Unearthed (2016–…): Season 11, Episode 5 - Secrets of the Lost Sphinxes - full transcript
The Avenue of the Sphinxes: This ancient wonder has now been unearthed in the biggest excavation in Egyptian history. Who built this magnificent structure? And what was its purpose? Using CGI, we reveal the hidden secrets of the sphinxes.
The ruins of two
colossal temples in Egypt,
Karnak,
and Luxor.
Connecting them is an ancient
road flanked by mythical beasts.
This is the Avenue of Sphinxes.
It's remarkable
these ancient structures
have stood
for thousands of years.
The route is used by
the most powerful pharaohs
of ancient Egypt.
The avenue lies buried
beneath the sands
for thousands of years.
Now, a vast restoration
project is returning
this lost wonder
to its ancient glory.
Today, we are bringing
the Sphinx back to life.
Nobody has seen it like this
over thousands of years.
Our cameras have
unique access to follow experts
as they decipher ancient
messages from the temple ruins.
Despite centuries
of investigations,
there are still many secrets.
What is the purpose of
this extraordinary construction,
and who are the ancient rulers
who build it?
To solve these mysteries,
we blow away the sands of time
and unearth
this mighty structure.
We explore sacred chambers
of ancient ruins...
and digitally reconstruct
the avenue in all its splendor,
to decode the secrets of
the Lost Sphinxes.
Luxor.
This modern metropolis
is home to
the sprawling remains of
an ancient city,
the Egyptian capital Thebes.
Thebes is where
the pharaohs show off
their power by building
their grandest structures.
In the center of the city are
the two largest temples
in all of Egypt...
Karnak and Luxor.
Together, they cover an area
the size of 60 football fields.
In the 1950s,
archaeologists make
an incredible
discovery outside
the entrance of Karnak.
Buried beneath the sand,
they unearth a road made
of sandstone,
and on either side,
colossal statues of sphinxes.
Over 1200 of these mythological
creatures once line
the entire length of this
1.5-mile avenue.
The route connects Karnak
with another sacred temple
complex, Luxor.
What can these temples and this
extraordinary avenue reveal
about ancient Egypt?
In 2021,
after a 70-year
reconstruction project
that cost more than $30 million,
the biggest restoration
endeavor in Egyptian history,
the Avenue of Sphinxes is
finally open to investigators.
A grand ceremony
is held in Luxor
to celebrate the resurrection
of this ancient marvel.
Meredith Brand is
on a mission to uncover
the secret purpose of
the Avenue of Sphinxes.
This avenue is massive.
It's on a scale unlike
anything in ancient Egypt.
Meredith starts her
investigation at the southern
end of the Avenue
at Luxor Temple.
Luxor Temple is the seat of
the Pharaoh's divine power,
and it's a great place to
start to look for clues.
Meredith ventures
through the temple gateway
and into a vast columned room
called the Colonnade Hall.
It is decorated with
the statues of
powerful Pharaohs.
This statue shows
the young King Tutankhamun.
Based on the facial features,
it looks like
the boy king himself.
Luxor Temple is
where the rulers of the most
powerful dynasties of ancient
Egypt are crowned as Pharaohs.
Tutankhamun reigns
for only nine years,
in an era called
the New Kingdom.
This was a golden age for
ancient Egypt, and it
was a particular moment of
prosperity and glory
for Thebes.
Luxor Temple
and the Avenue of Sphinxes are
vitally important
to the Pharaohs
of New Kingdom Egypt.
More clues about the avenue
could lie on
the lavishly decorated walls
of the Colonnade Hall
in the temple.
They are covered in reliefs of
exquisite detail.
Meredith inspects the images
and ancient inscriptions.
These are fantastic carvings.
They paint
a scene of lively joy.
There's singers and drummers,
all kinds of musicians,
dancers and acrobats and piles
and piles of food.
This shows some kind of
massive celebration,
and it must have been
so important that
the Pharaoh wants
to immortalize it in stone,
in a temple.
These beautiful
reliefs suggest the temple
and the Avenue of Sphinxes
host a spectacular event.
Meredith searches for clues that
could reveal who creates
this relief.
This is a cartouche.
It's an ancient Egyptian
symbol that provides protection
for whatever is written inside.
This cartouche above me
seems to be from a king
named Horemheb,
but the closer I look,
something unusual is happening,
and it seems like this
cartouche has been altered.
The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt
are obsessed with power
and legacy,
sometimes to the detriment of
the rulers who came before.
Meredith identifies
other cartouches,
which also appear
to have been changed.
She examines high-definition
images of them.
It has the name Tutankhamun,
but something's happening.
Another Pharaoh comes
and inserts his hieroglyphs
into the name of Tutankhamun.
What's happening
in this image is
the same thing that's
happening in Luxor Temple.
What this shows is that
the images in this temple
: of the grand celebration are
actually made by Tutankhamun.
Tutankhamun's
short reign means that only
a few of his works survive.
Evidence that he creates
these reliefs and celebrates
a huge event on the Avenue of
Sphinxes is remarkable.
There must be
a reason why Tutankhamun
wants to immortalize
the celebration in stone.
Tutankhamun constructs
a majestic relief in
honor of this grand celebration.
Horemheb,
a Pharaoh who follows him,
claims the work as his own.
Meredith wants
to know who or what
is at the heart of
the celebration
and this magnificent
sacred complex.
She makes her way
through Luxor Temple
to the Avenue of
Sphinxes itself.
The Sphinx is
the ancient Egyptians'
ultimate symbol of strength
and protection.
The most famous,
the Great Sphinx, guards
the pyramid tombs
and temples of Giza.
I'm on a path, and it's lined
on both sides by Sphinx.
And when I look at them,
they're a bit different.
They're not your average Sphinx.
This one has the body of
a lion and the head of a ram.
This Sphinx makes me think
that this area is
set apart as a route of
a sacred space.
The Sphinxes on the
avenue protect the ceremonial
route between the temples
of Karnak and Luxor
and make it a sacred place.
This is remarkable.
These hieroglyphs
tell me exactly
what's going on with the Sphinx.
It reads Amun Ra,
king of the gods.
Amun Ra is the god of Luxor.
He's the god of Karnak Temple.
The name Amun is on every
single one of these Sphinx,
and it tells me that
this area is for Amun.
Amun is central to what's
happening on this path.
Meredith makes her way
more than a mile
along the avenue
to its northern end,
the colossal
temple complex of Karnak.
Karnak Temple is
where the pharaohs demonstrate
their power by building
the grandest structures.
Thousands of years ago,
Karnak Temple is a marvel of
the ancient world.
It spans over 250 acres,
and is filled
with chapels dedicated to
the gods of ancient Egypt.
In the heart of the complex is
the temple's most sacred shrine,
the Holy of Holies.
A solid gold statue
of the god Amun
is housed within
this inner sanctum.
