From the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt to the Wonders of Present Cairo | Full Documentary in English

From the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt to the Wonders of Present Cairo | Full Documentary in English

[Background Music] In a
far off southern continent characterized by blazing
hot desert, fertile, life-giving rivers and dominated by a relentless sun
lies a country without comparison, Egypt. From the barren mountainous
landscapes of the Sinai to the teeming metropolis
of Cairo, the diversity of this country is boundless. With the heartbeat of a vibrant
market place ruling trade, the giant bazaar’s
explosive color and variety tantalizes
the senses. The river Nile coursing from
the city gates delves deep into the Sahara carving
a kilometer wide strip of verdant green which passes through centuries
of ancient history. From a tiny rivulet born
over 5,000 years ago, there grew an astounding
culture, the like of which will
never be seen again. Join us on this spectacular
journey through the miracle
which we call Egypt. [ Music ] Our journey starts in the region where several thousand years
ago, a man led his nation out of slavery into
the Holy Land. Moses journey out of Egypt
is littered with miracles and legends which
mark the history of the stunning Mount Sinai. The sun rises above this
spiritual place astounding us with its panoply of color. The Sinai Peninsula lies in
the east of Egypt on the border between Africa and Asia. This peninsula is
characterized by desert and its vast chain of mountains. Mount Sinai, also known as Mount
Moses, is found in the south of the peninsula and climbs
to a height of 2,285 meters, the second highest
mountain in Egypt. As dawn breaks, it touches
the summit of the mountains. The multitudes of peaks
are still shrouded in mist ‘till long past
daybreak, but even now, there are often large groups of people gathering
at the holy mount. These people are pilgrims who started their journey many
hours before at the river base, climbing to the summit in order to celebrate the
traditional rising of the sun. At the very top of the mount
sits the chapel of St. Moses, also called the Chapel
of the Holy Trinity. The exterior is surprisingly
simple given that the legend of Moses receiving the
tablets of the Ten Commandments from God happened here. The chapel roof boasts
a massive bell, on which are written praises
to God, doxology in Greek. Above the bell, a
small sign in dozens of languages declares peace on
earth and goodwill to all men. [ Music ] At the foot of the
mountain lies one of the oldest Christian
abbeys in the world, the abbey of St. Catherine
built between 548 and 565 BC. The abbey is named after
Catherine of Alexandria, one of the most important
saints in religious culture. The saint was born a princess
from Cyprus who became a martyr in the 4th century AD on account
of her unwavering belief. The abbey was built on
top of her mortal remains. Most pilgrims are drawn
by the legend of Moses, but St. Catherine’s abbey
has also drawn large crowds from long ago due
to its holy realm. The abbey’s library stores
over 6,000 manuscripts of Christian doctrines. This is matched only
by the Vatican itself. Another rarity are 2,000 icons,
still partly in existence since the 9th century. This stunning collection was
able to survive, not only due to the monks’ diligent
care, but in particular due to the unusually
isolated location. In all the centuries
of its existence, the abbey has never been
plundered making it one of the only Christian
sanctuaries in history to survive in its original form. Moses’ presence emanates
from the holy chapel of the thorn bush which
preserves the legend of God showing himself to Moses
as a burning bush and the angel of the Lord appeared to him in
a fiery blaze of the bramble and he saw that the
bush was burning in the fire and was
not consumed. God, who presents himself
in Hebrew as Yahweh in the encounter with Moses,
promises he will free the nation of Israel from Egypt’s
captivity and to lead it into the Holy Land of Canaan, which in our days
is known as Israel. After 10 days of
extreme endurance and separating the
ocean to pass through, Moses eventually led the nation
of Israel to Mount Sinai. He reached the top
of the mountain and received the Ten
Commandments of God. Like Moses, we will submit
ourselves to the desert. The largest part of Egypt is
dominated by the vast Sahara. Here you can see
the entire spectrum of an extreme environment from the spiky unforgiving
rock formations to the undulating ever
changing dunes overlooked by the burning fire of the sun. The Sahara covers most of Egypt,
but the regions differ wildly within this vast landscape. To the left of the upper
