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*
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00:00:02,633 --> 00:00:05,733
Narrator: THE GREAT PYRAMID,
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A MONUMENT
BUILT 4,500 YEARS AGO,
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THE LAST SURVIVING WONDER
OF THE ANCIENT WORLD.
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00:00:14,233 --> 00:00:17,103
THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
TOOK WHAT THEY HAD
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00:00:17,133 --> 00:00:18,803
AND USED IT INGENIOUSLY.
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00:00:18,833 --> 00:00:20,433
THEY COULDN'T HAVE
DONE IT ANY BETTER.
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Narrator: FOR CENTURIES,
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THE GREAT PYRAMID
HAS BEEN A SYMBOL OF MYSTERY,
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A STRUCTURE WITH NO EQUAL.
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00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:31,170
THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT.
AND THIS IS A ONE-OFF DEAL.
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Narrator:
HOW DID ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
CREATE THIS VAST EDIFICE,
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AND WHY DID THEY BUILD IT?
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THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE
THESE MYSTERIES
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IS TO BLOW THIS
COLOSSAL MONUMENT APART,
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00:00:46,967 --> 00:00:49,867
DIVE DEEP INSIDE IT,
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AND, STONE BY STONE,
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UNEARTH THE ASTONISHING SECRETS
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HIDDEN WITHIN THIS
ANCIENT WONDER.
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-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
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CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
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ON THE OUTSKIRTS
OF THE EGYPTIAN CITY OF CAIRO...
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...TOWER THE ANCIENT PYRAMIDS
OF GIZA,
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BUILT BY A CIVILIZATION RENOWNED
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FOR THEIR EXPERTISE
IN ARCHITECTURE AND ASTRONOMY,
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AN ANCIENT PEOPLE
WITH BIZARRE DEATH RITUALS
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WHO BUILT LAVISH TOMBS
FOR THEIR DEAD.
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AND ON THE GIZA PLATEAU,
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THE BIGGEST TOMB OF ALL
IS THE GREAT PYRAMID.
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THIS EXTRAORDINARY MONUMENT
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IS THE LEGACY
OF THE PHARAOH KHUFU.
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IT REMAINED THE TALLEST
STRUCTURE ON EARTH
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FOR MORE THAN 3,500 YEARS.
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TODAY, TEAMS OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS
AND SCIENTISTS
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ARE USING NEW TECHNIQUES
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IN THE HOPE OF
UNLOCKING ITS SECRETS.
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BUT HOW DO YOU MAKE SENSE
OF A MONUMENT SO IMMENSE...
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...A STRUCTURE MADE FROM OVER
2 MILLION SOLID STONE BLOCKS,
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ASSEMBLED WITH
BREATHTAKING PRECISION,
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MANY WEIGHING
MORE THAN A CAR?
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A BUILDING WITH NARROW,
MYSTERIOUS TUNNELS
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LEADING TO TWO MASSIVE CHAMBERS
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DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND
HUGE WEIGHTS FROM ABOVE,
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THE ULTIMATE RESTING PLACE
FOR A PHARAOH'S BODY.
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HOW AND WHY DID THE ANCIENTS
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BUILD THIS 6-MILLION-TON GOLIATH
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IN THE SANDS
OF THE EGYPTIAN DESERT?
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ARCHAEOLOGIST MARK LEHNER
HAS BEEN STUDYING THIS MONUMENT
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FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
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MARK KNOWS
THAT WHEN THE PHARAOH KHUFU
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ORDERED ENGINEERS TO BUILD
THE LARGEST PYRAMID EVER,
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HE SET THE ULTIMATE DEADLINE.
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THEY HAD TO FINISH BEFORE
THE DEATH OF THE KING.
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THE ENGINEER HAD HIS LIFE
AND REPUTATION ON THE LINE
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IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE PYRAMID
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WITHIN THE KING'S LIFETIME.
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IT WAS LONG THOUGHT
THAT KHUFU RULED FOR 23 YEARS.
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RECENTLY, NEW FINDINGS
OF DATES SUGGEST
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KHUFU MIGHT HAVE REIGNED
MAYBE 30 SOME YEARS, MAYBE 35.
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SO THAT GIVES HIM
A LITTLE MORE LEEWAY.
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HAVING SAID THAT, IT IS
A VERY AUDACIOUS ACT
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THAT IMPLIES SUPREME
CONFIDENCE THAT,
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WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME
FATE HAS GIVEN YOUR LIFETIME,
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YOU WILL REACH THE PINNACLE.
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KHUFU HAD SET THE CHALLENGE
AND THE DEADLINE.
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THE BIG MYSTERY
IS HOW DID BUILDERS ENSURE
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THAT THE MASSIVE MONUMENT
WOULD BE COMPLETE IN TIME?
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TO SOLVE THIS RIDDLE,
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EXPERTS NEED TO WORK OUT
EXACTLY HOW IT WAS BUILT.
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-YEAH, RIGHT HERE.
-OKAY.
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Dash: THE EGYPTIANS
LEFT CLUES EVERYWHERE
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HOW THEY BUILT THE PYRAMIDS.
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WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT THE CLUES MEAN.
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Narrator: GLEN DASH IS SEARCHING
FOR TINY CLUES
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THAT PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS
MAY HAVE MISSED.
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HIS WORK IS PART
OF THE MOST DETAILED MAPPING
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OF THE GREAT PYRAMID SPACE
EVER UNDERTAKEN.
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OUR FIRST TASK TODAY
IS TO MAP THE FIRST LINE
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OF BUILDING STONES ON HERE,
THE WEST SIDE OF THE PYRAMID.
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Narrator:
GLEN IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
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HOW THE ANCIENT BUILDERS
CHISELED OUT
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THE MASSIVE LIMESTONE BLOCKS.
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HERE, YOU GOT A SWEEP
OF CHISEL MARKS
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-GOT IT.
-...RIGHT THERE ON THE SIDE.
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YOU CAN SEE THAT THE GUY
HAD THE HAMMER AND WENT
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CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CH!
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AND SWEPT ALONG
AND WENT TO THE NEXT LAYER
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AND WENT CH-CH-CH-CH-CH!
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THE, UH, LIMESTONE IS A GOOD
BUILDING MATERIAL TO USE.
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IT'S HARD. IT HAS GREAT
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH,
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00:05:00,533 --> 00:05:03,073
BUT IT STILL CAN BE CUT
AND SHAPED TO WHATEVER SHAPE
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00:05:03,067 --> 00:05:04,867
YOU HAPPEN TO NEED.
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Narrator:
THE PYRAMID BUILDERS DIDN'T HAVE
TO LOOK FAR TO FIND LIMESTONE.
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IT'S THE BEDROCK
UNDER THE GIZA PLATEAU.
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BUT HOW LONG WOULD IT
HAVE TAKEN TO CHISEL
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ALL OF THE BLOCKS SO FINELY?
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[ ALL CONVERSING
IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
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QUARRYING EXPERT ADEL KELANY
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AND A TEAM OF MASTER STONEMASONS
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ARE TRYING TO ANSWER
THIS QUESTION.
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THEY NEED TO SQUARE OFF
A LIMESTONE BLOCK
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TO RESTORE A WALL
NEAR THE PYRAMID.
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FIRST, THEY MUST SPLIT
A ROUGH LIMESTONE BRICK IN HALF
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USING MODERN STEEL TOOLS.
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STRIKING THE ROCK IN THE RIGHT
PLACE SHOULD MAKE IT CRACK.
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Kelany: OOPS!
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*
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Narrator: THE ROCK IS SPLIT, BUT
IT'S TOUGH GOING FOR THE TOOLS.
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ADEL THINKS THAT BUILDERS
OF THE PYRAMID
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NEEDED WHOLE TEAMS OF TOOL
REPAIRERS TO KEEP WORK ON TRACK.
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THE PYRAMID BUILDERS
DIDN'T HAVE HARD STEEL.
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THEY USED SOFTER COPPER TOOLS
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WHICH NEEDED
FREQUENT SHARPENING.
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SEEING HOW HARD IT IS
TO SQUARE OFF A BLOCK
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WITH MODERN TOOLS
HIGHLIGHTS THE CHALLENGES.
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EXPERTS THINK IT MIGHT HAVE
TAKEN FIVE WORKERS
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UP TO HALF A DAY TO SQUARE OFF
AND SHAPE EACH BLOCK
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SO IT FITTED PERFECTLY
NEXT TO ANOTHER.
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MAKING EVERY SINGLE BLOCK
IN THE PYRAMID
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THIS ACCURATE IN THE TIME
THEY HAD SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE.
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00:07:35,333 --> 00:07:37,703
SO HOW DID
THE EGYPTIANS DO IT?
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MARK LEHNER BELIEVES
THE PYRAMID BUILDERS
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FOUND A SHORTCUT
TO SPEED UP CONSTRUCTION.
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OBVIOUSLY, THEY COULD DO
REALLY WELL SQUARED BLOCKS.
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I THINK IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN WELL-NIGH IMPOSSIBLE
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TO BUILD THE WHOLE PYRAMID
WITH REGULAR, SQUARED,
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NICELY FITTED BLOCKS.
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HIGHER UP THE PYRAMID,
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THE OUTER STONES
HAVE FALLEN AWAY.
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MARK EXPLORES THEM
TO REVEAL A CLUE.
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THE BLOCKS INSIDE THE PYRAMID
LOOK VERY DIFFERENT
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FROM THOSE THAT
MAKE UP THE OUTSIDE.
