The secret egyptian city buried in the california desert. The city of the pharaoh was not so much a movie set as it was a monument to the man who built it. The guadalupenipomo dunes national wildlife refuge, which. Sphinxs head movie prop unearthed in california mail online.
The story of how the sphinxes came to be and how they were forgotten for 60years, then recovered, is well presented. Lost city of demille is a 1923 film set buried in the dunes. Demilles 1923 silent film the ten commandments and many everyday items discarded or lost by the cast and crew remain buried in the guadalupe dunes, where. Shortly afterward, brosnan decided to make a documentary about trying to uncover the movie set. Guadalupe nipomo dunes center 2020 all you need to know. The guadalupe nipomo dunes center in california will unveil a sphinx.
A plaster sphinx head was found during a 2017 excavation of the buried movie set at the guadalupe nipomo dunes. Demille filmed the ten commandments north of santa barbara along the guadalupe nipomo dunes, ferry writes. Demilles 1923 epic the ten commandments was buried in the sand dunes of central california, he thought his next. The filmmakers quest ends up becoming a part of the. The guadalupe nipomo dunes on californias central coast are a national natural landmark, one of the largest remaining dune systems in the state, and theyre hiding the remains of the enormous and. Dune center unveils ten commandments movie set ca history. Demille, filmmaker peter brosnan traces his 30year mission to excavate the largest movie set built during hollywoods silent era from the dunes of a. The best film by jury award went to the lost city of cecil b. Guadalupe nipomo dunes is the largest remaining dune system south of san francisco and the second largest in the u. Jun 22, 20 this lost city was actually discovered by some movie buff historians who studied demilles autobiography and used groundmapping to identify where the 20th century egyptian ruins might be.
Jan 20, 2016 sets made for movies before the age of computer graphics. As it disappeared, the movie set became known as the lost city of demille. Sphinx head discovered from the lost city of demille. Over the next 30 years, he tries to uncover what happened to cecil b. When the filming was over, demille ordered the set. Coast, beneath acres of sand dunes, lay the remains of a lost city. Guadalupe dunes ten commandments dig reveals sphinx head.
Demilles epic silentmovie set for the 1923 the ten commandments, which the auteur. Paramount pictures paramount pictures marjorie lanemangogna is a docent at the dunes center, in the nearby city of guadalupe. It was the biggest set ever built for a hollywood film in the 1920s, and then it was. In 1982 peter brosnan heard a story about an ancient egyptian city buried in california. A project to excavate a small portion of a 1923 silent movie set buried in the guadalupe nipomo dunes already derailed sept. And thats where the lost city of demille lay undisturbed for 60 years, entombed in what is now the guadalupe nipomo dunes complex. Demille is a timely examination of the american film industrys origins. Another rescued piece of film history is set to debut at the guadalupe nipomo dunes center, a small step in a decadeslong project to save the lost city of cecil b.
The cursed, buried city that may never see the light of day. Theres a fake egyptian city buried in california smart. Cant wait for them to move into their larger, historic building in a couple years. The costs were mounting even before demille arrived in guadalupe to. In 1983, a group of film buffs found a clue to its whereabouts in demilles posthumous autobiography and located the remains. Jul 22, 2010 buried under the windswept and shifting sands of the guadalupe nipomo dunes lay the remnants of a lost city. Guadalupenipomo dunes center the lost city of demille. Demille 1923 movie set that had been lost and buried in the sand dunes for decades. Oct 15, 2015 theres a fake egyptian city buried in california the incredible, nearly forgotten story behind one of hollywoods most expensive movie sets guadalupenipomo dunes center. In 1999, a nonprofit educational and preservation centre was set up by concerned californian citizens called the guadalupe nipomo dunes center with the. Demille built the largest set in movie history in the dunes near guadalupe, ca, for his silent and early technicolor epic, the ten commandments.
When filming was completed, demille ordered that the entire edifice be dismantled. Demille, filmmaker peter brosnan traces his 30year mission to excavate the largest movie set built during hollywoods silent era from the dunes of a california beach. Oct 25, 2019 really enjoyed visiting the dunes center. The dunes center has exhibits and artifacts about the coastal dunes nearby and the interesting history of the lost city from the famed 1923 cecil b. Discover guadalupe nipomo dunes in guadalupe, california. Artifacts found in an archaeological excavation of the lost city of demille in the guadalupe dunes will be unveiled at a special event from 6 to 8. Dunes center preparing to exhibit new artifacts local news. Lost city of demille is a 1923 film set buried in the dunes curbed. Excavating the ten commandments in the guadalupenipomo dunes. The rest of the artifact, the sphinxs body, remains. The story of how the sphinxes came to be and how they were forgotten for 60.