river Nile stretches the Libyan Desert. The right bank of the Nile
covers just the eastern desert. To the north of the Libyan
Desert lies the Wadi Al-Hitan, one of the most important
archaeological finds in terms of fossils. The desert is characterized by
one element, its terrible heat. It’s not unusual to find
temperatures climbing to over 60 degrees. Equally extreme is the
rapid fall in those figures when the air cools down
quickly once out of the sun. In winter, temperatures reaching
below zero are not uncommon. But easily the most
dangerous aspect of this climate is
the dry atmosphere and the unexpected
scorching heat. [ Music ] Despite the scarcity of water
in this hostile environment, it is still possible
to track signs of life in the extreme desert
crisscrossing the Sahara are dozens of river beds
once fed by water but now long since dried out. But as the Wadis still
carry water when rain falls in the mountains, they still
draw clusters of nomads who need to cross the desert. The apparent peace
of Wadis is deceptive with sudden thunderstorms
in the mountains, the water level can rise
dramatically even putting travelers at risk of drowning. The primeval ocean covered
the entire continent, Thetys, 40 million years ago. This accounts for the remains of ancient mammals
often found here. The Egyptian Wadi Al-Hitan,
the Valley of the Whales, gives its name to the host who
discovered whale skeletons. Most of them are
fossilized remains of the now extinct Basilosaurus,
also known as King Lizard. Similar to the swordfish,
this predator whale survived on a diet of small fish. These fossils show the
remains of hind legs, which proves the theory that
whales are the ancestors of all animal species. [ Music ] To the East of the
Sahara lies the Red Sea. Its name may derive
from the Persians who gave all cardinal
directional points a distinctive color. This sea marked their
most southerly point which became the Red Sea. The North point was
named the Black Sea. [ Music ] The Red Sea is the only sea which does not have a
natural in flowing river. Instead, there’s a
sea gate in the south which connects to
the Indian Ocean. [ Music ] Due to its isolated location, the level of salinity is very
high and makes the water clearer than most other seas
on this continent. This makes The Red Sea
perfect for diving tours, making it a favorite
with tourists. [ Music ] In this vast desert
landscape, there is some respite in the form of gurgling oases
which allow for some life to exist in this wilderness. [ Music ] From the beginning of time,
these oases have been vital for the survival of the
indigenous desert tribes. From the outside, no more than
a small rockpool sheltered by a couple of spars palm trees, whole cities could survive off
the underground water supply hidden beneath the sand. The majority of oases
have their source in a deep underground basin,
stemming from below sea level. The groundwater collects
in these pools and comes to the surface as a
small lake or stream. A variety of species of
plants and trees thrive here, from deciduous trees
to palm trees and typically reed grasses
close to the bubbly springs. [ Music ] The largest oases are the once
at Fayum Basin, El-Bahariya and the valleys of Farafra, but despite these abundant water
holes they are insignificant compared to the free flowing
Nile coursing through Egypt in snaking tributaries. Finally, at the apex
of the Nile, it gathers towards
the Mediterranean Sea, widening its delta from
Cairo to Alexandria. [ Music ] Imagine a long journey
through the fierce conditions of the desert, every drop
of water would be valued. At last we reach
the mighty Nile. This is the longest
river on earth and was the life source
for ancient Egypt. The Nile begins at the
junction where the White and Blue Nile meet at Khartoum. On the fertile banks of the
Nile, lush vegetations sprawls, two to three miles wide, creating a green swathe
through the dessert. Small settlements have grown up around these date palm
oases along the entire river. Annual flooding guarantees
a prolific fertilization of the soil. The vivid color of the
Nile mud gave its name to the ancient Egyptian’s
state, Kemet, the black land. Since the building of
the mighty Aswan Dam, no flooding has breached
the banks. For centuries, the Nile was
the thoroughfare for fisherman and later merchant ships. Now, it is a flourishing
tourist group for luxury passenger
ships, ferrying tourists from one exotic Nile
City to the next, past its breathtaking ruins. [ Music ] At the end of the
delta, the Nile segues into the Mediterranean Sea
gathering at the metropolis of Alexandria where our
journey is leading us. [ Music ] Alexandria is located on
the Mediterranean coast and is the second biggest