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HIGHER UP ON THE PYRAMID
AND DEEPER IN,
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00:08:17,067 --> 00:08:20,197
LOOK AT THIS JOINT
BETWEEN TWO STONES.
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00:08:20,233 --> 00:08:23,133
NOW, IT'S A GOOD 6 INCHES
TO 8 INCHES WIDE
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00:08:23,167 --> 00:08:25,267
AND JUST STUFFED
WITH BIG GLOBS
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OF MORTAR AND SMALLER
LIMESTONE PIECES.
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Narrator: MARK THINKS THAT
THE PYRAMID BUILDERS
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USED THIS TECHNIQUE
DELIBERATELY.
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TO MEET THEIR DEADLINE,
THEY HAD TO CUT
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AND LAY MORE THAN
200 BLOCKS A DAY,
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WHICH IS WHY THEY CHEATED.
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THEY CUT THE BLOCKS
ON THE OUTSIDE WITH PRECISION,
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SO YOU COULD BARELY FIT
A HAIR IN BETWEEN THEM.
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BUT JUST A FEW LAYERS
FURTHER IN, THINGS CHANGE.
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HERE, THE BLOCKS
ARE MUCH LESS ACCURATE,
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WITH BIG GAPS BETWEEN THEM.
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00:09:06,867 --> 00:09:10,297
PUTTING QUICK AND DIRTY BLOCKS
ON THE INSIDE
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00:09:10,333 --> 00:09:12,973
AND PRETTY ONES ON THE OUTSIDE
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00:09:13,067 --> 00:09:17,067
SAVED THE EGYPTIANS MANY
MILLIONS OF MAN-HOURS --
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00:09:17,067 --> 00:09:21,097
THE KEY TO BUILDING THE PYRAMID
AS FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
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SHAPING BLOCKS FOR CONSTRUCTION
WAS JUST THE START
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OF THE PYRAMID BUILDER'S
CHALLENGE.
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00:09:31,367 --> 00:09:34,827
NOW, THEY HAD TO MOVE THEM.
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00:09:34,867 --> 00:09:37,167
ARCHAEOLOGISTS THINK
THAT ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
156
00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,770
HAULED STONES USING WOODEN
SLEDGES AND ROPE.
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00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:44,100
BUT THE BIG RIDDLE IS HOW
THEY COULD DRAG TONS OF STONE
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00:09:44,133 --> 00:09:48,903
AND SLEDGE ALL THE WAY
UP THE PYRAMID.
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00:09:48,933 --> 00:09:51,773
JUST 70 METERS FROM THE PYRAMID,
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00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:56,770
MARK LEHNER HAS FOUND EVIDENCE
THAT POINTS A SOLUTION.
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00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:00,200
SO HERE, JUST OFF THE SOUTHWEST
CORNER OF THE KHUFU PYRAMID,
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00:10:00,233 --> 00:10:03,203
WE HAVE THE FOUNDATIONS
OF A RAMP THAT STILL REMAINS
163
00:10:03,233 --> 00:10:07,533
THAT THE EGYPTIANS USED TO MAKE
THIS LARGE, STONE TOMB.
164
00:10:07,567 --> 00:10:10,967
Narrator: DRAGGING A LARGE BLOCK
UP A SHALLOW RAMP LIKE THIS
165
00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,900
DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A PROBLEM.
166
00:10:13,933 --> 00:10:15,933
Lehner: BUT THEN
TURN YOUR IMAGINATION
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00:10:15,967 --> 00:10:19,297
TO A STRAIGHT-ON RAMP
THAT SLOPED ALL THE WAY UP
168
00:10:19,333 --> 00:10:23,233
TO THE TOP
OF THE GREAT PYRAMID OF KHUFU.
169
00:10:23,267 --> 00:10:25,597
Narrator: COULD ANCIENT BUILDERS
HAVE USED RAMPS
170
00:10:25,633 --> 00:10:27,873
SOARING UP TO SUCH A HEIGHT?
171
00:10:30,900 --> 00:10:34,900
A RAMP WOULD WORK WELL
FOR THE LOWER LEVELS,
172
00:10:34,933 --> 00:10:37,203
BUT AS THE PYRAMID RISES,
173
00:10:37,233 --> 00:10:41,573
THE SLOPE GETS TOO STEEP.
174
00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:43,930
TO KEEP THE RAMP SHALLOW,
175
00:10:43,967 --> 00:10:47,127
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE
A KILOMETER LONG
176
00:10:47,167 --> 00:10:51,467
AND NEED AS MUCH BUILDING
MATERIAL AS THE PYRAMID ITSELF.
177
00:10:51,500 --> 00:10:55,530
SO ONE THEORY IS
THAT THE EGYPTIANS
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00:10:55,567 --> 00:10:58,027
USED A SHALLOW RAMP
179
00:10:58,067 --> 00:11:01,527
UNTIL TWO-THIRDS OF ALL BLOCKS
WERE IN THE BASE.
180
00:11:01,567 --> 00:11:04,197
THEN, THEY BUILT A NARROW,
SPIRAL RAMP
181
00:11:04,233 --> 00:11:06,533
UP AROUND THE EDGE
OF THE PYRAMID
182
00:11:06,567 --> 00:11:09,667
TO LIFT BLOCKS ALL THE WAY
TO THE TOP
183
00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:13,430
WITHOUT MAKING THEIR RAMP
TOO STEEP.
184
00:11:13,467 --> 00:11:16,497
Lehner: HOW DO YOU BUILD A RAMP?
THIS ANCIENT RAMP SHOWS US.
185
00:11:16,533 --> 00:11:19,733
YOU BUILD TWO RETAINING
WALLS OF LARGER STONES,
186
00:11:19,767 --> 00:11:21,727
AND THEN IN-FILL
WITH THE MATERIAL
187
00:11:21,767 --> 00:11:23,467
THAT MUST HAVE BEEN
EVERYWHERE AT GIZA --
188
00:11:23,500 --> 00:11:26,630
DEBRIS OF STONE CUTTING
AND QUARRYING,
189
00:11:26,667 --> 00:11:30,397
LIMESTONE DEBRIS, AND EVEN SAND
AND GRAVEL OF THE DESERT.
190
00:11:33,733 --> 00:11:36,773
Narrator: CUTTING AND MOVING
THE PYRAMID'S BUILDING STONES
191
00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:41,300
TOOK BOTH INGENUITY
AND BRUTE FORCE.
192
00:11:41,333 --> 00:11:46,073
TODAY, NEW EVIDENCE REVEALS WHY
IT WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR BUILDERS
193
00:11:46,067 --> 00:11:48,727
TO MAKE THIS PYRAMID
IN THE FIRST PLACE.
194
00:11:52,633 --> 00:11:55,103
*
195
00:11:57,133 --> 00:12:00,173
Narrator: THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN
PHARAOH KHUFU
196
00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:04,670
CONSTRUCTED THE GREAT PYRAMID
WITH ONE GOAL IN MIND --
197
00:12:04,700 --> 00:12:06,900
HE WANTED AN IMPENETRABLE TOMB
198
00:12:06,933 --> 00:12:11,433
TO PROTECT HIS BODY
WHEN HE DIED.
199
00:12:11,467 --> 00:12:15,327
SCIENTISTS ARE REVEALING
WHY THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT
200
00:12:15,367 --> 00:12:20,397
AT THE GRAND EGYPTIAN
MUSEUM CONSERVATION CENTER.
201
00:12:20,433 --> 00:12:24,703
[ CONVERSING
IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
202
00:12:24,733 --> 00:12:27,073
DR. MEDHAT ABDALLAH HEADS UP
203
00:12:27,067 --> 00:12:30,397
THE WOOD CONSERVATION
LABORATORY.
204
00:12:30,433 --> 00:12:34,633
TODAY, DR. ABDALLAH IS SET
TO EXAMINE A SARCOPHAGUS,
205
00:12:34,667 --> 00:12:37,627
A 2,600-YEAR OLD ANCIENT COFFIN,
206
00:12:37,667 --> 00:12:40,597
FOUND SOUTH OF GIZA.
207
00:12:40,633 --> 00:12:43,433
HE HOPES IT WILL SHED LIGHT
ON WHY PRESERVING THE DEAD
208
00:12:43,467 --> 00:12:47,567
WAS SO IMPORTANT
FOR THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS.
209
00:12:51,333 --> 00:12:54,173
THE TEAM WANTS TO
CHECK ON THE CONDITION
210
00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,530
OF THE MUMMY HIDDEN INSIDE.
211
00:12:57,567 --> 00:12:59,567
[ SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]
212
00:13:29,267 --> 00:13:32,067
Narrator: ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
THOUGHT THAT FOR THE SOUL,
213
00:13:32,067 --> 00:13:34,897
KNOWN AS THE BA,
TO LIVE ON AFTER DEATH,
214
00:13:34,933 --> 00:13:37,873
IT MUST BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE
THE DEAD BODY.
215
00:13:50,633 --> 00:13:52,373
DR. ABDALLAH IS SURE
216
00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,830
THAT THE GREAT PYRAMID
WAS THE ULTIMATE VAULT
217
00:13:54,867 --> 00:13:57,527
IN WHICH TO KEEP
THE PHARAOH'S BODY SAFE.
