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Support from viewers like you
makes this program poissible.
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Please give to your PBS station.
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NARRATOR: EVERY CIVILIZATION
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NEEDS A STORY...
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A SHARED NARRATIVE
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TO BELIEVE IN,
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AND THE MOST POTENT NARRATIVE
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IS RELIGION.
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BUT HOW AND WHY DID RELIGION
BECOME SO POWERFUL?
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WHAT PART DID IT PLAY
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IN THE BIRTH OF CIVILIZATION?
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MAN: IF YOU WANT TO PRAY,
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YOU'VE GOT TO COME
TO THIS SPACE.
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THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF
RELIGION AS WE KNOW IT.
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SECOND MAN: RELIGION BROUGHT
PEOPLE TOGETHER.
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THIS LEADS TO THE FEELING
THAT WE ARE
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PART OF SOMETHING
BIGGER THAN OURSELVES.
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THIRD MAN: RELIGION HELPS
CREATE A COHESIVE SOCIETY
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THAT ALLOWS
A CIVILIZATION TO FORM.
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GLORY AND PRAISE
FOREVER AND EVER.
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ALL: AMEN.
NARRATOR: WE DIDN'T ALWAYS
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LIVE THIS WAY.
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FOR 99% OF OUR TIME ON EARTH,
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WE HAD NO ORGANIZED RELIGION.
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BUT THEN...
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WE SETTLED DOWN, GREW FOOD,
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BUILT CITIES, FOUGHT BATTLES,
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WROTE STORIES, SOLD GOODS,
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AND WORSHIPPED GODS.
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[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
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THIS IS THE STORY
OF THAT TRANSITION...
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STEPPING STONES ON THE ROAD
TO CIVILIZATION.
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[SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY]
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IT'S A STORY SET
ACROSS THE GLOBE
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IN THE MIDDLE EAST, CENTRAL
AMERICA, SOUTHERN ASIA...
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ALL OF THEM SEED BEDS
OF CIVILIZATION.
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HERE, OUR ANCESTORS
DESIGNED THE BLUEPRINT
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BY WHICH WE STILL
LIVE OUR LIVES.
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THIS IS WHERE
THE MODERN WORLD BEGAN.
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NARRATOR: THE LONGEST-LASTING
CIVILIZATION
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IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
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WAS IN ANCIENT EGYPT.
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FOR 3,000 YEARS,
THE PHARAOHS RULED,
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AND THEIR PEOPLE BELIEVED.
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IT WAS HERE
CIVILIZATION AND RELIGION
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BECAME FUSED AS ONE.
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EVERY MAJOR CIVILIZATION SINCE
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HAS ADOPTED THE SAME FORMULA.
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RELIGION IS THE GLUE
THAT BINDS US TOGETHER.
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BUT HOW DID ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
COME UPON THIS REALIZATION?
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ARCHAEOLOGIST JEFF ROSE
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IS HEADED FOR
AN ANCIENT WATERING HOLE
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IN EGYPT'S WESTERN DESERT--
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NABTA PLAYA.
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ROSE: NOWADAYS,
THIS IS ALL JUST DRY DESERT,
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BUT 7,000 OR 8,000 YEARS AGO,
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THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN
ROLLING GRASSLAND
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WITH ELEPHANTS AND GIRAFFE.
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YOU WOULD HAVE HAD
GROUPS OF HERDERS WITH CATTLE
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MOVING AROUND THIS LANDSCAPE,
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FOLLOWING THE WATER SOURCES
THAT BECAME AVAILABLE.
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SO, HERE AT NABTA PLAYA,
WHEN THE SUMMER RAINS CAME,
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IT WOULD FILL UP
THIS BASIN WITH WATER,
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AND ALL THOSE HERDERS
WOULD COME AND CONGREGATE HERE
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AROUND THE LAKE
JUST FOR THE SEASON.
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NARRATOR: THE HERDERS
BUILT SOMETHING SACRED.
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IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED
AS EGYPT'S STONEHENGE.
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IN REALITY,
IT'S 2,000 YEARS OLDER.
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BEGUN OVER 7,000 YEARS AGO,
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IT'S ONE OF THE OLDEST
RELIGIOUS SITES IN THE WORLD.
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IT MAY NOW LOOK LIKE
A JUMBLE OF ROCKS,
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BUT THIS IS WHERE
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF RELIGION
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BEGAN TO EMERGE.
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ROSE: FOR OVER
TWO MILLION YEARS,
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WE WERE HUNTER-GATHERERS,
AND HUNTER-GATHERERS
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TYPICALLY PRACTICE
A RELIGION CALLED ANIMISM.
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ANIMISM IS WHEN YOU--
WHEN YOU SEE THE DIVINE,
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YOU SEE THE SPIRITS OF NATURE
ALL AROUND YOU.
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IT'S IN THE SAND,
IT'S IN THE ROCKS,
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THE WIND, AND THE WATER.
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IT'S EVERYWHERE.
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BUT WHEN THEY SWITCH
TO HERDING,
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THIS CHANGES THEIR WORLDVIEW.
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00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,000
[GOATS BLEATING]
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NARRATOR: WHILE HUNTER-GATHERERS
ROAMED FREELY
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ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE,
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HERDERS SETTLED
FOR WEEKS AT A TIME
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WHEREVER THEY
COULD FIND PASTURE.
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00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:20,000
THIS LED TO A NEW KIND
OF RELIGION.
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ROSE: THE FIRST THING
THAT HAPPENS
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WHEN PEOPLE START HERDING,
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THEY START BUILDING
SACRED SPACES.
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IF YOU WANT TO PRAY,
IF YOU WANT TO WORSHIP,
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YOU'VE GOT TO COME
TO THIS SPACE.
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00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,160
AND WHAT THIS DOES
IS IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER
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FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE
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INTO THIS ONE AREA
TO WORSHIP TOGETHER.
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NARRATOR: THE SITE IS HUGE.
10 SQUARE MILES OF STONES
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ARRANGED INTO
CIRCLES AND MOUNDS.
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THE LARGEST ROCKS,
THE MEGALITHS,
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WERE STOOD ON END AND PLACED
IN LINES ACROSS THE DESERT.
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ROSE: SO, THIS
GIANT MEGALITH HERE,
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I MEAN, THIS THING
WEIGHS SEVERAL TONS.
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IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
CARRIED A FEW MILES
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JUST TO GET IT TO THIS POINT,
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AND THAT REQUIRES
ORGANIZED LABOR.
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THAT REQUIRES PEOPLE
WORKING TOGETHER.
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WE CAN SURMISE THAT
THEY WOULD HAVE HAD
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SOME KIND OF SPIRITUAL
SIGNIFICANCE TO THESE THINGS
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TO PUT THAT MUCH
EFFORT INTO THIS.
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00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,400
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE,
WE'RE LOOKING AT
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SOME SORT OF PROTOTYPE CHURCH.
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[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
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NARRATOR: THE FIRST MONUMENTS
WERE ALL
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INSPIRED BY RELIGION...
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AND OFTEN WERE ALIGNED
IN A SPECIFIC DIRECTION,
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JUST LIKE THE STONES
AT NABTA PLAYA.
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THIS MEGALITH WOULD HAVE BEEN
STANDING UP STRAIGHT,
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00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:55,160
AND THERE'S
A WHOLE LINE OF THEM,
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AND THEY'RE ALL
POINTING TO THE NORTH.
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SO, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THEY
DIDN'T HAVE COMPASSES BACK THEN.
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THEY HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING
WHICH WAY WAS NORTH
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EXCEPT FOR THE NORTH STAR,
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THE FIXED POINT IN HEAVEN
THAT NEVER MOVES.
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THAT'S INTERESTING, BECAUSE
IN LATER EGYPTIAN RELIGION,
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WE KNOW THAT THE NORTH STAR
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IS THE ENTRANCE
INTO THE AFTERLIFE.
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00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:18,360
SO, WHAT WE COULD
BE LOOKING AT HERE
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00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:20,920
IS THE VERY BEGINNINGS
OF THE EGYPTIAN BELIEF
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IN LIFE AFTER DEATH.
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NARRATOR: AT HEART,
ALL RELIGION
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IS THE SEARCH FOR MEANING,
FOR ORDER,
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00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:52,920
TO EXPLAIN WHY THINGS ARE
THE WAY THEY ARE.
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00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,000
ROSE: SO, THIS STONE CIRCLE
COULD VERY WELL BE
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THE WORLD'S OLDEST CALENDAR.
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00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:06,800
WE HAVE HERE
TWO ALIGNMENTS OF STONES.
