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Africa's Great Civilizations

Africa's Great Civilizations

In his 6-hour series, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. takes a look at the history of Africa, from the birth of humankind to the dawn of the 20th century. This is a breathtaking and personal journey through two hundred thousand years of history, from the origins, on the African continent, of art, writing, and civilization itself.
Commerce and the Clash of Civilizations | Hour Six
Episode
Commerce and the Clash of Civilizations | Hour Six

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The City of M'banza-Kongo
2:42
The City of M'banza-Kongo
The Kingdom of Kongo was one of the largest and most powerful in the southern half Africa.
The City of Great Zimbabwe
2:36
The City of Great Zimbabwe
The Great Enclosure of Great Zimbabwe conveyed majesty, wealth, and architectural genius.
The Kingdom of Dahomey
3:15
The Kingdom of Dahomey
Dahomey contained a vast complex of royal palaces and a unique canon of art.
City of Timbuktu
1:41
City of Timbuktu
The heart of ancient Timbuktu’s intellectual life was its libraries.
Lalibela
2:58
Lalibela
Explore 12 churches that were carved out of rock in the ancient Ethiopian highlands.
City of Marrakesh
2:44
City of Marrakesh
When it was founded in the year 1070, Marrakesh was a center of politics and law.
City of Meroe
2:31
City of Meroe
Explore the Great City of Meroe, third and last capital of the Ancient Kingdom of Kush.
City of Ile Ife
2:13
City of Ile Ife
Explore ancient African civilizations and the origin story of Ile Ife.
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