Rebuilding the Past Bringing the Great Pyramid To Life With Egyptology and Virtual Reality
Finding Genius Podcast
Richard Jacobs
4.4 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 13 January 2026
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Is it possible to reconstruct a 4,500-year-old wonder of the world – and let millions of people walk inside it? In this episode, we're joined by Peter Der Manuelian, Harvard Egyptologist and Director of the Giza Project, and Fabien Barati, CEO and co-founder of the immersive technology company Excurio, to explore how rigorous archaeology and cutting-edge virtual reality came together to create Horizon of Khufu: An Immersive Expedition to Ancient Egypt.
Drawing on decades of excavation records, architectural data, and historical research, Peter and his team served as the project's primary scientific advisors, ensuring the virtual Great Pyramid of Giza reflects the latest archaeological evidence. Fabien and the Excurio team translated that scholarship into a shared, large-scale VR experience — allowing participants to traverse the Giza Plateau, enter the Great Pyramid, witness daily life in ancient Egypt, and attend the funerary rites of Pharaoh Khufu…
In this episode, we explore:
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How Harvard's Giza Project data was transformed into a walk-through VR pyramid
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Why historical accuracy matters in immersive archaeology
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What muon tomography reveals about hidden voids inside the Great Pyramid
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How VR can balance preservation with global access to cultural heritage
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What the future holds for immersive expeditions and digital archaeology
With over one million visitors worldwide, Horizon of Khufu has become a landmark example of "edutainment," making fragile and inaccessible heritage sites available to global audiences while preserving their integrity for future generations. Ready to learn more about this fascinating project? Tune in now!
More on Peter: https://anthropology.fas.harvard.edu/people/peter-der-manuelian
More on Fabien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabien-barati-5b20205/?originalSubdomain=fr
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9C
🛍️ Recommended Books & Accessories from this Episode
📖 The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt – A richly detailed guide to the deities of ancient Egypt, exploring their roles, stories, and symbolic meanings.
👉 Get it here
📘 The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt – A comprehensive and authoritative history of ancient Egypt, covering its culture, rulers, and lasting legacy.
👉 Check it out
📙 The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Book of Going Forth by Day (The Complete Papyrus of Ani) – A stunning, fully illustrated edition of one of the most important spiritual texts of ancient Egypt.
👉 Explore it here
👜 Oculus Quest 2 (256GB) Advanced All-in-One Virtual Reality Headset – An immersive VR experience that lets you explore virtual worlds, museums, and ancient civilizations like never before.
👉 Discover it here
Note: These are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps support the podcast. Thank you!
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Forget frequently asked questions. |
| 0:02.3 | Common sense. |
| 0:03.1 | Common knowledge. |
| 0:04.1 | Or Google. |
| 0:04.7 | How about advice from a real genius? |
| 0:06.9 | 95% of people in any profession are good enough to be qualified in license. |
| 0:11.3 | 5% go above and beyond. |
| 0:13.1 | They become very good at what they do. |
| 0:14.8 | But only 0.1% are real geniuses. |
| 0:18.2 | Richard Jacobs has made it his life's mission to find them for you. |
| 0:22.2 | He hunts down and interviews geniuses in every field. |
| 0:25.1 | Sleep science, cancer, stem cells, ketogenic diets, and more. |
| 0:28.6 | Here come the geniuses. |
| 0:30.3 | This is the Finding Genius podcast with Richard Jacobs. |
| 0:37.3 | Hello, this is Richard Jacobs with the Finding Genius Podcast. |
| 0:40.8 | I've got two great guests today, Peter de Manuelian and Fabian Barati. |
| 0:45.3 | We're going to talk about Egypt's wonder of the world, the pyramid of Kufu. |
| 0:49.3 | I believe the documentary called Horizon of Kufu. |
| 0:52.3 | Peter is a Harvard Egyptologist, and Fabian is the CEO of what's called Xcurio. So again, we're going to talk about their roles and what they're doing in finding these relics and bringing them to the public's attention. So welcome both of you. Nice to be here. I know what Jeff. Thank you. So maybe Peter, can we start with you? Just a bit about your background and |
| 1:12.0 | you know, how you first. Well, not learned about Kufu, but we're able to visit it, see it, and |
| 1:17.6 | document it. Sure. Well, I grew up in the Boston area and we have a great collection here at the |
| 1:22.2 | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and that helped spur my interest in ancient Egypt. And ever since |
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