city in Egypt after Cairo in its checkered history. The city has been a royal
capital of the successors of the pharaohs and home to
two impressive buildings, the Lighthouse of the Pharos and the impressive
Library of Alexandria. Since its foundation, water
has played a central part in the city of Alexandria. Today, the harbor is the
largest in Egypt and one of the biggest in Africa. The harbor which
was mostly known as a shipping port became
famous outside Egypt due to a huge troll of
artifacts which were salvag ed from the docks in recent years. The ships belonging to
ancient family businesses carry on regardless of their famous
home carefully navigating through the narrow
shipping lanes. On the bank lie more
ships waiting to sail or being refurbished. Many vessels from past eras
of seafaring are shored up on the strand, whilst new
boats are built just a few yards away, a few hundred yards
away at the industry harbor of Alexandria, they build
container ships destined to travel all over the world. Many of those who have
not found employment as dockers are helping to
complete the new ships. They often find themselves
working on yachts or passenger ferries. Some of the families have worked
at the strand for generations. In the past, the demand for such
boats was much higher than now. This is due to the
recent Egyptian rejection of western intervention which has made the once booming
tourist industry collapse once again. [ Music ] [ Music ] The tourists are not aware of the docker’s huge
efforts on the strand. Instead they are enthralled
by the history of the country and its native tongues. On top of a world class
ruins stands Fort Qaitbey, which watches over
Alexandria harbor. The defensive fortification
was built at the end of the 15th century. Before then, it stood
on the same spot as the famous Pharos Lighthouse. The lighthouse was
built by Ptolemy, the ruler of the leading
dynasty, Greek successors to the Egyptian Pharaoh’s
around 280 BC. After withstanding centuries of earthquakes the
lighthouse finally collapsed and left behind just its ruins. The stones were eventually
reused to build the fortress. [ Music ] The Fort has few windows which makes the inside
dank, shadowy and cold. The high thick walls
are supported by a complicated system of
semicircular arches and vaults. This massive and well-fortified
construction was primarily built for defense against the Turks. Finally, it was used for
defensive purposes and wars, arguably far more than its
architects would have imagined where today, the Egyptian
flag flaps proudly on battlements reaching to
the sky back then at the time of the Napoleonic wars,
guards patrolled on top of the walls and towers. In the inner courtyard garrisons
housed the troops of soldiers. Now, all the small islets and narrow spy holes have been
bricked up, no longer used by foreign military, but by
nosey tourists who lurk in front of the gates staring
into history. [ Music ] Rising along the Mediterranean
coast line is the silhouette of Alexandria. The city with a thousand
facets was built by Alexander the
Great in 331 years BC. The city has carried
his name ever since. This new city only took
a few years to become one of the most important
cities in the Mediterranean with the building of
the Lighthouse of Pharos and the Great Library,
Alexandria’s reputation as a sophisticated
cosmopolitan city was sealed. But the lighthouse collapsed and the Great Library
was consumed by fire. Dozens of natural
catastrophes, earthquakes and floods brought
Alexandria to its knees and left it almost meaningless. Today, the city presents
itself in a new light. Contemporary architecture of
the 19th and 20th century stands between the credentials of the
city’s Ptolemaic forefathers. A visitor may be anxious that the past will not
represent itself more clearly but if they look,
it bursts out in between the modern
alleys and side streets. On first impression, the
cityscape is heavily influenced by traders, hackers and
shops, who try and tempt you with their fresh
goods and produce. [ Music ] Away from the trading
district, you’ll find all kinds of small parks, carousels, and minor fortifications
for your amusement. A touring funfair is setting
up in this part of the town. As soon as it opens, all the
kids are excited and storm into the new playground
eager to grab the toys. [ Music ] Just a stone’s throw away
is an animal market place. As in other African countries,
Egypt has similar traditions. And in Alexandria, the
connection between human and animal is still very
direct and original. Outside the city walls, herders
gather the animals into flocks to lead them into the centre
of the town’s market place. In the shadow of the big
municipal housing blocks, you can still find some
space and peace and quiet, removing you immediately
