Dani Chandler
English 203
Dr. Danielle Muller
7 December 2010
From Egypt to Greece, and Back Again:
Recognizing the Transmission of Knowledge in Antiquity
Annotated Bibliography
Asante, Molefi Kete. “An African Origin of Philosophy: Myth or Reality.” City Press July
2004: Asante.net. Web. 18 Nov. 2010.
Originally published as a news article, I downloaded from Dr, Molefi Kete Asante’s personal
web site. This article challenges the widely held belief that philosophy originated with the
Greeks, as if “the Greeks pre-dated all other people when it came to discussion of concepts of
beauty, art, numbers, sculpture, [and] medicine of social organization.” It also argues that the
etymology of the word ‘philosophy,’ is not Greek, but Egyptian. There are the standard quotes
by various Greek historians, philosophers, and writers (including Homer), regarding their studies
in Egypt, as well as their attribution of Egypt’s transference of culture to the Greeks. There is
also discussion of the systematic stripping away of Africa’s capabilities. This is a short, but very
well thought out and informative article. Asante’s web site is quite impressive, and a welcome,
though late, addition to my research.
Asante, Molefi Kete. “Race in Antiquity: Truly Out of Africa.” Asante.net. Web. 19 Nov.
2010.
This article is actually listed on Asante’s web site under the category of ‘scholarly papers,’
therefore I have no idea of its original source of publication. Asante’s essay is particularly
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interesting, and relevant to my research, as it addresses Mary Lefkowitz’s book, Not Out of
Africa, and its arguments (embittered attacks) against Martin Bernal’s Black Athena, as well as
scholarly repudiations of Egypt’s contributions to western civilization in general. And in the
process of doing so restates the claims of ancient Greek historians, such as Aristotle, who
reported that the Egyptians were the originators of geometry and mathematics. It decries
Lefkowitz’s (and others) attempts at “creating clouds of suspicion about scholarly colleagues,” in
order to support a biased and exclusively Eurocentric agenda. Asante also states that
Afrocentricity promotes a pluralistic view of cultures, without hierarchy.
Bernal, Martin. Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization, Volume I:
The Fabrication of Ancient Greece 1785 - 1985 New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1987.
Print.
In his study of Hebrew, Bernal noticed striking similarities between it and Greek. Upon further
study he decided “that ancient Greek accounts of Egyptian influence on their civilization should
be taken seriously.” This led to his writing of Black Athena, which functions under the premise
that Greek culture arose as a direct result of colonization, around 1500 B.C.E., by Egyptians and
Phoenicians, who civilized its inhabitants. And, Bernal argues, “Greeks continued to borrow
heavily form Near Eastern cultures.” This text discusses and analyzes the particulars of: The
‘Ancient’ and ‘Aryan’ models of Greek history. The former being the conventional view among
the Greeks of antiquity, that Greek culture was, indeed, influenced by the Egyptians, as well as
Semites. The latter (Aryan Model), which developed during the first half of the nineteenth
century, Bernal explains, “denies the truth of Egyptian settlements, and questions those of the
Phoenicians.” And then there is what he refers to as the ‘Extreme’ Aryan Model, which
flourished during two periods of heavy anti-Semitism, the 1890’s, and the 1920’s and 30’s,
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which denies Phoenician influence. Hence, the “Fabrication of Greece.” These more recent
models are analyzed through discussion of the writings of various conservative scholars, and the
times in which they (models) took hold. He recommends a ‘return to the Ancient Model’ with
revision; that including: setting an earlier date for Egyptian and Phoenician colonization of
Greece—2nd millennium. I find Bernal’s work to be extremely scholarly, as well as exciting in its
undeniable attention to detail. Unfortunately, my use of Black Athena is limited to Vol. I; I was
unable to locate Vol. II in a timely manner. Volume I considers the writings of Greeks of
antiquity, and their attitudes regarding their distant past, as well as the transference of religion,
mathematics, science, and linguistics (quite technical, and at this time somewhat beyond my
grasp). In accordance with my thesis, I will be focusing on the Egyptian aspect of cultural
transference to Greece.
Drake, St. Clair. Black Folk Here And There. California: University of California, 1987.
Print.
Drake intends for Black Folk Here and There to function as a coping tool for African-Americans.