218
00:14:06,967 --> 00:14:09,097
TRADITIONALLY, ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
219
00:14:09,133 --> 00:14:12,533
BURIED MUMMIES IN DEEP CHAMBERS
THEY CARVED INTO THE GROUND
220
00:14:12,567 --> 00:14:16,397
UNDERNEATH STRUCTURES
LIKE THE PYRAMIDS.
221
00:14:16,433 --> 00:14:19,633
BUT THE PHARAOH KHUFU WANTED
SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
222
00:14:19,667 --> 00:14:21,697
FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME
IN HISTORY,
223
00:14:21,733 --> 00:14:24,633
THE BURIAL CHAMBERS
WOULD BE ABOVE GROUND,
224
00:14:24,667 --> 00:14:27,627
INSIDE THE PYRAMID,
AT ITS CORE.
225
00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,830
DEEP INSIDE THE LIMESTONE BLOCKS
226
00:14:34,867 --> 00:14:38,767
IS THE HEART AND SOUL
OF THE GREAT PYRAMID,
227
00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:43,270
A WARREN OF TUNNELS
AND AIR SHAFTS
228
00:14:43,300 --> 00:14:46,470
THAT LEAD TO THE SO-CALLED
QUEEN'S CHAMBER.
229
00:14:49,467 --> 00:14:51,897
ABOVE IT, A HUGE GALLERY
230
00:14:51,933 --> 00:14:54,903
3 STORIES TALL LEADS
231
00:14:54,933 --> 00:14:56,633
TO A MUCH BIGGER CHAMBER
232
00:14:56,667 --> 00:14:59,527
WITH A 5-METER WIDE CEILING:
233
00:14:59,567 --> 00:15:02,167
THE PHARAOH'S TOMB.
234
00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:05,400
THESE CHAMBERS FACED
A REAL DANGER OF COLLAPSE
235
00:15:05,433 --> 00:15:09,233
FROM THE FORCE OF MILLIONS
OF TONS OF STONE BLOCKS
236
00:15:09,267 --> 00:15:11,167
PILED ALL AROUND THEM.
237
00:15:15,067 --> 00:15:17,427
INSIDE THE GREAT PYRAMID,
238
00:15:17,467 --> 00:15:19,467
ARCHAEOLOGIST MARK LEHNER HUNTS
239
00:15:19,500 --> 00:15:21,270
FOR CLUES TO HOW ENGINEERS
240
00:15:21,300 --> 00:15:24,670
PROTECTED THE BURIAL CHAMBERS
FROM COLLAPSE.
241
00:15:24,700 --> 00:15:28,530
HE NEEDS TO CRAWL THROUGH SOME
50 METERS OF TIGHT PASSAGEWAYS
242
00:15:28,567 --> 00:15:34,067
TO REACH THE FIRST CHAMBER --
THE GRAND GALLERY.
243
00:15:34,067 --> 00:15:36,827
Lehner: FOR ME, THIS IS
THE MOST IMPRESSIVE PLACE
244
00:15:36,867 --> 00:15:39,227
IN THE PYRAMID --
THE GRAND GALLERY.
245
00:15:39,267 --> 00:15:44,827
SUDDENLY, YOU GO FROM 1.2 METERS
TO MORE THAN 8 METERS IN HEIGHT.
246
00:15:44,867 --> 00:15:47,167
THERE'S NO OTHER SPACE LIKE IT
247
00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:51,270
IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY
OF ARCHITECTURE.
248
00:15:51,300 --> 00:15:55,430
Narrator:
THE STONE BLOCKS THAT FORM
THE WALL HERE ARE LIMESTONE,
249
00:15:55,467 --> 00:16:00,127
FITTED TOGETHER
WITH SUPER-FINE PRECISION.
250
00:16:00,167 --> 00:16:03,567
Lehner:
YOU CAN SEE THEY NEVER SMOOTHED
THE WALLS OF THE GRAND GALLERY,
251
00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:06,500
SO YOU CAN STILL SEE THE MARKS
OF THE INDIVIDUAL WORKER.
252
00:16:06,533 --> 00:16:08,203
YOU CAN SEE THE WORKER'S HAND,
253
00:16:08,233 --> 00:16:10,833
AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY'RE
COMING IN WITH A LITTLE CHISEL
254
00:16:10,867 --> 00:16:13,127
ABOUT THE WIDTH
OF YOUR PINKIE FINGER
255
00:16:13,167 --> 00:16:17,667
TO VERY CAREFULLY DRESS
THE STONE AT THE CORNERS
256
00:16:17,700 --> 00:16:19,730
WHERE THE SEAMS MATCH
SO THAT THEY DON'T BREAK.
257
00:16:19,767 --> 00:16:23,227
AND, OOPS, THEY DID BREAK
A LITTLE BIT THERE.
258
00:16:23,267 --> 00:16:27,067
Narrator: SOME 20 METERS ABOVE,
259
00:16:27,100 --> 00:16:31,130
MARK REACHES
THE KING'S CHAMBER.
260
00:16:31,167 --> 00:16:33,727
HE THINKS THAT THIS IS
THE FINAL RESTING PLACE
261
00:16:33,767 --> 00:16:36,467
FOR THE MUMMIFIED PHARAOH.
262
00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:38,930
WELL, THE WHOLE PYRAMID
WAS ABOUT THIS PLACE
263
00:16:38,967 --> 00:16:41,427
AND THIS SARCOPHAGUS.
264
00:16:41,467 --> 00:16:45,967
WHEN YOU TURN AND COME TO THE
WEST END OF THE KING'S CHAMBER
265
00:16:46,067 --> 00:16:48,497
AND FIND HERE THE SARCOPHAGUS,
266
00:16:48,533 --> 00:16:51,603
YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE CENTER AXIS
OF THE PYRAMID.
267
00:16:51,633 --> 00:16:55,073
IT'S TOO BIG TO GET INTO THE
ENTRANCE OF THE KING'S CHAMBER,
268
00:16:55,100 --> 00:16:57,570
THEREFORE THEY HAD
TO PUT IT INTO THE CHAMBER
269
00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,430
WHEN THE CHAMBER WAS
STILL OPEN TO THE SKY.
270
00:17:01,467 --> 00:17:03,527
Narrator:
THE EGYPTIANS NEEDED TO ENSURE
271
00:17:03,567 --> 00:17:05,827
THAT THIS CHAMBER
REMAINED INTACT,
272
00:17:05,867 --> 00:17:10,367
EVEN AS THEY BUILT THE REST
OF THE PYRAMID ON TOP OF IT.
273
00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:14,270
IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY
CREATED A SPACE THIS WIDE
274
00:17:14,300 --> 00:17:17,400
AND THIS HIGH
UP INSIDE A PYRAMID.
275
00:17:17,433 --> 00:17:19,873
MORE THAN 5 METERS.
276
00:17:19,900 --> 00:17:23,070
THEY WERE CLEARLY VERY WORRIED
277
00:17:23,067 --> 00:17:25,367
ABOUT STRUCTURAL FAILURE.
278
00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:30,400
THEY WANTED TO AVOID THE IRONY
THAT THE VERY PYRAMID
279
00:17:30,433 --> 00:17:33,233
THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT
THE KING'S BODY
280
00:17:33,267 --> 00:17:38,397
WOULD BE THE FORCE THAT WOULD
COLLAPSE AND CRUSH IT.
281
00:17:38,433 --> 00:17:40,703
Narrator: BUT THE ANCIENT
EGYPTIAN ENGINEERS
282
00:17:40,733 --> 00:17:43,103
KNEW EXACTLY WHAT
THEY WERE DOING.
283
00:17:45,300 --> 00:17:47,670
*
284
00:17:47,700 --> 00:17:52,700
Narrator: KHUFU HAD SET
THE CHALLENGE AND THE DEADLINE.
285
00:17:55,567 --> 00:17:58,767
IF THEY HAD BUILT THE CHAMBERS
LIKE SIMPLE CAVITIES,
286
00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:02,330
THE WEIGHT OF THE PYRAMID ABOVE
287
00:18:02,367 --> 00:18:05,227
WOULD HAVE CRUSHED THEM.
288
00:18:05,267 --> 00:18:07,267
SO THEY TOPPED
THE QUEEN'S CHAMBER
289
00:18:07,300 --> 00:18:10,800
WITH HUGE SLABS
THAT FORMED A STRONG,
290
00:18:10,833 --> 00:18:13,973
ANGLED ROOF TO DIVERT
THE PRESSURE SIDEWAYS
291
00:18:14,067 --> 00:18:16,297
INTO THE BLOCKS AROUND IT.
292
00:18:16,333 --> 00:18:19,603
FOR THE GRAND GALLERY,
THEY ASSEMBLED THE BLOCKS
293
00:18:19,633 --> 00:18:22,833
IN A PRIMITIVE
ARCH-LIKE STRUCTURE,
294
00:18:22,867 --> 00:18:27,097
FORMING AN EXTREMELY TALL
AND STABLE VAULT.
295
00:18:27,133 --> 00:18:30,973
AND FOR THE KING'S CHAMBER,
THEY PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS --
296
00:18:31,067 --> 00:18:35,167
FIVE GIGANTIC, GRANITE
STRESS-RELIEVING CHAMBERS
297
00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:39,800
AND A GABLED ROOF
TO TOP IT OFF.
298
00:18:39,833 --> 00:18:44,433
Lehner: THIS INTERVENING STACK
OF STRESS-RELIEVING CHAMBERS
299
00:18:44,467 --> 00:18:46,067
IS TOTALLY UNIQUE.
