20,130 --> 00:36:23,350
3300 years ago, Ramesses enjoyed
719
00:36:23,350 --> 00:36:25,373
one of the longest reigns in history.
720
00:36:27,810 --> 00:36:31,580
Over 67 years, he proved a great leader on the battlefield
721
00:36:32,860 --> 00:36:35,963
and a famous builder of enormous temples.
722
00:36:37,250 --> 00:36:40,340
Ramesses left Egypt with more statues of himself
723
00:36:40,340 --> 00:36:42,260
than any other pharaoh
724
00:36:42,260 --> 00:36:45,853
and it was said that he fathered a hundred children.
725
00:36:47,330 --> 00:36:48,900
But what's really interesting is that
726
00:36:48,900 --> 00:36:50,420
despite all of his power
727
00:36:50,420 --> 00:36:52,870
Ramesses still needs to keep the Nile on side.
728
00:36:52,870 --> 00:36:54,810
So at the entrance to the temple here,
729
00:36:54,810 --> 00:36:56,200
you've got an inscription showing
730
00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:59,480
Hapi the god of the Nile and of the Nile's flood
731
00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:01,790
and he's binding together the country,
732
00:37:01,790 --> 00:37:04,053
uniting it with the power of the river.
733
00:37:07,570 --> 00:37:12,260
Inside, the temple stretches 185 feet into the mountain
734
00:37:13,130 --> 00:37:16,290
and, as you might expect, eight more massive images
735
00:37:16,290 --> 00:37:18,333
of Ramesses flank the entrance hall.
736
00:37:19,250 --> 00:37:22,253
There's also a wealth of historical clues.
737
00:37:23,140 --> 00:37:27,880
Like many in power Ramesses was no stranger to propaganda.
738
00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:31,690
Now there's absolutely no mistaking the message that is
739
00:37:31,690 --> 00:37:36,290
being sent out by these, frankly, quite disturbing images.
740
00:37:36,290 --> 00:37:40,510
This is the almighty pharaoh smiting his enemies,
741
00:37:40,510 --> 00:37:42,850
but you've actually got to read these pictures
742
00:37:42,850 --> 00:37:43,700
really carefully.
743
00:37:43,700 --> 00:37:46,860
So if you look at this wall, the whole of this space
744
00:37:46,860 --> 00:37:49,750
has been used to commemorate a very famous battle.
745
00:37:49,750 --> 00:37:50,583
The battle of Kadesh,
746
00:37:50,583 --> 00:37:54,440
between the Egyptians and their archenemies, the Hittites.
747
00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:56,010
Now what's really interesting is that
748
00:37:56,010 --> 00:37:58,910
this is portrayed as a glorious victory
749
00:37:58,910 --> 00:38:01,530
but the truth is the Egyptians probably didn't win.
750
00:38:01,530 --> 00:38:04,647
I mean, if anything, this was a kind of messy draw.
751
00:38:04,647 --> 00:38:07,710
So this isn't quite fake news
752
00:38:07,710 --> 00:38:12,710
but it's Ramesses II being very economical with the truth.
753
00:38:13,635 --> 00:38:16,302
(curious music)
754
00:38:17,793 --> 00:38:20,460
(curious music)
755
00:38:21,820 --> 00:38:23,980
One rather amazing thing did come out
756
00:38:23,980 --> 00:38:25,970
of the battle of Kadesh.
757
00:38:25,970 --> 00:38:30,010
Years later, the two sides signed the "Eternal Treaty",
758
00:38:30,010 --> 00:38:33,800
which has been described as the world's first peace treaty.
759
00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:35,260
And actually there's a copy of it
760
00:38:35,260 --> 00:38:38,670
that sits inside the UN building in New York.
761
00:38:38,670 --> 00:38:42,750
It's full of very beautiful words and ideas,
762
00:38:42,750 --> 00:38:44,920
there's talk of the need for the lands
763
00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:48,070
and the people within it to flourish.
764
00:38:48,070 --> 00:38:51,120
Mind you, it makes for devastating reading now
765
00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:55,090
because Kadesh is in what is modern day Syria.
766
00:38:55,090 --> 00:39:00,090
So 3300 years on that promise of peace has been shattered.
767
00:39:04,410 --> 00:39:06,780
One thing that hasn't changed in all that time though,
768
00:39:06,780 --> 00:39:10,350
is the aura that Ramesses worked so hard to create
769
00:39:10,350 --> 00:39:14,473
and here there's a unique bit of ancient Egyptian magic.
770
00:39:15,334 --> 00:39:18,220
So I've got to go back to my hotel room now to get some rest
771
00:39:18,220 --> 00:39:19,310
because I have to be back here
772
00:39:19,310 --> 00:39:22,433
really, really, really early tomorrow morning
773
00:39:22,433 --> 00:39:24,320
because I've actually timed my visit
774
00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:27,133
because something rather unique is gonna happen.
775
00:39:28,995 --> 00:39:32,200
(calming music)
776
00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:35,480
Twice a year, this remote spot in southern Egypt
777
00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:37,793
fills with thousands of people.
778
00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:41,770
They come from all over the world to witness an event
779
00:39:41,770 --> 00:39:45,073
that's been going on for over three millennia.
