The Mummy Who Would Be King

If King Rameses I could see what has happened to his own mummified corpse, he might borrow a lyric from the Grateful Dead and say "what a long, strange trip it's been." Three thousand years after his death, the carefully preserved remains of the head of Egypt's 19th royal dynasty were stolen, sold, transported around the world, and placed on display in the Niagara Falls Museum in Canada, where Rameses would remain anonymous among other mummies for over 100 years. This typically captivating episode of the PBS-aired NOVA series chronicles the amazing events that led to the identification of one of ancient Egypt's most influential pharaohs. In the mid-1960s, the elegant-looking mummy attracted the attention of archaeologists and Egyptologists, but it wasn't until 2003 that it was finally subjected to a rigid series of tests and expert analysis, including carbon dating and DNA testing (the latter inconclusive, due to an unknown factor in the mummification process that makes DNA testing unreliable). Narrated by Stacy Keach, the program illustrates how the mummy's position (arms crossed at the chest), along with various other clues, led experts to conclude that this was, indeed, the mummy of Rameses I. An explanation of Egyptian rituals and mummification techniques, together with the requisite historical context, provide solid background for this fascinating program, which ends, quite fittingly, with the mummy of Rameses I being brought home to rest among other Egyptian royals on display in the Cairo Museum. DVD extras include printable materials for educators. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)