Key Concepts
Khufu, Great Pyramid, Giza, Lost City, Pyramid Builders, Royal Building, Stone Walls, Soccer Field, Geophysical Survey, Trenches, Pottery, Dan Jones, Wall Location, Slope, Grain Storage, Silos, Claire Malleson, Plant Remains, Wheat, Barley, Aswan, Hieroglyph, Sayed Salah, Cartouche, Pierre Tallet, Papyrus, Khenu, Granary, Administrative Palace, Nile Flood, Harbor, Royal Cubits, Administrative Palace, Sahure, Abu Sir, Pyramid Collapse, Burial Chamber, Sarcophagus, Tomb Raiders, Meredith Brand, Saqqara, Userkaf, Limestone, Alabaster, Canopic Jars, Oil Lamps, Reham Zaky, Horemheb, Middle Kingdom, Mentuhotep II, Senwosret III, Amenemhat III, Black Pyramid, Qubbet el-Hawa, Sarenput, Myriam Seco Álvarez, Deir el-Medina, Abydos, Karnak, Dendera, Cleopatra, Nozomu Kawai, Saqqara Necropolis, Isis-Aphrodite, Ptolemaic Period, Alexandria, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Eye of Horus, Festival of Drunkenness, The Duat, Osiris, Field of Reeds.
Giza Lost City Excavation
Discovery and Initial Excavation
Dr. Mark Lehner has been excavating near the pyramids of Giza for 50 years, focusing on finding the "lost city of the pyramids." In 1988, he discovered a city southeast of the pyramids, revealing mud-brick homes for administrators and long galleries used as worker dormitories. At the southern edge, large stone walls suggested a royal building.
The Royal Building and the Soccer Field
Lehner's team is now focusing on excavating a large stone building buried under a modern soccer field. A geophysical survey indicated an anomaly, potentially the building's corner. Lehner is "certain as certain" that a building exists, questioning its size, location, and purpose.
Trench Excavation and Initial Setbacks
The team dug several trenches to locate the building's wall. Pit 1 was abandoned due to a collapse, and Pit 2 and Pit 3 revealed only clean sand, despite geophysical evidence suggesting the wall should be present.
Discovery of Pottery and the Wall
Pottery shards from the 4th Dynasty (time of the pyramids) were discovered, indicating human activity. A wall was located in Pit 2, much deeper than expected, near the groundwater level.
Understanding the Building's Slope
The building's western wall slopes downwards, requiring further excavation to understand its purpose.
The Great Pyramid as a Reference
Lehner visits the Great Pyramid to understand the human effort and logistics involved in its construction. The pyramid's casing stones came from Tura, eight miles away. Internal passages are also lined with Tura limestone. Copper chisels were used to smooth the stone. The King's burial chamber is made of granite from southern Egypt.
The Papyrus Discoveries
In 2013, archaeologist Pierre Tallet discovered papyrus documents in a Red Sea cave, written by Inspector Merer. These documents are the "most ancient papyri ever found in the world" and describe the transportation of limestone from Tura to Giza. They also mention copper ore from the Sinai Peninsula.
Uncovering the Royal Building
The team shifted a 10-foot-thick layer of sand and mud, exposing a 15-foot section of the stone building. They unearthed granite and alabaster, suggesting the building was a workshop for creating statues for temples.
Silos and Grain Storage
Circular structures, identified as silos, were found within the building's walls. Archaeologist Claire Malleson analyzes plant remains, finding wheat and barley. The plant remains indicate the workers were provided with "ready-prepared grains" and were likely paid in grain, bread, and beer.
Hieroglyphic Seal and Khufu's Cartouche
A small lump of hardened clay with a hieroglyph, possibly representing "nisu" (king), was found. A sealing with Khufu's cartouche was discovered, providing solid evidence that the city was key to his project.
Collaboration with Pierre Tallet
Tallet shares papyrus translations mentioning a "khenu" (royal residence) and a granary. Lehner suggests the silos they found could be the granary mentioned in the papyrus.
The Building's Features and Purpose
The building has thick walls, high security, silos for grain storage, and adjoining buildings for officials. Lehner believes it was an "administrative palace," like an ancient West Wing.
Discovering the Building's Corner
The team identifies a corner of the building, revealing a plaster render.
The Building's Connection to the Nile
The wall slopes downwards, leading to groundwater. Lehner believes the building fronted onto a harbor connected to the Nile River.
Measuring the Building
The building measures 51 meters in length (100 ancient royal cubits) and 42.75 meters in width, comparable in size to the White House.
Conclusion
Lehner concludes that the royal building was an administrative palace that supported the construction of the pyramids. The city was unprecedented and set Egyptian society on a new course.
