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Technophiles of the 21st century can be smug about the advances made in recent years. But modern man doesn't have a monopoly on knowledge; in fact many of the advances made in earlier centuries have been lost to us. How did the Egyptians build their obelisks? How were the Chinese able to build the rainbow bridges? What are the mysteries of the Roman Baths?
Nova explores these and other ancient engineering feats in its brilliant series
Secrets of the Lost Empires II. Using the same techniques as in the first series of
Secrets of the Lost Empires,
Nova brings together teams of scientists, engineers, and historians to re-create ancient marvels.
Pharaoh's Obelisk looks back 3,500 years to the time of Hetshepsut, a female ruler who wrangled the Egyptian throne from her brother. In her time, giant stone obelisks were built to help the pharaoh control her people; the monoliths gave the perception of power. But the question remains: How did they create these architectural feats, which were over 100 feet tall, weighing about 500 tons, and carved from a single block of stone? In 1994, nautical experts and engineers came together to re-create the endeavor. The first task is to bring the stone up the Nile, the next to carve and raise it. Clues to how it could be done were found on the painted walls of tombs, yet they didn't make the task immediately successful. Setback after setback occurred, and frustration among the team grew. Suspense mounts as a final dangerous attempt is made to raise the obelisk in this informative episode on ancient Egypt. A mixture of science, history, and cultural studies, this series is a delightful exploration into the mysteries of centuries long past. --Jenny Brown
Product Description
They are massive spires created to glorify and honor the ancient Egyptian gods. Rising up to 100 feet and weighing up to 500 tons, these solid granite monuments reach heavenward, adorned with messages of praise, love and devotion. 3000 years later, return to the land of the Pharaohs and discover how the ancient Egyptians’ nautical experience, ingenuity and unwavering faith enabled them to raise these incredibly heavy monoliths with little more than rope, wood, brawn and brainpower.
- Travel inside ancient tombs and temples and "read" cryptic building "instructions" - Discover how Egyptians transported and erected immense stones in a time without cranes and steel cables - Travel to a Massachusetts granite quarry and take part in the nail-biting raising of a free-standing obelisk - See how the oldest preserved boat ever found reveals the Egyptians’ nautical expertise and ingenious use of natural materials - Float down the Nile on a modern version of an ancient flat-bottom barge
Secrets of Lost Empires II Unlock mysteries and uncover lost history with the experts as they use yesteryear’s thrilling technology to recreate five ancient engineering marvels and to discover what daily life was really like in these communities. Travel around the globe from Egypt to Rome and take a fresh, "hands-on" look at mankind’s greatest cultures and civilizations. It’s history from a whole new point of view!