from the hustle and bustle of Alexandria. [ Music ] Rising 150 feet into the
air is the pillar of Pompey. This is the largest Roman pillar
ever found outside the imperial capitals of Rome and
Constantinople, Istanbul. Besides this heirloom of Roman
history are the sphinxes, part of the incredible
Egyptian legacy. The pillar’s name goes back to the commander
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, despite it actually
being built in honor of the Roman emperor,
Diokletian. The amphitheater is the
second most famous testament to the Roman era. Allowed to remain
open and intact, it lies at the city’s
centre after excavation. It is one of the
rare amphitheaters which sustained the
semi-circular form. Apart from being
aesthetically pleasing, the amphitheater’s design offers
a spectacular acoustic advantage because of the special build
of the spectator ranks sitting. You could hear actors
and orators even when they were whispering. Most likely the entertainment
was in line with the bread and
circuses’ theme. Gladiator and animal fights took
place as was common in the rest of the country at that time. Around the important
archeological site, more and more ancient
buildings have been on earthed, an insight into the spectacular
former life of Alexandria. [ Music ] Another place here that attracts
many people but has nothing to do with the Romans
is the Montaza Palace, built a hundred years ago
as a summer residence. It became a feature
of Alexandria which boasts a more
bearable temperature than a sweltering
Cairo during summer. [ Music ] The architecture of
the palaces out of line with the classic Egyptian style. Instead, there is more of a
Moorish and Florentine influence which gives the building
rather more of a Mediterranean character. The Grand Palace with
its fences and lack of crowds may give
the impression that it is closed to the public. In fact, the Montaza
Palace has been opened to visitors for many years. It offers tourists a wonderful
tour, and because of its walls, a breathtaking view from the
top ledges of its rising tower. Today, the grounds and gardens
of the palace are enjoyed as picnic areas for the lucky
inhabitants of Alexandria. [ Music ] The symbol of modern Islam
rises shiny domed and dazzling in the daily sun against
an azure blue sky. The mosque at once both a
meeting point and a place of religious worship
for every Muslim, Islam is the most widespread
religion in the near and Middle East, and in
the Arabic speaking world. [ Music ] For years, Egypt was part
of the Christian tradition, but has been Islamic
for centuries now. Islam has already overcome
all geographic borders and influences our day
to day life in many ways. We can see just in the face
of the beautiful cupolas and minarets of the mosque,
the true impression of Islam. In the beginning
of the 7th century, followers across the ancient
world declared the Prophet Mohammed, the messenger
of Allah and founder of the religion of Islam. After the Prophets death,
the new religion spread at an almost unbelievable pace,
first in the Far East and then across whole continents
including North Africa and finally into Europe. All these different cultures
witnessed the spread of Islam. Alongside this there
emerged many different and unique architectural forms,
from mud and clay mosques of the Sudan to the domes
of Granada in Spain. [ Music ] Despite their different forms,
whatever a mosque appears like on the outside,
they all have one thing in common, the Minaret. Five times a day, this tower
is climbed by the Muezzin. He calls all the
believers out to prayer. In addition to the
more typical Minarets which carry a pitched roof, you
may also see more exotic ones. For example, Minarets with
staircases on the outside, this type goes back to the
Samarra Mosque in Iraq. Just as all mosques have
a Minaret, likewise, the large open space and internal courtyard
belongs to every mosque. Generally, there is a
fountain build in every space which serves the daily
ritual of washing. Before every prayer, you have
to wash, face, hands and feet. Because of the fountain’s
deep religious significance, they often have a
generous high roof. In front of the Muhammad
Ali Mosque in Cairo stands a
fountain, the pavilion of which is especially
finely wrought. Inside of the mosque lies
the most important element of the tradition, the
Mihrab, the prayer corner. In the Sultan-Hassan Mosque,
this corner is adorned with finest marble by the
most accomplished builders. The praying corner points
in the direction of Mecca and shows the supplicant which
direction to pray towards. [ Music ] On public and religious
holidays, the adjacent minbar is climbed by the mosque’s spiritual
leader, the Imam, in order that everyone