Sahure Pyramid Excavation
Introduction
Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khalid is excavating the pyramid of King Sahure in Abu Sir, aiming to explore the unexplored burial chamber. The pyramid has been previously investigated but not fully excavated due to rubble.
Securing the Entrance
The team secures a cracked, nine-meter-high stone beam at the entrance to the burial chamber using metal anchor rods and epoxy resin.
Excavation and Initial Finds
The team clears rubble and finds fragments of a basalt sarcophagus and an unmummified human jawbone.
Pyramid Construction and Collapse Theories
Mohamed believes intentional destruction by tomb robbers weakened the pyramid, leading to its collapse. He notes the use of local stone blocks reinforced with limestone.
Comparison with Userkaf's Pyramid
Dr. Meredith Brand explores the pyramid of Sahure's father, King Userkaf, in Saqqara. She finds that Userkaf's pyramid was also compromised by robbers, but the structure is still standing.
Discoveries in Sahure's Pyramid
The team finds alabaster pieces from canopic jars, indicating they were destroyed. They also find pottery, possibly from tomb raiders, and oil lamps.
The Burial Chamber in Userkaf's Pyramid
Meredith finds the burial chamber in Userkaf's pyramid intact, with a huge gabled ceiling. She also finds a hole chiseled by looters and a basalt sarcophagus lid.
Dating the Artifacts
Dr. Reham Zaky examines the oil lamps, dating them to the medieval times (13th century). She also finds a hammer and chisel, tools used by the robbers.
Reaching the Original Floor
The team reaches the original floor of the burial chamber and finds more limestone surfaces that were broken.
Discovering the Sarcophagus Lid
The team discovers a large slab of basalt stone, part of King Sahure's sarcophagus lid. They also find ancient ropes used to pull the lid.
Human Remains and the Crime Scene
Another part of a human jaw is found under the sarcophagus lid, suggesting a tomb raider was buried alive.
Sun Temples and Economic Importance
Meredith explores the ruins of a Sun temple built by Sahure's nephew. She finds an alabaster offering table and discusses the economic importance of Sun temples.
Flipping the Sarcophagus Lid
The team flips the sarcophagus lid but finds no inscription. They do find a hole, possibly cut by tomb raiders.
More Human Remains
Another piece of a human skull is found, further supporting the theory that tomb raiders were crushed by the pyramid.
Reconstructing the Collapse
Mohamed believes tomb raiders were searching for treasures and destroying the inner walls, leading to the pyramid's collapse.
The Search Continues
The team continues to clear rubble, hoping to find the rest of the sarcophagus.
Mapping the Pyramid
A specialist team creates a 3D model of the pyramid, revealing the team's progress.
Securing the Beam
The team builds a new supporting pillar to prop up a broken ceiling beam.
The End of the Season
The season ends, but Mohamed hopes to return and find the sarcophagus.
Conclusion
Mohamed's excavations reveal the pyramid's history, including looting and a possible tomb raiding accident. He hopes to find the rest of the sarcophagus in the future.
Ancient Egyptian Tombs and Mummies
Introduction
Archaeologists across Egypt are searching for new tombs and mummies to understand Ancient Egyptian beliefs about life after death.
Philadelphia Necropolis
Basem Gehad is excavating a vast necropolis in Philadelphia, dating back to the era of Queen Cleopatra. He investigates a shaft in the hills, hoping to find an unopened tomb.
Valley of the Kings
Colleen Darnell explores the Valley of the Kings, decoding inscriptions to learn about Ancient Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife. She focuses on the tomb of Seti I and the "opening of the mouth" ceremony.
Oxyrhynchus Necropolis
Esther Pons Mellado and Maite Mascort Roca are excavating a necropolis in Oxyrhynchus, looking for mummies that reveal how Egypt's wealthy elite prepared their dead.
Descending the Shaft
Basem descends a 44-foot-deep shaft in Philadelphia, finding a Ptolemaic period oil lamp.
Discoveries in the Tomb
Basem's team removes debris and finds pottery coffins.
The Field of Reeds
Colleen explores the tomb of a stonemason in Deir el-Medina, learning about the "Field of Reeds," an eternal green land of plenty.
Dangers in the Underworld
Colleen investigates another scene depicting knife-wielding gods guarding the portals to the underworld.
Skeletons and Sarcophagi
Esther's team in Oxyrhynchus discovers the skeletons of three adults and one child, as well as two sealed stone sarcophagi.
The Journey Through the Underworld
Colleen travels to Abydos to investigate the challenges the Ancient Egyptians had to overcome to reach the afterlife. She explores the Assyrian, finding depictions of Osiris and the Book of Gates.