His crown is topped with
two feathers and a sun disc.
Who is this mighty deity?
And why is he worshiped
at Karnak
and on the Avenue of Sphinxes?
Meredith makes her way through
the vast temple
to the inner sanctuary.
This is where
there was a golden statue
of the god, Amun.
And the ancient Egyptians
believed that Amun himself in
the form of a spirit lived
inside of the statue.
The only people
allowed in this space
were the king
and the high priest.
This is the most sacred
location in Karnak Temple.
Meredith investigates
the sanctuary exterior for
more evidence of
the mysterious god.
This is Amun.
I know it's Amun because of
his unique headdress.
He has a crown
with two feathered plumes
sticking out of it.
And I see this image of Amun all
over the walls of the temple
of Karnak.
It seems that almost every New
Kingdom Pharaoh came here
and built a temple or
a building dedicated to the god.
Amun is the mightiest
of all the gods.
He rises to power
in Egypt's New Kingdom,
from the 16th to the 11th
century BCE,
the time of Tutankhamun.
Looking at the statue,
I notice something else.
It actually has the facial
features
of the young boy king,
Tutankhamun,
So this statue is
King Tutankhamun
as the god, Amun.
He would want to do this,
because if the king shows
himself as the god,
it links Amun and the king...
The king gets the benefit of
the power, protection,
and divinity of Amun.
Amun's rise to power
as the undisputed king of
the gods coincides with
the rise of Thebes itself.
The royal capital
moves nearly 500 miles
south from Memphis to Thebes
in the 21st century BCE.
Pharaohs make Amun the supreme
god of the Egyptian pantheon
and merge him
with the sun god, Ra.
Amun is the creator of
the universe
and is associated with fertility
and the force of the wind.
Karnak Temple
becomes the center of a cult
dedicated to Amun,
and Pharaohs construct temples
to show their
affiliation with the new king
of the gods.
A grand avenue guarded by
elaborate Sphinxes is the focal
point of a celebration of
Thebes' most powerful god,
Amun.
This is the site of
more than just a celebration.
It's a festival vital
for the king
of the gods, Amun,
and the Pharaoh himself.
What could be
so vital to the god, Amun,
and the Pharaohs of
the New Kingdom?
Could clues lie in a restored
chapel in the ruins of Thebes?
The Avenue of Sphinxes in Luxor,
a monumental road
at the heart of
the ancient Egyptian capital,
Thebes.
Meredith Brand is on a mission
to uncover the secrets
of the avenue
and a mysterious celebration
that takes place here.
Statues of Amun at Karnak
suggest he is at the center of
the celebrations,
and throughout the complex are
ruins that hold further clues.
Archaeologists excavate Karnak
and discover fragments of
a mysterious structure
scattered across the site.
They piece them together
and reveal it is once
a sacred chapel dedicated
to the god of Thebes, Amun.
A plinth stands in
the center of the chapel.
A gold-painted wooden boat is
placed on top during
ritual celebrations.
It holds a solid golden statue
of Amun.
Who builds this
elaborate shrine?
And what can it reveal
about the celebration
on the Avenue of Sphinxes?
Modern engineers
use the original
fragments to painstakingly
rebuild the chapel.
Meredith ventures inside to
examine the surviving evidence.
This cartouche holds the clue
as to who built this chapel.
It says
[speaking ancient Egyptian]
Amun, Hatshepsut.
This cartouche belongs to
Hatshepsut,
a female king.
She was around the 1400s BC,
a powerful Pharaoh of Egypt,
and this is her chapel to
the god, Amun.
Hatshepsut
constructs six chapels
like this one
along the route of
the Avenue of Sphinxes.
Meredith examines the chapel
exterior for clues about
what happens during
the celebration on the avenue.
Oh, look at that image!
It's fantastic!
There's these dancers
doing back flips
and acrobats and a musician
with a harp.
The whole procession seems
lively, fun entertainment.
It kind of reminds me of
the image at Luxor Temple.
A procession depicted at Luxor
is celebrated
on the avenue, too.
Meredith searches
for more reliefs
that could reveal further
clues about this grand event.
This scene is important.
It shows the king, who is
behind a procession of priests,
walking on a road or avenue,
carrying a barque of Amun.
The barque is a sacred vessel
and a key feature of ancient
Egyptian rituals.
The relief reveals
the statue and barque
are a vital part
of a ritual procession.
They're moving forward towards
a building that's like
a waystation or a stopping
point in the procession.
And inside is
the barque, and outside,
there is the king,
offering incense
and doing rituals
at this waystation.
So this shows an entire
ritual scene on an avenue
with key points of rest for
the barque and ritual practice.
The procession rests
at the six shrines
built by Hatshepsut.
Priests perform rituals
in honor of
the god Amun in each shrine.
Here it is... the key.
It says
[speaking Ancient Egyptian],
"his beautiful
festival of Opet."
That's the name of the festival.
This is the Opet Festival.
Meredith wants
to know if the Opet
Festival is just about
honoring Amun.
She examines the structure of
the chapel for clues.
Oh, this is fascinating!
The entire bottom
of this chapel is built
with this black diorite stone...
To the ancient Egyptians,
black represented the fertile
Nile soil after the flood.
It was the source of life to
the ancient Egyptians, and
ancient Egyptian kings
were concerned with rebirth,
renewal, and regeneration.
Fertility was their main
earthly and spiritual goal.
The black stone
reveals the importance of
the annual Nile flood
to the festival
on the Avenue of Sphinxes.
The Nile Valley is inundated
every year by monsoon rains.
Millions of gallons of water
pour into the river.
Priests monitor the river's
depth in special structures
called Nilometers
and forecast the annual flood
and the size of the harvest.
The monsoon rainwater
overflows the Nile's banks
and leaves behind
a rich layer of silt.
Farmers plant their crops in
this nutrient-rich soil
and grow the food that powers
Egyptian civilization.
The symbolism of
the black stone is clear.
The Opet Festival is
about the Nile inundation.
Everybody in ancient Egypt was
concerned about the flood
of the Nile, from the king to
the commoner.
The Opet Festival is
a grand celebration
to honor the mighty Amun.
Ancient Egyptians believe
the ceremony ensures
the annual flood.
It is the Nile flood that
allows all life
in Egypt to thrive.
The avenue and the temples are
used for this ritual
for 1,000 years.
But who builds
the Avenue of Sphinxes?
Could clues be found on
the mythical beasts themselves?
Luxor, Egypt.
The huge Avenue of Sphinxes
is the site
of a grand religious festival
dedicated to god, Amun.
The Avenue of
the Sphinx is central to
the power of the pharaoh,
and it's a marvel
of ancient engineering
and infrastructure.
The resources
of ancient Egypt are
poured into this vast
construction project.
But the name of the Pharaoh who
first builds it
is shrouded in mystery.