can hear him. He stands with his back towards
the crowd facing the Mihrab. The circular form of the
prayer corner ensures the voice of the Imam is thrown out loud
and clear back into the room. Mosques do not only serve
the purpose of prayer. They are equally important as
a place where the social life of the community plays its role. Apart from the glorious
prayer room, there are also separate
community rooms, especially in old mosques where families spend
their spare time talking and worshiping together. Fountains and courtyards are
found in almost every mosque, as they have always been
part of a mosque’s design. Islamic architecture has derived
very much from sunnier climates in the globe, and therefore
uses a historic interplay between light and
dark, shadow and sun. When it grew dark outside, light
glowed from an array of lamps with artistically designed
cut-outs and slits, chains of night lights whined
around mosques at sunset and give a warm,
relaxing atmosphere. Throughout all the
walls and windows of the mosques you will
not find any pictures of religious themes, unlike in Christian churches there is
no depiction of human figures in the Islamic religion
nor images of the prophet. Instead, you find quotations
from the Koran and Calligrams, sayings and prayers which decorate the
walls of God’s house. The highest point of the mosque
is often decorated with copulas with huge colorful ornaments
and Arabesques extending from over the ceilings all
the way down to the floor. [ Music ] Cutting through the
narrow thronging streets like a deep ravine, this passageway runs towards
the centre of Egypt’s capital. Passing flats, houses and
buildings from all decades of the past century as it merges
into the skyline of Cairo. [ Music ] Cairo lies on the right side
of the Nile and at the mouth of the fan-shaped
Nile river delta. In Egyptian, the city
is called Al-Qahirah, meaning “The Victorious”. From being a small stronghold,
Cairo grew to being the capital of Egypt and the largest city
on the African continent. Taking in the magnificent
skyline of the city, one can see Cairo’s multitude
of minarets and mosques together with the countless
tops of skyscrapers. It is a clash between culture,
religion and a modern lifestyle. The Nile crosses the
city like a lifeline. Since Cairo’s foundation the
river is an absolute necessity. In addition to the water
transport, Cairo has wide roads and an infrastructure that guaranties its
modernity and prosperity. Hundreds of thousands travel
every day from the suburbs and outskirts to the
centre of the capital. Perhaps due to the vast amount
of people commuting in and out of the city, Cairo has developed
a very flexible attitude to traffic regulations. [ Music ] Let’s move away from the
bustling crowds on the street into the tightness
of the alleys. The fascinating bazar offers
goods from all over the country. Some of the shops seem tiny but each merchant is absolutely
convinced of their own products and can delve into the stock
producing incredible treasures like magic. Apart from the array of
spices, herbs and garments, the bazar also offers
more precious items. Some sellers offer bowls
and plates made from metal or slate decorated with
ancient calligraphy. [ Music ] Other clever merchants have
transformed their stores to make them look like
shops on the high street. Fresh produce like meat, fruit
and vegetables are displayed and judged by the
critical customers. The choices on the
market are vast and prices can differ
wildly from store to store, every store often with the
written prices having no substance at all. Here in the gigantic bazar of Cairo the principle
of bargaining rules. Haggling or bargaining
can take minutes, but if it’s about a valuable
piece it could take much longer. It’s pretty much
taken as an insult if a customer accepts the first
price the seller offers them. Bargaining is a kind of
ritual here as much a part of the sale as the payment. Herbs are the most
popular product. Over hundreds of years herb and silk stalls exported
their exotic powders to various European countries. Today, herbs and herbal
mixtures are prepared in various small warehouses. The products are
milled to begin with. The powder that comes out of
the mill is still not fine and aromatic enough to
be sold immediately. The powder then needs
to be sieved, reworked and sieved again until
it is absolutely pure. [ Music ] It will then arrive in
huge bags at the market. [ Music ] Outside the City centre
is a camel market. This traditional ancient market
was much more important during the time when caravans
traveled through the desert. Many caravans started out in
Cairo to travel towards Mecca. The route from Cairo was known
as the safest for the believers. Although the traditional routes