300
00:18:46,100 --> 00:18:49,900
THEY'RE MAKING IT UP
AS THEY GO ALONG.
301
00:18:49,933 --> 00:18:51,303
Narrator: THE RADICAL ROOF
302
00:18:51,333 --> 00:18:54,303
WAS NOT THE ONLY SPECIAL FEATURE
THE PYRAMID'S ENGINEERS
303
00:18:54,333 --> 00:18:56,503
USED TO PROTECT THE KING.
304
00:18:56,533 --> 00:19:00,373
INSTEAD OF LIMESTONE,
THEY USED RED GRANITE.
305
00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:05,330
THIS HARD ROCK GAVE AN ELEGANT
FINISH AND WAS MUCH STRONGER.
306
00:19:05,367 --> 00:19:08,267
SO GRANITE IS MUCH HARDER
THAN LIMESTONE.
307
00:19:08,300 --> 00:19:12,330
THEY SHAPED THESE BLOCKS
WITH DOLERITE HAMMERS,
308
00:19:12,367 --> 00:19:14,897
DOLERITE BEING A STONE
AS HARD AS GRANITE.
309
00:19:14,933 --> 00:19:17,473
THEY LITERALLY POUNDED
THEM INTO SHAPE
310
00:19:17,500 --> 00:19:20,170
AND THEN SANDED
THE FINE SURFACES,
311
00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,270
INCLUDING THOSE FINE JOINTS,
312
00:19:22,300 --> 00:19:25,800
WITH SAND AND CLAY.
313
00:19:26,367 --> 00:19:27,927
Narrator: SHAPING RED GRANITE
314
00:19:27,967 --> 00:19:32,067
TOOK MORE THAN 100 TIMES LONGER
THAN LIMESTONE.
315
00:19:32,067 --> 00:19:33,767
BUT THAT WAS EASY COMPARED
316
00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,600
TO THE CHALLENGE
OF TRANSPORTING IT.
317
00:19:36,633 --> 00:19:42,273
THIS STONE COMES FROM QUARRIES
OVER 900 KILOMETERS AWAY.
318
00:19:42,300 --> 00:19:45,800
HOW DID THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
SHIFT THESE MASSIVE BLOCKS
319
00:19:45,833 --> 00:19:47,533
RIGHT ACROSS THEIR KINGDOM?
320
00:19:52,967 --> 00:19:58,697
THERE'S A CLUE HIDDEN AT
THE FOOT OF THE GREAT PYRAMID.
321
00:19:58,733 --> 00:20:01,103
UNDER LIMESTONE SLABS,
322
00:20:01,133 --> 00:20:04,633
ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE MADE
A STARTLING DISCOVERY:
323
00:20:04,667 --> 00:20:07,367
A DEEP PIT FILLED WITH PIECES
324
00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:09,930
OF ANCIENT LEBANESE CEDARWOOD.
325
00:20:09,967 --> 00:20:13,427
SOME LOOK LIKE SIMPLE PLANKS.
326
00:20:13,467 --> 00:20:17,197
OTHERS HAVE MORE
ELABORATE SHAPES.
327
00:20:17,233 --> 00:20:20,033
WHAT ARE THESE
ANCIENT BITS OF WOOD?
328
00:20:20,067 --> 00:20:23,597
AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING
UNDER THE PYRAMID?
329
00:20:23,633 --> 00:20:27,703
SCIENTISTS THINK THEY'RE PARTS
OF A SACRED CONTRAPTION,
330
00:20:27,733 --> 00:20:31,173
BURIED ALONGSIDE THE PHARAOH,
331
00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,130
DESIGNED TO HELP HIM
IN THE AFTERLIFE.
332
00:20:37,933 --> 00:20:41,003
AT THE NEARBY
CONSERVATION CENTER,
333
00:20:41,033 --> 00:20:43,933
DIRECTOR OF RESTORATION
ESSA ZIDEN
334
00:20:43,967 --> 00:20:46,297
HEADS UP A TEAM THAT STORES
THE WOODEN PIECES
335
00:20:46,333 --> 00:20:49,333
AS THEY COME OUT OF THE PIT.
336
00:20:54,833 --> 00:20:57,173
ESSA KEEPS
THE ANCIENT WOODEN PIECES
337
00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,330
SAFELY LOCKED AND WRAPPED UP.
338
00:20:59,367 --> 00:21:01,527
HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON
TO TOUCH THEM
339
00:21:01,567 --> 00:21:03,497
SINCE THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS.
340
00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:19,070
ESSA HOPES THIS FIND WILL BE AS
SPECTACULAR AS SIMILAR PIECES
341
00:21:19,067 --> 00:21:23,697
FOUND IN A NEIGHBORING PIT
OVER 60 YEARS AGO.
342
00:21:23,733 --> 00:21:27,373
IN A MUSEUM BUILT DIRECTLY
OVER THAT EARLIER PIT,
343
00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:30,370
CRAFTSMEN HAVE ASSEMBLED
THE WOODEN PIECES.
344
00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:34,300
THEY FORM A BOAT,
345
00:21:34,333 --> 00:21:38,603
BURIED ALONGSIDE
THE PHARAOH KHUFU,
346
00:21:38,633 --> 00:21:42,733
A VESSEL DESIGNED TO TRANSPORT
THE KING IN THE AFTERLIFE.
347
00:21:57,567 --> 00:22:01,567
RESTORERS TOOK ALMOST 20 YEARS
TO CAREFULLY PRESERVE
348
00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,400
AND THEN REBUILD
THIS ANCIENT VESSEL.
349
00:22:11,533 --> 00:22:13,703
ARCHAEOLOGISTS
DISCOVERED THIS BOAT
350
00:22:13,733 --> 00:22:16,133
HAS A VERY SPECIAL DESIGN,
351
00:22:16,167 --> 00:22:18,597
A DESIGN THAT HELPED
THE PYRAMID BUILDERS
352
00:22:18,633 --> 00:22:21,233
TRANSPORT GOODS FAR AND WIDE.
353
00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:26,930
KHUFU'S ROYAL BOAT
354
00:22:26,967 --> 00:22:30,897
COMES IN NEATLY LAID-OUT PIECES.
355
00:22:30,933 --> 00:22:35,533
IT'S AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN
FLAT-PACK DESIGN.
356
00:22:35,567 --> 00:22:37,867
THE PIECES HAVE HOLES,
357
00:22:37,900 --> 00:22:41,070
SO YOU CAN TIE THEM
TOGETHER INTO A SHIP
358
00:22:41,100 --> 00:22:45,530
THAT YOU CAN EASILY
TAKE APART AND REBUILD.
359
00:22:45,567 --> 00:22:48,897
ARCHAEOLOGISTS THINK
THAT SIMILAR FLAT-PACK BOATS
360
00:22:48,933 --> 00:22:53,373
WERE CARRIED OVER LAND IN PIECES
TO THE RED SEA TO BE ASSEMBLED,
361
00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:57,600
SO THEY COULD SHIP IN COPPER
FROM THE SINAI.
362
00:22:57,633 --> 00:22:58,873
AND ON THE NILE,
363
00:22:58,900 --> 00:23:02,070
THEY CARRIED
SERIOUSLY HEAVY CARGO,
364
00:23:02,067 --> 00:23:05,297
PRECIOUS BUILDING BLOCKS
FOR THE GREAT PYRAMID.
365
00:23:09,367 --> 00:23:12,067
BOATS TURNED EGYPT'S RIVER NILE
366
00:23:12,067 --> 00:23:14,897
INTO A SUPER HIGHWAY
FOR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
367
00:23:14,933 --> 00:23:17,473
AND SUPPLIES.
368
00:23:17,500 --> 00:23:19,070
BUILDER COULD TRANSPORT
369
00:23:19,067 --> 00:23:21,197
THE RED GRANITE
OF THE KING'S CHAMBER
370
00:23:21,233 --> 00:23:25,433
900 KILOMETERS
IN LESS THAN A MONTH.
371
00:23:25,467 --> 00:23:28,067
NOW THAT THE EGYPTIANS
HAD ACCESS TO THE MATERIAL
372
00:23:28,067 --> 00:23:32,067
THEY NEEDED TO BUILD
A SUPER-SIZED PYRAMID,
373
00:23:32,100 --> 00:23:34,130
THEY HAD TO MAKE
SURE THEIR DESIGN
374
00:23:34,167 --> 00:23:36,927
AND EXECUTION WAS FLAWLESS.
375
00:23:40,067 --> 00:23:42,467
*
376
00:23:45,933 --> 00:23:48,203
Narrator:
AT EGYPT'S GREAT PYRAMID,
377
00:23:48,233 --> 00:23:50,303
GLEN DASH LEADS A MAPPING TEAM
378
00:23:50,333 --> 00:23:54,273
TRYING TO UNLOCK
THE MONUMENT'S SECRETS.
379
00:23:54,300 --> 00:23:56,770
THIS ONE IS GOING
TO BE RIGHT HERE.
380
00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:01,200
DON'T WORRY ABOUT HITTING
ON THE, UH, BEDROCK.
381
00:24:01,233 --> 00:24:04,073
Narrator:
HE USES A TOTAL STATION,
382
00:24:04,067 --> 00:24:07,197
A DEVICE WHICH BOUNCES
A LASER BEAM OFF A REFLECTOR
383
00:24:07,233 --> 00:24:08,903
TO RECORD THE EXACT POSITIONS
384
00:24:08,933 --> 00:24:12,233
OF BLOCKS AT THE BASE
OF THE PYRAMID.