780
00:39:47,486 --> 00:39:50,319
(uplifting music)
781
00:39:51,703 --> 00:39:54,703
(people chattering)
782
00:39:58,453 --> 00:40:01,286
(uplifting music)
783
00:40:04,530 --> 00:40:07,740
In a few minutes, a shaft of direct sunlight
784
00:40:07,740 --> 00:40:09,660
will pierce the temple,
785
00:40:09,660 --> 00:40:12,030
shine right through the hypostyle hall
786
00:40:12,030 --> 00:40:14,333
and hit the far wall of the inner sanctuary.
787
00:40:16,310 --> 00:40:19,830
There it will illuminate the face of Ramesses The Great
788
00:40:19,830 --> 00:40:23,483
as he sits in line with Egypt's most powerful gods.
789
00:40:26,210 --> 00:40:28,870
There'd have been great excitement in Ramesses' time
790
00:40:28,870 --> 00:40:31,430
because the moment when the sun hit his face
791
00:40:31,430 --> 00:40:32,580
was thought to be the moment
792
00:40:32,580 --> 00:40:35,073
that it was proved that he was divine.
793
00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,870
The moment of alignment is set to happen
794
00:40:40,870 --> 00:40:44,150
on Ramesses birthday and on his coronation day
795
00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:47,073
but it doesn't last for long.
796
00:40:47,950 --> 00:40:49,750
No standing, no standing.
797
00:40:54,478 --> 00:40:57,645
(tourists chattering)
798
00:40:59,436 --> 00:41:02,186
(dramatic music)
799
00:41:03,340 --> 00:41:06,120
As the sun crosses the doorframe,
800
00:41:06,120 --> 00:41:08,890
the light strikes the back of the temple
801
00:41:10,351 --> 00:41:13,101
(dramatic music)
802
00:41:15,442 --> 00:41:17,942
and Ramesses glows in the sun.
803
00:41:20,475 --> 00:41:23,225
(dramatic music)
804
00:41:25,983 --> 00:41:29,150
(tourists chattering)
805
00:41:31,430 --> 00:41:35,310
Once again he displays his godlike power
806
00:41:35,310 --> 00:41:39,587
just as he did to the ancient Egyptians over 3000 years ago.
807
00:41:42,978 --> 00:41:45,728
(dramatic music)
808
00:41:49,428 --> 00:41:52,178
(dramatic music)
809
00:41:55,410 --> 00:41:58,673
And then as quickly as it started, the moment is gone.
810
00:42:03,251 --> 00:42:06,530
(festive music)
811
00:42:06,530 --> 00:42:08,740
Outside the festivities continue
812
00:42:08,740 --> 00:42:10,203
on the shore of Lake Nasser.
813
00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:13,610
And in the past, this event would have been
814
00:42:13,610 --> 00:42:15,923
the cause for huge celebration too.
815
00:42:17,190 --> 00:42:18,880
It's really great to see this kind of
816
00:42:18,880 --> 00:42:21,550
party festival atmosphere carrying on outside
817
00:42:21,550 --> 00:42:23,730
because the ancient Egyptians loved a party,
818
00:42:23,730 --> 00:42:24,930
they loved a festival
819
00:42:24,930 --> 00:42:25,763
but we know
820
00:42:25,763 --> 00:42:28,220
because it's inscribed to some of the temples
821
00:42:28,220 --> 00:42:31,010
that what they called the "common people"
822
00:42:31,010 --> 00:42:32,880
were only allowed into certain spaces
823
00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:35,623
and never into the inner sanctuary itself.
824
00:42:37,410 --> 00:42:40,490
But with Ramesses desperate to be considered immortal.
825
00:42:40,490 --> 00:42:42,850
I think he'd have loved this modern crowd
826
00:42:42,850 --> 00:42:44,373
turning up to honor him.
827
00:42:47,283 --> 00:42:50,033
(crowd cheering)
828
00:42:51,101 --> 00:42:54,184
(musician whistling)
829
00:42:56,610 --> 00:42:58,980
(crowd singing)
830
00:42:58,980 --> 00:43:01,700
At the end of my epic journey along the Nile,
831
00:43:01,700 --> 00:43:04,270
here's more proof that we're still fascinated
832
00:43:04,270 --> 00:43:07,753
by the great civilization that this river gave birth to.
833
00:43:09,883 --> 00:43:12,633
(dramatic music)
834
00:43:15,700 --> 00:43:16,533
Coming here
835
00:43:16,533 --> 00:43:20,033
and making this journey has taught me a huge amount.
836
00:43:21,650 --> 00:43:23,270
I've always known from the history books
837
00:43:23,270 --> 00:43:26,347
that Egypt is described as "the gift of the Nile"
838
00:43:26,347 --> 00:43:28,000
but now I really get it,
839
00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:31,120
I understand what that actually means.
840
00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:33,720
The Nile didn't just shape Egypt,
841
00:43:33,720 --> 00:43:35,230
it nourished the lives
842
00:43:35,230 --> 00:43:40,230
and life experience of millions of rich and poor alike.
843
00:43:42,060 --> 00:43:46,490
The Nile really is the gift that keeps on giving
844
00:43:46,490 --> 00:43:50,280
because its treasures are shared across the millennia,
845
00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:52,810
not just by the ancients
846
00:43:52,810 --> 00:43:55,173
but by all of us.
847
00:43:56,481 --> 00:43:59,231
(dramatic music)
64283
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