A strange series, but one I’m glad I recorded and finally got round to watching!

It’s an odd mix of drama and documentary. In the main, it’s three separate 2-hour stories, dramatising three key events in the ‘unearthing’ of ancient Egypt as we know it today. Interspersed are flashback-like scenes to ancient Egypt, with a voice over giving us more information about the discoveries.

First up was Howard Carter finding the tomb of Tutankhamen. This is a much-told tale, and I have to say this was the least sensationalist I’ve ever seen. Half the ‘action’ seems to focus on events you wouldn’t normally consider: it’s far more about Carter than the discovery.

The second two episodes (of six) go back in time to tell us about an Italian called Belzoni, who did more to kick off the discoveries than anyone else by the look of it – you got the impression that here, for the first time, was a man interested in the people and how they thought. Far more fascinating to me, as this wasn’t a story I’d ever heard before. Sadly I think the casting let it down – I just can’t take Matthew Kelly with a fake accent seriously :(

The last two episodes were the best, for me: the discovery of the Rosetta stone and breaking of the hieroglypic code! Again, not something I knew much about, and it fascinated me. That all of the knowledge of Egypt was written on the walls for centuries, staring down at people who couldn’t understand a word! And such a slice of history: the Catholic Church banned publication of any material that would dispute the idea that the flood of Noah’s time had wiped all traces of civilisation from the earth in 2300BC – the bible had to be taken as literal truth!

The mighty civilisation of Egypt has always fascinated me, and I enjoyed the “docu-tainment” here, although the mix of drama and learning could have been handled better, imo. Still, an enjoyable mini series.