Egypt: Beyond the Pyramids - Episode 1 (Ancient History Documentary)

The four programs from the History Channel in Egypt: Beyond the Pyramids showcase current archaeological work that is changing how historians think about life in ancient Egypt. Some of the greatest temples and tombs of Egypt are visited, and authorities explain the significance of particular aspects of their construction. Efforts to restore temples that had been lost under centuries of sand are shown, and one episode focuses on the discovery of a massive complex of tombs in the Valley of the Kings, which only began to be fully explored in the mid-1990s. The host of these programs, British actor Peter Woodward, presents the material skillfully, keeping the interviews with scholars informative as well as entertaining. An episode focusing on the daily life of ancient Egyptians even features Woodward putting on the sort of makeup that ordinary Egyptians are believed to have worn as both protection from the sun and a fashion statement. Visits to archaeological digs, including a recently discovered remote site that inexplicably contains hundreds of mummies, demonstrate how what we have known about Egypt may only be a fraction of what is still left to be discovered. These programs are intelligent and the beautiful photography makes them that much more enjoyable.