ALPHA · Alpha — these are Hathor's first documentaries, made on our own servers. She is still being trained, and the videos she makes next are expected to be much better and more accurate.
Living with the Dead: Egyptian Tomb Life
Inside the painted tombs of Thebes — banquets, fishing, harvests and the journey of the soul, as the Egyptians painted them for eternity.
Chapters
On-screen text
- 0:07 Thebes, c. 1400 BC
- 0:14 Theban Necropolis, New Kingdom, West Bank Historical record · Theban Necropolis (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- 0:52 Deir el‑Medina: artisans' village Historical record · Deir el-Medina excavations
- 2:11 How did they seal the tombs against the desert? The Institute's interpretation
- 2:35 A feast for eternity
- 3:04 Music accompanies the feast Historical record · Tomb of Nebamun, British Museum
- 3:17 Why did the guests wear cones on their heads? Historical record · Theban tomb paintings
- 3:53 Nebamun’s tomb shows a marsh hunt Historical record · Tomb of Nebamun, British Museum
- 4:36 What scent filled the air?
- 4:55 Before Osiris
- 5:02 The Institute reads: The heart weighed against Maat’s feather before Osiris. Historical record · Papyrus of Hunefer, British Museum
- 5:49 Papyrus of Hunefer depicts Osiris presiding over the weighing. Historical record · Papyrus of Hunefer, British Museum
- 5:56 The Institute reads: Thoth records the judgment on the Book. Historical record · Papyrus of Hunefer, British Museum
- 6:21 Papyrus of Hunefer shows the soul entering the afterlife. Historical record · Papyrus of Hunefer, British Museum
- 7:00 So the dead could breathe
- 7:15 Tomb painting shows Opening of the Mouth Historical record · Tomb paintings and the Book of the Dead
- 7:52 The dead could eat again Historical record · Tomb paintings and the Book of the Dead
- 9:11 The dead could speak again Historical record · Tomb paintings and the Book of the Dead
Sources
Historical record: Theban Necropolis (UNESCO World Heritage Site) · Deir el-Medina excavations · Tomb of Nebamun, British Museum · Theban tomb paintings · Papyrus of Hunefer, British Museum · Tomb paintings and the Book of the Dead
Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 232 s of CPU.
Scenes Hathor has no parts for yet (7) — the next things to make
- Still of artisans carving limestone, chisels striking stone, clouds of dust rising in rhythmic motion.
- Push in on a young artisan pausing, eyes fixed on the distant cliffs, contemplation in his posture.
- Two flautists and a drummer join the harpist, their instruments creating a lively, overlapping chorus that lifts the mood.
- Close-up of a lyre player’s fingers, each pluck sending resonant tones that ripple through the stone chamber.
- The deceased's spirit, a faint blue outline, watches anxiously as the scales balance, hands clasped near the chest.
- The heart lightens, a soft glow spreading, while the feather remains steady, indicating the heart is lighter than truth.
- The chamber grows still; a silent echo of a chant seems to linger as the torches dim gradually.