Randa Abdelfattah

Located in what's now southern Nigeria, Benin City was the capital of a vast kingdom.

Located in what's now southern Nigeria, Benin City was the capital of a vast kingdom.

Located in what's now southern Nigeria, Benin City was the capital of a vast kingdom.

And it was technologically advanced.

And it was technologically advanced.

And it was technologically advanced.

This is Wando Achebe.

This is Wando Achebe.

This is Wando Achebe.

Wando says the Benin Kingdom's golden age was... Between the 15th and 19th centuries.

Wando says the Benin Kingdom's golden age was... Between the 15th and 19th centuries.

Wando says the Benin Kingdom's golden age was... Between the 15th and 19th centuries.

And one of the kingdom's greatest feats was the walls that they built.

And one of the kingdom's greatest feats was the walls that they built.

And one of the kingdom's greatest feats was the walls that they built.

The walls, which rivaled the length of the Great Wall of China, took hundreds of years to be built, requiring unfathomable hours of labor.

The walls, which rivaled the length of the Great Wall of China, took hundreds of years to be built, requiring unfathomable hours of labor.

The walls, which rivaled the length of the Great Wall of China, took hundreds of years to be built, requiring unfathomable hours of labor.

These marvels are what greeted the first Europeans who came to Benin City in the 15th century.

These marvels are what greeted the first Europeans who came to Benin City in the 15th century.