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00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,120
ONE POINTS NORTH
TOWARD THE FIXED POINT,
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00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:10,480
TOWARD THE NORTH STAR...
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00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:13,160
AND THEN THE OTHER
ALIGNMENT HERE
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00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,160
POINTS 70 DEGREES TO THE EAST.
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00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,480
SO, ON THE SOLSTICE,
ON JUNE 21st,
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THE SUN WOULD HAVE COME UP
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00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:21,800
AND SHONE STRAIGHT
THROUGH THIS LINE,
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00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,720
AND IT WOULD
TELL THEM RIGHT WHEN
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THE SUMMER RAINS
WERE ABOUT TO START.
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NARRATOR: FOR US, A CALENDAR
IS A SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT
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FOR PREDICTING THE SEASONS.
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BUT FOR THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS,
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IT HAD
A RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE.
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00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,080
ROSE: THEY DIDN'T HAVE
THIS DISTINCTION
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BETWEEN RELIGION AND SCIENCE.
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THE STARS, THE GODS,
THE SEASONS, THE SUN,
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THEY WERE ALL LINKED TOGETHER.
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SO, FOR THEM, THEY WERE
JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
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00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:01,600
HOW THEIR WORLD WORKED.
156
00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,120
NARRATOR: THE CALENDAR
HAS BEEN MOVED
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00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,000
FROM NABTA PLAYA TO A MUSEUM
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00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,480
180 MILES AWAY TO PRESERVE IT,
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00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,960
ALONG WITH EGYPT'S
OLDEST RELIGIOUS SCULPTURE.
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ROSE: THIS GIANT ROCK
IS NO ORDINARY MEGALITH.
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00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,840
IT'S BEEN SCULPTED BY
THE INHABITANTS OF NABTA PLAYA,
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00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,240
SOME HAVE SUGGESTED
IN THE SHAPE OF A COW.
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00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:31,440
SO, WE COULD SEE THE HEAD HERE,
AND THEN THE TORSO HERE.
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00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,600
WHAT'S REALLY STRANGE
IS IT WAS FOUND
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BURIED BENEATH A SERIES
OF COLLAPSED OTHER MEGALITHS.
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00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:43,720
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
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00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:52,320
[COW MOOS]
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00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,720
ROSE: FOR THE INHABITANTS
OF NABTA PLAYA,
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00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,880
THE COW WAS THE CENTER
OF THEIR WORLD.
170
00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:02,960
[COW MOOS]
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00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:05,720
THESE ARE HERDERS
WHOSE LIFE, WHOSE FOOD,
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00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:08,640
WHOSE MILK, WHOSE MEAT
COMES FROM THE COW.
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00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,080
ONE OF THE ASTONISHING THINGS
WE FIND AT NABTA PLAYA
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00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:19,840
ARE YOUNG COWS SACRIFICED
AND BURIED BENEATH THE GROUND.
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00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:21,840
[COW MOOING]
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00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,240
WHY WOULD YOU
SACRIFICE SOMETHING
177
00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,720
THAT IS SO ESSENTIAL
TO YOUR LIVELIHOOD?
178
00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:34,720
AND IT'S POSSIBLE
THAT THESE COULD BE
179
00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,240
WAYS OF OFFERINGS TO THE GODS
180
00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:39,640
TO CONTROL NATURE,
TO BRING THE RAINS,
181
00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,440
TO ENSURE THAT THEIR
LIVELIHOOD CONTINUES.
182
00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:44,600
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
183
00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,240
WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE
AT NABTA PLAYA,
184
00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,840
THIS IS THE BEGINNING
OF RELIGION AS WE KNOW IT.
185
00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:57,000
I MEAN, NOW THESE PEOPLE
HAVE TO APPEAL TO THE GODS
186
00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,080
TO MAKE SURE NATURE DOES
WHAT THEY WANT IT TO DO
187
00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:01,480
IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.
188
00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:04,440
THIS IS EXACTLY HOW
RELIGION OPERATES TODAY.
189
00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,320
NARRATOR: RELIGION SEEMS
SO FUNDAMENTAL
190
00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:16,320
TO THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE,
191
00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,840
IT MAY BE HARD-WIRED
INTO OUR BRAINS.
192
00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,600
NEUROSCIENTIST ANDREW NEWBERG
193
00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,480
IS RESEARCHING
THE IMPACT OF PRAYER
194
00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:29,120
ON RELIGIOUS BELIEVERS.
195
00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:35,640
OK, GO AHEAD.
196
00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,120
WOMAN ON SPEAKER: OUR FATHER,
WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
197
00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:41,880
HALLOWED BE THEY NAME.
198
00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:45,000
THY KINGDOM COME,
THY WILL BE DONE,
199
00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,520
ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
200
00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,360
GIVE US THIS DAY
OUR DAILY BREAD...
201
00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:51,720
NEWBERG: WE'RE LOOKING
AT A VARIETY OF
202
00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:53,200
DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE BRAIN
203
00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:54,360
TO SEE WHAT AREAS SEEM TO BE
204
00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,600
TURNED ON OR TURNED OFF
DURING INTENSE
205
00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:00,600
RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL
EXPERIENCES AND PRACTICES.
206
00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,600
AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE
ARE TWO SCANS THAT ARE DONE,
207
00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,480
ONE DURING THE PRAYER STATE,
208
00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,520
ONE DURING THE RESTING STATE,
209
00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:09,120
AND DURING THE PRAYER STATE,
YOU CAN SEE THAT
210
00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:11,240
THERE'S A LOT MORE
RED ACTIVITY HERE
211
00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:13,080
THAN WHAT YOU SEE OVER HERE.
212
00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:16,840
NARRATOR: THIS SORT OF
INCREASED BLOOD FLOW
213
00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:18,200
IN THE FRONTAL LOBE
214
00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,360
SHOWS UP IN ANY MENTAL TASK
215
00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,440
REQUIRING FOCUS AND ATTENTION.
216
00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:26,360
WOMAN ON SPEAKER: GIVE US
THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD...
217
00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,520
NARRATOR: BUT THE ACT OF PRAYER
218
00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:32,080
ALSO AFFECTS THE BACK
OF THE BRAIN--
219
00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:33,640
THE PARIETAL LOBE.
220
00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,360
NEWBERG: THIS AREA OF THE BRAIN
NORMALLY TAKES OUR--
221
00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,960
ALL THE SENSORY INFORMATION
THAT COMES IN TO US
222
00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:44,720
AND HELPS US TO CONSTRUCT
OUR SENSE OF SELF
223
00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,480
AND HOW THAT SELF RELATES
TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
224
00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,080
AND SO, WHAT WE HAVE FOUND
A LOT OF EVIDENCE FOR
225
00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:54,720
IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE HAVE VERY
INTENSE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES,
226
00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,360
THIS PARIETAL LOBE
THAT NORMALLY
227
00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:58,600
HELPS YOU TO ESTABLISH
YOUR SENSE OF SELF
228
00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:00,840
ACTUALLY STARTS TO SHUT DOWN.
229
00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:02,720
AND SO, WHAT WE SEE HERE
IS THAT DURING
230
00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:03,840
THE RESTING STATE,
231
00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,200
IT'S MOSTLY IN THIS
RED ACTIVITY,
232
00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:08,000
WHEREAS DURING
THE PRAYER STATE,
233
00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:09,120
IT'S BEEN SHUT DOWN.
234
00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:10,840
IT'S ALMOST ALL
IN THE YELLOWS HERE.
235
00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:13,480
AND AS THAT AREA
STARTS TO QUIET DOWN,
236
00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:15,720
WE LOSE OUR SENSE OF SELF.
237
00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,080
SO, WE FEEL THAT
SENSE OF CONNECTION,
238
00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:19,320
THAT SENSE OF COMMUNION,
239
00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,320
THAT SENSE OF BECOMING
ONE WITH THE UNIVERSE,
240
00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,120
BECOMING ONE WITH GOD,
AS PART OF THAT PRACTICE.
241
00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:27,120
[PEOPLE SINGING INDISTINCTLY]
242
00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:31,520
AND SO, IT CERTAINLY
SEEMS LIKE OUR BRAINS
243
00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,640
ARE BUILT IN SUCH A WAY THAT
244
00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:36,840
FACILITATES RELIGIOUS
AND SPIRITUAL IDEAS,
245
00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,240
ENABLES US TO HAVE THEM
FAIRLY EASILY,
246
00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,760
AND--AND MAKES THEM A PART OF--
OF HUMANITY'S BELIEF SYSTEMS,
247
00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,080
AT LEAST FOR THE LARGE
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE.
248
00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,240
NARRATOR:
IN EVOLUTIONARY TERMS,
249
00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:51,720
WE SEEM TO NEED RELIGION.
