From the Trenches - Television - Around the World in 80 Ruins

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Cooney at the fifth- to ninth-century ruins of Palenque in Mexico. (Courtesy Discovery Channel)

An Egyptologist might seem out of place at a Maya pyramid or Buddhist temple, but crossing boundaries--geographical, historical, and intellectual--is part of what The Discovery Channel's new series Out of Egypt is all about. Each episode begins at an archaeological site in Egypt where University of California Los Angeles Egyptologist Kara Cooney introduces an idea that will be the episode's focus. Cooney then visits archaeological sites all over the world, exploring the idea through the lens of these various cultures. Many of the episode topics have been thoroughly covered by earlier documentaries, but the show's emphasis on cross-cultural comparisons adds something new.

The episode titled "Birth of the Devil" starts at the Egyptian temple of Karnak with a discussion of the gods Set and Mut, both divine figures with aspects that viewers might regard as evil. From Egypt, Cooney travels to Israel, India, Italy, and Turkey to discuss evil in the context of polytheistic religions. The show includes a Sri Lankan "Devil Dance." The acrobatic dance, which involves fire-eating, is supposed to cure a sick woman, but it also reveals how an ancient Hindu tradition has modern importance.

Cooney is a good communicator, and her academic credentials let her engage other researchers as equals. Some of the show's conclusions might be debatable, but it is successful at gathering information from across the world and throughout history to explore the common ground between civilizations. Out of Egypt premiers Monday, August 24.