to Mecca are not in use anymore, the camel market still
is very busy today. Overseers watch that
the camels stay in their places close
to their sellers. There are many traders here too. So, no animals are mixed up, the
camels are marked with colors. These camels have been bought and are leaving the camel
market for their new home. [ Music ] We’re back in Cairo at
the Egyptian Museum. It was built in the year 1900 to save the valuable art
treasures gleamed from thousands of years of tomb robberies. This museum’s collection is
considerably to be largest in the world and includes
countless artifacts belonging to Egyptian emperors. But not every king of
Egypt was a pharaoh, only in the 17th dynasty, about 1700 years ago were
Egyptian kings given the title Pharaoh. Standing out from
the many mummies, the most famous exhibit
is the golden death mask of the legendary young
king, Tutankhamen. This mask consists of
11 kilos of pure gold. [ Music ] What we know about the kings
of ancient Egypt comes mainly from tombs and buildings built
by the pharaoh in their honor. Unbeknown to the many
visitors and followers of Egyptian culture, the oldest
evidence of the dynasty lies, not hundreds of miles from
the heart of the city, but right here at
the gates of Cairo. From the second dynasty onwards
the suburb of Sakkara was used as burial place for all the
Egyptian pharaohs and kings. Two more infamous
temple complexes of pharaoh dynasties are
located here at the river bend of the Nile, Karnak and Luxor. The most extensive information
about Egypt’s gods can be found in these huge temple complexes. The largest is the
temple city, Karnak. Karnak’s history goes
as far back as 2000 BC. On its vast ground are
not only temples for gods, but also for pharaohs, Kings
and very often their wives. The biggest temples are for
the king of gods Amun-Re, the god of war Mont,
and the goddess Mut. Religion played a leading
role in ancient Egypt. The belief and the ubiquity
of the gods was mirrored in the pharaoh who was seen
as the son of the sun god Re. The Egyptian sky
depicting hundreds of gods was the largest
in history. Benevolent gods like the
sun god Re and the god of creation Atum stood
opposite the gods of destruction like Seth and Apophis. In Karnak, is also the
largest, finished obelisk, standing 90 feet high. Obelisks were seen as the symbol
of the rays of the sun god Re, and therefore had a huge
religious significance. Obelisks were always carved
from a single piece of rock, but the finished obelisk could
not contain any blemishes or cracks. If a defect was found
during the carving, the work was ceased
immediately and abandoned. Leading from the temple of Amun
used to be an alley way adorned with countless sphinxes leading up to the legendary
temple complex of Luxor. This complex was the annual
setting for the Opet festival. On this festival,
statues of the gods Amun, Mut and Khons were taken
by boat-like chariots on a procession from
Karnak through to the yards and the columned halls
onto the road to Luxor. We have learned that
this ceremony and strenuous ritual
was performed to legitimize the emperor
and therefore the maintenance of the Maat, the ancient
Egyptian world order. The principal belief
of the Egyptian era was that this order could only
exist through the pharaoh and his execution of rituals
like the Opet Festival. This was the only way to prevent
chaos and the destruction of their mighty empire. [ Music ] Close to the Nile Delta
lies the Dead City Sakkara. Some of these burials tombs
are over 5,000 years old. The name Sakkara is probably
a derivation of the name of the god of death Sokar. He featured in an
incredible ritual in which mummies would
lose their souls. Sakkara became a
burial ground so early in Egypt’s history probably
due to its close proximity to Memphis, the original capital of Egypt just a few
miles from here. Here, we can see
inside the tomb of Teti, a wall with astounding
hieroglyphics. These scripts were
probably never finished as Teti died unexpectedly. The Hieroglyphics were
meant to lead the king to the realm of the dead. Originally in Sakkara
these murals, still found in many tombs today,
used to be drawn on the outside. But gradually, they
were transferred inside to protect them from
the corrosive weather and sandstorms. Next to the ruined chapel
rises the Pyramid of Djoser. It represents the belief
of life after death and has suffered
the ravag es of time. On the highest point over
the complex stands the oldest witness to the ancient world. There are about 80 pyramids
remaining throughout Egypt. The most famous ones are found
in Giza, but many more are found in other necropolises
around the Nile Delta. Not all of the pyramids
were designed to be burial grounds.
