Sunday, 27. January 2008
In Search of Myths and Heroes: The Queen Of Sheba

'In Search of Myths and Heroes' was a four-part PBS series with historian and author Michael Wood. He embarks on a set of "on the ground" adventures in search of the world's most famous myths: the Queen of Sheba, King Arthur, Shangri-La, and Jason and the Golden Fleece. The series examines not only why legends were created but how they have been used -- both politically and culturally -- over the years, and why we still need them today.

'The Queen Of Sheba' was the the first episode of his series. Immortalised in the Hebrew Bible, the Muslim Koran and in many Christian traditions, the tale of the Queen's journey to Jerusalem to meet (and sleep with) King Solomon has been told and retold for nearly three thousand years, right down to Hollywood. In Africa and Arabia it is still told today, and one of the features of these films is their use of storytellers to counterpoint Michael's travels on the ground.

His journey starts on Easter night in Jerusalem and takes us round the Red Sea to Egypt, Eritrea and Ethiopia, and the lost world of Axum, the little-known first civilisation of Black Africa. In the Yemen Michael explores the stunning monuments of Marib, the earliest civilisation of Arabia. Still virtually unknown to the outside world these are sure to prove eye openers to the TV audience.

But Michael is also looking for a living story, and on the journey he discovers the legend of the Queen of Sheba alive in Arabia and Ethiopia, where she is still viewed as the mother of the nation, whose son brought the mythical Lost Ark of the Covenant back to Axum - where it still resides today!

"Hollywood made Sheba the lover of Solomon", says Michael, "and they made her white. In Africa she's black-and a woman of power; in Arabia she's half woman half demon. But the tale of her transformations -from exotic and mysterious alien to eternal female, from fantasy mother and lover, to cloven footed demon- is a parable of so many women of power throughout history!"
-- Maya Vision International, Michael Wood's production company.


Enjoy 'In Search of Myths and Heroes: The Queen Of Sheba' by BBC / PBS, 2005.
Duration: 59 minutes.



Related Entries:
Queen of Sheba - Behind the Myth (another video)

In Search of Myths and Heroes: King Arthur
In Search of Myths and Heroes: Jason And The Golden Fleece
In Search of Myths and Heroes: Shangri-La

You may also like:
Explore Four Powerful Myths: In Search of Myths and Heroes by PBS.
The Queen Of Sheba by Michael Wood, BBC.
The Story of the Queen of Sheba - Understanding the Legend by Awakened Woman e-magazine.
BBC: The Story of Africa with a subsection on the Ethiopian Sheba story, including some interesting bits of audio.
The Queen of Sheba and Her Only Son Menyelek (I) or, The KEBRA NAGAST translated by E. A. Wallis Budge.
Category: Movies & TV | Myths & Sagas |


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