Ancient Egyptian Forum

Neb-Ma'at-Re · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 690

The documentary series Mummies: Tales From Egyptian Crypts Pt 1-4 is airing again this Friday starting at 8:00 am and then repeating at 2:00 pm.

Friday, September 10 @ 8am ET/PT (repeats @ 2:00 pm)
Part 1 looks at the burial places of the mummies and construction of the pyramids during the annual flooding of the Nile. Also, examines the process of mummification.

Friday, September 10 @ 9am ET/PT(repeats @ 3:00)
Part 2 explores how the mysterious Sphinx helped bridge the gap between the living and the dead.

Friday, September 10 @ 10am ET/PT(repeats @ 4:00)
Part 3 examines the poetic "sacred carvings" that ancient Egyptians believed could actually come to life.

Friday, September 10 @ 11am ET/PT(repeats @ 5:00)
Part 4 concludes this extensive look at mummies, ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, the pyramids, and well-known pharaohs.
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Ankhesenamun3 · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 2:18 am Post subject:

I am going to watch that. Thanks

Ramsekh · Gods/Goddesses Joined: 03 Aug 2004 Posts: 746

Well, since it's something I want ot watch, I'll most likely miss it. Just like i do with 8 Simple Rules, Simpsons, and Egypt specials.

Thanks Neb-Ma'at-Re

Hehe. What I can do is record them onto VHS then I can copy it to a DVD.
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Neb-Ma'at-Re · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 690

Just a reminder of the programs airing on the History Channel today starting at 8:00 am an then repeating at 2:00pm. Set your vcrs!
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Osiris II · Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 4:57 pm Post subject:

Well, I watched the first two programs in the series. It seemed to be quite good--only a couple of errors! The most glaring of which was a reference made to the Pharaoh being Horus, the son of Osiris--with a picture of Akhenaton and Nefertiti in the Window Of Appearances at Amarna! But the reason I finally turned it off was the programing. Ten minutes of show, and then a break showing seven commercials through both programs I watched. I think I'll buy the DVD--it's fairly cheap, and no commercials! Also, the--I don't know what they're called--hints of up-coming programs shown at the corners during the broadcast. They bug the c*** Shocked

out of me! Networks just don't get it. The viewing is down, they don't understand why, but have to put more commercials on to boost sagging income. More commercials=less viewers!

Psusennes I · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Posts: 913 Location: England

I know that Neb Maat Re and Ramsekh will have their eye on this topic so I thought I would once again jump in with a question.

On the subject of mistakes and confusions around the Amarna period. Why is it that in Tutankhamun's tomb the State Religion and Atenism (is that even a word?) are mixed? On the walls of his tomb are pictures of the standard gods of Egypt (Khepri, the Eye of Horus, Thoth etc.).
However on the gilded throne portraying him and Ankesenamun, Aten appears? Can anyone 'enlighten' me as to why both sets of gods appear?

Did Tut want to make sure he didn't anger any of the gods?
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Ramsekh · Gods/Goddesses Joined: 03 Aug 2004 Posts: 746

It just said on the History Chanel that you can get this program on DVD. Are all four on this DVD? I have it.

Psusennes, I have no idea. You'll have to ask somebody else. I'm the dumbest person on this site.

What I've read was that When Akhenaten was king, he destroyed all of the gods' shrines and temples and created a one-god thingamajig, Aten. I guess that's how people get Tuankhaten and Ankhesenpaaten. Then when Tutankhamen became king, he changed everything back to normal. Somebody is gonna correct me on this.
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Si-amun · Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2004 1:36 pm Post subject:

Many think that most of the items from the tomb of Tutankhamun were actually merely taken from other tombs and slightly adapted. Aparently the sarcophagus with the four godesses on each corner was originally intended for a woman and not a male king. The burial mask has even been questioned and some say it belonged to Akhenaten himself. There are dozens of artifacts that are almost certainly from other tombs and even the tomb itself was probably never intended for Tutankhamun, but more likely a spare or one built for a lesser Royal Family member or important aristocrat.
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Psusennes I · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Posts: 913 Location: England

Thanks for the info Si-Amun.
In doing a bit of research I found out that the tomb of Ay is simmilar. The 'hymn to the Aten-disk' appears on the way in, but after that it disappears. Ay is shown performing the opening of the mouth ceremony on Tutankhamun (Osiris) and that pretty much proves that after Akhenaten's death the old gods were at least gradually reinstated.
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Osiris II · Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 5:14 pm Post subject:

The showing of the accepted "older" gods in Tutankhamen's tomb is quite easy to explain.
At the time of his death and burial, Atenism was no longer recognized as the state religion. Tutankhamen and his court had brought back the state's practise of worship of many gods. Although "hints" of Aten can be found in his burial items, they are personal posessions rather than ritual things. Showing the old gods in his tomb was only a reversion to older beliefs.

Sekhmet · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:57 am Post subject:

Psusennes I · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Posts: 913 Location: England

Upon double checking it seems that you are also correct. Thanks for all the help guys.

After the death of Akhenaten there was for a brief moment harmony between the Aten and Amon Ra. Later however any reference to the Aten was effaced and the whole Egytian Pantheon was restored.
In Ay's valley of the kings tomb the images of him (but not of his ka) are completely erased. I do feel like a complete idiot having to ask questions about the most famous period in Egyptian history, but the Amarna period is still cloaked by speculation and doubt. . .
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Osiris II · Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:52 pm Post subject:

An apt name for the Amarna Age that a friend of mine came up with is the "Amarna Tar Pits"!
You can really get bogged down in the most simple questions. A real mind-twister is trying to figure out the geneology of the period--was Tutankhamen Akhnaten's son, brother, half-brother, only a son-in-law, etc. etc. etc.
Slowly, though, through research and excavation-work, the pieces of the Amarna puzzle are being assembled for us. Hopefully, in a few more years, many questions that stump us will be answered.