Some were used as fake graves or
cultural palaces. The Djoser Pyramid is one of
the first pyramids in Egypt. 4,700 years ago, it was built by
the legendary architect Imhotep. The pyramid has six steps
and is 180 feet high. The form of the pyramid is
based on the first Mastaba. It consisted of only
one stone step. In time, more and more mastabas
were built on top of each other and this is how the first
step pyramids evolved. Although from the outside,
these pyramids differ from the great pyramids of Giza, inside all pyramids
have these step forms. They only get their
comparatively smooth surface from the amount of steps
and the type of cladding. [ Music ] Not all finished pyramids
are free from defects. The Meidum pyramid is barely
recognizable as a pyramid; it looks more like
a multi-level tower. The visible remains are just
the core of the old pyramid. Large parts of this
pile of rubble used to be part of this pyramid. The Bend pyramid is the oldest and also the strangest
pyramid found in Egypt. Its most obvious feature is
the huge bend half the way up. This is may be due to problems with stability during
the building phase. The Red Pyramid is also
an astounding structure. Like the Bend Pyramid, it
was built by King Sneferu. As its name indicates, it is characterized
by its red coloring. The builders learnt from their
experience with the Bend pyramid and were able to build the
Red Pyramid without defect, making it 600 feet high. The most famous and arguably, some of the most
incredible formations of the Egyptian style
are the Pyramids of Giza. They are the only
ancient wonders of the world not affected
by natural catastrophes. Only a few miles outside Cairo, they are still the most favored
destinations for tourists all over the world as much today
as a hundred years ago. Here, visitors stand
with amazement in front of the pyramids of
Myrenios, Chephren and Cheops. The internal structure of one pyramid could be
totally different to another. At the Cheops pyramid
the burial chamber is in the centre of the building. Many people claim that the
path inside is part of a dark, branched labyrinth, which can
only be navigated by the workers who built the pyramid. The curse of the
pharaoh is also a legend. This can be said to be confirmed by the empty tomb
inside the chamber. Even today there are many
questions surrounding the erection of these
stone colossuses. Despite the fact that Egyptians
knew of the wheel in their time, all of the heavy stones, often
over a ton were transported without carts or
similar transport. The Cheops Pyramid standing at its 350 feet is the
highest building around. Even though this colossal
pyramid seems like a wonder in itself, the real
wonder was supposed to have happened during
the reign of Cheops. A man named Dedi was brought
before the king and was able to reattach the head of a
dead goose unto its body, making it live again. As a reward the magician was
promised a life of luxury. Stories like this
allow archaeologists to examine the culture, beliefs,
and intellect of ancient Egypt. [ Music ] The camels wait patiently
in the hot desert sand. Although there are plenty
of comfortable vehicles which now transport
tourists effortlessly to the pyramid sites, camels
are still the most popular form of transport. There can be no question,
approaching the pyramids on the back of a swinging
ship of the desert. Close to the monumental
structures rises another part of Egypt’s legacy, the Sphinx. For over 4000 years, as
long as Egypt has existed, the mighty sphinx has
stared into the desert. There are many secrets and
legends whispered even today, it is unclear whether it was
built as a guardian for a tomb or as a portrait of a king. The most intriguing mystery
is perhaps its broken nose. The most common assumption was
that the canons of Napoleon on his Africa crusade destroyed
it but this was proven wrong. It is more likely that a fanatical
iconoclast broke off the nose to make a stand against
religion or culture. So since then, the Sphinx
watches the burial grounds of the pharaohs without
its nose. [ Music ] 3000 miles further south
of Giza are the temples of Abu Simbel carved
out of stone. Originally, the temple complex
of Abu Simbel was located where the Nasser
barrier lake is today. About 50 years ago, the
Assauan barrier lake was built and threatened to
destroy Abu Simbel. In a worldwide campaign, the whole complex was removed
including the original rock and rebuilt around 600
feet further down the site. Carved in stone, the imperious
wife of the pharaoh Ramesses, Nefertari overlooks the Nile. This temple was built
in her honor. At the entrance are two
figures of Ramesses II. Both the married couple
statues are the same height. This is a symbol of
love from Ramesses. Usually the wife of a
king has a lower status than the king himself. The temple is not just
dedicated to Nefertari, but also to the goddess Hathor. This is emphasized by the
Hathor columns inside the temple which have the faces
of the goddess. The centre of Abu Simbel is
not the temple of Nefertari but the great temple
of Ramesses II. His burial place is about 500
feet away from his wife’s. Every great temple of ancient
Egypt has a huge main entrance, it is called a Pylon. At Abu Simbel, the rock
itself is the entrance gate. On the edge of the gate
are four seated statues. Each statue represents
Ramses himself. These self-portraits
show Ramesses’ desire to be the same as the gods. This can also be read on the