250
00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:55,520
NEWBERG: PRETTY MUCH
EVERY CIVILIZATION,
251
00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,600
FROM THE DAWN OF CIVILIZATION
TO THE PRESENT MOMENT,
252
00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,200
HAS HAD SOME TYPE OF
RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
253
00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:05,600
THAT ARE A PART OF--OF HOW
THEY THINK ABOUT THE WORLD,
254
00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,240
HOW THEY CONSTRUCT
THEIR IDEAS ABOUT HUMANITY,
255
00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:12,480
HOW WE SHOULD BEHAVE,
OUR MORAL SYSTEMS AND SO FORTH.
256
00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:15,720
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS
KIND OF COME TOGETHER
257
00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:17,720
TO HELP CREATE
A COHESIVE SOCIETY
258
00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,480
THAT ALLOWS A CIVILIZATION
TO--TO FORM.
259
00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,120
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
260
00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,200
NARRATOR: FOR RELIGION
TO SPREAD,
261
00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,360
IT NEEDS TO BE SHARED...
262
00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:44,360
AND COMMUNICATED TO OTHERS.
263
00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:59,000
THE MOST POWERFUL FORM OF
COMMUNICATION IS IMAGERY...
264
00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,360
PICTURES, SYMBOLS.
265
00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:08,200
ROSE: THE EASTERN DESERT
OF EGYPT IS FULL OF WADIS,
266
00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:10,200
AND A WADI IS
A STREAM BED THAT GETS
267
00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,240
OCCASIONAL STORM FLOW
RUNNING THROUGH IT.
268
00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:15,000
NOW, 6,000 YEARS AGO,
THERE WOULD'VE BEEN
269
00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:16,520
A LOT MORE RAIN IN THIS AREA.
270
00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:18,600
SO, THE HERDERS
LIVING IN THESE PARTS
271
00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:20,600
WOULD'VE BEEN ATTRACTED
TO PLACES LIKE THIS
272
00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,000
FOR THE GRAZING,
FOR ALL THE ANIMALS,
273
00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:24,640
AND FOR THE WATER ITSELF.
274
00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:26,000
THEY LEFT
THEIR LEGACY HERE,
275
00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,600
BUT UNLIKE NABTA PLAYA,
WHERE THEY WERE
276
00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,520
BUILDING STONE CIRCLES
AND ERECTING MEGALITHS,
277
00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:33,360
THEY ETCHED THEIR ART
ONTO THE CANYON WALLS.
278
00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,120
NARRATOR: HERE AT
WADI BARAMIYA,
279
00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:54,880
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF IMAGES
280
00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:57,480
CARVED ONTO THE ROCKS,
281
00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,240
AN INSIGHT INTO THE WORLD
OF THE PEOPLE
282
00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:01,520
WHO GATHERED HERE.
283
00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,640
MOST OF THE DEPICTIONS OF WHAT
WE'RE SEEING IN THIS CANYON
284
00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,000
ARE ANIMALS--THINGS LIKE
GIRAFFE AND GAZELLE
285
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,520
AND COWS AND GOATS AND OSTRICH--
286
00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,600
EVEN A FALCON,
WHICH IS INTERESTING,
287
00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:16,240
BECAUSE IN LATER
EGYPTIAN RELIGION,
288
00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,360
THE FALCON IS SO CENTRAL.
289
00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,360
YOU SEE A LOT
OF HUNTING SCENES.
290
00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,840
SOME HAVE SUGGESTED
THIS IS TO ENSURE
291
00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:29,440
A SUCCESSFUL HUNT OR PERHAPS TO
292
00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,480
CELEBRATE A SUCCESSFUL HUNT,
293
00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:33,640
BUT FOR ME, WHAT IT MEANS,
294
00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:35,480
THEY'RE TRYING
TO CONTROL NATURE
295
00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,960
AND--AND BEND IT TO THEIR WILL.
296
00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:39,520
I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT
THIS PANEL RIGHT HERE,
297
00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:41,000
AND THIS SAYS IT ALL.
298
00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,600
SO, HERE WE'VE GOT SOME COWS.
WE'VE GOT GOATS.
299
00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:45,960
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE HERDERS
DEPICTED ON HERE.
300
00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,240
AND NOW THEY'VE
ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY, THEY--
301
00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:50,360
THEY'VE DOMESTICATED
THE ANIMALS.
302
00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:55,600
THEY'VE IMPOSED THEIR ORDER
ON THE NATURAL WORLD.
303
00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,480
NARRATOR: IN ALL
EMERGING CIVILIZATIONS,
304
00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,480
RELIGION WAS CALLED UPON
TO IMPOSE CONTROL
305
00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,040
OVER THE ENVIRONMENT
306
00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:09,000
AND BRING GOOD FORTUNE.
307
00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:15,280
RELIGION ALSO GAVE HOPE
OF ETERNAL LIFE.
308
00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:21,680
ROSE: SO, HERE,
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
309
00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,480
ARE THESE 50 TINY, LITTLE
STICK FIGURES ON THIS BOAT
310
00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:28,440
AND THEN THIS ONE FIGURE
WHO'S TOWERING OVERHEAD.
311
00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:30,760
NOW, WHAT WE KNOW FROM
ANCIENT ART ALL OVER THE WORLD
312
00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,000
IS THAT WHEN YOU SEE SOMEBODY
THAT MUCH BIGGER,
313
00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,320
HE'S A GOD OR SOME KIND
OF A DEMIGOD.
314
00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,400
SO, WHAT WE CAN INTERPRET
FROM THIS PANEL
315
00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,960
IS THAT THIS GOD IS
FERRYING THESE PEOPLE
316
00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:41,480
OFF INTO THE AFTERLIFE.
317
00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:47,000
AND THIS IS THE SEED THAT
WE SEE BLOOMING FULLY
318
00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:48,720
IN LATER EGYPTIAN SOCIETY.
319
00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:51,960
NARRATOR: THERE ARE
OTHER ODDITIES
320
00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:54,160
AMONG THE ROCK ART...
321
00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:58,280
STRANGE-LOOKING HUMANS
WITH STICKS ON THEIR HEADS.
322
00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,960
PERHAPS THEY ARE
THE HORNS OR FEATHERS
323
00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:05,400
OF A SHAMAN.
324
00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:12,760
[MEN CHANTING;
STICKS CLACKING RHYTHMICALLY]
325
00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,480
ROSE: A SHAMAN
IS AN INTERMEDIARY
326
00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,040
BETWEEN THE GODS AND
THE PEOPLE ON EARTH.
327
00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:27,320
SO, THEY WERE THE PEOPLE
WHOSE SPECIALIZED JOB IT WAS,
328
00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,480
WAS TO COMMUNE WITH THE DIVINE.
329
00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:40,640
SOME HAVE SUGGESTED
THAT THESE PICTURES
330
00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,720
WERE MADE BY SHAMAN WHEN
THEY WERE IN A TRANCE STATE.
331
00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,680
BY THAT SAME LOGIC,
THEN THIS IS THIS--
332
00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,560
ENTRYWAY, IT'S ALMOST A PORTAL
333
00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,680
INTO THE OTHER WORLD
FOR THESE PEOPLE.
334
00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,480
SO, WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE
FOR THE FIRST TIME
335
00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,760
ARE PEOPLE WHOSE SOLE JOB IT IS
336
00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,000
IS TO COMMUNICATE
WITH THE--WITH THE GODS,
337
00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,160
WITH THE DIVINE ON OUR BEHALF.
338
00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:09,640
IN A SENSE, THIS IS THE--
339
00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:11,320
THE BEGINNINGS
OF THE PRIESTHOOD.
340
00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,160
NARRATOR: PSYCHOLOGIST
ARA NORENZAYAN
341
00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,560
IS AN EXPERT ON
THE ROLE OF RELIGION
342
00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:40,560
AS A CORNERSTONE
OF CIVILIZATION.
343
00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:43,800
NORENZAYAN: THE EMERGENCE
OF THE PRIESTHOOD CLASS
344
00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:47,200
IS AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT
AND PLAYS A ROLE
345
00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,800
IN THE RISE OF
EARLY CIVILIZATIONS.
346
00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:51,560
THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS
WHO HAVE POWER.
347
00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:53,880
THEY HAVE A POWER
TO UNITE THE FAITHFUL.
348
00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,000
TO YOU THE HONOR,
GLORY, AND PRAISE
349
00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,160
FOREVER AND EVER.
350
00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:00,880
AMEN.
ALL: AMEN.
