They Came Before Columbus

Rating:
Summary: He builds on credible evidence
Review: Sertima has presented a thoery that is not "wild afrocentric babble." Its very plausible for the following reasons:

Most everyone is familiar with the time period of the Dark Ages, which lasted from the fall of the Roman Empire until about the 1200 or 1300's. It was a time when people were intellectually non-progressive, when the average peasent/serf never traveled 20 miles from the place of his birth. What people do forget is that the Dark Age was only a Western European phenomenon. The rest of Asia and Africa were steadily advancing.

One reviewer said that Africans had no ocean trade routes with other peoples. In fact the East African coast was dotted with powerful city states that traded all over the Indian Ocean, including China. And on the West Coast, Africans did not need trade routes per se, because half of Europe was already under their complete domination through the Islam Empire(black Moors).

Is it a coincidence that Spain and Italy were the first two European countries to climb out of the Dark Ages? No. Italy's trade routes with Africa long brought it into contact with Moslem and Chinese advances. And Spain; Spain was part of Islam! On the streets of Cardoba,Spain you would have seen Africans, Moslems, and a bunch of other races. By the way, the Moslems invented the magnetic compass and the astrolabe. This same Moslem learning flourished at the world first university; in Timbaktu. Timbaktu was in Mali, West Africa. In this climate how could West Africans not have known about sailing and trade routes?

Incidently, where was Columbus originaly from? Italy. Which country did he go to and got financing for his trip? Spain. Strangly, the same countries we just mentioned as having had close contact with Africa for centuries.

With this background, now you can look at Sertima's book with an open mind. Anyone who thinks that this book is "Afrocentric babble" is either unfamiliar with history or afraid of the truth.

Rating:
Summary: Living Proof
Review: To clear the air I just returned from a two week trip to Egypt. Everything I saw the author covered. Once again I am a realist and so many of the facts that have been tanted are coming to light. Tales of the pyramids being built by aliens lets get real and understand that not blacks but Africans of many different colors and languages built many and influenced the entire world as a whole. This book is good for any one looking for the truth and some questions raising ideas that confront so called falacies of everything the Egyptians stood for and that other cultures tried to patent. Anyone from different religious or culturus backgrounds will have a great appreciation for this book and anyone familiar with Aswan(Nubia)part of Egypt this book will bring a giant smile to your face. Once again stay peaceful and focused, Assalaamu Alaykium

Rating:
Summary: Give Guesswork A Chance
Review: There's been a lot of nonsense written about the "truth" or "falsehood" of this book, and whether those who praise it are "Afrocentric" while those who criticize it are "racist." The fact is that there is very little evidence to prove ANY of the common assertions made about ancient history. Yes, Van Sertima's arguments may be inconclusive, but on the other hand, how much do we really know about ancient Egypt, most of our evidence coming from the tombs and temples of the great and well-to-do? Or ancient Sumer, for that matter? The fact is that much of what archaeologists have to rely on is guesswork. They don't have the mass of evidence to know ancient civilizations like we do early modern or our our own present-day global civilization. As for what color or physical type people were, WHAT DOES IT MATTER? Even if his book leaves a great deal to individual interpretation, Van Sertima tells a fascinating story of human beings daring an unknown ocean and interacting with other cultures (and if it's true, then with considerably more benign effect than King Abubakari's European successors). Even if we don't have enough evidence to conclusively prove Van Sertima's theory (hasn't ANYBODY heard of Thor Heyerdahl?), it's certainly plausible and should provide a starting point for some really interesting and original archeological research. And for those who say this book is racist towards Native Americans, I think that they miss the point. Van Sertima is not trying to prove that all Native American culture came over with the Africans. After all, native Americans were here for thousands of years before that. Besides, there's certainly no dishonor in civilizations starting through cultural diffusion. Egypt, Sumer, and the Harappans of the Indus Valley all had regular contact with each other. Anyhow, the Peruvian civilization of Chan Chan was already in existence around 2000-1000 BC. As for the means, Thor Heyerdahl already proved the feasibility of transatlantic crossings with ancient Egyptian maritime technology in 1970 with Ra II. In a similar vein, Richard Poe's BLACK SPARK, WHITE FIRE, provides some interesting theories about cultural diffusion in the Old World as opposed to the new. Put the anger aside, people, and give this book a chance.

Rating:
Summary: So Native Americans Couldn't Do Anything Themselves?
Review: what kind of racist, afrocentric babble is this? this book relies on information and so-called "proof" that has absolutely no basis. For instance, those olmec heads don't look negroid at all. for some reason, maybe for a racist reason, van sertima leaves out that the olmec heads have flat faces and the epicanthic fold over the eyes. two characteristics that are present in native americans and asians but ABSENT among africans! to ivan van sertima i say, leave the native americans alone. this must hurt you to hear me say this, but native americans built their OWN civilization without any outside help.

Rating:
Summary: THEY CAME BEFORE COLUMBUS
Review: I HAD JUST RETURNED FROM AFRICA WHEN I READ THIS BOOK IN 1976. THE STONE HEADS OF CENTRAL AMERICA WERE SAID TO BE STATUES TO SPACE TRAVELERS. HAS ANYONE OUT THERE READ "CHARIOTS OF THE GODS"? IT WAS EVEN A TV DOCUMENTARY FOR SPACE BUFFS. WHO BUT A FOOL COULD BELIEVE THAT THOSE NEGROID FACES CAME FROM OUTER SPACE? BUT THEN AGAIN, FOR A TREKKIE LIKE ME, WHY NOT?