Clues could lie in the design
of the Sphinxes themselves.
The Karnak end of the avenue
features more than 100
exquisitely carved Criosphinxes.
They have the body of
a resting lion,
the head of a ram,
and a statue of a Pharaoh
between the paws.
The Luxor end of the avenue
has hundreds of Androsphinxes.
They also have
the body of a lion,
but each has
the same human head,
and they sit on a platform
covered in hieroglyphs.
Could these human-headed
Sphinxes shed
light on who builds the avenue?
The Great Sphinx of Giza,
300 miles north of Luxor,
also features the face of
the Pharaoh who builds it.
He is believed to be the Khafre.
It could be that
the faces on the Sphinx
here might be evidence of
the builder of the avenue.
Meredith searches for clues
at the avenue's southern end.
This is the Sphinx
of Luxor Temple.
And when I look at it closer,
it's got the royal headdress,
a cobra from its brow,
and a big false beard.
Those are all
hallmarks of kingship.
So this clearly is
the face of a pharaoh.
Meredith examines
the base of one
of the Sphinxes for more clues.
Here it is... this is
the clue I'm looking for.
This is the name of
the pharaoh who builds
the entirety of all the Sphinx
I see here, and it says,
[speaking ancient Egyptian].
That's Nectanebo the First.
He's the first king of
the last great Egyptian dynasty,
and his plans,
his grand design for Karnak
and Luxor, shape what we call
the Avenue of Sphinx today.
Nectanebo is a powerful
and ambitious
military commander.
In 380 BCE, he overthrows
the reigning Pharaoh
in a military coup
and proclaims himself as ruler.
He is the last Pharaoh to
build at the Avenue of Sphinx.
His plans
and initiatives between Luxor
and Karnak, his design,
last to this day.
Meredith ventures
deep into Luxor Temple to find
out who is the first Pharaoh
to build here.
This is Amenhotep the Third.
His name is right up
there... Nebmaatre.
And he has a cobra on his brow,
a sign of kingship.
Amenhotep is
the grandfather of Tutankhamun.
His reign begins
in around 1390 BCE,
over 1000 years before
Nectanebo the First.
Amenhotep the Third shapes
the Theban infrastructure
with his monuments,
and he's instrumental
to constructing
the Avenue of the Sphinx.
But Hatshepsut's cartouche in
the Red Chapel of Karnak
proves that the construction
of the avenue goes even
further back than Amenhotep.
It is Hatshepsut
who first builds
the processional road in
the 15th century BCE.
She constructs human-headed
Sphinxes in her own likeness.
Decades later, Amenhotep
the Third expands the avenue
and connects it to another
temple complex.
Amenhotep's grandson,
Tutankhamun, picks
up the project once again
and expands it.
One thousand years
after the boy king,
Nectanebo the First
adds the human-headed
Sphinxes that flank
the entrance to Luxor Temple.
The Avenue of the Sphinx is
a vast construction project
spanning generations
of Pharaohs over 1,000 years.
Ancient engineers craft
the Sphinx with extraordinary
detail and precision.
Can modern engineers resurrect
these ancient masterpieces?
Luxor, Egypt.
The restored ruins of
the Avenue of Sphinxes
runs through the center of
the ancient city.
The avenue lies
buried for thousands
of years beneath
the desert sands.
Restorers begin
the task of uncovering
the avenue over 70 years ago.
This project is
considered to be one of
the biggest restoration
projects all over
the Egyptian history.
Now, it's accessible for
the first time for
the investigators to come to
study everything
about the Sphinxes.
Now, restoration work
helps investigators piece
together what these magnificent
Sphinxes look like
in their prime.
Each Androsphinx is carved
from a monolithic block
of sandstone.
Stonemasons get to work on
the finer details.
They sculpt the lion's body
and the human head
with breathtaking precision.
Artists decorated with
a vibrant palette
of mineral-based paints.
Finally, they carve
mysterious hieroglyphs
into the base of each Sphinx.
How are modern experts
reconstructing
these ancient masterpieces?
Mostafa Al-Saghir
heads a team of excavators
and restorers who
work to return the Sphinxes
to their ancient glory.
This restoration project had
been started more than
70 years ago, when the first
statue of the Sphinx is
discovered in front
of Luxor Temple.
Today, Mostafa
and his team work to
restore one of
the human-headed Androsphinxes.
Today is a very special day.
We are now making
the restoration for one of
the Sphinxes that had been found
here in this area.
Only a few statues had been
found, because during
the medieval period, many of
them had been destroyed.
Mostafa's mission
is to position the head
back onto the body of
the Sphinx statue.
This work is really
important, because
it's a real piece of
the history.
It really gives us good
information about the work done
by Nectanebo the First here,
especially in the immediate
area of the Avenue of Sphinx
between Karnak
and Luxor Temples.
Nectanebo the First is obsessed
with the power of the Sphinx.
He builds more Sphinx statues
than any other Pharaoh.
The team start by clearing
the Sphinx of years
of dirt and debris.
My team really are
experienced with this,
but they are dealing with
a piece of the history.
So they have to take care
for every step they are
doing today.
Next, the crew
use a crane to lift
the ancient head of the Sphinx
into place over the body.
We are bringing
the Sphinx back to life.
Nobody has seen it like this
over thousands of years.
The slightest error
will be a failure
for Mustafa and his team.
They know what to do,
but they have to be really
careful, because there is no
chance for any mistake.
With the head in position,
the key moment has arrived.
So this is
the most important moment.
They have to be really
accurate to put
the head and to fit
perfectly over the statue.
Inches at a time,
they place the head
delicately onto the body.
The team maneuvers the head
into perfect position,
removes the crane, and brushes
away the final debris.
They use a special cement mix
made with plaster and red
brick to secure the head of
the Androsphinx into place.
This is the moment
that we are waiting for.
Now, the restoration work
is complete.
We really feel so satisfied to
bring the Sphinx back to life.
All that's left is
for the restoration team to
make final checks on
the quality of the work...
and celebrate
the successful restoration
of the ancient Sphinx.
The original
construction requires
an enormous workforce of
skilled craftspeople.
Stonemasons cut sandstone in the
quarries of Gebel el-Silsila.
Sailors transport it
75 miles downriver
to Thebes by barge.
Skilled workers use copper
tools to cut the sandstone
into smaller slabs
and assemble them to
form the paving of the avenue.
Stonemasons intricately
carve blocks of sandstone
and transform them into
the Sphinxes that line
the processional road.
Finally, they inscribe
hieroglyphs on the base
to honor the Pharaoh
and paint the Sphinxes
with bright pigments.
There should be
hundreds or even thousands of
engineers, stonemasons,
artists, who construct this
magnificent Avenue of Sphinx
from Luxor to Karnak Temples.