351
00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:03,960
[SINGING INDISTINCTLY]
352
00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:06,720
NORENZAYAN: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
JOB IN CIVILIZATIONS
353
00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:08,680
WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE LIVING
354
00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,640
IN INCREASINGLY LARGE
AND ANONYMOUS GROUPS.
355
00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:14,240
THAT'S WHERE
THE PRIESTHOOD CLASS COMES IN,
356
00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,440
WHERE THEY CAN PROVIDE
RITUALS AND CEREMONIES
357
00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,280
THAT TELL PEOPLE
THIS IS SOMETHING
358
00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:20,920
THAT WE ALL
SHARE AND BELIEVE IN.
359
00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:22,720
THAT'S WHY WE'RE
PART OF A COMMUNITY.
360
00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:26,240
AND PRIESTS AND SHAMANS
HAVE DONE THAT
361
00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,400
SINCE THE RISE OF CIVILIZATION.
362
00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:32,920
RELIGION AROSE
ALONGSIDE CIVILIZATIONS,
363
00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:36,960
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT RELIGION
ALSO ENABLED CIVILIZATIONS...
364
00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:38,160
[SINGING INDISTINCTLY]
365
00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,880
BY FACILITATING
SOCIAL SOLIDARITY,
366
00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,480
BY CREATING SOCIAL
COMMUNITIES AROUND
367
00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,520
CORE SACRED BELIEFS
368
00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,000
THAT MAKES THINGS
EASIER FOR COMMUNITIES
369
00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:49,480
TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND.
370
00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:53,400
NARRATOR: SINCE ANCIENT TIMES,
371
00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,440
RELIGION HAS ALWAYS PROVIDED
372
00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:57,760
A COMMON SENSE OF PURPOSE.
373
00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,480
IN ANY RELIGION, PRIESTS
HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE POWER
374
00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,280
TO SHAPE THE WAY WE THINK,
375
00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:17,200
BUT POWER IS MEANINGLESS
UNLESS YOU CAN
376
00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:18,920
BRING YOUR PEOPLE WITH YOU...
377
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,000
AND THAT IS THE ROLE OF RITUAL.
378
00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,680
EVERY WEEK IN ISTANBUL,
379
00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,720
ISLAMIC MYSTICS KNOWN AS SUFIS
380
00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:40,040
ARE LED BY THEIR SHEIK
INTO A TRANCELIKE STATE...
381
00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:46,640
HOPING TO GET CLOSER
TO THEIR GOD AND EACH OTHER.
382
00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:55,720
ANTHROPOLOGIST
DIMITRIS XYGALATAS
383
00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,520
WANTS TO RECORD
THE EFFECT OF THE RITUAL
384
00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:00,400
ON THE SUFIS' BODIES.
385
00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:03,760
[BEEPING]
386
00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:05,760
THESE DEVICES
ARE PHYSIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITY MONITORS.
387
00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:07,960
THEY MEASURE HEART
RATE, BREATHING RATE,
388
00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:10,720
AND THEY ALSO MEASURE
THE SPEED AT WHICH
THEY'RE MOVING.
389
00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:12,480
AND THE IDEA
BEHIND USING THOSE
390
00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:13,720
IN THE CONTEXT
OF THIS RITUAL IS THAT
391
00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:15,320
WE WANT TO SEE WHAT
HAPPENS IN THEIR BODY
392
00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:16,520
DURING THIS EVENT.
393
00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,720
[CHANTING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE]
394
00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:26,440
NARRATOR:
THE PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE
395
00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:28,440
OF MOVING AS ONE
396
00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,640
IS A FORM OF TEAM BONDING.
397
00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,760
HUMAN BEINGS HAVE
AN EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY
398
00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:37,640
TO COORDINATE THEIR BEHAVIOR.
399
00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:40,480
IN A RITUAL LIKE THIS, WE SEE
400
00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:42,000
A LOT OF COORDINATED ACTIVITY,
401
00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:43,280
A LOT OF SYNCHRONOUS MOVEMENT.
402
00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:45,480
[CHANTING CONTINUES]
403
00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,240
NARRATOR: AS THEY
MOVE TOGETHER,
404
00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,000
THE SUFIS' HEART RATES
START TO ALIGN.
405
00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:02,920
THIS IS KNOWN AS SYNCHRONY.
406
00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:04,920
[CHANTING CONTINUES]
407
00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:13,480
XYGALATAS: WE HAVE FOUND
THAT GOING THROUGH A RITUAL
408
00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:17,280
THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF
ENERGY AND AROUSAL
409
00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:19,400
AND EVEN SUFFERING
410
00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,320
CAN RESULT INTO
A FEELING OF EUPHORIA.
411
00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:25,480
[CHANTING CONTINUES]
412
00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:32,520
THIS IS SIMILAR
TO THIS EXPERIENCE
OF THE AMERICAN RUNNER
413
00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,800
WHO FEELS EUPHORIC AFTER
SEVERAL HOURS OF SUFFERING.
414
00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:38,800
[CHANTING CONTINUES]
415
00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,720
AT THE SAME TIME,
THIS HORMONAL EFFECT
416
00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,280
HAS VERY IMPORTANT
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS.
417
00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,480
[SHOUTING RHYTHMICALLY]
418
00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,240
THIS LEADS TO A FEELING
OF ONENESS WITH THE GROUP,
419
00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,320
THE FEELING THAT WE ARE PART OF
SOMETHING BIGGER THAN OURSELVES.
420
00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:07,480
[CHANTING CONTINUES;
MAN SINGING]
421
00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,520
AND THIS HAS
TREMENDOUS CONSEQUENCES
422
00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,480
FOR THEIR LOYALTY TO THE GROUP,
423
00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:22,920
THEIR BEHAVIOR
TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER.
424
00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:25,280
THIS BRINGS THEM
LITERALLY CLOSER TOGETHER.
425
00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,480
[CHANTING CONTINUES]
426
00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:35,760
[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE]
427
00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:37,720
TRANSLATOR: OUR HEARTS
ARE CONNECTED.
428
00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,440
WE ARE BROTHERS AND OUR
FRIENDSHIP INCREASES.
429
00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:44,680
WE BECOME CLOSER TO
THE PERSON NEXT TO US.
430
00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:48,000
HE KNOWS ME, I KNOW HIM.
431
00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:49,920
AS WE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER,
432
00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,240
OUR AFFECTION GROWS.
433
00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:54,320
SINCE OUR HEARTS ARE CONNECTED,
434
00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:58,200
LOVE RESTS WITHIN US
AND WE ARE ONE.
435
00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:00,720
[CHANTING CONTINUES;
TAMBOURINES JINGLING]
436
00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:09,760
XYGALATAS:
RITUAL WOULD HAVE BEEN
437
00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:11,480
ONE OF
THE FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMS
438
00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,720
THAT BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER,
CONTRIBUTED TO THE FORMATION
439
00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:15,240
AND THE MAINTENANCE
AND THE COHESION
440
00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,000
OF THE FIRST
LARGE-SCALE SOCIETIES.
441
00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,000
[CHANTING CONTINUES]
442
00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,720
YOU COULD SAY THAT WE ARE
THE RITUAL SPECIES.
443
00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:40,320
NARRATOR: 5,500 YEARS AGO,
444
00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:45,240
THE CLIMATE OF EGYPT
BECAME HOTTER AND DRIER,
445
00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,240
WITH DRAMATIC CONSEQUENCES.
446
00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,240
AS SAVANNA TURNED TO DESERT,
447
00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:53,640
THE HERDER LIFE WAS OVER.
448
00:25:55,960 --> 00:26:01,320
THE NILE VALLEY WAS NOW THE ONLY
HABITABLE PLACE IN EGYPT.
449
00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,920
THIS WAS THE START
OF A SETTLED EXISTENCE,
450
00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:09,520
A FARMING LIFE LIVED
AT THE RIVER'S EDGE,
451
00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:12,480
DEPENDENT ON HARNESSING
THE SUMMER FLOODS.
452
00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:14,680
[BIRDS CALLING]
453
00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:21,720
AND WITH FARMING CAME
THE FIRST VILLAGES AND TOWNS.
454
00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:23,960
[BLEATING]
455
00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,720
THIS NEW WAY OF LIFE
WOULD HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT
456
00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:29,920
ON THE COURSE OF CIVILIZATION.
457
00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:44,520
NEKHEN WAS ONE OF
THE FIRST NEW TOWNS
458
00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:46,680
BUILT ALONG THE NILE,
459
00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:50,720
A HOME FOR FARMERS, TRADERS,
AND ARTISANS.
460
00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:56,240
[SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE]
461
00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:57,480
[THUD]
462
00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:01,240
NARRATOR: BUT NOW THERE WAS
ALSO A RULING ELITE
463
00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:04,440
WHO CLAIMED THEY HAD
A RIGHT TO GOVERN.
