Plot Synopsis

TOMB HUNTERS is a four-episode documentary series that follows an international team of archaeologists and Egyptologists as they excavate and unearth an unparalleled wealth of unseen treasure in Saqqara, just outside of Cairo. Buried 36 feet deep, more than 27 sarcophagi were found -- untouched and unopened for over 2,500 years, even retaining their original color. Plus, two coffins with gilded masks were discovered. One of these golden masks has a beard, an important symbol for ancient Egyptians to identify themselves with Osiris, God of the Underworld. Researchers will study these mummies to learn more about who they were, while Scientists may even be able to identify their modern decedents. Featuring pyramid ruins and burial sites of the Egyptian Elite barely half a mile from the Step Pyramid, the discoveries inside provide new insights into the story of life and death in ancient Egypt. Now, for the first time in one place it is possible to piece together the evolution of the Egyptian attitude to death and burial -- tomb building, mummification, funerary equipment and funerary texts. Stunning tombs, dozens of mummies and extraordinary artifacts all lead us on a journey far beyond the dig site to uncover mysteries of an ancient world.
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On Monday, July 19, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT, Smithsonian Channel premiered "Rise of the Greeks," the season finale of TOMB HUNTERS. The discovery of a burial shaft filled with priceless gilded coffins provides insights into what happened when Greek rulers took over ancient Egypt.