When recent film school graduate peter brosnan learned that the set of cecil b. Raiders of the lost set excavating demilles city of pharaohs 19232014. The digging continues today to recover demilles set. And this story is located near my home, in guadalupe, ca. Archaeologists have uncovered a brightly colored, plasterofparis sphinx from a 1923 hollywood movie set in the guadalupe nipomo dunes. In june 1983, they were able to locate the set, with pieces of neptunian art sticking up out of the sand. Demilles 1923 set of the ten commandments that was built in the guadalupe sand dunes. Demilles epic silent movie set for the 1923 the ten commandments, which the auteur buried.
Archaeologists on hunt to unearth longburied movie set. A recent excavation of the ten commandments movie set buried. The lost city of demille, buried in the guadalupe dunes. And there it lay, forgotten, for the next 60 years the lost city of cecil b. The enormous sets of ancient egypt have become a hollywood legend in themselves. The ten commandments is the only surviving movie set from the era of early movie. Demilles film featured 20 sphinxes, each weighing 4 tons, along with towering statues of pharaohs and 100foot bas reliefs.
Demilles filming of the epic ten commandments in the guadalupe nipomo dunes. In that precomputergeneratedeffects era, an epic film needed a truly epic set. Unearthing the mysteries of egypt in the dunes of the california coast. The former movie set is registered archaeological site, removing. Demilles lost city a feature of guadalupenipomo dunes center. In the guadalupenipomo dunes center, some of the salvaged pieces are displayed. In the midst of a modern age of obsession with hollywood culture, the lost city of cecil b. Sphinx from the excavation site in californias guadalupenipomo dunes. Twentyone sphinxes guarded the entrance to cecil b. Demilles filming of the epic ten commandments in the guadalupenipomo dunes. Behind the scenes of the excavation of the ten commandments movie set.
It encompasses an 18mile 29 km stretch of coastline on the central coast of california and extends from southern san luis obispo county to northern santa barbara county. In the guadalupe nipomo dunes center, some of the salvaged pieces are displayed. Guadalupe dunes and beach californias best beaches. Jul 26, 2018 as it disappeared, the movie set became known as the lost city of demille. A fake egyptian city is buried in the sands of the. The filmmaker begins to research the story in 1982. Guadalupe dunes ten commandments dig reveals sphinx. Buried for nearly a century, this hollywood movie set will.
Demilles lost city a feature of guadalupe nipomo dunes center. Oct 08, 2015 the city of the pharaoh was not so much a movie set as it was a monument to the man who built it. This lost city was actually discovered by some movie buff historians who studied demilles autobiography and used groundmapping to identify where the 20th century egyptian ruins might be. The dunes center offers visitors a unique and fascinating exhibit featuring a variety of artifacts from the both the set and the people who were working on the production. Archaeologists unearth plaster sphinx from the ten. Demille built the largest set in movie history for his silent and early technicolor epic, the ten commandments. It encompasses an 18mile 29 km stretch of coastline on the central coast of california and extends from southern san luis obispo county to northern santa barbara county the guadalupe nipomo dunes complex is home to a unique dunes. Join the dunes center as we unveil the latest artifacts that will be on display as part of our exhibit entitled the lost city of demille during the 90th anniversary of cecil b. If youve never taken a biplane ride, theres no better location to give one a try than in oceano. Digging up a piece of hollywood history lifestyles. Today, the guadalupe nipomo dunes, as they are called, are a protected sea coast and wildlife refuge eg, for the endangered western snowy plover and largely unchanged, but for three months in 1923 it was a hive of megabudget movie making activity as demille transformed the empty dunes into a reconstruction of an ancient egyptian city. Buried in the guadalupe nipomo dunes, california, the 300lb piece is said to be unlike anything else from previous digs. Archaeologists unearth plaster sphinx from the ten commandments at guadalupe dunes.
When archaeologists dug up a californian sand dune, they. A recent excavation of the ten commandments movie set buried nearly a century ago in the guadalupenipomo dunes revealed a treasure beyond original expectations. Peter brosnans film shows his thirtyyear struggle to prove the existence of a lost city, beneath the sands of the guadalupe nipomo dunes in central california. Strong winds across the dunes have gradually exposed the set s remains. Much of the detailed artwork for the set of the 1923 silent version of the ten commandments was created in hollywood studios and then transported to the guadalupe dunes where it was assembled on site. Coastal dunes, site of buried egyptian movie set and former utopian colony. Unearthing the mysteries of egypt in the dunes of the. Sep 29, 2017 as for the set buried in the dunes, theres still more to uncover.