The engineers who
construct this mighty Avenue
of Sphinxes do so
for a single purpose...
The Opet Festival.
What is the grand finale of
the Opet Festival?
Can clues be found at
a mysterious shrine
in Luxor Temple?
The monumental
temples of Karnak and Luxor
are linked by the iconic
Avenue of Sphinxes.
In ancient times,
a grand celebration of
the annual Nile flood takes
place here... the Opet Festival.
But the magnificent finale to
the festival is shrouded
in mystery.
Luxor temple is
the final destination
of the Opet Festival,
and there must be more to
discover inside.
Beyond the imposing walls
and colonnades of Luxor Temple
lies a mysterious structure
that marks
the end point of the procession.
It is flanked by
four towering columns
that are shaped
like lotus flowers,
a symbol of life and creation.
The shrine has
three mysterious rooms,
each seemingly built to house
something of great importance.
Could this shrine hold
clues about
the grand finale of
the Opet Festival?
And what can it reveal about
the Pharaoh's obsession with
this annual ritual?
Meredith
ventures into the shrine.
She examines the walls
and spots an important clue.
This room is clearly dedicated
to the god, Amun.
His image is on both sides of
the door.
It's on the door frame.
And when I look through,
I can clearly see the god, Amun,
and even there's a picture of
his sacred barque.
So this is the place where Amun
rests towards the end of
the Opet Festival.
Two smaller rooms
flank the chamber
where Amun's barque shrine
is kept.
Meredith wants to find out
who they could be dedicated to
and what this could reveal about
the final stages of
the Opet Festival.
She investigates
the first chamber.
This image is important.
It has the symbol of the moon.
There's the crescent-shaped
moon underneath
the sun, and that's sitting
on a sacred boat.
This shows the symbol of
the moon god, Khonsu,
and it's his sacred barque
that resided in this shrine.
Amun is not
the only god worshiped
during the Opet Festival.
The god, Khonsu, is central to
ancient Egyptian religion
and also to this celebration.
Meredith enters
the final chamber to
find out which other gods
reside here.
This image is at the back of
the shrine, and it shows
the king offering to
a goddess, and she has
a vulture headdress
and the crown of upper
and lower Egypt.
That's the symbol of
the goddess Mut.
So this tells me, this shrine is
dedicated to the barque of
the goddess Mut.
These three gods...
Amun, Mut, and Khonsu...
Are each vital to
the Opet Festival.
Ancient Egyptians must perform
elaborate rituals to
appease them.
If they don't, the annual Nile
flood might fail,
and with it, the miracle of
Egypt's life-giving harvest.
The Opet Festival is
a celebration of
the renewal of the divine
power of the Theban Triad,
Amun, Mut, and Khonsu.
The festival
begins at Karnak Temple.
High priests take the statues of
the three gods and carry them
on ceremonial barques.
The Pharaoh accompanies
the priests as they
begin the procession along
the Avenue of Sphinx.
The procession stops at six
waystations along the route
and finally reaches
Luxor Temple.
The ceremonial barques
are taken into the shrine
of the Theban Triad,
and two weeks of feasting
and celebration begin.
The gods of the Theban Triad
rest in place at Luxor Temple.
They are appeased,
and the vital Nile flood is
ensured for another year.
The annual Nile flood
gives life to Egypt.
It brings in new soil
and water to grow crops
that everyone needed to survive,
and festivals like Opet ensured
the flood would come.
Why else is the Opet Festival
important to the pharaohs?
Could it be used to maintain
their grip on power?
Two grand temples,
Luxor...
and Karnak.
Mighty pharaohs pour resources
into them for over a millennia.
They connect them with
a ceremonial road,
the Avenue of Sphinxes,
built for the grand annual
Opet Festival.
The Opet Festival celebrates
the renewal of the divine power
of the Theban Triad,
Amun, Mut, and Khonsu.
It guarantees the life-giving
waters of the Nile flood
and ensures the inundation
for the prosperity of Egypt.
Meredith wants
to know why the Pharaohs
are so obsessed
with the Opet Festival.
She heads into the heart of
Luxor Temple to find out.
This is a remarkable image.
Amenhotep the Third inscribes
on these walls
the source of Pharaoh's
divine power.
Here, he depicts his mother
sitting on a bed with the god,
Amun, and Amun is extending
the key of life,
the Ankh sign, to the mother.
He is giving her divine essence.
And from this moment,
Amenhotep the Third is born.
He is not just a mortal,
he's also a god.
Amenhotep portrays himself
as a direct descendant of Amun,
king of the gods and the focus
of the Opet Festival.
He engraves his claim in stone
so that all
who see it will know of
his divine conception.
This is a delightful image.
It shows the god, Amun,
and this small child
is actually Amenhotep the Third,
and he's sitting on Amun's lap.
The intimacy in this image
connects the Pharaoh to
the gods.
The Pharaoh
Amenhotep's relationship with
our moon is close and personal.
So the Pharaoh's celebration
of Amun at the Opet Festival
is also a celebration
of the Pharaoh himself.
Meredith heads to the most
sacred part of the temple.
This is the inner sanctuary
of Luxor Temple.
It is the holy of holies, and
there's a special image here,
and it shows the god, Amun,
and the Pharaoh in an embrace.
It demonstrates that
the god Amun
is the source
of the Pharaoh's power.
The people of Thebes gather to
witness the Opet Festival
procession each year.
They are surrounded by
powerful images
of their god and their Pharaoh.
The Opet Festival was an amazing
chance for the people
of Egypt to get a glimpse of
the god, Amun.
It solidified their personal
connection with the god.
It also allowed the Pharaoh
to legitimize
his reign through his intimate
relationship with Amun.
The Pharaoh is at the center
of a ritual ceremony,
staged and managed to affirm
his divine right to rule.
He leads
the two-week celebration
of the inundation of the Nile
and a new year of
his reign over Egypt.
The entire population of Thebes
takes part in the Opet Festival.
Dancers, singers, and wrestlers
perform around
the temple complex.
When the celebration is over,
the priests float the statues
and barque shrines
on barges back to Karnak,
where they remain
until the following year.
After two weeks of celebrating,
the spirits of Amun, Mut,
Khonsu, and even the Pharaoh
are revived.
They emerge from Luxor
temple rejuvenated.
And after, the Nile will flood,
the fertility will come back
to the land,
and Egypt will prosper.
The vast
megastructure of the Avenue
of Sphinxes is built
for a single purpose,
a processional route for
the Opet Festival.
The rituals practiced here
are vital to all
of Egypt, from the Pharaoh to
the common people.
The Avenue of the Sphinx is
a vital link between the king of
the gods, Amun,
the Pharaoh, and the ancient
Egyptian people.
Built by generations
of Pharaohs over a millennium,
the Avenue of Sphinxes is at
the center of Egyptian culture.