464
00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,000
[THUD]
[SPEAKING NATIVE
LANGUAGE]
465
00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:13,920
NARRATOR: THESE RULERS
WERE TO LEARN
466
00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:16,560
A CRUCIAL LESSON--
467
00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:20,000
THEIR HOLD ON POWER
WOULD BE STRONGER
468
00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:22,400
IF ENDORSED BY THE GODS.
469
00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,200
ARCHAEOLOGIST RENEE FRIEDMAN
470
00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:43,240
HAS BEEN DIGGING AT NEKHEN
471
00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:45,080
FOR OVER TWO DECADES.
472
00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:50,480
HER TEAM IS
CURRENTLY EXCAVATING
473
00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:52,000
ONE OF THE CEMETERIES.
474
00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,640
FRIEDMAN: HERE WE'RE
WORKING ON THE EXCAVATIONS
475
00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:58,200
OF TOMB 72,
476
00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,400
WHICH WAS THE TOMB
OF A YOUNG MAN...
477
00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,720
BETWEEN 18 AND 20 YEARS OF AGE.
478
00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,000
AND WE WERE QUITE
SURPRISED TO FIND
479
00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,640
THAT IT WAS ALMOST INTACT, UM,
480
00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,760
AND IT'S SET UP WITHIN
THIS HUGE COMPLEX,
481
00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:17,280
WHICH IT TOOK US A NUMBER OF
YEARS TO UNCOVER AS WELL,
482
00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:19,720
SO, IT WAS A GRADUAL
PROCESS OF DISCOVERY.
483
00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:23,160
NARRATOR: THE YOUNG MAN
WHO WAS BURIED HERE
484
00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:26,320
IS THOUGHT
TO HAVE BEEN A RULER,
485
00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:29,040
PERHAPS THE KING OF NEKHEN.
486
00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:34,720
HE DIED YOUNG....
487
00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:38,480
BUT HIS JOURNEY
TO THE AFTERLIFE
488
00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,440
HAD THE SPLENDOR
OF A ROYAL FUNERAL.
489
00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:50,800
FRIEDMAN: ALL AROUND
THE EDGES OF THE TOMB,
490
00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:54,000
WE FOUND THE WHOLE ENTOURAGE
OF FOLLOWERS,
491
00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:55,760
BOTH HUMAN AND ANIMAL.
492
00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:02,680
HE HAD AN OSTRICH,
ELEPHANTS, WILD CATTLE,
493
00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:04,760
AND HE ALSO HAD
DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
494
00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:07,720
SO, HE'S TAKING HIS
WHOLE WORLD WITH HIM
495
00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:08,960
TO THE NEXT LIFE.
496
00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:22,640
NARRATOR: BUT THIS RULER WAS
NOT ALLOWED TO REST IN PEACE.
497
00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:27,920
FRIEDMAN: WHEN WE
EXCAVATED THE TOMB,
498
00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:31,200
WE REALIZED THAT THERE WERE
VERY LITTLE BONES OF THE OWNER
499
00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,520
LEFT WITHIN IT.
500
00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:36,520
WHEN WE STARTED TO WORK MORE
AROUND THE SURFACE,
501
00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:38,320
WE STARTED TO PICK UP BONES,
502
00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:41,000
AND WHAT WE NOTICED IS THAT
MANY OF THEM WERE BURNT.
503
00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:45,880
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
504
00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,040
WE THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN
505
00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:50,640
SOMETHING LIKE A REVOLUTION.
506
00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,760
SO, IT BECAME CLEAR TO US
THAT THESE BONES HAD BEEN
507
00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:02,320
FORCIBLY REMOVED
FROM THE BURIAL,
508
00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:04,320
THE PERSON
HAD BEEN DISINTERRED,
509
00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,400
AND THAT WAS THE PURPOSE.
510
00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,160
THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED
IN TAKING HIS OBJECTS.
511
00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:10,760
THEY WERE INTERESTED
IN TAKING HIM...
512
00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:16,800
PREVENTING HIM FROM
HAVING A SECOND LIFE
513
00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:18,000
IN THE AFTERLIFE.
514
00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:24,280
NARRATOR: WHY DID
THE PEOPLE OF NEKHEN
515
00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:27,520
WANT TO DESECRATE
THE SKELETON OF THEIR RULER?
516
00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:31,960
FRIEDMAN: WE SEE
FROM OUR CEMETERY THERE
517
00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:36,040
HOW VERY, VERY WEALTHY
THE ELITE WERE.
518
00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:43,880
THE ABILITY TO KEEP CROCODILE,
BABOONS, LEOPARDS,
519
00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,000
AND FEED THEM, WE KNOW,
WITH THE FOOD
520
00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,040
THAT WAS MEANT FOR PEOPLE.
521
00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:50,480
SO, THEY WERE REALLY
SHOWING OFF THEIR WEALTH,
522
00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,960
AND WE CAN SEE ALSO FROM
OUR NON-ELITE CEMETERIES
523
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,960
HOW ACTUALLY
PRETTY POOR--IMPOVERISHED
524
00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:58,240
THE REGULAR PEOPLE WERE,
525
00:30:58,240 --> 00:30:59,720
AND THEY MAY HAVE
JUST HAD ENOUGH.
526
00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:07,440
NARRATOR: IN ANY CIVILIZATION,
527
00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:09,960
RULERS NEED LEGITIMACY,
528
00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:11,880
A REASON TO RULE.
529
00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:16,760
AT NEKHEN, THAT CAME
BY WAY OF RELIGION.
530
00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:24,800
[BIRD CRYING]
531
00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:28,280
TO PREVENT FURTHER REVOLUTIONS,
532
00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,080
THE RULERS OF NEKHEN
533
00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,200
WOULD CLAIM THEIR POWER CAME
534
00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:35,280
FROM THE LOCAL GOD HORUS,
535
00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:36,720
THE FALCON GOD.
536
00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:40,720
FRIEDMAN: AT THE SITE, WE FOUND
537
00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:43,440
SOME OF THE EARLIEST
FALCON STATUES
538
00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:45,080
FROM ANCIENT EGYPT,
539
00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:48,240
AND THIS IS, IN FACT,
ONE OF THEM,
540
00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:50,240
MADE OUT OF GREEN MALACHITE--
541
00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:53,240
BEAUTIFULLY CARVED
SO THAT THE WINGS
542
00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,320
ARE SEPARATED FROM THE BODY.
543
00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:57,800
IT WAS A VERY MASTERFUL
PIECE OF CARVING,
544
00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:00,680
BECAUSE THIS IS
VERY HARD, BRITTLE STONE.
545
00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:11,560
THE EGYPTIAN FALCON--IT'S ONE OF
THE FASTEST ANIMALS ON EARTH.
546
00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:15,640
IT CAN GO OVER
250 MILES AN HOUR.
547
00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:19,000
SO, IMAGINE SEEING THAT
COMING DOWN AND STRIKING.
548
00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:24,440
SO, YOU WANTED TO HAVE
THE POWERS TO BE EFFECTIVE,
549
00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:26,520
QUICK, AND DEADLY.
550
00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:41,520
THE NEXT STEP IS TO BECOME
THE GODS, TO BECOME
551
00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:43,640
THE LIVING EMBODIMENT
OF THE GOD,
552
00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:46,440
TO SAY, "LOOK WHAT
I'VE DONE FOR THIS GOD.
553
00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:48,480
NOW THE GOD IS LIVING IN ME."
554
00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:54,320
AND THAT WAS A WAY OF
CEMENTING THEIR POWER
555
00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:56,480
BECAUSE YOU HAD TO GO
THROUGH THE KING
556
00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:57,760
TO GET TO THE GOD.
557
00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:01,240
HE BECAME THE INTERFACE.
558
00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:03,000
HE BECAME THE LIVING GOD.
559
00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:11,960
[CROWD CHEERING]
560
00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:25,400
[BIRD CRYING]
561
00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:31,480
NARRATOR: THE GREAT AGE
OF EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
562
00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:33,680
BEGAN 5,000 YEARS AGO,
563
00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:36,800
WHEN LOWER AND UPPER EGYPT
WERE UNITED
564
00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:41,560
BY ONE OF THE FIRST GOD-KINGS
OF NEKHEN--KING NARMER.
565
00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:50,520
HIS MILITARY CAMPAIGN
OF CONQUEST
566
00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:54,680
IS COMMEMORATED IN AN ARTIFACT
FOUND AT NEKHEN
567
00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:57,720
BUT NOW ON DISPLAY IN CAIRO.
568
00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:04,720
IT'S KNOWN AS
THE NARMER PALETTE.
569
00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:10,400
WOMAN: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
WE HAVE AN OBJECT
570
00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:14,360
THAT ACTUALLY SHOWS
A KING OF UNIFIED EGYPT.
571
00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:19,480
WHAT WE SEE UP AT THE TOP
572
00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:22,120
IS ACTUALLY THE NAME OF NARMER,
573
00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:23,680
SO, THIS ACTUALLY
DOES IDENTIFY IT
574
00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:26,480
AS BELONGING TO KING NARMER.
575
00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,080
AND THEN WE SEE NARMER
WEARING THE CROWN HERE
576
00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:30,480
OF UPPER EGYPT.
577
00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:34,360
AND HE'S SMITING HIS ENEMIES
578
00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:36,280
USING, ESSENTIALLY, THIS STICK
579
00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:37,920
WITH A ROUND MALLET,
580
00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:39,040
WHICH IS CALLED A MACE.
581
00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:46,480
BENEATH THIS REGISTER LINE,
WE SEE
582
00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:49,000
SOME OTHER CAPTIVES
THAT ARE BENEATH THE FEET
583
00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,040
OF THE KING THAT
HAS NOW CONQUERED THEM.
584
00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:59,120
SO, THE OTHER SIDE,
WE HAVE NARMER NOW
585
00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:01,520
WEARING THE CROWN
OF LOWER EGYPT...
586
00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:06,640
AND HE SEEMS TO BE
QUITE VICTORIOUS
587
00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:08,840
AS HE HAS HIS PROCESSION,
AND THEN YOU SEE
588
00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:12,400
A LOT OF DECAPITATED,
PRESUMABLY CAPTIVES
589
00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:14,960
FROM LOWER EGYPT THAT
HE HAS NOW CONQUERED.
590
00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:20,480
AND WE HAVE THE GOD HORUS
ESSENTIALLY GIVING HIS APPROVAL.
591
00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:23,600
NARRATOR: HORUS, THE FALCON...
592
00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:28,880
WHO HAD BEEN
THE FAVORITE GOD AT NEKHEN,
593
00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:33,600
NOW BECAME THE LEADING GOD
OF ALL EGYPT...
594
00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:37,360
A PATRON AND PARTNER
OF THE KINGS.
595
00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:45,480
EGYPT WAS NOW A FULLY-FLEDGED
CIVILIZATION,
596
00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:49,760
A STATE UNITED UNDER A GOD-KING,
A PHARAOH,
597
00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:52,040
COMPLETE WITH
ORGANIZED GOVERNMENT,
598
00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:56,960
SOCIAL HIERARCHY, WRITING, ART,
AND ARCHITECTURE.
599
00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:06,520
AND LINKING IT ALL TOGETHER
WAS RELIGION.
600
00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,200
NORENZAYAN: EVER SINCE
THE EGYPTIAN PHARAOHS,
601
00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:24,840
CONNECTING POLITICAL POWER
WITH DIVINITY
602
00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,360
HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT IDEA
IN--IN CIVILIZATIONS.
603
00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:30,880
EVEN TODAY,
CHRISTIAN QUEENS AND KINGS
604
00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:34,080
CLAIM SUPERNATURAL POWER
FROM GOD,
605
00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:35,560
AND THAT'S A SMART THING TO DO.
606
00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:37,280
THAT'S A SMART WAY
TO HOLD POWER.
607
00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:38,480
HOW CAN YOU CHALLENGE A KING
608
00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:40,320
IF THAT MEANS CHALLENGING GOD?
609
00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:48,440
ANOTHER SMART IDEA WAS FUSING
DIVINITY WITH WATCHFULNESS.
610
00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:53,920
CAN SEE THAT IN THE GOD HORUS
IN ANCIENT EGYPT.
611
00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:59,600
WITH HIS ALL-SEEING EYE,
HE WAS WATCHING OVER PEOPLE.
612
00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:05,760
THE IDEA OF A MORAL GOD
BECAME A NEW IDEA.
613
00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:11,280
WITH THE RISE OF MORE COMPLEX
AND LARGER CIVILIZATIONS,
614
00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:13,080
THIS IDEA STARTED TO SPREAD...
615
00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:15,000
[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
616
00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:16,560
AND WORK ITS WAY INTO
617
00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:20,400
JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY,
AND ISLAM.
618
00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:24,400
NARRATOR:
IN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES,
619
00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:28,840
THE VERY SAME ALL-SEEING EYE
WATCHES ON.
620
00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:32,600
LIKE HORUS,
GOD SEES EVERYTHING.
621
00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:38,560
NORENZAYAN: SO, GOD IS
WATCHFUL, OMNISCIENT,
622
00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:40,320
BUT ALSO MORALLY CONCERNED--
623
00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:42,600
SITS IN JUDGMENT
AND REWARDS GOOD BEHAVIOR
624
00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,320
AND PUNISHES BAD BEHAVIOR.
625
00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:47,680
AS A RESULT,
THAT COULD HAVE EFFECTS
626
00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:49,920
ON HOW PEOPLE TREAT EACH OTHER.
627
00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:56,400
SO, WE CAN SAY THAT
WATCHED PEOPLE ARE NICE PEOPLE.
628
00:37:59,960 --> 00:38:02,880
NARRATOR: PSYCHOLOGISTS
CAN DO EXPERIMENTS
629
00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:05,000
TO TEST HOW BEING WATCHED
630
00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:08,680
HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR BEHAVIOR.
631
00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:14,280
HERE, A FUNDRAISER TRIES
TO RAISE MONEY FOR A CHARITY.
632
00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,080
HE STANDS OUTSIDE A RESTAURANT,
633
00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:19,080
AND OVER THE COURSE OF AN HOUR,
634
00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:20,920
RAISES $25.
635
00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:26,480
HE THEN DOES THE SAME THING
636
00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:28,680
OUTSIDE A CHURCH
637
00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:30,800
AND MAKES $70.
638
00:38:34,360 --> 00:38:36,680
NORENZAYAN: THE RESULTS
OF THESE STUDIES SHOW THAT
639
00:38:36,680 --> 00:38:38,920
PEOPLE ARE MORE
COOPERATIVE AND GENEROUS
640
00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:40,600
WHEN THEY'RE REMINDED
OF RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS
641
00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:42,640
OR WHEN THEY'RE NEAR
A CHURCH, FOR EXAMPLE.
642
00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:47,600
THE FEELING IS THAT
YOU THINK OF MORAL AGENTS
643
00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:50,040
WHO ARE WATCHING YOU
AND JUDGING YOU.
644
00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:51,920
YOU'RE ALSO THINKING OF
CERTAIN MORAL STANDARDS
645
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:54,360
OF WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG,
AND SO, PEOPLE BECOME
646
00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:57,320
MORE COOPERATIVE AND GIVE
MORE TO THE GOOD CAUSE.
647
00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:02,560
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF
THE POWERFUL REASONS
648
00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:05,320
WHY RELIGION HAS SUCH A STICKING
POWER IN HUMAN HISTORY
649
00:39:05,320 --> 00:39:06,840
AND FOR HUMAN CIVILIZATIONS,
650
00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:10,000
TO THE EXTENT THAT THESE
RELIGIOUS ICONS AND BELIEFS
651
00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:13,440
AND REMINDERS ALLOW PEOPLE TO
SCALE UP THEIR COOPERATIVENESS
652
00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:14,760
WITH MORE AND MORE PEOPLE.
653
00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:16,560
THEN THAT BECOMES
AN ESSENTIAL PART
654
00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:18,800
OF HOW HUMAN CIVILIZATIONS
CAN FUNCTION.
655
00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:24,000
NARRATOR: RELIGION AT
THE SERVICE OF CIVILIZATION--
656
00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:30,760
PART INSPIRATION,
PART JUDGMENT, PART FEAR.
657
00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:32,520
NORENZAYAN: OF COURSE,
POLICING IS NEVER EFFECTIVE
658
00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:35,080
UNLESS THERE IS
THE THREAT OF PUNISHMENT.
659
00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:36,640
WE FIND THAT IN MANY STUDIES,
660
00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:39,000
THESE KINDS OF BELIEF IN
SUPERNATURAL PUNISHMENT
661
00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:42,160
SEEM TO BE MORE POTENT
THAN THE PROMISE OF REWARD.
662
00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:45,760
SO, HELL IS
STRONGER THAN HEAVEN.
663
00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:50,080
NARRATOR: WHEN CIVILIZATION
AND RELIGION ARE FUSED,
664
00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,960
ONE PRIEST CAN
BE MORE EFFECTIVE
665
00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:54,840
THAN 100 POLICE OFFICERS.