He says: “Great myths are always part of group coping strategies.” And this work is indeed of
mythological proportion, as it covers a wide range of time and space. Though it begins with “an
examination of the Nile Valley civilizations, after a brief discussion of the ‘Ambivalent Exiles’
from Africa who found themselves evolving as part of North American societies,” it sort of
works in reverse, moving from the more recent to the distant past. It sweeps across a broad
spectrum of topics, including, racism in various guises and times (into the twentieth-century),
Black perspectives on racism, theories of color prejudice, and trans-racial evaluations. After
which, the discussion moves to the Nile Valley of antiquity (where my research essay begins).
Thereafter, the topics range from Negro origins and African prehistory, Egypt before the
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pharaohs, the various Egyptian dynasties, the rise and fall of the Ethiopian dynasty (Twentyfifth), to the Hellenizing of Egypt. It winds up with a discussion of the black self-image. One of
the things that I appreciate most about Drake’s highly scholarly work is the objective way in
which he approaches the opinions and arguments of the other scholars work that he references.
Regardless of obvious bias on the part of certain anthropological authorities, he is able to glean
what is relevant and pertinent to his subject matter. I find his work to be honest, philosophical,
inspirational, and extremely well written, yet easily understood—accessible.
Draper, Robert. “Black Pharaohs: An Ignored Chapter in History Tells of a Time When
Kings from Deep in Africa Conquered Ancient Egypt.” National Geographic Feb. 2008:
34+. Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 1 Oct. 2010.
This article is primarily concerned with the Kushite (Nubian) King, Piye, and his conquest of
Egypt in the year 730 B.C.E. Prior to this conquest, Piye “had ruled over his own kingdom in
Nubia … But he considered himself the true ruler of Egypt as well, the rightful heir to the
spiritual traditions [of] Ramses and Thutmose III.” Piye was the first in a line of Nubian
Pharaohs who ruled Egypt for nearly a century—the twenty-fifth dynasty. This includes Piye’s
brother, Shabaka, and son, Taharaqa, whose conquests and accomplishments are discussed.
Besides Piye’s conquest of Egypt, his politics, philosophies, religious practices, death, and
elaborate entombment in Sudan are detailed. At the time of his historic conquest, Piye’s dark
skin was a non-issue. This fact is offered as clarification that racism was not a factor in the world
of antiquity. There is also a brief and general detailing of the discovery (in the early 1900’s) of
the black pharaohs, and the resulting attempt that was made by Harvard Egyptologist, George
Reisner, to assign to these pharaohs the status of light-skinned Egypto-Libyans, as he did not
believe that blacks could have been responsible for the monuments he was excavating. This
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article’s intent is to address a general neglect of Nubian history. I find this period particularly
interesting, and applicable to my thesis, as much of it is concerned with the time in which Homer
is said to have lived.
“Egypt, Not Greece, Inspired Western Civilization.” Africa News 9 Oct. 2008: LexisNexis.
Web. 7 Oct. 2010.
This article begins with mentioning that “Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, and Hippocrates all
acknowledged the debt owed by Greece to Egypt.” It speaks of (though not in great detail) the
ways in which the Greeks “borrowed from Egyptian art, architecture, astronomy, mathematics,
medicine, and religion.” There is also a good deal about Ethiopia’s agricultural innovations, and
a mention of Egypt being the birthplace of beer. The facts contained within this article (though
sparse), support the premise of my paper. It is not made clear whether this article is excerpted
from Bruce Strachan’s book Ancient Egypt: A First Look at People of the Nile, or if he wrote the
article as a separate entity.
“Egypt; Afrikan History Month: Why Egypt Matters.” Africa News 6 Feb. 2009:
LexisNexis. Web. 7 Oct. 2010.
This article states that Egypt matters because it is the classic civilization responsible for
producing the principles of mathematics, physics, chemistry, writing, architecture, and more—
principals that we take for granted as being established by the Greeks. Primarily, this piece
intends to clear up Ghanaian’s (many if not all) misconceptions that the fair skinned populace
comprising today’s Egypt are representative of the areas original people—who were indeed
‘black Africans’. The reason for this misconception (it is stated) being the deliberate and
systematic effort of European and Arab historians to falsify history by “implying that Afrikan
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people did not have the intellectual ability [or] capacity to cultivate [the] civilization that was
Egypt.” Underscoring this information are details from “in depth, measured and comprehensive
presentations” given by African historians Cheikh Diop and L. Obenga, at the United Nations
cultural section UNESCO in 1978, intended specifically to establish the racial make-up of
ancient Egypt. One of the more interesting facts: The oldest medical treaty in the world is called
the Edwin Smith papyri. Written over 4000 years ago by Imhotep, “the real father of medicine”,
it is wrongly called the Hippocratic Oath. This short article is long on facts that are relevant to
my research.
