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They Came Before Columbus reveals a compelling, dramatic, and superbly detailed documentation of the presence and legacy of Africans in ancient America. Examining navigation and shipbuilding; cultural analogies between Native Americans and Africans; the transportation of plants, animals, and textiles between the continents; and the diaries, journals, and oral accounts of the explorers themselves, Ivan Van Sertima builds a pyramid of evidence to support his claim of an African presence in the New World centuries before Columbus. Combining impressive scholarship with a novelist’s gift for storytelling, Van Sertima re-creates some of the most powerful scenes of human history: the launching of the great ships of Mali in 1310 (two hundred master boats and two hundred supply boats), the sea expedition of the Mandingo king in 1311, and many others. In They Came Before Columbus, we see clearly the unmistakable face and handprint of black Africans in pre-Columbian America, and their overwhelming impact on the civilizations they encountered.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Well researched and well written account of little known African achievements in history
22 May 2008
Format:Paperback
This book sets out to present a comprehensive account, based on all known facts, of the links between Africa and America in pre-Columbian times. It draws its facts from archaeological, geographical, cultural and historical sources and succeeds in summarising its conclusions in a simple, readable fashion.
It opens with the account of how Columbus set off to "discover" America on the evidence of a pre-existing route linking Africa with another continent across the Atlantic. Columbus' subsequent discovery of handkerchiefs in the "New World", similar in style and use to those found in Sierra Leone, constitutes one of the earliest documented traces of a preceding African presence in America.
Sertima goes on to examine in detail a littany of other visible proofs that Africans got to America long before Columbus did. These include the accounts of early Spanish explorers who discovered settled black communities in Colombia and Darian (both in South America) in the early sixteenth century and several archaelogical findings of Negroid heads all over America which date to as early as 700 B.C. Sertima comments on the extensiveness of these finds as follows: "Africans move through all their [native Americans'] major periods, from the time of the Olmec culture around 800 B.C when they arrive in massive stone heads, through the medieval Mexico of the Mayas, when they appear not only in terracotta potraits but on golden pectorals and on pipes, down to the late post-Classic period, time of the [European] conquest, when they begin to disappear..."
He analyzes a plethora of cultural clues; the existence of Negoid gods among native Americans, similarities in language, totemic symbols, religious rites; sudden appearances of African animal and plant species in America before Columbus; even the sudden appearance, seemingly out of nowhere, of a pyramid-building culture in Mexico at just the time when the Sudanese Pharoahs of Egypt's 25th dynasty were leading an Egyptian cultural renaissance and taking to the seas in search of iron to fend off the expanionist drive of the Assyrain empire.
Oral traditions are also examined e.g the common belief among some native American tribes that the oldest inhabitants of Mexico were Negroes and giants, and the Malian tale of a mariner-prince, Abubakari the second, who set off from Mali to explore the Atlantic in 1311. Sertima explains the existence of strong evidence of ancient African boating and sea faring traditions. He also explains the nature of Africa-Atlantic sea currents that make it easy even for the most rudimentary of boats to make the Atlantic passage.
This is a well written, well researched and suprisingly easy to read account of one of the ways in which anient African civilizations have contributed to enriching world history. It ends with an ironic observation that, contrary to popular belief, what the evidence shows is that the African began his career in America as a master, and not a slave.
This is a fascinating read.
It opens with the account of how Columbus set off to "discover" America on the evidence of a pre-existing route linking Africa with another continent across the Atlantic. Columbus' subsequent discovery of handkerchiefs in the "New World", similar in style and use to those found in Sierra Leone, constitutes one of the earliest documented traces of a preceding African presence in America.
Sertima goes on to examine in detail a littany of other visible proofs that Africans got to America long before Columbus did. These include the accounts of early Spanish explorers who discovered settled black communities in Colombia and Darian (both in South America) in the early sixteenth century and several archaelogical findings of Negroid heads all over America which date to as early as 700 B.C. Sertima comments on the extensiveness of these finds as follows: "Africans move through all their [native Americans'] major periods, from the time of the Olmec culture around 800 B.C when they arrive in massive stone heads, through the medieval Mexico of the Mayas, when they appear not only in terracotta potraits but on golden pectorals and on pipes, down to the late post-Classic period, time of the [European] conquest, when they begin to disappear..."
He analyzes a plethora of cultural clues; the existence of Negoid gods among native Americans, similarities in language, totemic symbols, religious rites; sudden appearances of African animal and plant species in America before Columbus; even the sudden appearance, seemingly out of nowhere, of a pyramid-building culture in Mexico at just the time when the Sudanese Pharoahs of Egypt's 25th dynasty were leading an Egyptian cultural renaissance and taking to the seas in search of iron to fend off the expanionist drive of the Assyrain empire.
