The Written Archive
Research Notes
Each article is a companion to one of our documentary episodes. Read the story, then watch it brought to life.
Ancient MysteriesThe Nommo: Why Every Major Ancient Civilisation Described the Same Visitors
From the Dogon in Mali to the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, ancient peoples on opposite sides of the world left records of the same encounter. They described beings that came from the water or the sky, who taught them agriculture, astronomy, and law. The descriptions are close enough to disturb you.
Ancient AstronomyHow Did the Dogon Tribe Know About Sirius B? The Astronomy Mystery That Has Never Been Fully Explained
In the 1930s, two French anthropologists visited the Dogon people of Mali and documented something extraordinary. The Dogon possessed detailed knowledge of a star that no human eye could see without a telescope, and they had held this knowledge for centuries.
Hidden FiguresQueen Amina of Zaria: The Warrior Queen Who Never Lost a Battle
She led 20,000 soldiers across West Africa for 34 years, expanded her kingdom to its largest size in history, and built a network of fortifications that still carry her name. She was also, by all historical accounts, a real person.
Forgotten EmpiresWho Was Mansa Musa? The Richest Person to Ever Live
He ruled an empire that produced more than half the world's gold supply. His pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324 was so lavish that it literally crashed the Egyptian economy. Yet most people have never heard of him.
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