Rise of the Black Pharaohs

The ancient kingdom of Kush—located in southern Egypt, now part of the Sudan—was famed for its gold craftsmanship (highly prized for jewelry), and its warriors, who were skilled in the use of bow weapons. But in a theme all too sadly common in human history, these dark-skinned Africans were scorned by other Egyptians as tribal, savage, and inferior. This PBS/National Geographic co-production describes a brief period, known as the 25th dynasty, when Kushites ruled Egypt. Ancient racism was shared by early 20th-century archaeologists such as George Reisner, who couldn't admit that Africans were responsible for the tombs and treasures he saw. Rise of the Black Pharaohs attempts to set the record straight about a "David and Goliath" conflict, during which Kush—a trading hub between upper Egypt and the rest of Africa—rose to challenge and conquer Egypt's pharaohs, although the reign was brief (lasting only a century). Much of the documentary concerns a mountain in Kush known as Jebel Barkal, which is revered as the birthplace of the "god of gods" and highly prized as the source of a pharaoh's divine right to rule. Here, a contemporary archaeologist hires two intrepid female professional climbers to make the hazardous ascent to the top of the mountain in order to photograph ancient inscriptions that are chiseled onto the cliff's face. Like messages found on the pyramids, the writings boast of the glories of the ruler's reign, although the empire was already in decline when the inscriptions were made. Kushites left few written records, and later invaders would destroy landmarks and largely erase their role from history. Mixing history and travelogue with the age-old themes of racism and the lust for gold and power, this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)