THE TRUTH IS MORE CLEAR IN THIS BOOK. COLUMBUS MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT "DISCOVER" THESE LANDS FOR AFRICANS OR MANY OTHER PEOPLES. REMEMBER THAT COLUMBUS HAD A BLACK "PILOT" TO GUIDE HIM HERE, A MOORISH MAN. THEY FOLLOWED AFRICAN ROUTES TO THESE LANDS. IF THEY KNEW HOW CLOSE THE CONTINENT WAS FROM EUROPE, THE NEVER WOULD HAVE BRAVED THE DOLDRUMS OF THE EQUATOR.

[e-mail] - IF YOU GOT SUMPN T' SAY BOUT IT!

Rating:
Summary: "Don't Dive in too Soon"
Review: Before anyone tries to jump on the bandwagon of "Alternative History", you might consider the following:

1 - With regard to the theory of the author as to the links between Mayan structures and calendars to Egyptian structures and calendars... a - It is WELL KNOWN and accepted as fact by most historians that ancient Egyptian Civilization was populated by people who were more derivative of the Middle East than by Africa, so their origin is not "black" or African, per se'. b - A phenomenon called "spontaneous discovery" has occured in the ancient world as well as in the modern world. It occured with fire, and it occured in the Bronze Age, as well as with agriculture. Merely noticing similarities in buildings and calendars is not evidence of the discovery of the new world by Africans, since the workings of gravity and the cosmos are pretty much constant throughout the planet.

2 - With regards to the theory, posited by the author, of Columbus' explorations to Guinea (in which Columbus supposedly gained knowledge of a "route to the new world"), this theory does not fit with the WIDELY accepted FACT that the intent of Columbus' voyage across the Atlantic was NOT to find any "New World". Indeed, Columbus' intent (at least how he sold it to the Spanish monarchy) was to find a SHORTER ROUTE TO THE EAST for the purpose of EASY TRADE.

This kind of book is VERY DENGERIOUS to impressionable minds - black or white or whatever...We cannot condemn, ignore, or forget the accomplishments of our European forebearers any more than we can instill a false sense of pride and worth to our African-American children based on theory, conjecture, and/ or lies. African-Americans have enough FACT to draw from and gain cultural pride from without entertaining theory as fact.

I am SURE that this book can and should continue to be found in the FICTION section of your local bookstore.

Rating:
Summary: Typical
Review: I find it sad that people choose to defend Van Sertima's book not on its merits, but by claiming that anyone who criticises it is racist. This actually supports the critics assertion that Van Sertima's book has no credibility! But its obvious that the people pulling the race card are so stupid as to be unaware of this. Sad really. To the defenders of Van Sertima answer me this: why isn't Van Sertima's thesis discussed in the massive UNESCO history of Africa, produced under the auspices of very respected African scholars and historians? Let me guess, Africans are racist vs Americans of part-African descent? No, that can't be right - erm....Africans are jealous of Van Sertima's amazing discoveries - no, not plausible either.....how about because Africans are "controlled" by colonialists - nah, the editorial panel on the UNESCO study is highly anti-imperialist....oh, how about this one: Africans know what's what and can spot a feel-good joke for Americans of part-African descent masquerading as "history" a mile off.

Rating:
Summary: Great read on an alternative view of history!
Review: This book is stimulating on an additional or alternate view of history! There is evidence found particularly in South America which support Van Sertima's claims listed in this book.

What is unfortunate yet predictable are the nasty one-star remarks made by some of the reviewers below. EVERYONE, take note and read much of the hate-filled racist literature also available on Amazon.com starting with KKK member David Duke's My Awakening. I will bet many of the one-stars will give Duke and his pseudo-intellectual counterparts 5-stars! Whereas Van Sertima is mere speculation the Duke's are outright lies and distortions of truth.

Don't be intimidated, Van Sertima! Anything you write is wonderful and thought-provoking!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful interpretation of history!
Review: This is a wonderful new take on history. The author, Van Sertima, can always expect negative remarks from the same people who created most of the historical lies. To the author I say, "Forge ahead!" Ignore the racist Darwinists, "Christians," etc. and write what you please. As for the "reviewer" below, you need to proofread your own review before you critique the publication of Van Sertima or anyone else. You have a PhD in Political Science, you say? Re-read your review -- you can't even spell, dude!

Rating:
Summary: Sad
Review: I have a PhD in Political Science - I am absolutely shocked that a reviewer below argues that because a book receives negative comments it must be right! What type of cack-handed logic is that? Fact: Van sertima's book has NO credibility because he has NO evidence. It would be amazing and good if someone discovered EVIDENCE of ocean-going Africans. Unfortunately, no has yet and as a person below points out, if islands just off the coast of Africa remained undiscovered and unknown to people on the African mainland, it kind of spoils the thesis that Africans built ocean-going ships that took them across the Atlantic to Africa. Can we have thoughtful comments on this book and not puffed-up and embarrassing nonsense based on misplaced racial pride and a need for building up self-confidence? African people can do that fine without resorting to lies and story-book fables.