The Latest Secrets of Hieroglyphs

Original version

To allow the historical schedules to be captured and assist in analytics and associating audience data with rights stakeholders

BBC History Channel

BBC Four

BBC Four HD

Patrice Gellé

Patrick Cabouat

Bleu Kobalt

France Télévisions

Documentaries

Factual: History

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

BBC Four - The Latest Secrets of Hieroglyphs

How experts are learning more about those who wrote the texts of the ancient Egyptians.

In 1822, Jean-François Champollion became the first person to decipher hieroglyphs in over a thousand years. Now, a new generation of Egyptologists is learning more about the people who wrote them.

The great history of Egypt is inscribed on its monuments, temples and tombs, but hieroglyphs – the written language of the ancient Egyptians – fell silent until 1822 when a young French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, became the first person to decipher their texts for over a thousand years. Champollion’s insights and the work of other scholars helped bring an entire civilisation back to life.   

Today, researchers are increasingly interested in the authors who created these hieroglyphic works. Near Luxor, The Latest Secrets of Hieroglyphs follows a new generation of Egyptologists as they unlock the texts inscribed inside a richly adorned tomb, revealing the beliefs and lives of the priests, scribes, painters, engravers and builders who created this grand funerary monument.

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Latest Secrets of Hieroglyphs

Contributors

Genres

Formats

BBC History Channel