Egyptian Journeys with Dan Cruickshank
2005 · BBC Two · 30 min · 1 season
S01E06 · The Death of Ancient Egypt
Mon, 5 Dec, 9:00 am
Travelling the length of the country, Dan traces the key events that marked the brutal decline in the Ancient Egyptians and profiles the rich cast of characters - from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra - who featured in the death of this 3,000-year-old civilisation.
About
Dan Cruickshank, long-time enthusiast of Ancient Egypt and its civilisation, travels the length of the country exploring some of the extraordinary stories that have emerged from the land of the Pharaohs. On his journeys, he uncovers the dramatic spectacle, the characters, the intrigues the superstitions and the mysteries that lie at the heart of this remarkable ancient culture which flourished for more than 3,000 years. Dan's journeys take him to many of the great sites of Egypt - from the ancient capital of Alexandria in the north, to the island temple of Philae in the south. On the way, he explores the stunning temples of Karnak, Luxor and Dendera and the mysterious Theban necropolis on the west bank of the Nile. He visits the Valley of the Kings, the striking mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahri, and Ramesses II's spectacular temple, known as the Ramesseum. He also unravels the secrets of the wall reliefs at Medinet Habu, the temple created for Ramesses III. In Middle Egypt, Dan's quest takes him to the desolate windswept ruins of El Armana, the site of the city created by the heretic Pharaoh, Akhenaten.
Episodes
- E01
The Secrets of the Tomb Builders
Mon, 31 Oct· 30 minHistorian Dan Cruickshank explores some of the most intriguing stories from ancient Egypt. Secrets of the Tomb Builders. An investigation into the lives of the gifted artisans who built the tombs of the Egyptian Pharaohs takes Dan Cruickshank into the 150-room necropolis created for the sons of Ramesses II, the unfinished tomb of Thutmose III and on to a village where the tomb builders lived.
- E02
The Pharaoh Hunter
Mon, 7 Nov· 30 minThe twists and mysteries in the life of Howard Carter - the archaeologist who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun - are traced by Dan Cruickshank. Despite his success, Carter was never honoured in this country, and received no official recognition from the British. Dan travels through Egypt, looking for clues to this mystery.
- E03
The Rebel Pharaoh
Mon, 14 Nov· 30 minDan Cruickshank charts the story of radical ruler Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti. Following a personal religious conversion, the pharaoh turned his back on centuries of traditional beliefs and built a sacred city in the desert dedicated to the god of his own new religion - the Sun. But the royal couple's sumptuous lives there were destined to come to a tragic end.
- E04
Building for Eternity
Mon, 21 Nov· 30 minDriven by their obsession with magic and the afterlife, the ancient Egyptians developed techniques to preserve their bodies, their possessions and the monumental tombs in which they were laid to rest. Dan visits the pyramids at Saqqara and Giza, the huge stone temple at Dendera and also examines the process of mummification.
- E05
Pharaoh's Wives
Mon, 28 Nov· 30 minThe dark side of the court of Ramesses III revealed, exposing the Pharaoh as having little control over his harem and tracing the conspiracy that led to rebellion and possibly to his death.
- E06
The Death of Ancient Egypt
Mon, 5 Dec· 30 minTravelling the length of the country, Dan traces the key events that marked the brutal decline in the Ancient Egyptians and profiles the rich cast of characters - from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra - who featured in the death of this 3,000-year-old civilisation.
Cast
Dan Cruickshank
Presenter