Cairo- Eco - By/ Rasha Mohamed: Netflix, the world's leading internet entertainment service, announced the global release of Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb. The new docu-feature will be available only on Netflix on October 28th and documents the discovery of a “one of a kind” ...
Secrets of the Saqqara
Tomb follows the decoding of the tomb of an Old Kingdom priest Wahtye, unopened for 4500 years, and the excavation of five
shafts to uncover an astonishing ancient mystery. Transporting the audience
back through the millennia, the film provides a unique and unprecedented window
into the lives - and deaths - of one man and his family.
Described as a ‘once in
a generation’ find, Wahtye’s tomb was discovered in a remarkable state of preservation
- with 55 statues
carved into the walls – making it the most decorated tomb ever found in this royal cemetery. During the journey of
discovery, they have found over three thousand artefacts. Within the boundaries of a temple
dedicated to the Egyptian cat goddessBastet, the team discovered a mummified lion cub - the first
lion cub discovered in Egypt. It signals a thrilling first in Egyptology.
“This has been an exciting moment for
the whole world. Shooting this film has been an experience full of thrilling
surprises. Working with an Egyptian team that has a deep connection with their
ancestors has made the project even more unique,” commented James Tovell, Director of Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb. “This mission wasn’t
like any other. Normally in archaeology, you labor for weeks to find anything.
Here every 30 seconds there was a new jaw-dropping discovery. Such as,
capturing on film the discovery of the first complete mummified lion cub in
Egypt was a great moment for everyone. And then being privileged to excavate
the burial shafts of the Old Kingdom priest Wahtye. The chance to excavate an Old Kingdom burial is a golden
opportunity for any filmmaker,” added Tovell.
The documentary was
filmed in Saqqara near Cairo, and less than a mile from the site of the Step
Pyramid, one of the oldest and most iconic stone structures on earth.
The documentary will be released globally in 190 countries with over 30 subs
and dubbed into English.
The documentary was
inspired by the discovery of a 4500-year-old tomb – the news made global headlines when it was discovered in late
2018 - and belongs to an Old Kingdom Priest named Wahtye, from the 5th dynasty, 2500-2350 BC, in the reign of Pharaoh Neferirkare.
About Secrets of the
Saqqara Tomb: It is heralded as one of the most jaw-dropping, exciting, and
important Ancient Egyptian discoveries in decades. And the discoveries have
only just begun. Join a team of local archaeologists as they excavate never
before explored passageways, shafts, and tombs, while piecing together the
secrets of one Egypt’s most remarkable tombs. News of the tomb discovery has
gone around the world and it has been heralded as the most significant find in
almost fifty years. The condition of the tomb is remarkable – but the real
excitement lies in what is to come. The archaeologists hope they are going to
unearth the possessions, grave goods, and mummies of the high-priest and his
family – and with that information hoping to transform our understanding of
this period of Old Kingdom history.
More secrets from the
Saqqara Tomb:
- Lion Cub mummy
● Found within the boundaries of a
temple dedicated to the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet, the discovery of the lion signals a fresh direction for
Egyptology. ‘This first example of a mummified lion cub to be found in Egypt is one of the most exciting
finds in the history of animal mummification,’ said Professor SalimaIkram. ‘It opens the door to asking questions about the types of wild
animals that the Egyptians kept and how they managed them, both in terms of
upkeep and breeding.’
- First-ever Malaria case theory
● Inside the tomb of Wahtye, there were the bones of a full family, Dr. Amira Shaheen Professor of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo
University, found that those bones were distended which can be an indication that the whole family died
from an epidemic most probably malaria.
● If this theory can be proven it will
be the first documented case of malaria in history by more than 1000 years.
- Additional discoveries
● The film also features the
exploration of the wider ancient necropolis were Egyptians buried their dead
over thousands of years, as it documents the discovery of shafts filled with
the mummified animals, beautifully preserved human mummies still inside their
highly decorated coffins, funerary artifacts including a rare complete senet set (board game), and numerous other stunning rare artifacts
from Old, New, and Late Kingdoms.
● In the course of one season, the
Egyptian team at the Bubasteion found more than 3100 unique artifacts
A Netflix Original
Documentary
Film Release Date: October 28, 2020
Run Time: 113
minutes
Directed by: James Tovell
Producer: Charlotte Chalker
Executive Producer: Richard Bradley, Caterina Turroni
Produced by: Lion Television and At Land
Productions
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