The Race for Ancient Egypt in Colour

The Race for Ancient Egypt in Colour reveals the extraordinary story of Egypt in the years between the World Wars – a time when archaeology became entangled in the politics of a nation striving for sovereignty.  In 1922, Egyptology burst onto the world stage with Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb sparking global Egyptomania.  But the discovery came amid a period of rapid political change, with Egypt having won partial independence from Britain.  As its leaders sought greater control over foreign excavations, many Western archaeologists resisted, unwilling to relinquish access to a past, and despite the crucial Egyptian contributions that went largely unrecognised, the race for ancient Egypt was on!

The series also addresses other key discoveries made during this era such as Queen Hetepheres' tomb, and Pierre Montet's spectacular yet little-know discovery at Tanis – until World War II brought this golden age of discovery in Egypt to an end.