Bruce Strachan
9 October 2008
opinion
Nairobi — Although we might not think of calling these fathers of Western thought Afro-centrist, Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, and Hippocrates all acknowledged the debt owed by Greece to Egypt.
The assessment of Ancient Greece as an impromptu starting point of Western civilization therefore seems to contradict the awe held for Egypt by the Greeks, who borrowed heavily from Egyptian art, architecture, astronomy, mathematics, medicine and religion.
But from what source did Egypt derive its creative spirit? The Egyptians left hieroglyphic records revealing a personal belief to the effect that their forebears had followed the flow of the Nile from southern regions, and while retracing those steps southward along the White and Blue Niles a revealing phenomenon unfolds.
One virtually steps back in time to witness a continuation of living culture that has survived until this day. Layers of foreign interference dissolve, until Pre-dynastic Egyptian methods of agriculture, pottery, trappings of religious ceremony and even social fabric, are found to still be in some form of relative practice.
Immediately apparent are the various wooden farming tools still used in industry today, which are identical to those of Pre-dynastic Egyptians.
Egyptian furnishings and accoutrements such as the traditional African headrest and the long toothed hair comb also draw immediate comparisons with their Sub-Saharan counterparts.
Even the two omnipresent hand held symbols of Pharaoh's authority, the hook and flail, transmute as the flywhisk, and the staff - both of which continue to carry time-honoured significance into our lifetime as symbols of African authority. One can no less imagine President Jomo Kenyatta without his flywhisk as a pharaoh without his flail.
Because Ethiopia's rugged highland terrain and well-ordered society rendered foreign intrusions difficult, it in particular retains a link to the age when Pharaohs of Egypt sent expeditions there via the Red Sea, the Nile and overland, in search of ebony, ivory, giraffes, leopard hides, captive human labourers, frankincense, myrrh and gold.
Pharaohs were duly aware of Ethiopia's strategic importance to Egypt's Nile dependant existence, as it was from Ethiopia's torrential highland rainy seasons that the great Blue Nile floods came, year in and year out, to bring life to the Egyptian dessert - for Egyptians this was no less than a gift from the gods.
Egypt the birth place of beer
Comparative similarities between these two ancient lands are striking.
Prior to the official adoption of Ethiopia's uniquely Judeo-Christian religion during the 4th century, Ethiopians venerated symbols, such as the sun disc - quite similar to those of pagan Egypt. They also performed sacred music with strikingly similar instruments, such as the Y-shaped sistra-cymbal and the lyre.
These continue to be as ever-present in the religious ceremonies of modern Ethiopia as they were during those of pagan Egypt, as is the profuse burning of frankincense and myrrh.
The well known funeral march of the Ancient Egyptians is also still played out in Ethiopia, including precisely the same entourage of dedicated mourners called criers, whose duty it is to follow the deceased's body, wailing in a demonstrative procession of sorrow.
On a bubblier note, Ancient Egypt is widely credited as being the birthplace of beer. Mundane as that may seem, beer was widely consumed as a vital sustenance - in fact it was even served daily to workers on the Great Pyramid. A traditional Ethiopia brew, called tala might very well then have been a precursor to the Egyptian version.
There is also a remarkable similarity in form between the rectangular African board game, known in Kiswahili as bao, and the correspondingly proportioned, refined Egyptian version called senet.
Even the traditional manner in which women often transport goods upon their heads throughout Africa is frequently found in Ancient Egyptian works of art. The list of other notable similarities goes on to include weapons, basketry, jewellery, and ceremonial masks.
Washington monument Egyptian
Evidence demonstrates that Ancient Egypt received material and cultural nourishment from the Nile and its people, who progressed from deeper sources within the very womb of civilization.
Being situated at the crossroads of the Ancient World, Egypt would then become the grand model from which this African gift of creativity, knowledge and inspiration was to export throughout the Near East and the Mediterranean.
You might want to look at the Washington Monument anew. It's actually an Egyptian obelisk - yes, that's right - Washington's pre-eminent icon is actually an African symbol of power, borrowed straight from the Nile.
I wonder if that notion has ever crossed one particular US presidential candidate's mind.
After years spent travelling throughout Egypt, investigating and recording history, Herodotus unfortunately never made it south of the Sahara. Had he done so our perceptions, which he profoundly influenced, might more effortlessly recognise Egypt's Sub-Saharan base.
Both an artist and writer, Bruce Strachan's latest book, ANCIENT EGYPT, A First Look at People of the Nile, was recently published by Henry Holt Books in New York.
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I do not know of your source of information. You should read Civilization Or Barbarism by Cheikh Anta Diop and Stolen Legacy,"Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy"by George G.M. James. The US was inspired heavily by the Egyptians through its Masons and Shriners who study some of the Egyptian(Kemetic)Mystery System. Alexandria, Virginia is the heart of the US masonic order hence the name Alexandria from Egypt. The Washington monument is the worlds tallest obelisk, a design taken straight from Egyptian(Kemetic)obelisks. There are obelisks that were taken directly from Egypt and placed in Rome(why) and Paris. The ellipse that is used in mathematics ie geometry,is straight off the" wall of the Temple of Luxor, built under Ramses III, around 1200BC" See Civilization Or Barbarism pg, 249. pg 251, "Surface of a sphere" S=4piR2. I do not have or know how to use the pi sign on my keyboard. The ellipse was studied by Meneachmus and given its name by Apollonius. The Greek alphabet was not influenced by Babylon but by Egypt. You will find that Pythagorus spent 22years in Egypt... Plato and Eudoxus spent 13 years in Egypt and Democritus 5 years. There were many others... see Chapter 18 in Civilization Or Barbarism. This book has many references, including many from European scholars.