666
00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:08,520
IF GOD IS ALL AROUND US,
WATCHING AND JUDGING,
667
00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:12,760
THERE'S ONE PROBLEM--
HE'S INVISIBLE.
668
00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:15,840
SO, IT'S EASY TO FORGET
ABOUT HIS PRESENCE.
669
00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,120
FOR ANCIENT EGYPTIANS,
670
00:40:24,120 --> 00:40:27,000
THE SOLUTION WAS ARCHITECTURE...
671
00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:31,640
TO MAKE VISIBLE THE INVISIBLE.
672
00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:40,400
SAQQARA IS A HUGE COMPLEX
OF TOMBS SOUTH OF CAIRO.
673
00:40:42,360 --> 00:40:45,880
IT WAS HERE, 4,700 YEARS AGO,
674
00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:49,640
THE EGYPTIAN PHARAOHS
BEGAN TO BUILD BIG
675
00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:52,000
AND PROCLAIM THEIR DIVINITY.
676
00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:56,480
INSTEAD OF BEING
BURIED UNDERGROUND,
677
00:40:56,480 --> 00:41:01,880
THEY WANTED TO BE SEEN IN DEATH,
ABOVE THE SURFACE.
678
00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:06,840
ARCHAEOLOGIST LOUISE BERTINI
BELIEVES THIS SINGLE IDEA
679
00:41:06,840 --> 00:41:09,880
DROVE THE EXPANSION OF
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION.
680
00:41:11,880 --> 00:41:13,440
BERTINI: FIRST TYPE
OF MONUMENTAL TOMB
681
00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:14,640
THAT WAS BUILT HERE AT SAQQARA
682
00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:17,120
WAS WHAT'S CALLED
A MASTABA TOMB.
683
00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:19,520
"MASTABA" COMING FROM
THE ARABIC WORD FOR "BENCH,"
684
00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:22,480
WHICH MEANS A RECTANGULAR, UH,
685
00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:24,080
SUPERSTRUCTURE THAT
WAS CONSTRUCTED
686
00:41:24,080 --> 00:41:25,640
OVER THE BURIAL CHAMBER.
687
00:41:25,640 --> 00:41:27,680
THEY WERE CONSTRUCTED
OUT OF MUD BRICK.
688
00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:32,640
THESE MASTABA SHAPES
HAD POSSIBLY EVOLVED
689
00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:34,040
FROM WHAT'S CALLED A TUMULUS,
690
00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:37,120
A CIRCULAR MOUND THAT WOULD
HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED OVER
691
00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:39,800
TO MARK THE BURIAL BENEATH.
692
00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:42,400
THESE MOUNDS
POSSIBLY EVOLVED OUT OF
693
00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:44,600
THE BELIEF IN THIS
PRIMEVAL MOUND
694
00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:46,800
THAT EMERGED FROM
THE WATERS OF NOON
695
00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:48,800
THAT USED TO COVER THE EARTH,
696
00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:51,080
ACCORDING TO THE EGYPTIAN
CREATION MYTH.
697
00:41:51,080 --> 00:41:54,440
AND THEN THESE MOUNDS
ARE ESSENTIALLY A REFERENCE
698
00:41:54,440 --> 00:41:56,280
TO CREATION, SO, YOU HAVE
699
00:41:56,280 --> 00:41:58,560
REBIRTH AND RESURRECTION
IN THE AFTERLIFE.
700
00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:02,040
[ROCKS BREAKING]
701
00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:06,880
NARRATOR: AS THEIR POWER GREW,
702
00:42:06,880 --> 00:42:10,880
THE PHARAOHS WANTED TOMBS
THAT WOULD LAST FOREVER.
703
00:42:12,040 --> 00:42:13,680
[SHOUTING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE]
704
00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:16,520
NARRATOR:
THE ROYAL ARCHITECT IMHOTEP
705
00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:21,000
WAS THE PIONEER OF
A NEW DIVINE ARCHITECTURE
706
00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:23,320
FIT FOR A GOD-KING.
707
00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:35,640
BERTINI: IMHOTEP DECIDED
TO ESSENTIALLY
708
00:42:35,640 --> 00:42:38,840
CONTINUE THE TRADITIONS
OF BUILDING A MASTABA TOMB,
709
00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:40,920
BUT WHAT CHANGED
MONUMENTALLY HERE
710
00:42:40,920 --> 00:42:42,400
IS NOW THE USE OF STONE.
711
00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:44,400
SO, HE'S MAKING SURE THAT
712
00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:46,320
YOU HAVE YOUR HOUSE
FOR ALL ETERNITY
713
00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:49,080
IN A NEW ARCHITECTURAL MEDIUM
714
00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:50,800
THAT WILL HOPEFULLY LAST.
715
00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:54,160
NARRATOR: THIS WAS
THE FIRST TIME
716
00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:56,000
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
717
00:42:56,000 --> 00:42:59,840
PEOPLE BUILT FROM STONE
ON SUCH A SCALE.
718
00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:06,440
THIS WAS THE MATERIAL
WHICH WOULD UNDERPIN
719
00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:09,000
SO MANY GREAT CIVILIZATIONS.
720
00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:20,640
BUT IMHOTEP
DIDN'T STOP AT STONE.
721
00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:24,000
HIS OTHER GREAT BREAKTHROUGH
722
00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:26,520
WAS TO THINK BIG.
723
00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:32,920
DIVINE ARCHITECTURE WOULD
REACH UP TO THE HEAVENS.
724
00:43:43,880 --> 00:43:46,120
BERTINI: IMHOTEP
ORIGINALLY STARTED
725
00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:48,560
BUILDING A MASTABA TOMB,
726
00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:51,760
AND THEN IT WAS EXPANDED
A NUMBER OF TIMES,
727
00:43:51,760 --> 00:43:54,320
AND THEN, ESSENTIALLY,
A SECOND MASTABA
728
00:43:54,320 --> 00:43:56,640
AND A THIRD MASTABA
WAS BUILT ON TOP OF IT
729
00:43:56,640 --> 00:43:59,000
TO WHERE YOU
ACTUALLY HAVE, ESSENTIALLY,
730
00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:01,400
ALMOST 7 LAYERS OF MASTABAS
731
00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:02,520
ON TOP OF ANOTHER
732
00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:04,520
TO THE FINAL STEP PYRAMID.
733
00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:11,600
WE DO KNOW FROM VARIOUS TEXTS
734
00:44:11,600 --> 00:44:13,280
THAT THIS WAS SEEN
TO ACTUALLY BE
735
00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:16,280
AN EXTREMELY
IMPOSING CONSTRUCTION.
736
00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:18,560
THEY HAD NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE IT IN HISTORY
737
00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:20,560
AND NOT JUST
BECAUSE OF THE SIZE
738
00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:22,640
BUT BECAUSE OF
THE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL.
739
00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:27,920
IN FACT, IT WAS WELL THOUGHT OF
EVEN IN LATER, IN HISTORY,
740
00:44:27,920 --> 00:44:31,440
WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE
VARIOUS PILGRIMS COMING HERE,
741
00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:33,120
KINGS BEING BURIED AT THE SITE,
742
00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:35,800
AND OTHER VARIOUS ELITES
THAT ARE BURIED IN THE AREA,
743
00:44:35,800 --> 00:44:38,320
ESSENTIALLY, TO TRY
TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION
744
00:44:38,320 --> 00:44:41,040
TO THIS REALLY FIRST
GREAT PYRAMID.
745
00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:54,480
NORENZAYAN:
MANY GLOBAL RELIGIONS
746
00:44:54,480 --> 00:44:56,000
ADOPTED THIS IDEA--
747
00:44:56,000 --> 00:44:57,880
BUILD BIG, BUILD TALL.
748
00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:01,320
YOU SEE IT IN CHRISTIANITY,
749
00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:04,520
YOU SEE IT IN ISLAM
AND THEIR OFFSHOOTS--
750
00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:09,560
SPIRES, MINARETS,
TEMPLES, PYRAMIDS,
751
00:45:09,560 --> 00:45:12,520
IMPOSING THEMSELVES
ON A LANDSCAPE.
752
00:45:12,520 --> 00:45:15,000
THEY MAKE US FEEL
A SENSE OF GRANDEUR.
753
00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:17,680
THEY GIVE US A SENSE
OF AWE AND A CONNECTION
754
00:45:17,680 --> 00:45:20,480
TO SOMETHING LARGER
THAN OURSELVES,
755
00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:25,040
SOMETHING THAT'S POWERFUL
AND DIVINE IN OUR LIVES.
