Liqaye Posted October 6, 2003 Was Western civilization founded by ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians? Can the ancient Egyptians usefully be called black? Did the ancient Greeks borrow religion, science, and philosophy from the Egyptians and Phoenicians? Have scholars ignored the Afroasiatic roots of Western civilization as a result of racism and anti-Semitism? In this collection of twenty essays, leading scholars in a broad range of disciplines confront the claims made by Martin Bernal in Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization. In that work, Bernal proposed a radical reinterpretati on of the roots of classical civilization, contending that ancient Greek culture derived from Egypt and Phoenicia and that European scholars have been biased against the notion of Egyptian and Phoenician influence on Western civilization. The contributors to this volume argue that Bernal's claims are exaggerated and in many cases unjustified. Topics covered include race and physical anthropology; the question of an Egyptian invasion of Greece; the origins of Greek language, philosophy, and science; and racism and anti-Semitism in classical scholarship. In the conclusion to the volume, the edit ors propose an entirely new scholarly framework for understanding the relationship between the cultures of the ancient Near East and Greece and the origins of Western civilization. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RaMpAgE Posted October 7, 2003 Theirs no doubt that acient egypt was a black civilsation, their would have looked like ur average norteast african , but with other minorites, Also their lanugage was very similar too af-somali. Acient egypt was "whitewashed" by white supermactist, just like Hannabil the great of cartagae, Moorish empire and other important icons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Waaq Posted October 17, 2003 his book is only radical because we have all been hijacked. Hijacked by who? Europeans! They have through subtle and not so subtle means convinced the whole world that civilization could not have arose in Africa, and if it did the people migrated from Europe or Asia. Another book to read in this vane is by Chiekh Anta Diop of Senegal called the African origins of civilization. In my opinion, the Egyptians were an African civilization ( meaning they were black, and most likely resembled the peoples of NorthEast African, as we all look similar). Second, we know for sure the sister civilizations to Egypt namely Kush and Meroe, and later on Ethiopia were for sure black. Being the dominant power, you attract migrants and potential conquers. Given the location of Egypt, particular lower Egypt you started to see more and more migrants. I think it is important to realize that though these great civilizations were African, they are not necessarily responsible for everything. Rather they most likely had a dialogue with Greece that produced much mutual knowledge. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites