Ancient Africa: Crops, Commerce, and the Export of Innovation

Ancient Africa in World History: Invention, Innovation, Impact
Huggins Lectures by Christopher Ehret
Nov. 5, 4pm: Center for African Studies, 1280 Massachusetts Avenue. 3rd Floor
“African Historical Firsts”

[@jonathanhandy6504]

I've been a student of African history for over 40 years. It's rare to come across so much that is so new to me. Africa has the richest past. This lecture reminds me, and makes me hungry for more. Incidentally though I am American, I love to share my love for Africa and African history with my loved ones in Africa, as they have shared so much with me.

[@MasimbaMusodza]

This is interesting. I speak a Bantu language. My DNA profile indicates some connection with West Africa (Mende, Yoruba, Mandinka and an ethnic group in Guinea-Conakry), and also the Cushitic peoples of Ethiopia. I am related in the male line to or descended from "Mota," a man who lived in central Ethiopia around 2400 BC. I am also related to Pharaoh Ramses III, as are many southern Africans. This eclectic heritage came together around the Great Lakes region, from where the peoples of southern Africa migrated in waves. We tend to think of the Great Lakes as our point of origin because that is where we begin to see cultures that appear familiar to us, but obviously our history is a lot older and goes back to the Sudanic region. This is supported by oral tradition, which names our ancient homeland as "Guruuswa" ("vast grassland, i.e. savannah). Professor Ehret's research confirms what other sources, including oral tradition, have established about our history. Very enjoyable lecture. I wonder if the Professor has had a look at southern Africa, particularly the rise of successive stone city building states from around 600AD, such as Mapungubwe, Zimbabwe, Mutapa etc, which traded with the Portuguese, Arabs and East Asians on the Indian Ocean coast.

[@frankscott1708]

This guy is really smart. He's telling us a history of Africa that is seamless, without gaps - not a mean feat. His recounting of the rise of merchant towns and the movement of Bantu speakers in forest regions by altering those forest regions is very similar to the histories told by West African historians. The difference here of course is that he tells the story by moving from one piece of reliable evidence to another.

[@jamestcatcato7132]

HOW IS THAT ANY DIFFERENT FROM AFRICAN HISTORIANS?
YET MORE BIAS!

[@frankscott1708]

@@jamestcatcato7132 huh? explain

[@jamestcatcato7132]

@@frankscott1708 Sorry frank, i just saw your comments on another video, i apologise for jumping to a conclusion, i see you are fighting the good fight and i appreciate your efforts more than I can express, please forgive my rush to judgement.

[@frankscott1708]

@@jamestcatcato7132 The reality remains with West African historians that despite their histories being repeatedly proven to be reliable by physical evidence, they themselves don't marshal much corroborating evidence to support their historical narratives, received or otherwise. I don't know if this is a difference in burden of proof or differences in what constitutes credibility, but West African historians from Lam to Adu-Boahen and others are remarkably free of current burdens of objective evidence.

[@seansalter1679]

@@frankscott1708 I have many Icelandic cousins, who left Iceland for Canada settling in the Canadian province of Manitoba.
Icelandic people are Norsemen ie Vikings and Irish women.
Nordic people's had an oral tradition instead of a written system to keep their history.
Oral tradition is found to be equal to written history.
No haters please

[@nehemiahyasharahla7258]

Interesting lecture from Christopher Ehret.

[@itsforkay]

Start 14:43

[@onworcheiodiakasen6018]

Thank you Prof Ehret for all you do and your scholarship.
Posterity will be good for and cos of you

[@stevewill253]

Good information

[@panafricandesignsandapparel]

Why does he keep saying the Sudan while talking about WEST Africa???

[@jacan4eva]

"The Sudan" runs from the western coast to the eastern coast of Africa. It's not the same as the country of Sudan.

[@georgehunter2813]

Granaries predate planted crop agriculture. Coincides with the domestication and keeping of cats.

[@91djdj]

Linguistically speaking the connection to Mande and the other African languages mentioned is still doubtful. Archeology doesn't necessarily reflect linguistics, especially without sources going back to that date.

[@listenup2882]

Can we not get actual Africans (continental or diasporean) to teach us about Africa?

[@doctorsavvy1318]

never because we really aren't smart enough to, it's up to smart white men to do it so its "credible" . If someone African did it... now that would just be bias research

[@brealz]

We have them but people call them afrocentric which is BS but we definitely have black scholars doing the work👍🏿

[@agunaboumuzocha7872]

Why should the race of a professional historian matter? The best books on Roman history that I have read were not written by Italians.

[@nialcc]

​@@agunaboumuzocha7872 - that's because no one questions Roman history and that's because it's European history and that's because textbooks only teach Eurasian history so only whites regardless of the history will be believed when they teach history.

[@nialcc]

Here is one of the best I've found. th-cam.com/video/WUtAxUQjwB4/w-d-xo.html