Sioux Falls Scientists endorse Lost Kingdoms of Africa for showing that
these kingdoms were every bit as advanced as the Middle Ages in Europe.

Lost Kingdoms of Africa
The Precolonial History of Africa's
Great Civilizations as seen on the BBC

Lost Kingdoms of Africa (2010) - 216 minutes
Lost Kingdoms of Africa at Amazon.com

Four epic journeys into ancient Africa's art and culture

Now home to a billion people, Africa produced powerful art, stunning architecture, and vibrant cultures long before the first Europeans arrived. Join Dr. Gus Casely-Hayford as he investigates the continent's great "forgotten" civilizations. Visit the spectacular monuments of Nubia, explore the mysterious ruins of Great Zimbabwe, and discover the art and technology of ancient Benin. See magnificent Ethiopian monasteries carved out of solid rock, and hear spellbinding stories drawn from the silent objects of the past.

This eye-opening, four-part series reaches back, long before written history, to expose realms that rivaled Egypt, buildings as inspiring as medieval cathedrals, and art that still speaks to us across the centuries. Most of all, the series casts new light on a long-neglected part of our world's cultural heritage.

British art historian and trustee of the U.K.'s National Portrait Gallery, Dr. Gus Casely-Hayford has presented several documentaries on African culture and acted as an arts consultant for the United Nations.

• Episode 1: Nubia
  • Starting in the desert north of Khartoum in modern Sudan, Casely-Hayford journeys to the ancient sites of Kerma, Jebel Barkal, and Meroe to explore a long-lost kingdom that apparently fell victim to climate change.
• Episode 2: Ethiopia
  • Did the emperors of Eothiopia really descend from the biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba? Casely-Hayford surveys the Judeo-Christian influences in the land's art, language, and architecture, dating back centuries.
• Episode 3: Great Zimbabwe
  • Shrouded in mystery, the ruins of Great Zimbabwe rise from an unlikely spot in Africa's interior. Casely-Hayford traces an ancient gold-trading route inland from the eastern coast and explores the city that served as its source.
• Episode 4: West Africa
  • The magnificent Benin bronzes in the British Museum inspire Casely-Hayford to undertake a quest for their origin. The search takes him to modern-day Nigeria and Mali, where the art of fine metalworking has thrived for generations.

Lost Kingdoms of Africa
The Precolonial History of Africa's
Great Civilizations as seen on the BBC

Sioux Falls Scientists endorse Lost Kingdoms of Africa for showing that
these kingdoms were every bit as advanced as the Middle Ages in Europe.