‘Lost Tombs’ Opens Ancient Burial Spots

Ever had the urge to look over the shoulder of an archeologist as he unearths buried treasure or enters a previously unopened tomb?

You’ll have your chance tonight in the Fox special, “Opening the Lost Tombs: Live From Egypt.” Raising the specter of Geraldo Rivera’s disappointing opening of Al Capone’s vault, the event will record scientists’ first forays into two recently discovered tombs.

One is the (small) pyramid of Queen Khameremebty II, the wife of the Pharaoh Menkaure, who built the third large pyramid at Giza. The second is the recently discovered Tomb of the Unknown, which lies near the burial place of Kai, high priest to the pharaohs who built two of the pyramids.

The Tomb of the Unknown was discovered by archeologist Zahi Hawass, who is Egypt’s undersecretary of state for the Giza Plateau. Hawass has identified many small tombs in the area of the pyramids, most left by the artisans who constructed the massive stone monuments. Some have contained statues and other artifacts that have provided new insight into the period.

The tombs will be entered by Hawass and archeologist Gaballa Ali Gaballa, secretary general of the Egyptian Antiquities Organization, and the show’s host, newsman Arthur Kent. The live program (airing here in a three-hour East Coast tape delay) originates at 3 a.m. in Egypt, so the team may be a bit groggy.

Producer Peter Isacksen says the live cameras will also provide a surprise, which he hints is a room 200 feet below the surface of the Giza Plateau that “may prove to be a gateway to a tremendous find.”

Isacksen said about 60% of the program was filmed in advance, detailing the preparations to enter the tombs. The show also makes a filmed visit to Saqqara, just outside Giza, to examine Nefer, the oldest mummy ever discovered in a tomb.

And if there proves to be nothing inside the tombs, that too is one of the risks of discovery. Archeologists are often beaten to tombs by looters, who remove most everything of value. You may share an archeological experience that is actually more common than finding valuable artifacts.

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* “Opening the Lost Tombs: Live From Egypt” airs tonight at 8 on Fox.