385
00:24:12,267 --> 00:24:14,467
Dash: YOU CAN JUST PUT THE, UH,
ROD THERE IN THE CORNER.
386
00:24:14,500 --> 00:24:16,770
UM, THEY SHOOT FROM THE,
UH, TOTAL STATION,
387
00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,330
RELAY THE POINT NUMBER,
SHOOT A POINT.
388
00:24:19,367 --> 00:24:22,067
WE MOVE TO THE NEXT CORNER,
SHOOT A POINT.
389
00:24:22,100 --> 00:24:24,930
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE ROD IS VERTICAL,
390
00:24:24,967 --> 00:24:27,067
HAS A LITTLE BUBBLE HERE.
391
00:24:27,067 --> 00:24:29,127
Narrator: BY TAKING
SUCH PRECISE MEASUREMENTS,
392
00:24:29,167 --> 00:24:32,327
GLEN CAN INVESTIGATE
THE EXTRAORDINARY PRECISION
393
00:24:32,367 --> 00:24:35,267
WITH WHICH THE PYRAMID
BUILDERS WORKED.
394
00:24:35,300 --> 00:24:36,630
THE MORE THAT YOU RESEARCH IT,
395
00:24:36,667 --> 00:24:38,597
THE MORE YOU REALIZE
HOW REMARKABLE THEY WERE.
396
00:24:38,633 --> 00:24:41,173
I MEAN, THEY BUILT
THIS ENTIRE BUILDING.
397
00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,770
THE ONLY TOOLS THEY HAD WERE
WOOD, ROPE, COPPER, AND STONE.
398
00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:45,330
SO THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS,
399
00:24:45,367 --> 00:24:47,797
WHAT THEY DID WAS
THEY TOOK WHAT THEY HAD
400
00:24:47,833 --> 00:24:49,803
AND USED IT INGENIOUSLY.
401
00:24:49,833 --> 00:24:52,673
THEY COULDN'T HAVE
DONE IT ANY BETTER.
402
00:24:52,700 --> 00:24:54,530
Narrator:
THE MAPPING TEAM HAS REVEALED
403
00:24:54,567 --> 00:24:57,427
THAT THE PRECISION OF
THE PYRAMID'S ANCIENT BUILDERS
404
00:24:57,467 --> 00:25:00,797
WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD.
405
00:25:00,833 --> 00:25:03,373
THE BASE OF THE PYRAMID
IS NEARLY PERFECTLY SQUARE.
406
00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:05,770
THE CORNERS ARE NEARLY
PERFECT RIGHT ANGLES.
407
00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,730
UM, THEY'RE PERFECT TO WITHIN
1/20 OF ONE DEGREE.
408
00:25:08,767 --> 00:25:12,727
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT A COMPASS
THAT YOU WOULD USE FOR MAPPING
409
00:25:12,767 --> 00:25:14,967
OR FOR HIKING, TAKE A LOOK
AT WHAT ONE DEGREE LOOKS LIKE
410
00:25:15,067 --> 00:25:16,767
AND IMAGINE 1/20 OF THAT.
411
00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:19,830
YOU SEE JUST HOW FINE
OF AN ANGLE THAT IS.
412
00:25:19,867 --> 00:25:22,197
Narrator:
SO WHY DID THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
413
00:25:22,233 --> 00:25:25,903
GO TO SO MUCH EFFORT
TO MAKE THE PERFECT PYRAMID?
414
00:25:31,700 --> 00:25:33,770
WITH OVER 2 MILLION BLOCKS,
415
00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:37,270
THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN GO WRONG.
416
00:25:37,300 --> 00:25:38,630
IF THE PYRAMID'S FACES
417
00:25:38,667 --> 00:25:42,127
WEREN'T EACH AT EXACTLY
THE SAME ANGLE,
418
00:25:42,167 --> 00:25:44,967
THE APEX WOULD LEAN TO ONE SIDE.
419
00:25:47,133 --> 00:25:50,373
IF THE CORNERS WEREN'T
PRECISELY AT RIGHT ANGLES,
420
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,900
THE PYRAMID WOULD SQUASH.
421
00:25:53,933 --> 00:25:56,533
AND IF THE LAYERS
WENT OUT OF LINE,
422
00:25:56,567 --> 00:26:00,167
YOU'D GET ONE VERY
TWISTED PYRAMID.
423
00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:03,870
THE SHAPE HAD TO BE PERFECT,
424
00:26:03,900 --> 00:26:07,570
THIS WAY THE BUILDERS
COULD FINISH THE PYRAMID OFF
425
00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:09,700
WITH A FLAWLESS LAYER
426
00:26:09,733 --> 00:26:13,203
OF GLEAMING WHITE LIMESTONE
CASING STONES.
427
00:26:16,867 --> 00:26:21,397
TODAY, THERE'S HARDLY ANY TRACE
OF THE WHITE CASING STONES.
428
00:26:21,433 --> 00:26:24,673
WHAT'S LEFT IS THE FRAMEWORK
OF BACKING STONES
429
00:26:24,700 --> 00:26:27,100
THAT SAT BENEATH THEM.
430
00:26:27,133 --> 00:26:28,973
ON THE NORTH SIDE
OF THE PYRAMID,
431
00:26:29,067 --> 00:26:30,667
ARCHAEOLOGIST MARK LEHNER
432
00:26:30,700 --> 00:26:34,970
IS INVESTIGATING WHAT
THE CASING STONES LOOKED LIKE.
433
00:26:35,067 --> 00:26:39,167
IT'S ONLY HERE ON THE NORTH SIDE
THAT WE ACTUALLY GET A SAMPLE
434
00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:42,130
OF THE FINISHED STATE
OF THE PYRAMID
435
00:26:42,167 --> 00:26:44,897
AND THE FINEST JOINERY OF ALL.
436
00:26:44,933 --> 00:26:48,503
HERE WE HAVE SOME OF THE
CASING BLOCKS STILL REMAINING.
437
00:26:48,533 --> 00:26:52,133
AND THEY'RE MASSIVE HERE
AT THE BOTTOM.
438
00:26:52,167 --> 00:26:55,567
THEY WEIGH FROM 15 TO 17 TONS.
439
00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:57,400
Narrator: OVER THE YEARS,
440
00:26:57,433 --> 00:27:01,073
PEOPLE HAVE STOLEN ALMOST ALL OF
THE HIGH-QUALITY CASING STONES
441
00:27:01,100 --> 00:27:03,800
FOR CONSTRUCTION ELSEWHERE.
442
00:27:03,833 --> 00:27:05,303
Lehner: WHEN THE WHOLE PYRAMID
WAS COVERED
443
00:27:05,333 --> 00:27:07,133
WITH THESE WHITE CASING BLOCKS,
444
00:27:07,167 --> 00:27:10,667
IT MUST HAVE BEEN DAZZLING,
BLINDING ALMOST.
445
00:27:10,700 --> 00:27:15,600
IT MUST HAVE BEEN A REAL BEACON
IN THE SUNLIGHT, LIKE TODAY.
446
00:27:15,633 --> 00:27:18,073
Narrator: THESE CASING STONES
WOULD ONLY FIT
447
00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:21,330
IF THE BACKING STONES
FORMED A PERFECT PYRAMID.
448
00:27:23,467 --> 00:27:27,067
BUT THE GREAT PYRAMID'S SCALE
WAS UNPRECEDENTED.
449
00:27:27,067 --> 00:27:32,227
SO HOW DID ANCIENT ENGINEERS
LEARN THE SKILLS THEY NEEDED?
450
00:27:32,267 --> 00:27:34,467
ARCHAEOLOGISTS
ARE UNEARTHING CLUES
451
00:27:34,500 --> 00:27:36,770
20 KILOMETERS TO THE SOUTH.
452
00:27:39,767 --> 00:27:41,897
THIS IS SAQQARA,
453
00:27:41,933 --> 00:27:46,403
HOME TO EGYPT'S FIRST PYRAMID,
454
00:27:46,433 --> 00:27:50,473
THE STEP PYRAMID
OF THE PHARAOH DJOSER.
455
00:27:50,500 --> 00:27:53,230
THIS PYRAMID IS A PROTOTYPE.
456
00:27:53,267 --> 00:27:54,697
IT'S WHERE THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
457
00:27:54,733 --> 00:27:57,433
FIRST LEARNED THE ART
OF PYRAMID-BUILDING.
458
00:28:03,933 --> 00:28:07,333
ENGINEER YASSER GADOU
OVERSEES RESTORATION WORK
459
00:28:07,367 --> 00:28:09,797
ON THIS ANCIENT MONUMENT.
460
00:28:09,833 --> 00:28:14,603
THE STEP PYRAMID IS 100 YEARS
OLDER THAN THE GREAT PYRAMID.
461
00:28:14,633 --> 00:28:17,273
AND IN PLACES,
IT'S BEGINNING TO COLLAPSE.
462
00:28:28,533 --> 00:28:30,433
WORKERS ARE REPLACING OLD,
463
00:28:30,467 --> 00:28:33,697
WEATHERED LIMESTONE BLOCKS
WITH NEW ONES.
464
00:28:53,867 --> 00:28:57,367
YASSER'S CONSERVATION
WORK HERE HELPS EXPERTS TO STUDY
465
00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:00,230
HOW ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
BUILT THIS PYRAMID
466
00:29:00,267 --> 00:29:02,897
AND WHAT GAVE THEM
THE IDEA FOR THE SHAPE.