Oral traditions are also examined e.g the common belief among some native American tribes that the oldest inhabitants of Mexico were Negroes and giants, and the Malian tale of a mariner-prince, Abubakari the second, who set off from Mali to explore the Atlantic in 1311. Sertima explains the existence of strong evidence of ancient African boating and sea faring traditions. He also explains the nature of Africa-Atlantic sea currents that make it easy even for the most rudimentary of boats to make the Atlantic passage.
This is a well written, well researched and suprisingly easy to read account of one of the ways in which anient African civilizations have contributed to enriching world history. It ends with an ironic observation that, contrary to popular belief, what the evidence shows is that the African began his career in America as a master, and not a slave.
This is a fascinating read.
25 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I loved this book. I bought it mainly to read the evidence of the crossing by sailors from mali. this incredible expidition consisted of hundreds of boats. Other commentators dismissed this as mere drifting a ross the atlantic other by primitive people. The fact is that at the time, the Mali capital timbuktu was famed throughout the world, not just for the gold the fueled teh worlds trade but also for its fine University. not only did aFricans cross the atlanticthe geogrphical knowledge of their society was certainly in advance of 15th centiry Spains.
The chapters on ancient Egypt are fascinating too. The existence of huge statue of negro faces seems pretty good evidence that they too crossed. Plant diffusion, linguistic evidence and the similarity of the pyramids also add to a case which Sertima himself admits is not cast iron but points out the fact that it is more likely than alternative explanation like the American Pyramids were built bt aliens. Some people it seems would rather believe this than give Africans any credit for any inputinto the history of humanity.
The chapters on ancient Egypt are fascinating too. The existence of huge statue of negro faces seems pretty good evidence that they too crossed. Plant diffusion, linguistic evidence and the similarity of the pyramids also add to a case which Sertima himself admits is not cast iron but points out the fact that it is more likely than alternative explanation like the American Pyramids were built bt aliens. Some people it seems would rather believe this than give Africans any credit for any inputinto the history of humanity.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I read Mr. Von Sertima's book shortly after its original publication. At that time, the earliest Olmec presence in the Americas was thought to be later than 1200 BCE. Subsequent excavations have called that timeline into question, and may have extended it substantially backward. This, of course, does nothing to alter the basic premise: that black Africans were in the Americas long before the Columbian Europeans. The stone heads provide striking, and, in my view, incontrovertible evidence of that presence, the absurdist Europhile description of them as "baby face" notwithstanding. It may ultimately prove to be the case that Mr. Von Sertima has been too conservative in his dating scheme, and that older, and more powerful, African dynasts are involved. Whatever the case, this book, and its argument, merit our attention.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Ma'at
This clear and well researched enlightening book.Is both
for the layman and scholar, researching or interested in the
true historical representation of African peoples... Read more
for the layman and scholar, researching or interested in the
true historical representation of African peoples... Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2006
Good example of wild Afrocentrism
If Africans were ocean-going explorers, how come they never discovered and settled islands off the coast of Africa - doh! Read more
Published on 6 Sep 1999
Splendid attempt at the truth by a truth seeker.
The people professionally engaged in discovering the truth are those, psychologically, least capable of accepting the truth if it happens to contradict what they already believe. Read more
Published on 4 July 1999
Splendid attempt at the truth by a truth seeker.
The people professionally engaged in discovering the truth are those, psychologically least capable of accepting the truth if it happens to contradict what they already believe. Read more
Published on 4 July 1999
Vicious attack
If I was a native American, I'd be *really* upset by this book and its essential attack on their history. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 1999
An Excellent Work.
This is a very well written book. As a Mexican, my people (mestizo, Indian, or white) owe more to the Spanish than any other culture. However, we also owe to our Indian ancestors. Read more
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Most Excelent
Now the truth of the African peoples is being told. Contrary to popular belief, civilization and technology was not invented by the Europians. Read more
Published on 1 Jun 1999
THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE!
It is not surprising that the evidence pointing toward an African influence in North America was for so long irretrievable by those who would aspire to know more of the truth. Read more
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The only thing that I find funny is the "review" given by the silly small-minded idiot that submitted a foolish statement on March 10,1999. Read more
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In The Red and Black, eminent historian Eugene Genovese (also the author of Roll, Jordon, Roll) noted that it was never in the interests of that which is correct to condone lies... Read more
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