It,s a fact of life that ancient egypt (sub-saharan Africans) gave the world much of what the world is using today,they (west) know it but are afraid to let the cat out of the bag and ultimately confirm all their lies over the ages.It,s indeed profound to know that AFRICANS that came before did so much and contributed so much to humanity, maybe that,s why there is so much hatred and jealousy against AFRICANS by those who know the truth but will never let it out.No matter how hard you try to hide a fire,smoke will ultimately be your undoing. The greeks, according to history(not racist inspired history) came in their many hundreds to study in ancient egypt and returned home to use what they,ve learnt from the AFRICAN genuises,don,t bother telling that to racist EUROPEANS, they,ll never accept it, but it,s true and a living testimony to who we Africans really are. They (EUROPEANS) know the facts but wont open them up to their people. AFRICANS must be proud of their very rich heritage and humble beginnings,there,s a lot to be proud of and we must recapture that spirit and zeal of purpose exhibited by our forebears who were definitely beyond human comprehension with regards to their naturally given talent and what they did that shook the world of those days and cemented their places as true pioneers.We are indeed great and must take a long hard look backwards to be able to look clearly into the future.The authentic history (not the lies from some western scholars) told us that ancient egyptians (Africans) invented most of what the world is using today.Our ancestors were indeed great, so, we have to make some libations to honour their life and creations.We must as well teach these basic truths in our schools so that todays generations know from where they are coming and have no reason to think low of themselves.For the racists,s information, genuises are still to be found in many parts of Africa till today.We,ll never accept the bullshit you try to label us with,our history is our guide.
Your view is coming across as extremely subjective. However, say you are right, can I just ask what happened to the rest of Africa? You can't just say Egypt (Africa). That is like saying England invented [insert invention] so it was Europeans who invented it. No, it was England. My road has a millionaire in it, so obviously we are all millionaires, no, we are not. Africa is a massive continent, you can't just jump on the bandwagon of one country in the top most corner of the continent and claim it to be African accomplishment, when clearly it didn't stretch further than that. If the whole of Africa was same as the Ancient Egyptians, like Europe was with the Romans, Greeks, French, Germanic whoever, then I could say there is a strong case for this argument, but it isn't. The fact that it all managed to stay to the north and to be exact, a corner in the north, makes me believe that much of the influence, if anywhere, come from Europe.
I think that even if this was true, at the end of the day, it is how you progress and build upon the teachings of others that leads to accomplishment. Africa, in many ways, has failed to build upon the teachings and advances of the Ancients. Many will place blame on European colonisation, but European colonisation would not have taken place had Africa been as adavanced as Europe at that time. Had Africa been on par with Europe there would've been no way through for Europeans to rule much of Africa as they did. However, still today a very strong tribal ruling exists in Africa and it is why I believe Africa will never progress. Many will jump on the defensive but look at Zimbabwe, that was a great country and now it stands in ruins. South Africa is going down the same path. From the mouths of many Africans I know, Africans cannot rule themselves. So it does not matter who invented what and who influenced who, today much of Africa stands the same as it did two thousand years ago, with that in mind Africa can claim to have invented every known thing on the planet, but what has it done for them? Which makes me question, how could a continent claim to have invented so much, but has progressed so little in comparison to Europeans? Even before Europeans started to exploit Africa through slavery (late 1400's I believe) and gaining minerals etc, there is no evidence of any progression with the exception of parts of North Africa that still remained in contact with Europe, post collapse of the Roman empire. With that in mind, I don't believe this article to be true. Also, you have to note that Egypt had more contact with Europeans and the Middle East than is does and to a certain extent, still has, with the rest of Africa, half the time I even forget that Egypt is part of Africa.
As a final note, this is an interesting argument against this article
http://www.historyplace.com/pointsofview/not-out.htm
Overall, I don't believe Egypt being the overall influence of western civilisation, to be true at all. Like I said, for argument sake say that it is, how comes it didnt spread throughout the African continent? How comes the African continent didn't continue to invent and progress up until the point that Europeans started to move into Africa (post Roman expansion into North Africa and collapse of Roman empire)? How come Europeans were easily able to exploit Africa in such a way, being a continent of progress and invention?
To many "yeah, but..." for me to believe this.
I really disagree with what you are saying. Although Egypt had a magnificent culture it is in no way connected to Greek culture.
Greece took a few things from the Phoenicians not the Egyptians.
Philosophy, Architecture, Art , Geometry, Geography, Mathematics, physics, writing, literature, opera and more... have nothing in common with Egypt.
Greece gave birth to democracy and laws. Their way of life had nothing to do with the Egyptian lifestyle.
Show me a few resemblances of Greek/Egyptian familiarities?
It's good that you are proud of your country but twisting facts is no way to boost its popularity, plus its Egypt one of the most amazing cultures in the world.
Modern day western civilization has nothing to do with Ancient Egypt.
I love Egyptian culture and history and the architecture, Egypt is a pioneer in terms of self developments but again nothing to do with Greece.