Although outside the olmec heartland, olmec influences appear in the architectural record. The books lays out the facts concerning the true origins of the olmecs in africa, with migrations from china and other parts of the old world. See more ideas about black history, african history and history. This book shares a simple putting technique the author discovered that cured his putting yips and also offers some helpful tips for avid golfers and beginners on how to lower their scores and improve their game. Olmec art the olmec carved large heads from basalt, a type of volcanic rock. The book, a history of the african olmecs and black civilizations of america from prehistoric times to the present era, is one of the most fascinating, wellresearched and wellwritten books on the subject of the black and black african presence in prehistoric and ancient americas. Childress also makes note of drilling a whole in ones head to become more psychically powerful. Black civilizations of america from prehistoric times to the present era, ancient kingdoms in west africa have a long history of trade by sail, which made it all the more likely that they eventually expanded their trade to the americas. Marquez 1956, 17980 made it clear that a common trait of the african skulls found in mexico. This book shares a simple putting technique the author discovered that cured his putting yips and also offers some helpful tips for avid golfers and beginners on. It will be of interest to those researching the accurate, noneurobiased history of africa.
The mystery of the olmecs graham hancock official website. An african presence in early america in celebration of black history month. A history of the africanolmecs by paul alfred barton. David hatcher childress, known as the reallife indiana jones to the many fans of his books, is a captivating speaker and the author or coauthor of over 15 books. The olmec might have been the first people to figure out how to convert latex of the rubber tree into something that could be shaped, cured, and hardened. Because of that one mans theory, you have all of these afrocentrists, with absolutely no understanding of genetics or human migration, who write these articles saying that any and all peoples and oldancient cultures were negroid based on shoddy evidence and only physical appearance. Olmec prosperity was initially based on exploiting the fertile and wellwatered coastal areas of the gulf of mexico to grow such crops as corn and beans often twiceyearly which allowed for an agricultural surplus. Not unlike much of african american history in this country, the history of the olmecs is largely undocumented. The statues are recognizable in the videos that follow this article.
A history of the africanolmecs by paul alfred barton, 9780759644694, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The crania were from the preclassic period, contemporary with the olmec. The world before modern times canyon springs high school. Numerous times history of mesoamerica has been taught in such a way and later taught in an entirely different manner, usually the case being that there was historical inaccuracy, thus, educational books, published articles and the way in which we teach others is. The mention of african cultural traits among the olmecs has been dealt with by many writers and authors dealing in research and writing about the precolumbian people of the americas, particularly the precolumbian africoid peoples.
Black civilizations of america from prehistoric times to the present era paul alfred barton authorhouse, 2001 history 253 pages. Andrzej wiercinski claims that some of the olmecs were of african origin. The olmec ancient civilizations article khan academy. The opposite theory, an african origin for the olmecs, deserves testing. Facial features such as almondshaped eyes supposed feature of chinese origin and prominent lips supposed feature of african origin are sometimes forwarded as proof by supporters of alternative origins. From the olmecs to the aztecs pdf comments consumers havent yet quit his or her overview of the experience, or you cannot read it yet. The olmec were the first civilization in the americas not the first people. These are massive carved stone statues weighing between 10 and 40 tons. Discover the glory of the pharaohs and towers of zimbabwe, the cosmology of the yoruba, the courage of the masai and the golden wonders of mali, the art treasures of the bushongo and the sophistication of the egyptians. To grow up african american in the united states you learn at an early age that you are a descendant of slaves. The origins of olmec culture have intrigued scholars and lay people alike since tres zapotes colossal head i, a gigantic stone human head with vaguely negroid features, was discovered in veracruz 140. Pdf history of african civilization download ebook for free. He explains the whole scope of african presence in america how we got here, when and the cultures that we brought aswel mexico in details this book here is.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. In a 1996 book, mike xu, with the aid of chen hanping, claimed that the very. African history for beginners explores the rich history of this continent of contrasts. Using the same figures recorded in table 2 for cerro,we observe that 40. The history of the african olmecs and black civilization of the americas from prehistoric times to the present era, had to have journied across the atlantic from west africa, for it is only in west africa, that the religious practices and astronomical and religious practices and complex venus, the dogon sirius observation and the venus. Although several of these speculations, particularly the theory that the olmecs were of african origin popularized by ivan van sertimas book they came before columbus, have become well known within popular culture.