Buried beneath
the sands of time,
archaeologists uncover it
thousands of years later,
to reveal a vital connection
between the temples of
ancient Thebes,
uncovering the secrets of
the Lost Sphinxes.
colossal temples in Egypt,
Karnak,
and Luxor.
Connecting them is an ancient
road flanked by mythical beasts.
This is the Avenue of Sphinxes.
It's remarkable
these ancient structures
have stood
for thousands of years.
The route is used by
the most powerful pharaohs
of ancient Egypt.
The avenue lies buried
beneath the sands
for thousands of years.
Now, a vast restoration
project is returning
this lost wonder
to its ancient glory.
Today, we are bringing
the Sphinx back to life.
Nobody has seen it like this
over thousands of years.
Our cameras have
unique access to follow experts
as they decipher ancient
messages from the temple ruins.
Despite centuries
of investigations,
there are still many secrets.
What is the purpose of
this extraordinary construction,
and who are the ancient rulers
who build it?
To solve these mysteries,
we blow away the sands of time
and unearth
this mighty structure.
We explore sacred chambers
of ancient ruins...
and digitally reconstruct
the avenue in all its splendor,
to decode the secrets of
the Lost Sphinxes.
Luxor.
This modern metropolis
is home to
the sprawling remains of
an ancient city,
the Egyptian capital Thebes.
Thebes is where
the pharaohs show off
their power by building
their grandest structures.
In the center of the city are
the two largest temples
in all of Egypt...
Karnak and Luxor.
Together, they cover an area
the size of 60 football fields.
In the 1950s,
archaeologists make
an incredible
discovery outside
the entrance of Karnak.
Buried beneath the sand,
they unearth a road made
of sandstone,
and on either side,
colossal statues of sphinxes.
Over 1200 of these mythological
creatures once line
the entire length of this
1.5-mile avenue.
The route connects Karnak
with another sacred temple
complex, Luxor.
What can these temples and this
extraordinary avenue reveal
about ancient Egypt?
In 2021,
after a 70-year
reconstruction project
that cost more than $30 million,
the biggest restoration
endeavor in Egyptian history,
the Avenue of Sphinxes is
finally open to investigators.
A grand ceremony
is held in Luxor
to celebrate the resurrection
of this ancient marvel.
Meredith Brand is
on a mission to uncover
the secret purpose of
the Avenue of Sphinxes.
This avenue is massive.
It's on a scale unlike
anything in ancient Egypt.
Meredith starts her
investigation at the southern
end of the Avenue
at Luxor Temple.
Luxor Temple is the seat of
the Pharaoh's divine power,
and it's a great place to
start to look for clues.
Meredith ventures
through the temple gateway
and into a vast columned room
called the Colonnade Hall.
It is decorated with
the statues of
powerful Pharaohs.
This statue shows
the young King Tutankhamun.
Based on the facial features,
it looks like
the boy king himself.
Luxor Temple is
where the rulers of the most
powerful dynasties of ancient
Egypt are crowned as Pharaohs.
Tutankhamun reigns
for only nine years,
in an era called
the New Kingdom.
This was a golden age for
ancient Egypt, and it
was a particular moment of
prosperity and glory
for Thebes.
Luxor Temple
and the Avenue of Sphinxes are
vitally important
to the Pharaohs
of New Kingdom Egypt.
More clues about the avenue
could lie on
the lavishly decorated walls
of the Colonnade Hall
in the temple.
They are covered in reliefs of
exquisite detail.
Meredith inspects the images
and ancient inscriptions.
These are fantastic carvings.
They paint
a scene of lively joy.
There's singers and drummers,
all kinds of musicians,
dancers and acrobats and piles
and piles of food.
This shows some kind of
massive celebration,
and it must have been
so important that
the Pharaoh wants
to immortalize it in stone,
in a temple.
These beautiful
reliefs suggest the temple
and the Avenue of Sphinxes
host a spectacular event.
Meredith searches for clues that
could reveal who creates
this relief.
This is a cartouche.
It's an ancient Egyptian
symbol that provides protection
for whatever is written inside.
This cartouche above me
seems to be from a king
named Horemheb,
but the closer I look,
something unusual is happening,
and it seems like this
cartouche has been altered.
The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt
are obsessed with power
and legacy,
sometimes to the detriment of
the rulers who came before.
Meredith identifies
other cartouches,
which also appear
to have been changed.
She examines high-definition
images of them.
It has the name Tutankhamun,
but something's happening.
Another Pharaoh comes
and inserts his hieroglyphs
into the name of Tutankhamun.
What's happening
in this image is
the same thing that's
happening in Luxor Temple.
What this shows is that
the images in this temple
: of the grand celebration are
actually made by Tutankhamun.
Tutankhamun's
short reign means that only
a few of his works survive.
Evidence that he creates
these reliefs and celebrates
a huge event on the Avenue of
Sphinxes is remarkable.
There must be
a reason why Tutankhamun
wants to immortalize
the celebration in stone.
Tutankhamun constructs
a majestic relief in
honor of this grand celebration.
Horemheb,
a Pharaoh who follows him,
claims the work as his own.
Meredith wants
to know who or what
is at the heart of
the celebration
and this magnificent
sacred complex.
She makes her way
through Luxor Temple
to the Avenue of
Sphinxes itself.
The Sphinx is
the ancient Egyptians'
ultimate symbol of strength
and protection.
The most famous,
the Great Sphinx, guards
the pyramid tombs
and temples of Giza.
I'm on a path, and it's lined
on both sides by Sphinx.
And when I look at them,
they're a bit different.
They're not your average Sphinx.
This one has the body of
a lion and the head of a ram.
This Sphinx makes me think
that this area is
set apart as a route of
a sacred space.
The Sphinxes on the
avenue protect the ceremonial
route between the temples
of Karnak and Luxor
and make it a sacred place.
This is remarkable.
These hieroglyphs
tell me exactly
what's going on with the Sphinx.
It reads Amun Ra,
king of the gods.
Amun Ra is the god of Luxor.
He's the god of Karnak Temple.
The name Amun is on every
single one of these Sphinx,
and it tells me that
this area is for Amun.
Amun is central to what's
happening on this path.
Meredith makes her way
more than a mile
along the avenue
to its northern end,
the colossal
temple complex of Karnak.
Karnak Temple is
where the pharaohs demonstrate
their power by building
the grandest structures.
Thousands of years ago,
Karnak Temple is a marvel of
the ancient world.
It spans over 250 acres,
and is filled
with chapels dedicated to
the gods of ancient Egypt.
In the heart of the complex is
the temple's most sacred shrine,
the Holy of Holies.
A solid gold statue
of the god Amun
is housed within
this inner sanctum.
His crown is topped with
two feathers and a sun disc.
Who is this mighty deity?
And why is he worshiped
at Karnak
and on the Avenue of Sphinxes?
