Movie Monday Jan. 3: Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb

Happy New Year! After a bit of time off during Christmas and New Years, I’m back with another movie this week, Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb. This Netflix documentary is fascinating. As a lover of ancient history, especially that of Egypt, this was especially up my alley.

**Warning, mild spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t watched the movie yet, what are you doing?**

In late 2018, an Egyptian archeological team is excavating Saqqara, an ancient necropolis. They discover a tomb full of secrets, from the life of the owner, the priest Wahtye, to a mysterious animal mummy. As the team races the clock to Ramadan, when their funding will run out, they begin to make additional discoveries including more sarcophaguses and artifacts. The documentary also shines a light on those working at the dig. Each member of the team plays an important role. Some are specialists in their field of study and others have followed in their forefathers’ footsteps and work as diggers and foremen. They all play a part in unearthing the treasures of their homeland and adding to the already rich history of Egypt.

I loved this documentary. It’s a nice balance of educational insight into the process of a dig and mysteries of the past. I’m pretty sure almost all kids go through an ancient Egypt phase at some point, and some never outgrow them (like me). If I had to pick another career, regardless of previous education, I’d definitely pick archeologist or egyptologist. 

Even if you have no interest in history or archeology, I think you’d find Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb compelling. It’s not all cut and dry facts and each segment doesn’t drone on and on. I’ve recommended this movie to friends and family time and time again and everyone who has watched it has enjoyed it. 

This documentary is also just the tip of the iceberg. There are still more discoveries to be made and Saqqara is still an active dig site. Just last year 50 new sarcophaguses were found there. The tomb of Queen Nearit from the Sixth Dynasty of Egypt was also found, another major discovery.

If you’re looking for a documentary to watch, or even if you’re not, I’d say give Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb a watch. It won’t disappoint.

One moment that I loved: When Dr. Salima Ikram finds a large mummified cat. It turns out to be either a lion or leopard cub. I could feel her excitement and joy through the screen. She obviously loves what she does.

One moment that had me on the edge of my seat: When two translators discover that Wahtye actually stole the tomb from his brother. This added another layer to the mysteries already present in the tomb. It was also really cool to see them decode hieroglyphics and then interpret them. They provided valuable context for the tomb.

I’d give Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb 8.5 Bastet statues out of 10.