It's no surprise to any women's studies scholar that there have been many a woman's story erased from the history books. Here, in the Discovery Network documentary entitled Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen, we are shown one such story: the tale of a female Egyptian pharoah - a role that was unprecedented in Egyptian history. Her name was Hatshepsut; she was a direct ancestor of the legendary King Tut - and just as successful and powerful. She ruled - and lived - as a man, which was absolutely unheard of for that time. Yet, the herstory of this Egyptian powerhouse was mysteriously erased from their culture; her name, imagery, and even her body hidden and supposedly lost forever... Until now, when this fantastic DVD documentary reveals the legendary story of Egypt's female king.

Hatshepsut was born a princess, the daughter of a pharoah. She was brought up to rule, even though she was a woman, in a society run exclusively by men. Despite her upbringing, however, it was her sickly half-brother who ended up inheriting the throne - so, at the age of 12, she married her half-brother and became the country's queen. A few short years later, Hatshepsut's husband died and she became the regent queen - only allowed to rule until her young stepson would be able to rule on his own. Yet, Hatshepsut was a woman determined to take control of her own destiny; she defied the law of the time and became the king of upper and lower Egypt herself: donning the traditional royal regalia, and even wearing a fake beard, she ruled as a man in a man's world.

Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen is much more than just the tale of this incredibly strong woman's legacy. It is also a fascinating mystery. Why was her story erased? Who would have erased it, and why? How did she die... and even, how did she live? And, most importantly for the purposes of this documentary: What happened to her body? This incredibly interesting DVD set focuses on a journey to discover what happened to her mummified body - and how, in archaeology, they are able to determine the identity of remains. (In this documentary, they demonstrate the very first DNA test applied on mummies. The forensic analysis is fascinating.)

Sometimes, subject matters such as these can be dry and boring, especially in a documentary format. But here, the guides for your lesson - the Egyptologists and forensic experts leading you on this journey - are so passionate that the intrigue and excitement is infectious. Even though Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen focuses more on Hatshepsut's life and death rather than the fascinating gender studies behind how this strong woman became the country's first female leader, it does serve as an excellent introduction to this fascinating woman... and whets your appetite to learn more.

DVD Special Features: None - although I suppose you could say that the main film is a "special feature" in and of itself. I do wish, however, that there had been an additional focus - perhaps in a special feature format - on the gender studies behind this fascinating story.

Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen directed by Brando Quilici
Discovery Channel, 2007. Not Rated. Available online at Amazon.com.

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