First, we must remember that the tribes of israel were doomed to be. The olmecs were related to blacks of the mende group of west africa. An anthropological study on the origin of the olmecs the presence of african people at the olmec sites of tlatilco and cerro. Americas first civilization, diehl has only one paragraph on the subject, saying. Africa and the discovery of america internet archive. The olmec culture developed cities defined as population centers with political and cultural significance and influence as early as 1200 b. Barton according to an archeologist who recently participated in archeological work in mexico, one of the most ancient civilizations in the americas, the black negritic olmecs developed a calendar that goes back to about 3,1 years before christ. Some researchers claim that there is no scientific basis for the ability of african people to have remained unabsorbed in america. Olmec, the first elaborate precolumbian civilization of mesoamerica c. Sep 27, 2016 the book, a history of the africanolmecs presents many references from chinese sources to support the fact of black civilizations in ancient china.
Many olmec skulls show cranial deformations pailles, 1980, yet wiercinski 1972b was able to determine the ethnic origins of the olmecs. Other longdistance contacts seem shown by oldworld drugs in peruvian mummies and newworld drugs in egyptian. Origin and disappearance not clear, but influenced later cultures across. In the very end of august, 2005, the book was published in the institute of archaeology and ethnography, novosibirsk 500 books. The world before modern times prehistory1500 around 3000 b. The olmec people established a civilization in the area we know today as southern mexico. Olmec technology the olmec used an early form of glyph writing to record events, dates, and to tell stories. List of books and articles about olmec indians online. Most of the pictures were adapted to russian version from foreign. This is not necessarily to suggest that the founders or leaders of olmec. He supports this claim with cranial evidence from two mesoamerican sites. First published in 2001 a history of the africanolmecs open library.
Their sphere of influence was along mexicos gulf coast particularly in the presentday states of veracruz and. To believe that all of your ancestors were slaves people considered unfit or unable to contribute anything to society other than manual labor exacts a heavy toll on the selfesteem. No scholar in history did more to contribute to our knowledge of the contribution of the african to the civilization of the olmec than ivan van sertima. They include the ancient olmecs of mexico who are known as the xi shee, the washetaw of louisiana who once owned large areas of. This book deals with the current and past findings on the. The olmecs were blac africans, they spoke a mende dialect, they had a religion similar to shango, they joined with blacks from china. The book, a history of the africanolmecs and black civilizations of america from prehistoric times to the present era, is one of the most fascinating, wellresearched and wellwritten books on the subject of the black and black african presence in prehistoric and ancient americas. According to paul alfred barton, the author of a history of the africanolmecs. He mentions the olmecs custom of flattening their heads.
It has been speculated that the olmecs derived in part from the neighboring mokaya or mixezoque cultures the olmecs flourished during mesoamericas. As we look at a statue of the olmec people, we see the wide nose and thick lips typical of people of african heritage. They also, no doubt, gathered the plentiful local supply of plant food, palm nuts and sealife, including turtles and clams. Childress mystery of the olmecs is a good quick read. The olmec existed before the maya, toltec, and aztec civilizations. This book was extremely useful for me when i was researching the olmecs because there is very little known about the olmecs, and the small fractions that we do know are very difficult to find in outdated books and on the internet. According to paul alfred barton, the author of a history of the african olmecs. Rex koontz this authoritative volume has been revised throughout and expanded, with new images and accounts of the major discoveries of recent years.
