Aired
February 06, 2013
NOVA
NOVA
Building Pharaoh's Chariot #S40E10
3,600-year-old reliefs in Egyptian tombs and temples depict pharaohs and warriors proudly riding into battle on horse-drawn chariots. Some historians claim that the chariot launched a technological and strategic revolution, and was the secret weapon behind Egypt's greatest era of conquest known as the New Kingdom. But was the Egyptian chariot really a revolutionary design? How decisive a role did it play in the bloody battles of the ancient world? In "Building Pharaoh's Chariot," a team of archaeologists, engineers, woodworkers, and horse trainers join forces to build and test two highly accurate replicas of Egyptian royal chariots. They discover astonishingly advanced features, including spoked wheels, springs, shock absorbers, anti-roll bars, and even a convex-shaped rear mirror, leading one of them to compare the level of design to the engineering standards of 1930's-era Buicks! By driving our pair of replicas to their limits in the desert outside Cairo, NOVA's experts test the claim that the chariot marks a crucial turning point in ancient military history.
Episode 10 of Season 40 from NOVA — available to stream in HD on any device.
Comments & Discussions
Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!
Recommended
Because you liked NOVA
The Most Hated Man on the Internet
The Most Hated Man on the Internet
Nightmares of Nature
Nightmares of Nature
The Real Murders on Elm Street
The Real Murders on Elm Street
Interrogation Raw
Interrogation Raw
My Happy Place
My Happy Place
Locals Welcome
Locals Welcome
Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues
Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues
The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher
The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham
Fugitives Caught on Tape
Fugitives Caught on Tape
Explore Content
Search for movies, TV shows, collections, manga, or people
Trending Now