Raiders of the Lost Pharaohs

Tutankhamun, Ramses the Great, Cleopatra, Khufu…these legendary pharaohs built the wonders of Karnak, Luxor and the pyramids of Giza before their civilisation faded into obscurity. But in 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt reopened the doors to a forgotten world and ignited a fascination with Ancient Egypt that continues to this day. Bold explorers, such as Jean-François Champollion and Giovanni Battista Belzoni, risked everything to unearth these wonders. Archaeology became a conquest, and Egypt's heritage was plundered by tomb raiders – until Auguste Mariette laid the foundations of modern Egyptology. This immersive series reveals the splendour of the pharaohs and the feats of the explorers.