THE AFRICAN PAST, ed. Basil Davidson, Penguin, Harmondsworth, 1966.

Here are some 350 pages of text, commentary and introduction, an
historical anthology. It begins by informing the reader that African
history is more than an account of European contact and conquest,
that there is the vast prehistory of humanity on the continent and
the acquisition of agriculture, metallurgy, especially iron, the
importation of crops, such as yams and bananas from Southeast Asia,
and such great migrations as that of the Bantu. Then he introduces
the great kingdoms of Ghana and Zimbabwe and the trading centres on
the East Coast, such as Kilwa. Then comes a mention of the records,
African, Asian and Western, whose extracts form the real substance
of this anthology.

The text begins with quotes from Breasted's ANCIENT RECORDS OF
EGYPT, Old Kingdom travelogues and military ventures, trade under
Thuthmosis III and the fall of Memphis to Piankhi of Kush. Then
comes Herodotus's description of Meroe and Carthaginian trade on the
Atlantic Coast of Africa. Then there's an Axumite inscription of
victories over Meroe. The section closes with about three pages of
J.D. Clark's PREHISTORY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA treating Bushman rock
paintings.

The next section on early West Africa starts with modern remarks on
Nok and Ife, an early 19th Century, a late 19th Century and a modern
account of Yoruba origins, and accounts of old Ghana and Mali. Then
comes the Kano Chronicle, followed by al Maghili's disapproval of
the ways of Songhay, a glance at Kanem, the works of Mahmud Kati and
of as-Sa'id, and extracts from Chief Egharevba's SHORT HISTORY OF
BENIN.

   The Tarikh as-Sudan offers an eyewitness account of a somewhat
   shorter period but often in more personal detail, while it also
   adds to stories of the past that are touched on by the Tarikh
   al-Fettash. Its author, Abderrahman as Sa'idi, was born in
   Timbuctu in 1596, served in Djenne as a notary, became a kateb or
   government secretary, and embarked on a career of official
   diplomacy after 1629. His book has potted biographies of many
   scholars of the period, and carries its narrative down to 1655.
   p. 99

Then comes al-Masudi on East Africa, a modern consideration of trade
in ivory, Idrisi on iron exports to India, coins, Chinese accounts,
the Kilwa Chronicle, Ibn Battuta, an Ethiopian Chronicle, the Pate
Chronicle, and European accounts of their intrusion into East
Africa.

Though still some 200 pages of text and commentary remain, I'll
pause, if not halt, here. This book has many snippets from the rich
tapestry of African history. In my estimation, its chief value lies
in demonstrating the existence of the pre-European records, and
naming a number of such works.

Michael McKenny July 19, 2002.


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