She is one of the most intriguing and exotic figures in history. Three thousand years ago the Queen of Sheba travelled with a caravan of hundreds of camels, laden with unimaginable riches, through the Arabian deserts to meet King Solomon in Jerusalem. Their coming together is detailed in the wonderful Arezzo frescoes by Piero della Francesca. It is also one of the world's oldest love stories, as told by poets and artists in Ethiopian and Arabian folklore.

By looking at the stories from the Christian, Jewish and Islamic texts we uncover where she came from, when she ruled and why she is so famous. Freed from historical constraints, the imaginations of classical artists and composers have run wild with fabulous palaces and surreal landscapes. Depicted as a western monarch, we understand how she has come to represent independent unconformity. Finally we look at the real evidence of the Kingdom of Sheba, the ruins of its capital Marib to see what the queen might really have looked like - and it isn't Gina Lollobrigida!

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Please book the lectures by calling any of the following committee members:

Robert Newton – 014 258 6318

Cheryl Fankhauser – 016 995 3214 

Sandie Lenton – 016 555 1950

or email