Black Athena comes of age

Viac o knihe

What prompted Martin Bernal, a specialist in modern Chinese intellectual history, to explore the ancient history of the Eastern Mediterranean? His aim was to rewrite two millennia of European intellectual history, revealing the eighteenth-century rise of Altertumswissenschaft as a pivotal moment in the Eurocentric denial of the "Afroasiatic roots of European civilization." His multi-volume work created significant debate across various fields, including African Studies and classical archaeology. Bernal became an unexpected figure for African American intellectuals identifying as Afrocentrist, which also led to backlash from conservative classicists. Despite some missteps in epistemology and historiography, his arguments hold merit. The publication of "Black Athena Revisited" in 1996 seemed to refute his thesis, but this collection aims to restore balance. It features Bernal’s responses to critics and expands his thesis to sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing the importance of a non-Eurocentric, multicentric model of global cultural history. This vision challenges negative perceptions of Africa by highlighting its significant contributions and intercontinental interactions. Originally published in 1997, the updated edition includes a chapter addressing developments into the third millennium and reflects on the ongoing debate.