- Hardcover: 316 pages
- Publisher: L. Hill; [1st ed.] edition (1974)
- ISBN-10: 0882080210
- ISBN-13: 978-0882080215
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,118,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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First Sentence
In contemporary descriptions of the ancient Egyptians, this question is never raised. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
In contemporary descriptions of the ancient Egyptians, this question is never raised. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book focuses on ancient Egypt. Diop refutes the theses of those Egyptologists who declare that the ancient Egyptians were anything other than Black. Diop uses an abundance of information to present his case: the phenotypical characteristics of Egyptian statues and paintings, the amount of melanin found in the dermis of Egyptian mummies, the testimony of ancient scholars (Herodotus, Diodorus, and Strabo), and the fact that the ancient Egyptians were culturally and linguistically African. Diop makes the arguments of early prominent Egyptologists like Champollion-Figeac seem utterly ludicrous.
14 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
One of the most recognized images of our generation is that of the white-skinned ancient Egyptian. This is how ancient Egyptians have been consistently portrayed in movies, documentaries and books. Diop sets out to show that this image of ancient Egyptians as white is a false one, constructed in the racist climate of the early nineteenth century by European scholars.
In the first six chapters of the book, he carefully considers the reasoning and arguments of a selection of Egyptologists and shows why their theories were wrong. He produces clear historical evidence to show that, up till the falsification of egyptian history in the nineteenth century, it was taken for granted that ancient Egyptians were black. He cites noted Greek and Roman historians and also supplies scientific evidence to back his assertion. He goes further to show that the origins of ancient Epypt actually lay in Sudan (Upper Egypt), in the heart of Black Africa, and not in Mesoptamia or Asia as claimed by European scholars.
In the second part of his book, Diop builds a strong argument for the black origins of ancient Egypt by detailing strong similarities in socio-cultural and political institutions between Egypt and the rest of Africa. He argues that all of Africa was, in fact, populated from Egypt and that, up till the coming of Europeans to sub-saharan Africa in the fifteenth century, many features of Egyptian civilization had survived in the interior in places like Ghana, Mali, Songhay, Yatenga, Cayor and Great Zimbabwe (all pre-European contact African civilizations). Therefore, the theory of "black barbarism" was infact a myth. He explains that African civilizations suffered a severe cultural reversion as a result of colonialism, which is why it is hard, today, to link African peoples to the former glories of ancient Egypt.
Diop's book is a radical but objective and very credible interpretation of historical, scientific and sociological facts and a bold attempt to provide a clearer picture of African history. Books like "Black Athena" (by Martin Bernal) and "The Destruction of Black Civilization" (by Chancellor Williams) are a good complement to this book.
In the first six chapters of the book, he carefully considers the reasoning and arguments of a selection of Egyptologists and shows why their theories were wrong. He produces clear historical evidence to show that, up till the falsification of egyptian history in the nineteenth century, it was taken for granted that ancient Egyptians were black. He cites noted Greek and Roman historians and also supplies scientific evidence to back his assertion. He goes further to show that the origins of ancient Epypt actually lay in Sudan (Upper Egypt), in the heart of Black Africa, and not in Mesoptamia or Asia as claimed by European scholars.
In the second part of his book, Diop builds a strong argument for the black origins of ancient Egypt by detailing strong similarities in socio-cultural and political institutions between Egypt and the rest of Africa. He argues that all of Africa was, in fact, populated from Egypt and that, up till the coming of Europeans to sub-saharan Africa in the fifteenth century, many features of Egyptian civilization had survived in the interior in places like Ghana, Mali, Songhay, Yatenga, Cayor and Great Zimbabwe (all pre-European contact African civilizations). Therefore, the theory of "black barbarism" was infact a myth. He explains that African civilizations suffered a severe cultural reversion as a result of colonialism, which is why it is hard, today, to link African peoples to the former glories of ancient Egypt.
Diop's book is a radical but objective and very credible interpretation of historical, scientific and sociological facts and a bold attempt to provide a clearer picture of African history. Books like "Black Athena" (by Martin Bernal) and "The Destruction of Black Civilization" (by Chancellor Williams) are a good complement to this book.
8 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent book about African history by a brilliant histoian. The majority of people don't know about the great history of Black African people. This is a great book to start with.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The African Origin of Civilization
This book contains an impartial theory of how different civilizations emerged.It has been translated from french and has a handy glossary for the archaelogical words that have been... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Amonavis
Bound to upset all the Eurocentrics
Reading this book is a fine breath of fresh air. There are many sources out there with the advent of the internet and youtube now to collate scattered pieces of information about... Read more
Published 18 months ago by veni vedi
Excellent book
Cheikh anta diop is a master historian and scientist.This book is a must read for anyone who wants to know how europe literally stole the glories belonging africa. Read more
Published on 3 July 2007 by Mzee
Great Book.
Ancient Egypt is one of the most exciting subject to study. This great civilisation that begun by the Nile Valley thousand of years B.C. is the base of today civilisation. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2005 by Noizeski
The Most Excellent Book on African and World History
This book has changed forever the way history is written and will be without question the catalyst that enlightens African Americans on their remarkable birthright of ancient and... Read more
Published on 26 April 1999
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