Meredith makes her way through
the vast temple
to the inner sanctuary.
This is where
there was a golden statue
of the god, Amun.
And the ancient Egyptians
believed that Amun himself in
the form of a spirit lived
inside of the statue.
The only people
allowed in this space
were the king
and the high priest.
This is the most sacred
location in Karnak Temple.
Meredith investigates
the sanctuary exterior for
more evidence of
the mysterious god.
This is Amun.
I know it's Amun because of
his unique headdress.
He has a crown
with two feathered plumes
sticking out of it.
And I see this image of Amun all
over the walls of the temple
of Karnak.
It seems that almost every New
Kingdom Pharaoh came here
and built a temple or
a building dedicated to the god.
Amun is the mightiest
of all the gods.
He rises to power
in Egypt's New Kingdom,
from the 16th to the 11th
century BCE,
the time of Tutankhamun.
Looking at the statue,
I notice something else.
It actually has the facial
features
of the young boy king,
Tutankhamun,
So this statue is
King Tutankhamun
as the god, Amun.
He would want to do this,
because if the king shows
himself as the god,
it links Amun and the king...
The king gets the benefit of
the power, protection,
and divinity of Amun.
Amun's rise to power
as the undisputed king of
the gods coincides with
the rise of Thebes itself.
The royal capital
moves nearly 500 miles
south from Memphis to Thebes
in the 21st century BCE.
Pharaohs make Amun the supreme
god of the Egyptian pantheon
and merge him
with the sun god, Ra.
Amun is the creator of
the universe
and is associated with fertility
and the force of the wind.
Karnak Temple
becomes the center of a cult
dedicated to Amun,
and Pharaohs construct temples
to show their
affiliation with the new king
of the gods.
A grand avenue guarded by
elaborate Sphinxes is the focal
point of a celebration of
Thebes' most powerful god,
Amun.
This is the site of
more than just a celebration.
It's a festival vital
for the king
of the gods, Amun,
and the Pharaoh himself.
What could be
so vital to the god, Amun,
and the Pharaohs of
the New Kingdom?
Could clues lie in a restored
chapel in the ruins of Thebes?
The Avenue of Sphinxes in Luxor,
a monumental road
at the heart of
the ancient Egyptian capital,
Thebes.
Meredith Brand is on a mission
to uncover the secrets
of the avenue
and a mysterious celebration
that takes place here.
Statues of Amun at Karnak
suggest he is at the center of
the celebrations,
and throughout the complex are
ruins that hold further clues.
Archaeologists excavate Karnak
and discover fragments of
a mysterious structure
scattered across the site.
They piece them together
and reveal it is once
a sacred chapel dedicated
to the god of Thebes, Amun.
A plinth stands in
the center of the chapel.
A gold-painted wooden boat is
placed on top during
ritual celebrations.
It holds a solid golden statue
of Amun.
Who builds this
elaborate shrine?
And what can it reveal
about the celebration
on the Avenue of Sphinxes?
Modern engineers
use the original
fragments to painstakingly
rebuild the chapel.
Meredith ventures inside to
examine the surviving evidence.
This cartouche holds the clue
as to who built this chapel.
It says
[speaking ancient Egyptian]
Amun, Hatshepsut.
This cartouche belongs to
Hatshepsut,
a female king.
She was around the 1400s BC,
a powerful Pharaoh of Egypt,
and this is her chapel to
the god, Amun.
Hatshepsut
constructs six chapels
like this one
along the route of
the Avenue of Sphinxes.
Meredith examines the chapel
exterior for clues about
what happens during
the celebration on the avenue.
Oh, look at that image!
It's fantastic!
There's these dancers
doing back flips
and acrobats and a musician
with a harp.
The whole procession seems
lively, fun entertainment.
It kind of reminds me of
the image at Luxor Temple.
A procession depicted at Luxor
is celebrated
on the avenue, too.
Meredith searches
for more reliefs
that could reveal further
clues about this grand event.
This scene is important.
It shows the king, who is
behind a procession of priests,
walking on a road or avenue,
carrying a barque of Amun.
The barque is a sacred vessel
and a key feature of ancient
Egyptian rituals.
The relief reveals
the statue and barque
are a vital part
of a ritual procession.
They're moving forward towards
a building that's like
a waystation or a stopping
point in the procession.
And inside is
the barque, and outside,
there is the king,
offering incense
and doing rituals
at this waystation.
So this shows an entire
ritual scene on an avenue
with key points of rest for
the barque and ritual practice.
The procession rests
at the six shrines
built by Hatshepsut.
Priests perform rituals
in honor of
the god Amun in each shrine.
Here it is... the key.
It says
[speaking Ancient Egyptian],
"his beautiful
festival of Opet."
That's the name of the festival.
This is the Opet Festival.
Meredith wants
to know if the Opet
Festival is just about
honoring Amun.
She examines the structure of
the chapel for clues.
Oh, this is fascinating!
The entire bottom
of this chapel is built
with this black diorite stone...
To the ancient Egyptians,
black represented the fertile
Nile soil after the flood.
It was the source of life to
the ancient Egyptians, and
ancient Egyptian kings
were concerned with rebirth,
renewal, and regeneration.
Fertility was their main
earthly and spiritual goal.
The black stone
reveals the importance of
the annual Nile flood
to the festival
on the Avenue of Sphinxes.
The Nile Valley is inundated
every year by monsoon rains.
Millions of gallons of water
pour into the river.
Priests monitor the river's
depth in special structures
called Nilometers
and forecast the annual flood
and the size of the harvest.
The monsoon rainwater
overflows the Nile's banks
and leaves behind
a rich layer of silt.
Farmers plant their crops in
this nutrient-rich soil
and grow the food that powers
Egyptian civilization.
The symbolism of
the black stone is clear.
The Opet Festival is
about the Nile inundation.
Everybody in ancient Egypt was
concerned about the flood
of the Nile, from the king to
the commoner.
The Opet Festival is
a grand celebration
to honor the mighty Amun.
Ancient Egyptians believe
the ceremony ensures
the annual flood.
It is the Nile flood that
allows all life
in Egypt to thrive.
The avenue and the temples are
used for this ritual
for 1,000 years.
But who builds
the Avenue of Sphinxes?
Could clues be found on
the mythical beasts themselves?
Luxor, Egypt.
The huge Avenue of Sphinxes
is the site
of a grand religious festival
dedicated to god, Amun.
The Avenue of
the Sphinx is central to
the power of the pharaoh,
and it's a marvel
of ancient engineering
and infrastructure.
The resources
of ancient Egypt are
poured into this vast
construction project.
But the name of the Pharaoh who
first builds it
is shrouded in mystery.
Clues could lie in the design
of the Sphinxes themselves.
The Karnak end of the avenue
features more than 100
exquisitely carved Criosphinxes.