Egypt: Exciting New Themes From Black History Africa News 3 Feb. 2002: LexisNexis 14
Oct. 2010. Web.
This article poses good questions that are relevant to my thesis. Such as: “Who built Thebes?”
And, “Why is there a Thebes in Egypt and Greece?” It addresses the relation of the higher
civilizations of ancient Africa—and their obvious influences, to the greater parts of ancient (as
well as contemporary) western civilization. The recurring theme being, Egypt as a common
factor in the names and characteristics of cities, gods, mythology, and even the continent of
Europe, named after “a jet-black demi-goddess.” It also discusses the geographical disbursement
and mixing of many of the ancients, as well as their origins. It is a short article with very
interesting and verifiable information.
Homer. Robert Fagles, translator. The Iliad. New York: Penguin Group, 1990. Print.
Fagles edition of The Iliad is scholarly with a translator’s preface that discusses the life, or lack
such, of Homer. There is a 70 page introduction that gives a brief summary of the story within
the epic, and a discussion of the historical accuracy as it relates to what historians have laid out.
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It covers spellings and pronunciations of Homeric Names, and includes maps of the Homeric
geography of Mainland Greece, the Peloponnese, the Aegean and Asia Minor, as well as Troy
and its vicinity. It includes a lot of technical and scholarly analysis of the work, and also
discusses the painstakingly primitive manner and material in which it was most probably
originally executed, and contemplation of whether or not Homer was literate and could write or
whether he perhaps used a scribe. I believe the arrived at conclusion was that Homer was indeed
literate and that he did conceive the entire work—over a long period of time. And then there is a
character by character analysis, including the gods and troy. It is a very well thought out
seriously conducted project—to the point of intimidation. I like it very much, the translation
seems modern while maintaining the noble and epic quality.
Kenya: “What’s in a Name?” Africa News 27 Aug. 2007: LexisNexis 14 Oct. 2010. Web.
Keita, Maghan. “Deconstructing the Classical Age: Africa and the Unity of the
Mediterranean World.” The Journal of Negro History 79.2 (1994: 147 +. Expanded
Academic ASAP. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
This article is concerned with mythology and its relevance in tracing the genealogy of everyone
from Dorian kings to Heracles and Andromeda back to Egypt and Ethiopia. Maghan gives
outlines and plot development of various myths along with citations in a very professional
manner. Her closing paragraph asserts that Homer in his poems was working within the
mythological and historical framework of Egypt, i.e., Africa. Very well done.
The opening of this article is concerned with the question: What would Kenya call itself if it had
never been colonized by Britain? There is also speculation as to whether there would even be
such a place geopolitically. Kenya having been, up until colonization, “inhabited by dozens of
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ethnic communities at various levels of socio-economic development and with disparate strategic
and demographical strengths, most completely independent of one another.” This all leads up to
the little known fact that thousands of years ago “the African littoral of the Indian Ocean … was
known to the civilized world as Azania.” A term encountered by the writer of this piece, when
he, or she, began studying “Cushitic and Egyptian theogony, Canaanite, Sumerian, Vedic and
Mesoamerican pantheons and what is know by the misnomer of ‘Greek mythology.” From this
point on the article deals exclusively with the writer’s discovery that neither the origin, nor
epicenter of the stories of Greek mythology are Greek, or Hellenic, or Aryan. The writer
acknowledges that the stories became Greek when Hellenic mythographers became the first to
put them in writing. There is discussion of the various elements that root them in the African
tradition, such as the “goddess worship of the Hamitic natives,” and what has been altered so that
they fit the patriarchal tendencies of the “invading Semitio-Aryans.” This is particularly
interesting to me, as well as relevant to this research paper which is inspired by Homer’s The
Iliad.
“Most Ancient Egypt: Discoveries that Add Thousands of Years to History.” Los Angeles
Times (1886-1922) 18 Jul. 1900, ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (18811987), ProQuest. Web. 12 Oct. 2010.
