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16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Back in the Box, June 19, 2006
This review is from: Nefertiti Resurrected (DVD)
I just read that Joann Fletcher got banned from doing Egyptology in Egypt because she didn't follow Zahi "Zowie" Hawass' procedure of letting him announce everything. He does indeed appear in the video, making quite reasonable remarks about how there's no evidence in favor of Fletcher's thesis. Kent Weeks, excavator of KV5, also appears, suggesting that her claim isn't that farfetched, but that it will have to wait for better technology in coming years to rule it in or out. That is also reasonable. The real reason to watch this video is to laugh and laugh and laugh. Fletcher has an unfounded belief that she has found the mummy of Nefertiti; she refuses to be convinced otherwise; she takes every single disconfirmation (which is every test performed for this video, other than her own subjective views about the mummy's hairstyle and ear piercings) in stride, getting more and more wild-eyed, and making one unsubstantiated claim after another. Perhaps my favorite is her trip to the unfinished tomb of Akhenaten -- Fletcher stands at the head of what would have been the sarcophagus and claims that Nefertiti stood there and conducted the rites for her dead husband. Fletcher also refers to Akhenaten as "such a terrible politician" and grants Nefertiti entirely imaginary characteristics and abilities. All existing evidence shows that Nefertiti predeceased Akhenaten. It's possible that her tomb was plundered shortly after her death and the end of the 18th dynasty, as a gold artifact bearing her name was found on the Ulu Burun wreck. There is a modern drive to turn Nefertiti into some kind of feminist anachronism and have her rule as a man. Fletcher appears to subscribe to that view, but gives no attribution for or reference to its originator. A case can be made that Marianne Luban originated Fletcher's premise (see Luban's website, and the Archaeology magazine review of this video for more); according to Mark Rose, Luban started a lawsuit, but dropped it subsequent to seeing how badly received the broadcast was. Two stars -- the video is a work of fiction being passed off as fact, but c'mon, you'll get to see the insides of tombs currently (and for the foreseeable) closed to the public, and have a really good laugh at the expense of Joann Fletcher and the Discovery Channel.
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A letdown of sorts, October 26, 2003
This review is from: Nefertiti Resurrected (DVD)
I saw this documentary when it originally aired on the Discovery Channel, and was more than a little disappointed. All the hype it got made me think they had FOUND Nefertiti, and that the discovery was the greatest thing since Tut himself. After spending two hours (excessive--it could have easily been one) waiting for the moment of groundbreaking acheivement--nothing more than speculation. Essentially, there's a lady who claims to have found Nefertiti's remains stashed away in an out of the way place in the Valley of the Kings. The figure is deformed, the valuables gone, and only the damaged corpse remains, yet through various tests of sorts (which are very fascinating themselves), she is convinced that she has, indeed, found the lost queen. That's the claim, but it is really nothing more than speculation. There is some compelling evidence, sure, but nothing conclusive. The sad thing is that several other major Egyptologists--the guy who found KV5 and the Egyptian in charge of approving digs in the Valley of the Kings--aren't convinced it's Nefertiti. It is possible that they don't want to admit that their work has been overshadowed, but I doubt that's the case. Essentially, this woman is convinced she's found Nefertiti, but she's about the only one convinced of that. Again I have to say that this documentary was substantially less interesting than it was hyped up to be. It's a dig, maybe there's some cool stuff, that's it. Overall it was interesting, but certainly not worth owning unless you are into Egyptology in a big way. If you want a great documentary on recent finds, try Egypt: Beyond the Pyramids.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Pure Garbage, January 10, 2008
This review is from: Nefertiti Resurrected (DVD)
This whole video is based on twisted facts and outright lies. The author Joanne Fletcher has been banned from entering Egypt. Her career is over because of the absolute abuse of the facts. The mummy she identified as Nefertiti has been proven to be a teenage boy. The Discovery Channel should be ashamed of themselves.
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