They have the body of
a resting lion,
the head of a ram,
and a statue of a Pharaoh
between the paws.
The Luxor end of the avenue
has hundreds of Androsphinxes.
They also have
the body of a lion,
but each has
the same human head,
and they sit on a platform
covered in hieroglyphs.
Could these human-headed
Sphinxes shed
light on who builds the avenue?
The Great Sphinx of Giza,
300 miles north of Luxor,
also features the face of
the Pharaoh who builds it.
He is believed to be the Khafre.
It could be that
the faces on the Sphinx
here might be evidence of
the builder of the avenue.
Meredith searches for clues
at the avenue's southern end.
This is the Sphinx
of Luxor Temple.
And when I look at it closer,
it's got the royal headdress,
a cobra from its brow,
and a big false beard.
Those are all
hallmarks of kingship.
So this clearly is
the face of a pharaoh.
Meredith examines
the base of one
of the Sphinxes for more clues.
Here it is... this is
the clue I'm looking for.
This is the name of
the pharaoh who builds
the entirety of all the Sphinx
I see here, and it says,
[speaking ancient Egyptian].
That's Nectanebo the First.
He's the first king of
the last great Egyptian dynasty,
and his plans,
his grand design for Karnak
and Luxor, shape what we call
the Avenue of Sphinx today.
Nectanebo is a powerful
and ambitious
military commander.
In 380 BCE, he overthrows
the reigning Pharaoh
in a military coup
and proclaims himself as ruler.
He is the last Pharaoh to
build at the Avenue of Sphinx.
His plans
and initiatives between Luxor
and Karnak, his design,
last to this day.
Meredith ventures
deep into Luxor Temple to find
out who is the first Pharaoh
to build here.
This is Amenhotep the Third.
His name is right up
there... Nebmaatre.
And he has a cobra on his brow,
a sign of kingship.
Amenhotep is
the grandfather of Tutankhamun.
His reign begins
in around 1390 BCE,
over 1000 years before
Nectanebo the First.
Amenhotep the Third shapes
the Theban infrastructure
with his monuments,
and he's instrumental
to constructing
the Avenue of the Sphinx.
But Hatshepsut's cartouche in
the Red Chapel of Karnak
proves that the construction
of the avenue goes even
further back than Amenhotep.
It is Hatshepsut
who first builds
the processional road in
the 15th century BCE.
She constructs human-headed
Sphinxes in her own likeness.
Decades later, Amenhotep
the Third expands the avenue
and connects it to another
temple complex.
Amenhotep's grandson,
Tutankhamun, picks
up the project once again
and expands it.
One thousand years
after the boy king,
Nectanebo the First
adds the human-headed
Sphinxes that flank
the entrance to Luxor Temple.
The Avenue of the Sphinx is
a vast construction project
spanning generations
of Pharaohs over 1,000 years.
Ancient engineers craft
the Sphinx with extraordinary
detail and precision.
Can modern engineers resurrect
these ancient masterpieces?
Luxor, Egypt.
The restored ruins of
the Avenue of Sphinxes
runs through the center of
the ancient city.
The avenue lies
buried for thousands
of years beneath
the desert sands.
Restorers begin
the task of uncovering
the avenue over 70 years ago.
This project is
considered to be one of
the biggest restoration
projects all over
the Egyptian history.
Now, it's accessible for
the first time for
the investigators to come to
study everything
about the Sphinxes.
Now, restoration work
helps investigators piece
together what these magnificent
Sphinxes look like
in their prime.
Each Androsphinx is carved
from a monolithic block
of sandstone.
Stonemasons get to work on
the finer details.
They sculpt the lion's body
and the human head
with breathtaking precision.
Artists decorated with
a vibrant palette
of mineral-based paints.
Finally, they carve
mysterious hieroglyphs
into the base of each Sphinx.
How are modern experts
reconstructing
these ancient masterpieces?
Mostafa Al-Saghir
heads a team of excavators
and restorers who
work to return the Sphinxes
to their ancient glory.
This restoration project had
been started more than
70 years ago, when the first
statue of the Sphinx is
discovered in front
of Luxor Temple.
Today, Mostafa
and his team work to
restore one of
the human-headed Androsphinxes.
Today is a very special day.
We are now making
the restoration for one of
the Sphinxes that had been found
here in this area.
Only a few statues had been
found, because during
the medieval period, many of
them had been destroyed.
Mostafa's mission
is to position the head
back onto the body of
the Sphinx statue.
This work is really
important, because
it's a real piece of
the history.
It really gives us good
information about the work done
by Nectanebo the First here,
especially in the immediate
area of the Avenue of Sphinx
between Karnak
and Luxor Temples.
Nectanebo the First is obsessed
with the power of the Sphinx.
He builds more Sphinx statues
than any other Pharaoh.
The team start by clearing
the Sphinx of years
of dirt and debris.
My team really are
experienced with this,
but they are dealing with
a piece of the history.
So they have to take care
for every step they are
doing today.
Next, the crew
use a crane to lift
the ancient head of the Sphinx
into place over the body.
We are bringing
the Sphinx back to life.
Nobody has seen it like this
over thousands of years.
The slightest error
will be a failure
for Mustafa and his team.
They know what to do,
but they have to be really
careful, because there is no
chance for any mistake.
With the head in position,
the key moment has arrived.
So this is
the most important moment.
They have to be really
accurate to put
the head and to fit
perfectly over the statue.
Inches at a time,
they place the head
delicately onto the body.
The team maneuvers the head
into perfect position,
removes the crane, and brushes
away the final debris.
They use a special cement mix
made with plaster and red
brick to secure the head of
the Androsphinx into place.
This is the moment
that we are waiting for.
Now, the restoration work
is complete.
We really feel so satisfied to
bring the Sphinx back to life.
All that's left is
for the restoration team to
make final checks on
the quality of the work...
and celebrate
the successful restoration
of the ancient Sphinx.
The original
construction requires
an enormous workforce of
skilled craftspeople.
Stonemasons cut sandstone in the
quarries of Gebel el-Silsila.
Sailors transport it
75 miles downriver
to Thebes by barge.
Skilled workers use copper
tools to cut the sandstone
into smaller slabs
and assemble them to
form the paving of the avenue.
Stonemasons intricately
carve blocks of sandstone
and transform them into
the Sphinxes that line
the processional road.
Finally, they inscribe
hieroglyphs on the base
to honor the Pharaoh
and paint the Sphinxes
with bright pigments.
There should be
hundreds or even thousands of
engineers, stonemasons,
artists, who construct this
magnificent Avenue of Sphinx
from Luxor to Karnak Temples.
The engineers who
construct this mighty Avenue
of Sphinxes do so
for a single purpose...
The Opet Festival.
What is the grand finale of
the Opet Festival?
Can clues be found at
a mysterious shrine
in Luxor Temple?
