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6.7/10
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In the sands of Saqqara, two of the world's most famous Egyptologists, Dr. Zahi Hawass and his protege and rival, Dr. Mostafa Waziri race with their teams against the clock to see who will m... Read allIn the sands of Saqqara, two of the world's most famous Egyptologists, Dr. Zahi Hawass and his protege and rival, Dr. Mostafa Waziri race with their teams against the clock to see who will make the biggest discovery.In the sands of Saqqara, two of the world's most famous Egyptologists, Dr. Zahi Hawass and his protege and rival, Dr. Mostafa Waziri race with their teams against the clock to see who will make the biggest discovery.
- Awards
- 2 nominations total
Zahi Hawass
- Self - Director of the Piramids
- (as Dr. Zahi Hawass)
Hamada Shehata Ahmed Mansour
- Self - Lead Excavator
- (as Hamada Mansour)
Mostafa Waziri
- Self - Archaeologist & Supreme Council of Antiquities
- (as Dr. Mostafa Waziri)
Ashraf Mohi El Din
- Self - Chief Conservator, Saqqara
- (as Dr. Ashraf Mohi El-Din)
Essam Shehab
- Self - Archaeologist Gisr El-Mudir Site Director
- (as Dr. Essam Shehab)
Mohamed Youssef
- Self - Bubasteion Excavation Director
- (as Dr. Mohamed Youssef)
Afaf Wahba
- Self - Lead Archaeologist
- (as Dr. Afaf Wahba)
Featured reviews
I have more questions then answers about this whole story after watching
How and why did the pyramid get lost?
Who was Huni and why was he important?
Why are these finds important other then to stroke the ego of the main guy?
There was a lot of info squished into the documentary that should have been explained better.
Also it turned me off right at start when he complained about "foreigners" if it wasn't for these foreigners there would be no Egyptologist or frankly many digs as they finance most of them There are more then a few scenes where its all about him and his legacy then about what they found.
Would never watch a documentary featuring this guy again.
Who was Huni and why was he important?
Why are these finds important other then to stroke the ego of the main guy?
There was a lot of info squished into the documentary that should have been explained better.
Also it turned me off right at start when he complained about "foreigners" if it wasn't for these foreigners there would be no Egyptologist or frankly many digs as they finance most of them There are more then a few scenes where its all about him and his legacy then about what they found.
Would never watch a documentary featuring this guy again.
To answer some other reviewers questions
1. Yes most of the finds are partly staged, ie they will find a peek hole into a tomb, and then cover it up , and ring the film crew. Im sort of okay with that, as it does give a feeling of discovery, which is partly true.
2. The arrogance of Hawas, and even his learned protégé , though i respect their expertise, their arrogance, and Egypt centric nationalism are more annoying than awe inspiring. Good that they have local Egyptologists but they dont have to exclusively block or insult foreigners, when the history of Egypt is a global treasure.
3. Nothing of the greatest finds was really gone into by the time it wrapped up. Thats because Netflix will for sure have a deal to unfold these in their next Egypt piece. But they should have named it differently and called the next one The Lost Pyramid
Besides that it was a good watch with some inspiring moments, but the previous Netflix Saqqara one was way better.
1. Yes most of the finds are partly staged, ie they will find a peek hole into a tomb, and then cover it up , and ring the film crew. Im sort of okay with that, as it does give a feeling of discovery, which is partly true.
2. The arrogance of Hawas, and even his learned protégé , though i respect their expertise, their arrogance, and Egypt centric nationalism are more annoying than awe inspiring. Good that they have local Egyptologists but they dont have to exclusively block or insult foreigners, when the history of Egypt is a global treasure.
3. Nothing of the greatest finds was really gone into by the time it wrapped up. Thats because Netflix will for sure have a deal to unfold these in their next Egypt piece. But they should have named it differently and called the next one The Lost Pyramid
Besides that it was a good watch with some inspiring moments, but the previous Netflix Saqqara one was way better.
Unfortunately this 'documentary' suffers the same fate as many Netflix funded so-called 'documentaries'.
The actual real content relating to the title is scant, and superfluous fillers are aplenty.
Relatively little substance is said of the "lost pyramid" and the pharaoh Huni linked to this pyramid.
A lot is made of unimportant visuals and scenes and people related to the 'project' including some really tenuous ones. I won't be surprised if it included interviews of Dr Hawass tea lady or driver - thankfully at least that didn't happen.
Compared to the many solid documentaries made of Egyptian pharaonic history, this one is empty and light as a helium party balloon that has no pop.
The actual real content relating to the title is scant, and superfluous fillers are aplenty.
Relatively little substance is said of the "lost pyramid" and the pharaoh Huni linked to this pyramid.
A lot is made of unimportant visuals and scenes and people related to the 'project' including some really tenuous ones. I won't be surprised if it included interviews of Dr Hawass tea lady or driver - thankfully at least that didn't happen.
Compared to the many solid documentaries made of Egyptian pharaonic history, this one is empty and light as a helium party balloon that has no pop.
You can tell who paid for the documentary. A little Cheesy with the head archaeologists but good overall. They keep talking about how amazing they are and how they had a feeling that they're about to find some thing, little silly but it's fine. We got to see some cool tombs, opened and discovered, but you could tell those guys had huge egos like it was just all about them, and how awesome and special they are to find these tombs. And how it's all because of them that they were found. Yes I'm over exaggerating and repeating just like they did in the documentary. The video specifically not sure who edited it,. But it looks like they let the archaeologists be part of the editing process and that made it a little cheesy, but still enjoyable.
Overall, it's great getting to see pieces of history.
Overall, it's great getting to see pieces of history.
It is odd that Zahi Hawass decries the looting colonial archaeologists of Egypts recent past while styling himself on Indiana Jones, opossibly the worst example fo the kind. It's never easy watching his self-publicising style but there is no doubt of the passion he feels for his country's past or of the value (as portrayed in this film) of the Egyptians themseves taking the lead in excavating their past.
Two projects are followed each delivering differently for their lead archaeologists and the different reactions of Waziri and Hawass paint an interesting contrast.
Perhaps more problematic for those that believe in archaeology as a unifying discipline, is the political dimension and the way in which the film looks more like a quest for artefacts and glory than for answers in spite of this being a criticism that these current excavators level at their predecessors.
There is a film to be made about the changes in scholarship as peoples explore their own heritage, but this isn't it. There is also a film to be made about the challenges of the archaeology of early dynastic Egypt and this isn't that either.
It looks beautiful though.
Two projects are followed each delivering differently for their lead archaeologists and the different reactions of Waziri and Hawass paint an interesting contrast.
Perhaps more problematic for those that believe in archaeology as a unifying discipline, is the political dimension and the way in which the film looks more like a quest for artefacts and glory than for answers in spite of this being a criticism that these current excavators level at their predecessors.
There is a film to be made about the changes in scholarship as peoples explore their own heritage, but this isn't it. There is also a film to be made about the challenges of the archaeology of early dynastic Egypt and this isn't that either.
It looks beautiful though.
Did you know
- ConnectionsReferences Les Aventuriers de l'arche perdue (1981)
- How long is Unknown: The Lost Pyramid?Powered by Alexa
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- Unknown: The Lost Pyramid
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- 1h 23m(83 min)
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