Frank was responding to a topic claiming “Africa HAD ancient civilisations like Kush, Egypt, Mali” by claiming there was no evidence of civilization. He denied there was archaeological and genetic evidence of precolonial empires, and that Egypt was an African civilization. He denied that Nubian Complex, and trade networks covering 300,000 years of peer reviewed archaeological evidence was credible. He claimed that Cheik Anta Diop was NOT a respected academic, while by implication not noting that Diop debunked Petrie, Gaspero and several irrational racist scholars whose ideas had been written into textbooks.
Clearly Frank DID NOT know anything about who Cheik Anta Diop actually was; at most looks like he read the first paragraph of Wikipedia and ignored it.
Well, Frank, it seems you’ve taken quite a bold stance, denying archaeological and genetic evidence of Africa’s ancient civilizations while simultaneously disparaging Cheikh Anta Diop—someone who has done more to discredit pseudoscience than the entire cohort of 19th-century racist scholars you probably admire. Let’s take this point by point, and by the end, we’ll see if there’s anything left standing from your argument.
(1). “No Written Records”? Oh, Please.
Think about the audacity! Kush, Mali, Aksum, and Egypt not having written records? First of all, Frank, I’m not sure where you’ve been getting your history lessons, but I suggest cracking open an actual book, perhaps even one of the Rosetta Stone translations, to see the treasure trove of written records that Egypt and Nubia left behind. These civilizations documented everything from their religious beliefs to trade transactions. Maybe you’ve confused oral history with a lack of history altogether, but let me assure you, ancient Africans weren’t relying on smoke signals to communicate. The records are there—written on stone, papyrus, and even walls that have survived thousands of years.
(2). Diop: The Man Who Debunked Your Heroes
Now, onto Cheikh Anta Diop, the man whose work you casually dismiss. Diop didn’t just stumble into the intellectual ring with wild theories; he walked in with peer-reviewed research and faced more than 50 non-African scholars at the 1974 UNESCO symposium. And guess what? He walked out having debunked centuries of racist pseudoscience, including the works of Flinders Petrie, who believed that Egypt was built by a “superior white race.” Diop showed through anthropology, and linguistics that Egypt was indigenous to Africa—so much so that scholars today agree. Diop introduced the scientifically correct observation of lineage not testing pigmentation and demanding pigmentation testing. What you’re holding onto, Frank, is a relic of 19th-century fantasy.
(3). “Nubia Wasn’t a Civilization”? What a Joke.
Ah, yes, the old claim that Nubia wasn’t a civilization. Tell that to the archaeologists at Kerma or those who’ve uncovered the Nubian Complex, revealing trade networks stretching back 125,000 years. Or how about the Qustul Incense Burner, which predates dynastic Egypt and shows symbols of kingship? Nubians were trading gold, ivory, and exotic goods while your so-called “civilized” world was still figuring out how to grow crops. It’s almost cute how you think building a pyramid in the 25th Dynasty somehow negates the millennia of Nubian culture that came before it.
(4). Let’s Talk About Trade, Shall We?
Frank, civilization isn’t just about building monuments—it’s about trade, social organization, and technological advancement. Africa had it all. The Nubian-Egyptian trade routes date back to the Old Kingdom, with evidence of gold, ebony, and even elephants being traded. That’s right, while Europe was still wandering through forests, Africa was mastering long-distance commerce. The fact that you deny the existence of these trade networks either shows willful ignorance or an inability to Google.
(5). Diop vs. Your “Scholars”
Let’s get back to the scholars Diop debunked. Josiah Clark Nott and George Gliddon, authors of “Types of Mankind” (1854), were the flag bearers of racist anthropology, asserting that African people were inferior. Diop tore their arguments apart by showing that Egypt’s cultural and genetic heritage was deeply African. Then there’s James Henry Breasted, whose “Outliers of European History” tried to place Egypt as a periphery of Europe’s “greatness.” Diop crushed that notion, proving that Egypt was part of African civilization, not some footnote in European history.
(6). Archaeological Evidence Is Not Optional
Frank, you claim there’s no archaeological evidence for African civilizations beyond Egypt. That’s almost as absurd as saying the pyramids don’t exist because you haven’t personally seen them. Nabta Playa predates Stonehenge by thousands of years, and Blombos Cave shows artistic and symbolic activity in southern Africa over 75,000 years ago. These aren’t random guesses; they’re findings backed by radiocarbon dating, excavation, and peer-reviewed studies. You can deny their existence all you want, but that doesn’t make them disappear.
(7). The Rosy View of Europe’s “Civilization”
Let’s not forget that Edwin Blashfield’s “The Evolution of Civilization”, painted in the U.S. Library of Congress, didn’t even acknowledge Africa’s role in world history until colonial times. That artistic omission mirrors the historical whitewashing you seem so fond of. Diop, however, reminded the world that Egypt wasn’t some European outpost—it was an African civilization, connected to the rest of the continent long before Greece or Rome emerged.
(8). The UNESCO Symposium: Diop’s Ultimate Triumph
In case you missed it, Frank, Diop faced 50 Egyptologists at the UNESCO symposium and emerged victorious. His arguments for Egypt’s African origin were so airtight that the global academic community began shifting its views. You can deny it, but the fact remains: today’s scholarship largely recognizes Egypt as an indigenous African civilization. And all your hand-waving won’t change that.
(9). Genetics: The Final Nail in Your Argument’s Coffin
Genetic studies have only bolstered Diop’s claims. Autosomal DNA analyses show that the ancient Egyptians were closely related to other African populations. Even the Y-DNA haplogroups you cling to as “proof” of Levantine connections don’t hold water—human migrations have always been complex, and Africa has long been a crossroads for gene flow. Egypt was never isolated from Africa; it was an integral part of it, as was Nubia.
(10). Nubia Predates Egypt, Deal with It
Finally, let’s put the nail in the coffin of your “Nubia wasn’t a civilization” nonsense. The Nubian Complex, dating back 125,000 years, is one of the oldest and most significant archaeological findings in Africa. This predates dynastic Egypt by a wide margin, and the evidence of trade and cultural exchanges between Nubia and Egypt only further underscores Nubia’s sophistication. You can try to ignore it, but the evidence is overwhelming.
What else needs to be said?
Frank, your argument is like a poorly written history textbook from the 1800s—outdated, incorrect, and embarrassingly easy to debunk. Diop’s research has not only stood the test of time but reshaped the way we understand African history. So the next time you feel the urge to deny Africa’s contributions to civilization, do us all a favor: pick up a book, even a picture book. Preferably one that’s been written in the last 50 years.
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