Egypt (TV serial)

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Egypt is the title of a BBC television drama serial about various archaeological discoveries taking place in that country's history, with the occasional 'flashback' scene involving actors portraying the ancient Egyptians themselves. The hour-long show originally aired on Sunday nights at 9pm on BBC1 in 2005.

The first two episodes explored the work of Howard Carter and his archaeological quest in Egypt in the early part of the twentieth century. The next two episodes focused on the eccentric explorer 'The Great Belzoni', played by Matthew Kelly. The final two episodes dramatise the discovery and deciphering of the Rosetta Stone by Jean-François Champollion, who is played by Elliot Cowan.

Contents 1 Episode One 2 Episode Two 3 Episode Three 4 Episode Four 5 Episode Five 6 Episode Six 7 Cast

[edit] Episode One

Episode One entitled "The Search for Tutankhamun" deals with the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun by Howard Carter. It shows Carter's perseverance, with the funding of Lord Carnarvon, to find the tomb in the face of claims it was not in the Valley of the Kings. Carter's quest is interrupted at various points with short biographical segments on the Pharaoh and how these account for some of Carter's discoveries.

[edit] Episode Two

"The Curse of Tutankhamun" was the second episode of the series to be broadcast on BBC One. After the discovery made by Howard Carter the popular belief that the Curse of the Pharaohs came with opening the tomb was made clear. Although the episode indicated that the curse could exist it was not made clear. Again as in the first the episode contains short sections on the young Pharaoh.

[edit] Episode Three

"The Pharaoh and the Showman" was the third episode. This episode charts Giovanni Belzoni's beginnings as an explorer. It begins with Belzoni's failure as a strongman in England and then moves to Egypt where he is asked to assist the British Consul in retrieving the head of a large statue of Ramesses the Great. His progress is punctuated with short sections of Ramesses life, and at points his journey is narrated using actual excerpt's from his travel diary.

[edit] Episode Four

[edit] Episode Five

[edit] Episode Six

[edit] Cast

• Howard Carter - Stuart Graham
• Lord Carnarvon - Julian Wadham
• Lady Carnarvon - Caroline Langrishe
• Evelyn Carnarvon - Alex Weaver
• Pierre Lacau - Valentine Pelka
• Theodore Davis - William Hope
• Leonard - Laurence Fox
• Belzoni - Matthew Kelly
• Sarah Belzoni - Lynsey Baxter
• James Curtin - Nevan Finnigan
• Henry Salt - Robert Portal
• William Beechey - Richard Dempsey
• John Lewis Bukhardt - Thomas Lockyer
• Bernardino Drovetti - Joseph Long
• Jean-François Champollion - Elliot Cowan
• Jacques-Joseph Champollion - Stuart Bunce