Lost Kingdoms of Africa

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.

Did the emperors of Ethiopia 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.

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.

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.