Lost city of demille unveiling the santa barbara independent. Demille built the largest set in movie history in the dunes near guadalupe, california, for his silent epic, the ten commandments. There were 21 sphinxes each weighing 5 tons created for the avenue to pharaohs city. The former movie set is registered archaeological site, removing items is a felony. Demilles lost city cold case features katya cengel. Even though these dunes blow and shift a few feet every year, sometimes exposing a piece of plaster which might be recognizable or unrecognizable. Excavation in guadalupe dunes uncovers rare movieset sphinx. Jul 12, 2018 the guadalupe nipomo dunes center in california will unveil a sphinx head and other silent movie artifacts from the set of 1923 cecil b. Nov 29, 2017 a recent excavation of the ten commandments movie set buried nearly a century ago in the guadalupenipomo dunes revealed a treasure beyond original expectations the excavation was aimed at. Mar 01, 2014 then the roommate showed him demilles autobiography and confirmed he did have a giant movie set buried in the guadalupenipomo dunes. Demille built the largest set in movie history for his.
The ten commandments set was ordered buried by director cecil b demille. He found the location but lack the funding for a full scale excavation at the time. Apr 01, 2006 several restored artifacts uncovered from the guadalupe dunes set of cecil b. Aug 05, 2016 archaeologists working in the sands of californias guadalupe nipomo dunes are excavating a sphinx from the set of cecil b. The dunes soar to an amazing 500 feet in places, making them the highest sand dunes along the coast. The city of the pharaohs was constructed of wood and plaster in the guadalupe dunes, an 18mile stretch of coastal sand 170 miles north of l. Peter brosnan looks over many years of film, still pictures and other materials he used to produce a documentary on the lost city built in the sand dunes of guadalupe, calif. Nov 29, 2017 archaeologists have uncovered a brightly colored, plasterofparis sphinx from a 1923 hollywood movie set in the guadalupe nipomo dunes.
Demille, details his decadeslong quest to locate and excavate the remains of the ten commandments set. The lost city of demille guadalupenipomo dunes center. Guadalupe nipomo dunes center the latest discovery was announced in november. Rancho guadalupe dunes preserve california beaches.
Buried beneath the shifting sands of the guadalupe nipomo dunes is a story of biblical proportions. Guadalupenipomo dunes guadalupe, california atlas obscura. The set remained hidden until 1983 when peter brosnan, a filmmaker set out to find demilles city using clues in demilles autobiography. Now, archaeologists are using aircraft to get a birdseye view of the dunes to unearth more treasures of the movie s set a giant sphinx was found earlier this year, but plenty more remains from. Buried under the windswept and shifting sands of the guadalupe nipomo dunes lay the remnants of a lost city. Archeologists dig up lost hollywood props in the guadalupe.
Excavation in guadalupe dunes uncovers rare movieset. The center takes pride in preserving local cultural history while protecting the dunes. A recent excavation of the ten commandments movie set buried nearly a century ago in the guadalupe nipomo dunes revealed a treasure beyond original expectations. Aug 09, 2018 courtsey of the dunes center volunteers excavated a 300pound plaster sphinx last november from the sands of the guadalupenipomo dunes an artifact of a sprawling movie set built in 1923 for cecil b. Rancho guadalupe beach and the adjoining guadalupe dunes preserve extend south along 3 miles of coastline from the santa maria river to mussel rock. The cursed, buried city that may never see the light of. Californian archaeologists excavate longlost egyptian ten. Demille built the city of the pharaoh in the guadalupe dunes for his 1923 silent film, the ten commandments. The sets featured four 35foottall statues of the pharaoh ramses, 21 fiveton sphinxes, and city walls over 120 feet high. The flick features those who lived near the dunes when the legendary director filmed the ten commandments just before he left such incredible pieces. Archeologists dig up lost hollywood props in the guadalupe nipomo dunes.
Guadalupenipomo dunes center to debut excavated artifacts. Demilles lost city cold case features katya cengel alta online. Rameses city in the dunes just blogging away doing. Demille was already a towering star in the early days of hollywood, but in 1922 he was recovering. The guadalupenipomo dunes on californias central coast are a national natural landmark, one of the largest remaining dune systems in the.
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