This article announces the results of work conducted by Professor Flinders Petrie, in winter of
1899, at Abydos, “the most ancient site of Egyptian civilization.” This article states that these
discoveries “carr[ied] conviction to the minds of the unbelieving as to the reality of the men and
women who were alive 8000 years ago.” This site was particularly important, as the gods, Isis
and Osiris, had their chief alters there. French explorer, M. E. Ameleneau discovered the actual
tombs of “the supposed gods” Isis and Osiris, in 1895 and 1896, which supported the theory that
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the first gods of men were the chiefs of tribes. It then goes on to detail the construction, and
contents of the tombs of the kings of the first dynasty. Most interesting (I find), is that the items
contained within offered proof of the Egyptians extensive traveling and commercial relations
with other countries—near and far. A particularly relevant article, as it involves the then
‘current’ discovery of a greater than previously known aspect of Egyptian civilization.
Ringle, Ken. “A Professor’s Collision Course; Classics Scholar Mary Lefkowitz Shakes up
Academia with Her Critique of Afrocentrism.” The Washington Post 11 Jun. 1996:
LexisNexis. Web. 13 Oct. 2010.
This article focuses on Mary Lefkowitz’s scholarly publication, Not Out of Africa: How
Afrocentrism Became an Excuse to Teach Myth as History, of which it gives a fairly good (I
assume) detailing. I am including this article because it provides not only a philosophical balance
of what this research paper outlines, but is an out and out contradiction of the work and
arguments of Martin Bernal, St. Clair Drake, and William Chancellor. In her book she addresses
the “outlandish” claims of afrocentric authors; claims that she says are lacking supporting
evidence. Within the article, she specifically addresses Bernal’s Black Athena: “Until then
(reviewing his book) I really had no notion how much craziness was out there.” This article
details quite a few of the “so-called” afrocentric claims of these authors (and others), as well as
Lefkowitz’s rebuttals. Still, Lefkowitz does admit that the ancient Egyptians were far more
advanced than the Greeks in some areas. Such as astronomy, of which she says, the Egyptians
perfected a genuine system, while the Greeks dabbled in astrology. She also says that the
Egyptians were first in basic mathematics, but that the Greeks were responsible for the evolution
of basic mathematical theories, “the real basis of western thought.” This piece gives a brief bio of
Lefkowitz’s life, education, experience as an educator, and explores the thought process behind
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her passion for upholding the standard concept of the beginnings of western civilization. It also
lists a few of the many laurels that Lefkowitz’s scholarly work has earned her from certain
segments of the academic community.
“Story of Egypt: Lecture by a Traveler Before the Ebell Society.” Los Angeles Times (18861922) 19 Jun. 1896, ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (1881-1987),
ProQuest. Web. 12 Oct. 2010.
This article covers a lecture given by, James B. Scott, who had just returned from a two year stay
in Egypt. It is stated that the lecture began with a reference to Herodotus, followed a discussion
of the writings of a number of noted Egyptologists. This article presents Scott as being
passionately involved with, and knowledgeable of, the history, and magnificent leadership of
Egypt in art, philosophy, and science. Scott presented a history of the great dynasties, and
compared the stories of the hieroglyph with the Mosaic history of the early Egyptians in
connection with the Hebrews, and in doing so revealed a number of discrepancies. It is stated
that Scott was given only a short amount of time to conduct his lecture. However, it seems that
he made the most of whatever time was allotted, as he was able to discus ancient Egypt’s history,
geography, religion, as well as the supposed disposition of its original inhabitants. Afterward,
there was a thirty minute viewing of photographs that Scott had taken and brought back with
him. I would think that at the time, this was an important and exciting topic in the American
press, as archaeologists were still on the brink of new discoveries, and many of these facts were
probably unknown to the general public.
“Treasures of Pharaoh dazzle Discoverers: Titled Briton Tells Amazing Wealth of Ancient
Egyptian Art Found in Tomb.” Los Angeles Times (1886-1922) 24 Dec. 1922, ProQuest
Historical Newspapers Los Angeles times (1881-1987), ProQuest. Web. 9 Oct. 2010.
