Egypt - Beyond The Pyramids
The four programs from the History Channel inEgypt: Beyond the  Pyramidsshowcase current archaeological work that is changing how  historians think about life in ancient Egypt. Some of the greatest temples and  tombs of Egypt are visited, and authorities explain the significance of  particular aspects of their construction. Efforts to restore temples that had  been lost under centuries of sand are shown, and one episode focuses on the  discovery of a massive complex of tombs in the Valley of the Kings, which only  began to be fully explored in the mid-1990s. The host of these programs, British  actor Peter Woodward, presents the material skillfully, keeping the interviews  with scholars informative as well as entertaining. An episode focusing on the  daily life of ancient Egyptians even features Woodward putting on the sort of  makeup that ordinary Egyptians are believed to have worn as both protection from  the sun and a fashion statement. Visits to archaeological digs, including a  recently discovered remote site that inexplicably contains hundreds of mummies,  demonstrate how what we have known about Egypt may only be a fraction of what is  still left to be discovered. These programs are intelligent and the beautiful  photography makes them that much more enjoyable.--Robert J. McNamara