467
00:29:08,433 --> 00:29:11,403
DR. MOUSTAFA EL-GHAMRAWY
IS AN ENGINEER
468
00:29:11,433 --> 00:29:14,573
WHO'S TRYING TO DECODE
THIS PYRAMID PROTOTYPE.
469
00:29:27,567 --> 00:29:29,597
HE SEES EVIDENCE
THAT THIS PYRAMID
470
00:29:29,633 --> 00:29:32,133
STARTED LIFE AS A MASTABA,
471
00:29:32,167 --> 00:29:35,697
A SIMPLE RECTANGULAR STRUCTURE
THAT COVERS A TOMB.
472
00:29:53,767 --> 00:29:57,827
THE FIRST SINGLE
MASTABA WAS TOO LOW,
473
00:29:57,867 --> 00:30:01,397
SO THE ENGINEER BUILT A SERIES
OF MASTABAS ON TOP,
474
00:30:01,433 --> 00:30:04,833
EACH SLIGHTLY SMALLER
THAN THE LAST.
475
00:30:04,867 --> 00:30:09,597
NOW, THE TOMB WAS VISIBLE
FROM ALL AROUND.
476
00:30:09,633 --> 00:30:12,503
THIS PYRAMID WASN'T MEANT
TO HAVE A SMOOTH SKIN
477
00:30:12,533 --> 00:30:14,403
OF CASING STONES,
478
00:30:14,433 --> 00:30:18,003
SO THE STEPS DIDN'T
HAVE TO BE PERFECT
479
00:30:18,033 --> 00:30:21,103
AND PLANS COULD CHANGE.
480
00:30:21,133 --> 00:30:23,073
BUT IMPERFECTION WAS A LUXURY
481
00:30:23,100 --> 00:30:26,700
THE BUILDERS OF THE GREAT
PYRAMID COULD NOT AFFORD.
482
00:30:26,733 --> 00:30:28,933
THEY WOULD HAVE TO PLAN AHEAD.
483
00:30:34,767 --> 00:30:39,067
IN GIZA, GLEN AND THE MAPPING
TEAM SEARCH FOR CLUES
484
00:30:39,100 --> 00:30:42,330
THAT COULD PROVE ANCIENT
ENGINEERS PLANNED FOR PERFECTION
485
00:30:42,367 --> 00:30:45,667
BY FIRST PLOTTING
OUT A PERFECT SQUARE.
486
00:30:45,700 --> 00:30:47,030
Dash: THIS ONE CAP WITH, UH,
487
00:30:47,067 --> 00:30:49,097
MORTAR ON THE SIDE,
ANCIENT MORTAR.
488
00:30:49,133 --> 00:30:51,533
SO WE KNOW
THAT'S AN ANCIENT CAP.
489
00:30:51,567 --> 00:30:53,927
DISTINCTIVELY SQUARE ONE HERE.
490
00:30:53,967 --> 00:30:56,167
Narrator: THEY THINK
THAT THESE CARVED HOLES
491
00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:59,470
IN THE BEDROCK ARE THE KEY
TO PYRAMID PRECISION.
492
00:30:59,500 --> 00:31:04,630
SO THIS FELLOW HERE
493
00:31:04,667 --> 00:31:09,867
IS GOING TO BE 2656.
494
00:31:09,900 --> 00:31:13,270
Narrator: THEY'VE MAPPED OVER
1,000 HOLES SO FAR.
495
00:31:13,300 --> 00:31:16,370
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS EVIDENCE
OF WHAT WE THINK IS
496
00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:19,900
THE VERY EARLIEST STAGES
OF CONSTRUCTION AT THE PYRAMIDS.
497
00:31:19,933 --> 00:31:23,103
IT'S CAPPED NOW, BUT ORIGINALLY,
IT WAS A HOLE.
498
00:31:25,667 --> 00:31:28,497
Narrator: THE THEORY
IS THAT ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
499
00:31:28,533 --> 00:31:30,733
DUG HOLES AT INTERVALS,
500
00:31:30,767 --> 00:31:32,797
PUT IN WOODEN POSTS,
501
00:31:32,833 --> 00:31:36,303
AND JOINED THEM WITH ROPE
TO MARK A STRAIGHT LINE.
502
00:31:38,733 --> 00:31:44,333
THEN THEY USED SIMPLE TOOLS
TO CREATE A 90-DEGREE ANGLE
503
00:31:44,367 --> 00:31:47,567
SO THEY COULD STAKE
OUT A PERFECT CORNER.
504
00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:52,600
THIS WAY, THEY MARKED
OUT THE SQUARE BASE
505
00:31:52,633 --> 00:31:54,203
AND THEN PAVED THE EDGES
506
00:31:54,233 --> 00:31:59,573
WITH PERFECTLY LEVEL
LIMESTONE SLABS.
507
00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:03,070
NOW, WHEN THEY PUT DOWN
EACH LAYER OF BLOCKS,
508
00:32:03,100 --> 00:32:04,470
THEY COULD LINE UP THE CORNERS
509
00:32:04,500 --> 00:32:08,930
AND SIDES TO CREATE
THE PERFECT PYRAMID.
510
00:32:08,967 --> 00:32:12,927
THIS WAS THE CRUCIAL FIRST STEP
IN LAYING OUT THE GREAT PYRAMID,
511
00:32:12,967 --> 00:32:16,267
IS COMING UP WITH A SQUARE,
RELATIVELY ACCURATE SQUARE,
512
00:32:16,300 --> 00:32:17,700
WHICH GUIDED EVERYTHING ELSE.
513
00:32:17,733 --> 00:32:20,473
IT WAS THE REFERENCE FOR
EVERYTHING ELSE THAT FOLLOWED.
514
00:32:20,500 --> 00:32:22,800
Narrator:
WITH THE PYRAMID'S SIDES SQUARE,
515
00:32:22,833 --> 00:32:25,133
BUILDERS COULD SET
THE CASING STONES,
516
00:32:25,167 --> 00:32:28,567
SAFE IN THE KNOWLEDGE
THEY WOULD FIT.
517
00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:32,100
EVERYTHING ABOUT THE GREAT
PYRAMID SHOWS PERFECTION,
518
00:32:32,133 --> 00:32:36,533
RIGHT DOWN
TO THE DIRECTION IT FACES.
519
00:32:36,567 --> 00:32:39,797
GLEN THINKS ENGINEERS
USED THE MOVEMENT OF THE SUN
520
00:32:39,833 --> 00:32:41,203
TO ALIGN THE SIDES
521
00:32:41,233 --> 00:32:44,433
TO THE EXACT POINTS
OF THE COMPASS.
522
00:32:44,467 --> 00:32:48,197
IN THE END, THE GREAT PYRAMID'S
ALMOST FLAWLESS SHAPE
523
00:32:48,233 --> 00:32:52,073
MAY HAVE BEEN JUST AS IMPORTANT
SPIRITUALLY AS STRUCTURALLY.
524
00:32:52,100 --> 00:32:53,970
WHAT WE DO KNOW SPIRITUALLY
525
00:32:54,067 --> 00:32:56,327
IS THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS
A RESURRECTION MACHINE.
526
00:32:56,367 --> 00:32:57,927
IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
527
00:32:57,967 --> 00:33:02,967
AND IN ORDER TO ENSURE
THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE
528
00:33:03,067 --> 00:33:04,697
TO RESURRECT THE SPIRIT
OF THE DEAD KING,
529
00:33:04,733 --> 00:33:08,903
I THINK THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD
TO MAKE THE PERFECT PYRAMID.
530
00:33:08,933 --> 00:33:11,933
Narrator: THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
HAD BUILT THE PERFECT MONUMENT
531
00:33:11,967 --> 00:33:16,297
FOR THE PHARAOH
AND HIS PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS.
532
00:33:16,333 --> 00:33:19,533
BUT HOW COULD THEY PROTECT
THE KING'S BODY AND TREASURES
533
00:33:19,567 --> 00:33:21,797
FROM TOMB-RAIDERS?
534
00:33:26,067 --> 00:33:28,467
*
535
00:33:31,067 --> 00:33:33,727
Narrator:
THE GREAT PYRAMID, EGYPT --
536
00:33:33,767 --> 00:33:37,097
A TITANIC TOMB
BUILT FOR THE PHARAOH KHUFU
537
00:33:37,133 --> 00:33:41,233
4,500 YEARS AGO.
538
00:33:41,267 --> 00:33:45,867
ITS PURPOSE WAS TO PRESERVE
THE KING FOR ALL ETERNITY,
539
00:33:45,900 --> 00:33:51,300
A SUPER-SIZED SAFE FOR HIS
MUMMIFIED BODY AND TREASURES.
540
00:33:51,333 --> 00:33:54,903
AT THE CONSERVATION LABS
OF THE GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM,
541
00:33:54,933 --> 00:33:57,433
DR. MEDHAT ABDALLAH
WANTS TO UNDERSTAND
542
00:33:57,467 --> 00:34:01,297
THE IMPORTANCE OF TREASURES
IN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOMBS.
543
00:34:11,100 --> 00:34:13,870
THESE GRAVE TREASURES
WOULD BE A GREAT REWARD
544
00:34:13,900 --> 00:34:18,300
FOR ANY TOMB-ROBBER
DARING ENOUGH TO BREAK IN.
545
00:34:18,333 --> 00:34:23,233
SO EMBALMERS DECORATED MUMMIES
WITH PRAYERS TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
546
00:34:35,300 --> 00:34:37,630
AT THE GREAT PYRAMID,
547
00:34:37,667 --> 00:34:40,727
ARCHAEOLOGIST MARK LEHNER
IS CHECKING OUT A CLUE
548
00:34:40,767 --> 00:34:42,267
THAT SUGGESTS THE PHARAOH
549
00:34:42,300 --> 00:34:46,930
RELIED ON MORE THAN PRAYERS
AND CURSES TO WARD OFF ROBBERS.
550
00:34:46,967 --> 00:34:51,067
THIS IS A SMALL ROOM JUST
OUTSIDE THE KING'S CHAMBER.
551
00:34:51,100 --> 00:34:55,170
HERE'S KHUFU'S BUILDERS
DESIGNED A LINE OF DEFENSE
552
00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:58,230
AGAINST ANYONE WHO WOULD ENTER
THE KING'S CHAMBER,
553
00:34:58,267 --> 00:35:00,067
HAD THEY GOT THIS FAR.
554
00:35:00,067 --> 00:35:05,527
THESE GROOVES AND PROTRUSIONS
ARE NOT DECORATIVE.
555
00:35:05,567 --> 00:35:11,067
THEY ARE PART OF
A VERY PRIMITIVE MACHINE.
556
00:35:16,067 --> 00:35:19,327
Narrator: SOLID WALLS,
SOME 80 METERS THICK,
557
00:35:19,367 --> 00:35:21,397
SURROUND THE CHAMBERS,
558
00:35:21,433 --> 00:35:26,073
LEAVING THE PASSAGEWAYS
AS THE WEAK LINK.
559
00:35:26,100 --> 00:35:27,970
SO AT THE KING'S CHAMBER,
560
00:35:28,067 --> 00:35:30,127
WORKERS CARVED OUT
A SET OF GROOVES
561
00:35:30,167 --> 00:35:32,797
JUST OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE
562
00:35:32,833 --> 00:35:36,203
AND FITTED THREE
MASSIVE GRANITE SLABS,
563
00:35:36,233 --> 00:35:38,103
WHICH WORKERS WOULD DROP DOWN
564
00:35:38,133 --> 00:35:41,633
ONCE THE KING'S MUMMY
WAS SAFELY INSIDE.
565
00:35:41,667 --> 00:35:44,267
TO BLOCK THE ENTRANCE
TO THE PASSAGEWAYS BELOW,
566
00:35:44,300 --> 00:35:47,630
THEY FITTED THREE EVEN
BIGGER GRANITE BLOCKS
567
00:35:47,667 --> 00:35:51,397
TO CUT OFF ACCESS
TO THE INNER SANCTUM.
568
00:35:51,433 --> 00:35:55,073
THEN, THEY COMPLETELY
CONCEALED THE ENTRANCE UNDER
569
00:35:55,100 --> 00:35:57,830
A SEAMLESS LAYER OF LIMESTONE.
570
00:36:00,500 --> 00:36:03,700
THE BUILDERS HOPED THAT THESE
THREE LAYERS OF DEFENSE
571
00:36:03,733 --> 00:36:05,833
WOULD KEEP ROBBERS OUT.
572
00:36:05,867 --> 00:36:10,067
OUTSIDE THE KING'S CHAMBER, THE
GRANITE SLABS ARE MISSING TODAY.
573
00:36:10,100 --> 00:36:11,830
BUT MARK FINDS GROOVES
574
00:36:11,867 --> 00:36:15,497
WHICH ONCE HELD ROPES
TO LOWER THE BLOCKS.
575
00:36:15,533 --> 00:36:17,373
SO THE ROPES CAME UP AND DOWN
576
00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:19,170
THROUGH THESE SEMI-CIRCULAR
GROOVES.
577
00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:22,930
THE PORTCULLIS SLABS SLID DOWN
THROUGH THESE PANELS.
578
00:36:22,967 --> 00:36:27,267
SO THE WHOLE THING WAS LIKE
A PRIMITIVE MACHINE
579
00:36:27,300 --> 00:36:30,570
THAT THE BUILDERS
WHO CLOSED THE PYRAMID
580
00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:34,130
COULD PUT INTO ACTION
FROM THE OTHER SIDE
581
00:36:34,167 --> 00:36:36,467
AFTER THEY GOT OUT.
582
00:36:36,500 --> 00:36:39,230
Narrator: THE SOLID GRANITE
PLUGS THAT SEAL OFF THE MOUTH
583
00:36:39,267 --> 00:36:44,527
OF THE ASCENDING PASSAGEWAY
ARE STILL IN PLACE TODAY.
584
00:36:44,567 --> 00:36:47,297
SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE
IS THE BUTT-END
585
00:36:47,333 --> 00:36:49,433
OF THE FIRST GRANITE PLUG
586
00:36:49,467 --> 00:36:51,627
IN THE BOTTOM
OF THE ASCENDING PASSAGE.
587
00:36:51,667 --> 00:36:56,067
ORIGINALLY, THE EGYPTIANS
PUT A LOG ACROSS HERE,
588
00:36:56,067 --> 00:36:57,327
STUCK INTO THESE SOCKETS
589
00:36:57,367 --> 00:36:58,797
THAT THEY CUT
INTO THE SIDE WALLS.
590
00:36:58,833 --> 00:37:02,733
SO THE BUILDERS HOPED
THAT THIS WOULD PREVENT ANYONE
591
00:37:02,767 --> 00:37:05,667
FROM GETTING UP
TO THE UPPER CHAMBERS,
592
00:37:05,700 --> 00:37:07,800
ESPECIALLY THE KING'S CHAMBER.
593
00:37:07,833 --> 00:37:09,733
UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE KING,
594
00:37:09,767 --> 00:37:13,867
THESE FORMIDABLE DEFENSES
WEREN'T ENOUGH.
595
00:37:13,900 --> 00:37:18,230
NO MUMMY OR TREASURES HAVE EVER
BEEN FOUND IN THE GREAT PYRAMID,
596
00:37:18,267 --> 00:37:21,967
SO ROBBERS MUST HAVE BROKEN IN.
597
00:37:22,067 --> 00:37:24,127
THE MYSTERY IS WHERE.
598
00:37:25,867 --> 00:37:28,227
*
599
00:37:28,267 --> 00:37:32,067
Narrator: OUTSIDE,
MARK AND GLEN ARE JOINING FORCES
600
00:37:32,100 --> 00:37:34,530
TO LOOK FOR EVIDENCE
ABOUT HOW THE RAIDERS
601
00:37:34,567 --> 00:37:36,367
CARRIED OUT THE HEIST.
602
00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:38,970
SO, GLEN, IF YOU'RE GONNA
GET INTO THE PYRAMID
603
00:37:39,067 --> 00:37:41,127
WHEN IT WAS COMPLETE,
604
00:37:41,167 --> 00:37:43,727
AND YOU WANT TO GET IN
FROM THE ORIGINAL ENTRANCE,
605
00:37:43,767 --> 00:37:45,267
THIS IS IT.
606
00:37:45,300 --> 00:37:48,970
THE CASING STONES THAT ONCE
HID THIS ENTRANCE ARE LONG GONE.
607
00:37:49,067 --> 00:37:52,197
AND TODAY, A METAL
GRILLE SECURES IT.
608
00:37:52,233 --> 00:37:53,873
IT'S REALLY INTERESTING
COMING UP HERE
609
00:37:53,900 --> 00:37:57,100
BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF
THE TREMENDOUS ENGINEERING
610
00:37:57,133 --> 00:38:00,433
THAT IS PROBABLY HIDDEN
ELSEWHERE IN THE PYRAMID.
611
00:38:00,467 --> 00:38:03,627
BUILDERS
MADE THE MAIN ENTRANCE SMALL.
612
00:38:03,667 --> 00:38:08,267
BUT THEY SUPPORTED ITS ROOF WITH
GIANT, ANGLED LIMESTONE SLABS.
613
00:38:10,367 --> 00:38:13,527
IS THIS WHERE ROBBERS
BROKE IN?
614
00:38:13,567 --> 00:38:15,297
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN
ABOUT ANY OF THIS
615
00:38:15,333 --> 00:38:18,103
BECAUSE, PRESUMABLY,
THE CASING WAS ALL INTACT,
616
00:38:18,133 --> 00:38:19,633
AND THE ENTRANCE
WAS CAMOUFLAGED.
617
00:38:19,667 --> 00:38:21,297
AND THEY WOULD HAVE NO IDEA
OF ALL THIS MASSIVE MASONRY.
618
00:38:21,333 --> 00:38:22,803
Dash: RIGHT. AND EVEN IF
THEY PULLED THE CASING AWAY,
619
00:38:22,833 --> 00:38:24,433
THEY'RE GONNA FIND
THIS MASSIVE STONE.
620
00:38:24,467 --> 00:38:26,267
AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY,
"LET'S DO IT SOMEPLACE ELSE."
621
00:38:26,300 --> 00:38:28,500
I DO LIKE THE IDEA,
NOW THAT I THINK OF IT,
622
00:38:28,533 --> 00:38:30,973
THAT PART OF
THE OVERBUILDING
623
00:38:31,067 --> 00:38:34,067
WAS JUST TO DETER PEOPLE
WHO WERE POKIN' AROUND HERE.