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This is a very interesting article (its narrative is extremely visual), wherein, the Earl of
Carnarvon presents a vivid reenactment of his discovery of the tomb of “Tutankhamen.” He
takes the reader on a journey down the two-and-a-half mile winding track road that leads to the
Valley of the Kings, the ancient necropolis of Thebes, on west bank of the Nile. Where “the arid
plain and foothills are everywhere dotted with burial pits, with a royal mortuary temple here and
there, while mingled among the relics of ancient days stand the mud houses of the modern
inhabitants.” Carnarvon describes the five-hundred foot limestone cliffs, which are also
honeycombed with plundered tombs. The fact that I have seen the Tutankhamen exhibit makes
his tale of the events leading into and through the actual tomb quite exciting. Arriving at the
Luxor their first task was to clear a staircase of some eighteen stairs. From here the reader is
taken on a step by step journey to the inner funeral chamber (by candlelight), and treated to the
resulting awe and astonishment of the entire archeological party—fascinating. Resting eyes on
the elaborately carved furniture, jeweled robes, the throne, and finally the resplendent pharaoh
himself, Carnarvon said it was a “revelation of the refinement of Egyptian art.” I don’t know
how relevant this article is to my research, but it certainly sets the mood.
“Uganda; African Empires and Their Locations.” Africa News 26 April 2008: LexisNexis.
Web. 13 Oct. 2010. “African Empires and Their Locations.” Africa News 26 April 2008:
LexisNexis. Web. 13 Oct. 2010.
This article conforms its title as it lists present day as well as ancient African empires. It function
under the premise that people often misunderstand where these nation actually are as Africa has
undergone such fragmentation and colonization. Also so that history may be read correctly it is
important to known exactly what names belong to which people, i.e., Libya, which, is an entirely
different people today.
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Williams, Chancellor. The Destruction Of Black Civilization: Great Issues of a Race, From
4500 B.C. To 2000 A.D. Illinois: Third World Press, 1987. Print.
As Williams puts it, this book is “written [so] that black John Doe, cab driver or laborer, and
Jane Doe, housemaid or waitress, as well as college students … could read and understand the
message from their forefathers and foremothers.” Originally published in 1971, and republished
1n 1987, it is a predecessor to many publications that have followed, which discuss the history of
Africa in relation to itself, rather than to Arabs and Europeans, who have occupied the continent,
but, are no more African than the European occupants of the United States, are Native American.
This was a new approach to the study of the history of the Black race. As the title suggests this is
a work of wide scope, which covers the great history, as well as the tragic demise, of the
civilization of the “Land of the Blacks.” William’s research consists of 16 years of field study,
largely based on oral recounts of history, by illiterate people in the African “bush country,” that
possessed a “storehouse of wisdom.” This oral research, of course, was conducted only after
extensive research by traditional means, such as written records and archeological data. This
work argues for a systematic and deliberate (Arab and European), as well as incidental
(climatic), and internal (inter-African conflict), destruction of African civilization. Rather than
providing a source of the transference of religion, art, and science from Egypt to so-called
western civilization (the purpose of my research), William’s book is more concerned with the
multitude of Asians and Europeans in Lower Egypt and their appropriation of not only the name
“Egyptian” for themselves, but the achievements of the blacks. Still, it is a highly valuable
source of information. Williams presents a persuasive argument that: The land of the Blacks is
the “cradle of civilization.”
Winters, Clyde. “The Black Greeks.” Rasta Livewire 19 Nov. 2010. Web.
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This article argues that: The most ancient Greeks were blacks, and that the European Greeks
learned the liberal arts and sciences from them, as well as from the Egyptians. It begins by
stating that Eurocentrist scholars, in order to deny the African origin of civilization, attack
Martin Bernal’s Black Athena. However, according to this piece Bernal’s book has nothing to do
with afrocentrism, as he suggests that Semites from Phoenicia and the Semitic Hykos rulers of
Egypt, civilized Greece, not black Africans (not completely accurate). It goes on to mention
several top Afrocentric scholars, who through the study and analyses of the writings of classical
authors, as well as anthropological, linguistic, and historical evidence, came to the conclusion
that the original Greeks were indeed blacks. This opinion is supported by the Olympian creation
myths, which state that the first groups to appear on earth were ‘Libyco-Thracians.’ Furthermore,
it states: Libyans were Proto-Saharan, as were the Thracians, some of whom were descended
from Kushite and Egyptian troops stationed at Thrace by Thutmose III, when he conquered Asia
and Europe. Also, the Greek historical records indicate that “many ancient settlers of the Aegean
came from Africa.” Winters, also informs that the Greek epic poems (including Homer’s), are
stories of African people. To support these arguments, this piece contains many explanations, as
well as photos of ancient art (containing people of seemingly African origin. It also list several
authors to whom this research is accredited, such as G. W. Parker, Cheikh Anta Diop, C. A.
Winters, and J. A. Rodgers. However, since I do not at this time have access to their work, this
information (though interesting) is of somewhat limited value to my research.