The monumental
temples of Karnak and Luxor
are linked by the iconic
Avenue of Sphinxes.
In ancient times,
a grand celebration of
the annual Nile flood takes
place here... the Opet Festival.
But the magnificent finale to
the festival is shrouded
in mystery.
Luxor temple is
the final destination
of the Opet Festival,
and there must be more to
discover inside.
Beyond the imposing walls
and colonnades of Luxor Temple
lies a mysterious structure
that marks
the end point of the procession.
It is flanked by
four towering columns
that are shaped
like lotus flowers,
a symbol of life and creation.
The shrine has
three mysterious rooms,
each seemingly built to house
something of great importance.
Could this shrine hold
clues about
the grand finale of
the Opet Festival?
And what can it reveal about
the Pharaoh's obsession with
this annual ritual?
Meredith
ventures into the shrine.
She examines the walls
and spots an important clue.
This room is clearly dedicated
to the god, Amun.
His image is on both sides of
the door.
It's on the door frame.
And when I look through,
I can clearly see the god, Amun,
and even there's a picture of
his sacred barque.
So this is the place where Amun
rests towards the end of
the Opet Festival.
Two smaller rooms
flank the chamber
where Amun's barque shrine
is kept.
Meredith wants to find out
who they could be dedicated to
and what this could reveal about
the final stages of
the Opet Festival.
She investigates
the first chamber.
This image is important.
It has the symbol of the moon.
There's the crescent-shaped
moon underneath
the sun, and that's sitting
on a sacred boat.
This shows the symbol of
the moon god, Khonsu,
and it's his sacred barque
that resided in this shrine.
Amun is not
the only god worshiped
during the Opet Festival.
The god, Khonsu, is central to
ancient Egyptian religion
and also to this celebration.
Meredith enters
the final chamber to
find out which other gods
reside here.
This image is at the back of
the shrine, and it shows
the king offering to
a goddess, and she has
a vulture headdress
and the crown of upper
and lower Egypt.
That's the symbol of
the goddess Mut.
So this tells me, this shrine is
dedicated to the barque of
the goddess Mut.
These three gods...
Amun, Mut, and Khonsu...
Are each vital to
the Opet Festival.
Ancient Egyptians must perform
elaborate rituals to
appease them.
If they don't, the annual Nile
flood might fail,
and with it, the miracle of
Egypt's life-giving harvest.
The Opet Festival is
a celebration of
the renewal of the divine
power of the Theban Triad,
Amun, Mut, and Khonsu.
The festival
begins at Karnak Temple.
High priests take the statues of
the three gods and carry them
on ceremonial barques.
The Pharaoh accompanies
the priests as they
begin the procession along
the Avenue of Sphinx.
The procession stops at six
waystations along the route
and finally reaches
Luxor Temple.
The ceremonial barques
are taken into the shrine
of the Theban Triad,
and two weeks of feasting
and celebration begin.
The gods of the Theban Triad
rest in place at Luxor Temple.
They are appeased,
and the vital Nile flood is
ensured for another year.
The annual Nile flood
gives life to Egypt.
It brings in new soil
and water to grow crops
that everyone needed to survive,
and festivals like Opet ensured
the flood would come.
Why else is the Opet Festival
important to the pharaohs?
Could it be used to maintain
their grip on power?
Two grand temples,
Luxor...
and Karnak.
Mighty pharaohs pour resources
into them for over a millennia.
They connect them with
a ceremonial road,
the Avenue of Sphinxes,
built for the grand annual
Opet Festival.
The Opet Festival celebrates
the renewal of the divine power
of the Theban Triad,
Amun, Mut, and Khonsu.
It guarantees the life-giving
waters of the Nile flood
and ensures the inundation
for the prosperity of Egypt.
Meredith wants
to know why the Pharaohs
are so obsessed
with the Opet Festival.
She heads into the heart of
Luxor Temple to find out.
This is a remarkable image.
Amenhotep the Third inscribes
on these walls
the source of Pharaoh's
divine power.
Here, he depicts his mother
sitting on a bed with the god,
Amun, and Amun is extending
the key of life,
the Ankh sign, to the mother.
He is giving her divine essence.
And from this moment,
Amenhotep the Third is born.
He is not just a mortal,
he's also a god.
Amenhotep portrays himself
as a direct descendant of Amun,
king of the gods and the focus
of the Opet Festival.
He engraves his claim in stone
so that all
who see it will know of
his divine conception.
This is a delightful image.
It shows the god, Amun,
and this small child
is actually Amenhotep the Third,
and he's sitting on Amun's lap.
The intimacy in this image
connects the Pharaoh to
the gods.
The Pharaoh
Amenhotep's relationship with
our moon is close and personal.
So the Pharaoh's celebration
of Amun at the Opet Festival
is also a celebration
of the Pharaoh himself.
Meredith heads to the most
sacred part of the temple.
This is the inner sanctuary
of Luxor Temple.
It is the holy of holies, and
there's a special image here,
and it shows the god, Amun,
and the Pharaoh in an embrace.
It demonstrates that
the god Amun
is the source
of the Pharaoh's power.
The people of Thebes gather to
witness the Opet Festival
procession each year.
They are surrounded by
powerful images
of their god and their Pharaoh.
The Opet Festival was an amazing
chance for the people
of Egypt to get a glimpse of
the god, Amun.
It solidified their personal
connection with the god.
It also allowed the Pharaoh
to legitimize
his reign through his intimate
relationship with Amun.
The Pharaoh is at the center
of a ritual ceremony,
staged and managed to affirm
his divine right to rule.
He leads
the two-week celebration
of the inundation of the Nile
and a new year of
his reign over Egypt.
The entire population of Thebes
takes part in the Opet Festival.
Dancers, singers, and wrestlers
perform around
the temple complex.
When the celebration is over,
the priests float the statues
and barque shrines
on barges back to Karnak,
where they remain
until the following year.
After two weeks of celebrating,
the spirits of Amun, Mut,
Khonsu, and even the Pharaoh
are revived.
They emerge from Luxor
temple rejuvenated.
And after, the Nile will flood,
the fertility will come back
to the land,
and Egypt will prosper.
The vast
megastructure of the Avenue
of Sphinxes is built
for a single purpose,
a processional route for
the Opet Festival.
The rituals practiced here
are vital to all
of Egypt, from the Pharaoh to
the common people.
The Avenue of the Sphinx is
a vital link between the king of
the gods, Amun,
the Pharaoh, and the ancient
Egyptian people.
Built by generations
of Pharaohs over a millennium,
the Avenue of Sphinxes is at
the center of Egyptian culture.
Buried beneath
the sands of time,
archaeologists uncover it
thousands of years later,
to reveal a vital connection
between the temples of
ancient Thebes,
uncovering the secrets of
the Lost Sphinxes.