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Lost Kingdoms of Africa

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Factual: History

Gus Casely-Hayford explores the pre-colonial history of Africa's most important kingdoms

British art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores the pre-colonial history of some of Africa's most important kingdoms

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa: Series 1

Gus Casely-Hayford

Michael Simkin

Ross Harper

Rachel Bell

Lost Kingdoms of Africa: Series 1: Episode 4: West Africa

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West Africa

Episode 4

Episode 4: West Africa

Series 1

BBC Four - Lost Kingdoms of Africa, Series 1, West AfricaSearch BBC

Gus Casely-Hayford explores the story of 16th-century bronzes from the kingdom of Benin.

Gus Casely-Hayford travels to Nigeria and Mali to explore the story behind a series of magnificent 16th-century bronzes made in the ancient kingdom of Benin.

Four-part series in which British art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores the pre-colonial history of some of Africa's most important kingdoms.

The African continent is home to nearly a billion people. It has an incredible diversity of communities and cultures, yet we know less of its history than almost anywhere else on earth. 

But that is beginning to change. In the last few decades researchers and archaeologists have begun to uncover a range of histories as impressive and extraordinary as anywhere else in the world.

The series reveals that Africa's stories are preserved for us in its treasures, statues and ancient buildings - in the culture, art and legends of the people.

When magnificent 16th-century bronze casts were discovered in the kingdom of Benin in 1897, many could not believe they had been made by Africans. It was thought West Africa lacked the technical development required to make them. Dr Casely-Hayford travels to present-day Nigeria and Mali in search of the truth, exploring what the bronzes mean, how the technology to make them developed, and what it reveals about the lost kingdoms of West Africa.

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Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores the pre-colonial history of some of Africa's kingdoms

Series in which British art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores the pre-colonial history of some of Africa's most important kingdoms

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Lost Kingdoms of Africa

Series 1

Episode 4: West Africa

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