624
00:38:34,067 --> 00:38:37,467
THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO HIT
THAT DESCENDING PASSAGEWAY
625
00:38:37,500 --> 00:38:38,900
RIGHT ON TO KNOW
IT WAS THERE.
626
00:38:38,933 --> 00:38:42,133
OTHERWISE, THEY'RE GOING UP
AGAINST THESE MASSIVE STONES.
627
00:38:42,167 --> 00:38:46,067
THE PYRAMID BUILDERS' EFFORT
TO HIDE AND PERHAPS FORTIFY
628
00:38:46,067 --> 00:38:48,397
THIS ENTRANCE
SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED
629
00:38:48,433 --> 00:38:51,903
BECAUSE ROBBERS
INSTEAD BEGAN TUNNELING IN
630
00:38:51,933 --> 00:38:55,073
FROM A LITTLE LOWER DOWN.
631
00:38:55,067 --> 00:38:56,497
Lehner: SO THE STORY GOES
632
00:38:56,533 --> 00:38:58,833
THAT THEY STARTED ON
THE CENTER AXIS OF THE PYRAMID,
633
00:38:58,867 --> 00:39:02,367
THINKING THAT'S WHERE
THE PASSAGES WOULD BE.
634
00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:05,430
AND THEY HEATED THE ROCK,
THE LIMESTONE,
635
00:39:05,467 --> 00:39:09,527
AND THEN POURED COLD WATER OR
EVEN VINEGAR, AS THE STORY GOES,
636
00:39:09,567 --> 00:39:13,067
TO CRACK IT
AND GRADUALLY FORCED THEIR WAY
637
00:39:13,067 --> 00:39:16,227
INTO THE PYRAMID
ALONG THIS TUNNEL.
638
00:39:19,067 --> 00:39:22,167
Narrator: ONLY 10 METERS BELOW
THE CONCEALED ENTRANCE,
639
00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:24,970
THE RAIDERS BROKE THROUGH
THE CASING STONE
640
00:39:25,067 --> 00:39:27,797
AND STARTED TUNNELING.
641
00:39:27,833 --> 00:39:32,703
AFTER CARVING THROUGH ALMOST
30 METERS OF LIMESTONE BLOCKS,
642
00:39:32,733 --> 00:39:36,473
THEY HIT THE FIRST
GRANITE BLOCKING SLABS
643
00:39:36,500 --> 00:39:41,300
AND DUG AROUND THEM
TO REACH THE ASCENDING PASSAGE.
644
00:39:41,333 --> 00:39:45,473
THEN, THEY HAD A CLEAN RUN
TO THE KING'S CHAMBER,
645
00:39:45,500 --> 00:39:48,070
ONLY TO FACE THE FINAL HURDLE:
646
00:39:48,067 --> 00:39:51,527
THE SECOND SET OF GRANITE
SLABS ANCIENT EGYPTIANS
647
00:39:51,567 --> 00:39:54,627
HAD DROPPED IN YEARS BEFORE.
648
00:39:54,667 --> 00:39:56,397
AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL,
649
00:39:56,433 --> 00:40:00,133
THEY BROKE THROUGH THE BARRIER
TO REACH THE JACKPOT.
650
00:40:02,367 --> 00:40:05,397
MARK THINKS THAT THE ACCURACY
OF THE ROBBER'S TUNNEL
651
00:40:05,433 --> 00:40:08,503
IS ALMOST TOO GOOD
TO BE JUST A LUCKY BREAK.
652
00:40:10,900 --> 00:40:12,900
IT ALWAYS SEEMED TO ME
THAT SOMEBODY --
653
00:40:12,933 --> 00:40:15,033
WHOEVER MADE THIS TUNNEL --
654
00:40:15,067 --> 00:40:18,697
KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO TURN
TO GET AROUND THE BLOCKS,
655
00:40:18,733 --> 00:40:20,703
THE GRANITE PLUGGING BLOCKS,
656
00:40:20,733 --> 00:40:24,073
THAT BLOCKED THE WAY
FROM THE DESCENDING PASSAGE,
657
00:40:24,100 --> 00:40:27,430
UP THE ASCENDING PASSAGE
INTO THE CHAMBERS.
658
00:40:27,467 --> 00:40:32,427
WHOEVER DID THIS ALMOST
KNEW WHERE TO TURN.
659
00:40:32,467 --> 00:40:35,397
Narrator: MARK AND GLEN
SUSPECT THAT THE RAIDERS
660
00:40:35,433 --> 00:40:38,403
STRUCK NOT LONG AFTER
PHARAOH KHUFU'S DEATH
661
00:40:38,433 --> 00:40:42,573
AND THAT IT COULD HAVE
BEEN AN INSIDE JOB.
662
00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:44,970
ONE OF THE OPEN QUESTIONS
IS HOW MUCH OF THOSE PEOPLE
663
00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:49,030
THAT TUNNELED IN THROUGH
TO THE ENTRANCE PASSAGE
664
00:40:49,067 --> 00:40:50,227
THAT PEOPLE USE KNOW,
665
00:40:50,267 --> 00:40:52,397
HOW MUCH DID THEY KNOW
BEFORE THEY STARTED TUNNELING
666
00:40:52,433 --> 00:40:54,573
OF WHAT THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE
OF THE PYRAMID WAS?
667
00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:57,330
WELL, THAT'S WHY I SUSPECT,
BUT I'M NOT SURE,
668
00:40:57,367 --> 00:41:00,267
THAT WHOEVER DID THE FORCED
PASSAGE KNEW WHERE TO GO.
669
00:41:00,300 --> 00:41:03,230
BUT THAT MEANS SOMEBODY
FAIRLY CLOSE IN TIME
670
00:41:03,267 --> 00:41:04,627
TO KHUFU'S BUILDERS.
671
00:41:04,667 --> 00:41:05,597
THAT'S RIGHT.
672
00:41:05,633 --> 00:41:07,373
MAYBE HIS DESCENDANTS,
WORKERS?
673
00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:09,970
MAYBE THE PEOPLE
THAT BUILT IT.
674
00:41:10,067 --> 00:41:13,527
THE RAIDERS MAY HAVE CRACKED THE
DEFENSES OF THE GREAT PYRAMID,
675
00:41:13,567 --> 00:41:16,597
BUT THE REAL TREASURE
WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO STEAL --
676
00:41:16,633 --> 00:41:18,073
THE BUILDING ITSELF.
677
00:41:18,067 --> 00:41:21,497
THE PYRAMID MAY NOT HAVE
FULFILLED ITS FUNCTION
678
00:41:21,533 --> 00:41:26,203
ULTIMATELY TO KEEP THE ROYAL
BODY SAFE FOR ALL TIME.
679
00:41:26,233 --> 00:41:28,833
BUT THE MEASURES THEY TOOK
TO PRESERVE THE KING
680
00:41:28,867 --> 00:41:31,597
WAS, IN FACT,
THEIR REAL GIFT TO THE FUTURE.
681
00:41:31,633 --> 00:41:36,073
THAT IS ALMOST MORE VALUABLE
FOR THEIR MEMORY
682
00:41:36,067 --> 00:41:37,597
THAN PRESERVING
THE BODY OF THE KING.
683
00:41:37,633 --> 00:41:39,503
AND WE'RE STILL TRYING
TO LEARN WHAT IT WAS
684
00:41:39,533 --> 00:41:41,073
THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO TELL US
WITH ALL THIS STUFF.
685
00:41:41,100 --> 00:41:44,500
EXACTLY, FOR US, THIS IS
MUCH MORE THE TREASURE.
686
00:41:44,533 --> 00:41:46,833
THIS IS MUCH MORE
THE GREAT DISCOVERY.
687
00:41:46,867 --> 00:41:49,197
AND THERE'S SO MUCH
MORE TO LEARN.
688
00:41:49,233 --> 00:41:52,373
*
689
00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:56,530
TODAY, THE GREAT PYRAMID OFFERS
US AN EXTRAORDINARY GLIMPSE
690
00:41:56,567 --> 00:41:58,967
INTO AN ANCIENT WORLD.
691
00:41:59,067 --> 00:42:02,627
4,500 YEARS AFTER IT WAS BUILT,
692
00:42:02,667 --> 00:42:05,267
THE MOST ENIGMATIC MONUMENT
ON EARTH
693
00:42:05,300 --> 00:42:07,770
IS STILL GIVING UP ITS SECRETS.
694
00:42:10,867 --> 00:42:13,067
THE MORE EXPERTS DISCOVER,
695
00:42:13,067 --> 00:42:17,227
THE MORE INCREDIBLE
THIS ANCIENT EDIFICE APPEARS.
696
00:42:17,267 --> 00:42:23,197
THE INGENIOUS TIME-SAVING TRICK
OF ITS ROUGHLY-CUT CORE,
697
00:42:23,233 --> 00:42:27,333
THE CHAMBERS DEEPS INSIDE IT,
698
00:42:27,367 --> 00:42:31,827
THE MYSTERIOUS BURIAL PITS
WITH FLAT-PACKED BOATS
699
00:42:31,867 --> 00:42:36,067
AND THE REMARKABLE
SECURITY DEVICES
700
00:42:36,067 --> 00:42:39,497
COME TOGETHER
TO MAKE THE GREAT PYRAMID
701
00:42:39,533 --> 00:42:42,833
A MASTERPIECE
OF ANCIENT ENGINEERING.
53352
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