inscriptions on the statues on which he is described
as the son of all emperors, lover of Amun and
Atum and emperor of both countries
Upper and Lower Egypt. Many halls with countless
inscriptions and statues of gods are carved
into the rock. In one of the halls is a
relief that show scenes of the life of the pharaoh. In the last room of the
temple, the sanctuary, are statues of the gods
Ptah, Amun-Ra, Re-Harakhte, and in the middle
Ramesses himself. [ Music ] From the amazing temple
complex of Abu Simbel, we are now on our
way to a valley that some might say is
even more legendary. The twin statues of the Memnon
Colossus guard the street leading to the tomb of the
emperors which bears its name, The Valley of the Kings. Back in time it is
said the statues gave out mysterious sounds at dawn. The Valley of the Kings is
close to the temple complexes of Karnak and Luxor on the
other side of the river Nile. As at Sakkara, this valley
contains a multitude of tombs of pharaohs and kings lined
up next to each other. Surrounded by mountains
and hills, the burial grounds are spread
right across the vast valley. Next to this in the south
lies The Valley of the Queens. These are similar tombs
housing the wives of the kings and many senior dignitaries and
officials of Egyptian courts. Here, the numerous tombs look
unimpressive and seem to merge with the desert sand
and the dunes. This tomb’s plain appearance
may have been a rouse to deter thieves because we now
know inside these graves were decorations of the
highest order. Not far from The Valley of the Queens is the enormous
temple dedicated to Hatschepsut. She was one of the few queens
of Egypt who reigned by herself. During her dynasty, many
innovative ideas were expounded in architecture and design
and her era is characterized by an exceptionally
long period of peace. Her temple is architecturally
very different to other temples
from the same period. Among its outstanding
features are the columned halls that replace the traditional
mighty entrance gates. Also, these open out onto vast
terraces, giving an affable, friendly, open impression,
in contrast to the old, dark, and tightly constructed
temples of the pharaohs. The balcony that leads over two
floors contains inscriptions about the life of
the Haschepsut. In the right wing are drawings
depicting the royal birth of the queen, this is
therefore called the Birth Hall. In another hall are
drawings about an expedition to a wealthy country
which has great treasures such as gold, ebony and myrrh. Like many other burial places, the grave of Haschepsut wasn’t
only dedicated to the queen but also to some gods which
is why there are chapels and temples with murals in honor
of the gods Anubis and Hathor. Now, we are leaving the
death temple of the queen and making our way back to
The Valley of the Kings. Despite all precautions, the graves of this infamous
valley have been victims of countless grave robbers. And even after detailed
explorations and additional digs, the
looting decreased only a little. In 1922, the biggest find in the
history of the valley was made, the grave of Tutankhamen. Because the entrance of the
grave was buried for a long time down a long passage,
all the treasures of the pharaoh remained
untouched, as well as the legendary
golden death mask. The graves of the pharaohs have
always fascinated local people. But there are no traces or
records of the ancient workers or of ordinary citizens of
Egypt with one exception, the Deir el-Medina which
is a worker’s village in The Valley of the Kings. Here, there used to live
artists and workers who built and painted the graves
and artifacts. Many shards have been
found between the ruins, often depicting writing
called Ostraca. These testaments were
a sensational source of information about the lives of the ordinary people
in ancient Egypt. In the village we have found not
only remains of houses but also of little chapels
and graveyards, sometimes the quality
of the mural paintings of these graves can match
even the more famous paintings in the graves of the
pharaohs themselves. Not far from The Valley of the
Kings there is the Ramesseum. The temple was not always
heavily damaged like today. Originally, it looked more like
a fortress than a cult site in honor of Ramses II. Now, only a few high
walls remain as evidence of the military character
of this funerary temple. Similar to the temples of Abu
Simbel, there are many statues of Ramses II carved
into the rock. Also part of the grave, there
was apparently a holy lake and further outbuildings. But here time has done more
damage than to other sites. This can be clearly
seen on degraded pillars or on the remains
of pharaoh statues. Egypt, thousands of
years of ancient history, scores of events and
colossal evidence of human accomplishments,
here are the last wonders of the world, the remaining
ruins of a bygone era of the kings of the desert. The lights of the big cities
are shining over the same ground where once miles of
processing worshippers, prostrated themselves
before the pharaoh. Now, over the land of the pharaohs hover the
scorching deserts, mosques, and sprawling metropolises
that comprise modern Egypt, the sun finally sets behind
the impressive pyramids, leaving us once again
reflecting, always in awe. [ Music ] [ Music ]

A look at the pyramids, pharaohs, mummification, the Sphinx, hieroglyphs and gods like never before.

Original Title : EGYPT 3D

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