Ancient Egypt is famous for its cult of the dead. Tomb complexes, mummies and fabulous treasures fire people's imagination to this day. Back then, it played a central role for the Egyptians. Episode 4 of ANCIENT EGYPT – Chronicles of an Empire tells the story behind this cult. Long before King Narmer united Upper and Lower Egypt for the first time around 3100 BC, the people along the Nile are burying their dead in the desert sand. They observe that a corpse does not decompose and that the body is preserved. This observation is the basis for a cult of the dead that has lasted for thousands of years. It is based on the belief that eternal life in the hereafter is only possible via a preserved body in this world. The documentary traces the development and the embellishment of the cult of the dead.

Women in ancient Egypt held a special fascination, even for their contemporaries. They enjoy a form of equality unparalleled in the ancient world. For over 3000 years, women influenced the fate of Ancient Egypt. Episode 6 of our documentary series tells their story.
Women already played an important role in the pantheon of gods - like the goddesses Hathor and Isis, whose legacy reaches into Christianity. In the mortal world, too, women may wield extraordinary power. Like the kings' mothers, who take over the regency for their young sons and thus secure their throne.

In addition, the film also tells the stories of famous women such as Nefertiti and Cleopatra. The fascination ancient Egypt continues to hold, is not only due to its great men. But also, to its cast of extraordinary women.