Lifting the Coffin
Basem's team lifts a pottery coffin from the tomb in Philadelphia.
The Judgement Hall
Colleen explores the judgment hall of Osiris, where the heart of the deceased was weighed against the Feather of Truth.
Opening the Sarcophagus
Esther's team in Oxyrhynchus opens a sarcophagus, finding an intact and richly decorated mummy covered in a cartonnage.
Analyzing the Coffin
Basem's team analyzes the pottery coffin in Philadelphia, finding that it dates to the early Ptolemaic Period.
The Cartonnage
The mummy in Oxyrhynchus is covered in an elaborately painted funerary wrapping called a cartonnage.
The End of Civilization
Basem's finds reveal that even at the end of Ancient Egyptian civilization, belief in an afterlife was fundamental.
Cleopatra's Tomb
Archaeologists discover a doorway to a tomb in Saqqara, hunting for evidence of Egypt's last queen, Cleopatra.
Saqqara Necropolis
Nozomu Kawai is investigating a mysterious tomb in the Saqqara Necropolis, dating to the time of Cleopatra.
Dendera Temple Complex
Meredith Brand is in search of the beginning of the Cleopatra legend at the Dendera Temple Complex.
Aswan Necropolis
Abdelmonem Said is hunting for undiscovered tombs from the time of Cleopatra in the Nobles Necropolis of Aga Kahn in Aswan.
The Image of Cleopatra
Meredith investigates one of the only images of Cleopatra from before she came to power, hidden in a concealed chamber in the Temple of Hathor.
The Eye of Horus
Meredith discusses the legend of the Eye of Horus and how Cleopatra's dark, painted eyes symbolized the Eye of Horus.
The Catacomb
Salima Ikram is trying to make sense of the dozens of coffins and skeletons in the catacomb in Saqqara.
The Influence of Cleopatra
Abdelmonem's finds in Aswan suggest that Cleopatra's subjects embraced hybrid Greek-Egyptian ideas.
The Goddess Isis-Aphrodite
The team in Saqqara discovers a set of five small statues of the Goddess Isis-Aphrodite, a hybrid Greek-Egyptian deity.
The Festival of Drunkenness
Meredith investigates the Temple of Mut in Karnak, learning about the Festival of Drunkenness.
The Wall
Nozomu's team inspects a mysterious discovery right next to the entrance of the catacomb, a wall that could be part of a previously undiscovered structure.
The Offering Table
Abdelmonem finds a second piece of offering table in Aswan, suggesting that Cleopatra's subjects embraced these hybrid ideas.
The Endoscope
Nozomu uses an endoscope to get a better look at a small hole in the plaster, finding an undisturbed burial.
The Tomb
The team in Saqqara excavates the sand from the tomb's entrance, discovering a set of five small statues.
The Amulet
Abdelmonem inspects a promising find from beneath the sands of the tomb floor, an amulet with a distinct decorative pattern.
The Rock-Cut Tomb
Nozomu and Salima inspect the newly discovered rock-cut tomb, finding that it dates to the very beginning of the age of the pharaohs.
The Middle Kingdom
Archaeologists are exploring tombs to find out more about the Middle Kingdom, a mysterious period of Egyptian history.
The Middle Kingdom Tombs
Myriam Seco Álvarez is excavating a newly discovered Middle Kingdom tomb near Luxor.
Mentuhotep II
Colleen Darnell explores the megatombs of the Middle Kingdom's pharaohs, starting with the tomb of Mentuhotep II.
Sarenput I
Alejandro Jiménez-Serrano is investigating the tomb of Sarenput I, a high-ranking Middle Kingdom official, in Aswan.
Senwosret III
Colleen investigates the tomb of Senwosret III in Abydos, one of the most innovative tombs in the history of Ancient Egypt.
The Black Pyramid
Colleen explores The Black Pyramid, built by Amenemhat III, in Dahshur.
The Burial Chamber
Myriam is finally entering the burial chamber of the Middle Kingdom tomb, finding a wooden coffin and a ceremonial staff.
The Amulet
Alejandro is studying the strange stone that's come out of the construction spoil outside Sarenput's tomb, an amulet made of irons.
The New Chamber
Alejandro is entering the new chamber inside Sarenput's tomb, finding human remains and pottery.
The Sons of Sarenput
Alejandro notices that there was the remains of an inscription that actually is the name of one of the sons of Sarenput I.
The Mud Brick
Colleen discusses the use of mud brick in the construction of the Black Pyramid.
Conclusion
Archaeologists are uncovering new information about the elaborate rituals and vast resources Ancient Egyptians devoted to achieving life after death.
AI summaries can miss context or contain errors. Check important details against the original video.