756
00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,520
THROUGHOUT HISTORY,
UP UNTIL THE 19th CENTURY,
757
00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:30,960
THE TALLEST BUILDINGS
IN THE WORLD
758
00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:32,560
WERE ALL RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES.
759
00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:39,200
THEN IN 1888, THE WASHINGTON
MONUMENT WAS BUILT RIGHT HERE,
760
00:45:39,200 --> 00:45:41,480
THAT BECAME THE FIRST
SECULAR STRUCTURE
761
00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:43,480
THAT WAS THE TALLEST BUILDING
IN THE WORLD.
762
00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:46,560
EVEN THEN, IT ADOPTED
THE RELIGIOUS DESIGN--
763
00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:50,680
THE OBELISK THAT STOOD
AT THE ENTRANCE
764
00:45:50,680 --> 00:45:52,640
OF ALL
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TEMPLES.
765
00:45:55,880 --> 00:45:58,480
SO, EVEN SECULAR
MONUMENTAL ARCHITECTURE
766
00:45:58,480 --> 00:46:01,320
BORROWS RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM
TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
767
00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:16,200
NARRATOR: THE MOST
RECOGNIZABLE MONUMENTS
768
00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:18,400
OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATION
769
00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:20,560
ARE THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA...
770
00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:25,960
GIANT TOMBS FOR GOD-KINGS.
771
00:46:27,880 --> 00:46:32,480
EACH OF THEM WAS BUILT FROM
TWO MILLION BLOCKS OF STONE...
772
00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:34,640
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
773
00:46:35,680 --> 00:46:37,960
CRAFTED AND PUT INTO PLACE
774
00:46:37,960 --> 00:46:40,000
BY THOUSANDS OF WORKERS...
775
00:46:42,520 --> 00:46:46,760
WITHOUT PULLEYS, WHEELS,
OR IRON TOOLS.
776
00:46:54,040 --> 00:46:59,440
ARCHAEOLOGIST ASHRAF MOHIE
BELIEVES THE BLOCKS WERE MOVED
777
00:46:59,440 --> 00:47:01,520
USING A SYSTEM OF RAMPS.
778
00:47:35,040 --> 00:47:36,680
[ROCKS BREAKING]
779
00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:40,920
NARRATOR: MORE THAN
A TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT,
780
00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:45,200
THE BUILDING OF EACH PYRAMID
WAS A RELIGIOUS ACT,
781
00:47:45,200 --> 00:47:46,800
A DIVINE DUTY.
782
00:48:09,480 --> 00:48:11,640
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
783
00:48:36,560 --> 00:48:38,400
NARRATOR: IT WAS
PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
784
00:48:38,400 --> 00:48:40,680
THESE WORKERS WERE SLAVES,
785
00:48:40,680 --> 00:48:43,080
BUT WHEN THEIR TOMBS
WERE DISCOVERED,
786
00:48:43,080 --> 00:48:45,560
ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAD
TO THINK AGAIN.
787
00:48:49,600 --> 00:48:53,800
SLAVES WOULD NOT BE AFFORDED
THE LUXURY OF A TOMB.
788
00:49:13,480 --> 00:49:15,800
NARRATOR: IT'S THOUGHT
TEAMS WERE CONSCRIPTED
789
00:49:15,800 --> 00:49:19,280
FROM ALL OVER EGYPT
TO WORK ON THE SITE,
790
00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:21,480
ATTRACTED BY THE PRESTIGE
791
00:49:21,480 --> 00:49:24,880
OF WORKING FOR THE GLORY
OF THE GOD-KING.
792
00:49:48,960 --> 00:49:51,480
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
793
00:49:51,480 --> 00:49:54,000
NARRATOR: IT'S EASY
TO IMAGINE THE PYRAMIDS
794
00:49:54,000 --> 00:49:56,040
AS A DRAIN ON CIVILIZATION...
795
00:49:59,080 --> 00:50:01,520
BUT THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.
796
00:50:01,520 --> 00:50:04,640
BUILDING BIG, FOR THE GODS,
797
00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:06,920
GENERATES ITS OWN REWARDS...
798
00:50:09,040 --> 00:50:14,000
GROWTH, COHESION, IDENTITY.
799
00:50:15,440 --> 00:50:19,320
LITTLE WONDER
THE GRAND RELIGIOUS MONUMENT
800
00:50:19,320 --> 00:50:23,280
IS A FEATURE OF
SO MANY CIVILIZATIONS
801
00:50:23,280 --> 00:50:26,040
TODAY, AND THROUGH TIME.
802
00:50:57,480 --> 00:51:00,640
NARRATOR: SOME
MODERN-DAY CIVILIZATIONS
803
00:51:00,640 --> 00:51:04,320
SEPARATE CHURCH FROM STATE
804
00:51:04,320 --> 00:51:06,640
TO SHOW THAT
ANCIENT SUPERSTITIONS
805
00:51:06,640 --> 00:51:10,120
HAVE BEEN REPLACED
BY THE SECULAR VALUES
806
00:51:10,120 --> 00:51:12,480
OF REASON AND SCIENCE.
807
00:51:13,920 --> 00:51:18,920
AND YET, OUR PAST IS
NOT SO EASILY FORGOTTEN.
808
00:51:20,000 --> 00:51:21,400
NORENZAYAN: TAKE WASHINGTON.
809
00:51:21,400 --> 00:51:23,600
IT'S FILLED WITH
SECULAR MONUMENTS THAT
810
00:51:23,600 --> 00:51:25,600
ENSHRINE AMERICA'S
CREATION STORY.
811
00:51:29,040 --> 00:51:32,000
FOR EXAMPLE,
THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL
812
00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:33,400
CELEBRATES FREEDOM...
813
00:51:35,480 --> 00:51:38,040
THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE...
814
00:51:39,840 --> 00:51:42,080
AND THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT
MEMORIALIZES THE LIFE
815
00:51:42,080 --> 00:51:44,360
OF THE FIRST PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
816
00:51:47,960 --> 00:51:50,520
BUT EVEN THESE MONUMENTS
THAT ARE SECULAR,
817
00:51:50,520 --> 00:51:53,400
THEY LOOK RELIGIOUS.
818
00:51:53,400 --> 00:51:55,440
THEY ARE SECULAR SHRINES.
819
00:51:58,680 --> 00:52:01,400
IN MANY WAYS,
THESE SECULAR MONUMENTS
820
00:52:01,400 --> 00:52:03,560
SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE
THAT RELIGIOUS MONUMENTS
821
00:52:03,560 --> 00:52:06,160
SERVED IN THE PAST
AND EVEN TODAY.
822
00:52:06,160 --> 00:52:09,000
THEY PROVIDE THE SOCIAL GLUE
THAT CONNECTS
823
00:52:09,000 --> 00:52:13,480
A WIDE RANGE OF PEOPLE
INTO ONE LARGE MORAL COMMUNITY.
824
00:52:13,480 --> 00:52:16,440
THAT'S THE NATION-STATE
IN TODAY'S EXAMPLE.
825
00:52:20,160 --> 00:52:21,520
TAKE THE DOLLAR BILL,
826
00:52:21,520 --> 00:52:23,440
THE MOST SECULAR OF INVENTIONS.
827
00:52:24,600 --> 00:52:27,480
YOU SEE THE ALL-SEEING EYE,
THE EYE IN THE SKY
828
00:52:27,480 --> 00:52:28,840
WATCHING OVER US
829
00:52:28,840 --> 00:52:31,640
ON TOP OF ALL THINGS,
A PYRAMID,
830
00:52:31,640 --> 00:52:34,960
AND NEXT TO IT, THE WORDS
"IN GOD WE TRUST."
831
00:52:34,960 --> 00:52:36,840
YOU CAN'T GET MORE
RELIGIOUS THAN THAT.
832
00:52:39,360 --> 00:52:42,880
NARRATOR: THE LESSON
OF CIVILIZATION IS CLEAR.
833
00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:46,000
THOSE WHO BELIEVE TOGETHER
STAY TOGETHER.
834
00:52:48,440 --> 00:52:51,560
IT DOESN'T MATTER SO MUCH
WHAT WE BELIEVE,
835
00:52:51,560 --> 00:52:54,440
JUST THAT ENOUGH OF US
SHARE THE BELIEF.
836
00:52:56,360 --> 00:52:59,800
THIS WAS TRUE FOR
THE FIRST CIVILIZATIONS.
837
00:52:59,800 --> 00:53:02,200
[CROWD CHEERING]
838
00:53:02,200 --> 00:53:03,600
IT'S TRUE TODAY.
839
00:53:05,360 --> 00:53:09,480
RELIGION--THE SOULMATE
OF CIVILIZATION.
63754
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