Zeinab Badawi

and governed it for the best part of a century. And so the ancient Egyptians were busy writing about, you know, these kings, these pharaohs who formed their 25th dynasty, who'd come from further south. And that's why we know about the kings of Kush from that era, you know, with names like Pianki, Taharqo, Shabitku, Shabaka. And there are these marvellous black granite statues of these kings.

and governed it for the best part of a century. And so the ancient Egyptians were busy writing about, you know, these kings, these pharaohs who formed their 25th dynasty, who'd come from further south. And that's why we know about the kings of Kush from that era, you know, with names like Pianki, Taharqo, Shabitku, Shabaka. And there are these marvellous black granite statues of these kings.

and governed it for the best part of a century. And so the ancient Egyptians were busy writing about, you know, these kings, these pharaohs who formed their 25th dynasty, who'd come from further south. And that's why we know about the kings of Kush from that era, you know, with names like Pianki, Taharqo, Shabitku, Shabaka. And there are these marvellous black granite statues of these kings.

And so it's a very evocative period of ancient African history. And they were not only a great African civilization, they were actually a regional superpower because they were protectors of King Hezekiah of Judah who appealed to them to protect him against the marauding Assyrians who were really ferocious warlike people in that period of the ancient world.

And so it's a very evocative period of ancient African history. And they were not only a great African civilization, they were actually a regional superpower because they were protectors of King Hezekiah of Judah who appealed to them to protect him against the marauding Assyrians who were really ferocious warlike people in that period of the ancient world.

And so it's a very evocative period of ancient African history. And they were not only a great African civilization, they were actually a regional superpower because they were protectors of King Hezekiah of Judah who appealed to them to protect him against the marauding Assyrians who were really ferocious warlike people in that period of the ancient world.

The princes of Byblos and Phoenicia in modern day Lebanon also looked to the kings of Cush to protect them. They were really skilled archers and very skilled equestrians. You know, they'd ride their horses and they'd have their bow and arrow with the tips that were you know, dipped in poison.

The princes of Byblos and Phoenicia in modern day Lebanon also looked to the kings of Cush to protect them. They were really skilled archers and very skilled equestrians. You know, they'd ride their horses and they'd have their bow and arrow with the tips that were you know, dipped in poison.

The princes of Byblos and Phoenicia in modern day Lebanon also looked to the kings of Cush to protect them. They were really skilled archers and very skilled equestrians. You know, they'd ride their horses and they'd have their bow and arrow with the tips that were you know, dipped in poison.

And they had a very, you know, amazing way of actually firing their arrow right into the eye of their enemies. So that was obviously a great way of seeing your enemies off. And, you know, the Kushites built a thousand pyramids. About 250 of them today preserve some part of their superstructure. And just by way of reference, there are a hundred pyramids in Egypt.

And they had a very, you know, amazing way of actually firing their arrow right into the eye of their enemies. So that was obviously a great way of seeing your enemies off. And, you know, the Kushites built a thousand pyramids. About 250 of them today preserve some part of their superstructure. And just by way of reference, there are a hundred pyramids in Egypt.

And they had a very, you know, amazing way of actually firing their arrow right into the eye of their enemies. So that was obviously a great way of seeing your enemies off. And, you know, the Kushites built a thousand pyramids. About 250 of them today preserve some part of their superstructure. And just by way of reference, there are a hundred pyramids in Egypt.

So a thousand in Sudan, much smaller than the ones in Egypt, but nevertheless extremely impressive. You know, they built temples. They have exquisite pottery and ceramics. In fact, some people credit the Kushites for being the first people to enamel pottery, fine jewelry, dyed material. You know, they really were great.

So a thousand in Sudan, much smaller than the ones in Egypt, but nevertheless extremely impressive. You know, they built temples. They have exquisite pottery and ceramics. In fact, some people credit the Kushites for being the first people to enamel pottery, fine jewelry, dyed material. You know, they really were great.

So a thousand in Sudan, much smaller than the ones in Egypt, but nevertheless extremely impressive. You know, they built temples. They have exquisite pottery and ceramics. In fact, some people credit the Kushites for being the first people to enamel pottery, fine jewelry, dyed material. You know, they really were great.

an extraordinary civilization, which in its earliest iteration, about 2500 BCE, far predates ancient Greece and Rome. You know, Rome was just a backwater in southern Europe at the time. So it is extraordinary for me that That's the part of the world from which my ancestors hail from northern Sudan.

an extraordinary civilization, which in its earliest iteration, about 2500 BCE, far predates ancient Greece and Rome. You know, Rome was just a backwater in southern Europe at the time. So it is extraordinary for me that That's the part of the world from which my ancestors hail from northern Sudan.

an extraordinary civilization, which in its earliest iteration, about 2500 BCE, far predates ancient Greece and Rome. You know, Rome was just a backwater in southern Europe at the time. So it is extraordinary for me that That's the part of the world from which my ancestors hail from northern Sudan.

And everybody knows about ancient Egypt, yet nobody knows about the ancient northern Sudanese, you know, the kings and queens of Kush. But I think As the great Swiss archaeologist Charles Bonnet said, there will come a time when pseudonology will be as famous as Egyptology because it's a story that's just been unearthed. But the harsh climate,

And everybody knows about ancient Egypt, yet nobody knows about the ancient northern Sudanese, you know, the kings and queens of Kush. But I think As the great Swiss archaeologist Charles Bonnet said, there will come a time when pseudonology will be as famous as Egyptology because it's a story that's just been unearthed. But the harsh climate,