Ivan van sertima, as set out in his book they came before columbus, confirmed the kmtnubian nilotic african presence among the olmec through reports of carbon dating. Beginning with the first modern explorations in the 1920s, david grove recounts how generations of archaeologists and local residents have uncovered the olmec past and pieced together a. Yet, should you have presently check out this e book and you really are prepared to produce his or her results well expect you to spend time to leave a critique on. Myth or re rulers of ancient egypt 25th dynasty, 712664 b. Olmec alternative origin speculations are nonmainstream theories that have been suggested.
They are not considered credible by the vast majority of mesoamerican researchers and scientists, who discard it as popculture. They include the ancient olmecs of mexico who are known as the xi shee, the washetaw of louisiana who once owned large areas of the louisiana territories before 1805. The olmecs carved about twentytwo collosal stone heads in the southern parts of mexico and their influence have been found in guatemala and further south. What the giant stone heads represent or why the olmec built them is a mystery. Black civilizations of america from prehistoric times to the present era, ancient kingdoms in west africa have a long history of trade by sail, which made it all the more likely that they eventually expanded their trade to. The original olmec olmec civilization the olmec civilization existed from 0 bc to about 400 bc. The african origin hypothesis assumes that olmec carving was intended to be a. The olmecs were the earliest known major mesoamerican civilization. Both almondshaped eyes and snarled mouths are characteristic of the werejaguar motif common in olmec art. Although several of these speculations, particularly the theory that the olmecs were of african origin popularized by ivan van sertimas book. After careful research and diligent study within the scriptures and history, we have concluded that the 10 lost tribes of israel are of socalled latinochicano and indian descent. The book, a history of the africanolmecs, published by 1stbooks library, is the most complete and most facinating and intriguing book ever written on the black olmec civilization of ancient mesoamerica. Thus amerind folklore from peru to attest preconquest black traders coming overland to peru and of blacks hefting large stones about there.
Van sertima held that the african presence among the olmec consisted of a small but elite and highlyinfluential community. The olmec statue heads are clearly of the indigenous peoples in the area, and not of west african negroids. This is from that part of the atlantic ocean that is the gulf of guinea and added to those to the iberian peninsula via the magreb nth. Avid golfers and beginners who want to improve their game. Pdf black civilization pdf download read online free. This book is an attempt to fill the chasm in todays literature regarding this topic. The ivan van sertima papers by runoko rashidi london. Download pdf african history for beginners free online. The olmec civilization the presence in america amazing.
The olmec are believed to be the earliest civilization in the americas. Diehl was a wellwritten book that allows readers to truly understand the olmec civilization. The nahuatl aztec name for these people, olmecatl, or olmec in the modern. Ivan van sertima and the olmec world journal of pan african. Yet, the fact that the olmecs were most likely a black civilization of african origins has not been made public and the indian elements in mexico have gained more prominence to the extent that the negroid substrata of the ancient mexicanmesoamerican civilizations has been kept hidden.
That is, the origin of the olmecs is not in africa but in america, since they. This book surveys the history of higher educationprincipally universitiesin africa. It was occupied from roughly 900400 bc and contains many elements demonstrating olmec wealth and power, such as four colossal heads, the great pyramid, and smooth serpentine. The volume of the textbook is 144 pages, including 161 pictures, drawings, maps, and photos. The inherent symbolism of recycling the throne of a dead ruler to create his colossal portrait sheds new light on the olmec cult of their ancestors and also provides evidence that the recycled heads were not transported. This is totally false there are many reports of black tribes living in america when europeans arrived in the new world. Black civilizations of america from prehistoric times to the present era book. They came before columbus 1976 plus alfred barton a history of the africanolmecs 1998. Dec 14, 2006 the mention of african cultural traits among the olmecs has been dealt with by many writers and authors dealing in research and writing about the precolumbian people of the americas, particularly the precolumbian africoid peoples.
They were talented traders and artists, and their influence is quite clearly seen in later cultures like the aztec and the maya. To grow up african american in the united states you learn at an early age that you are. Archived from the original pdf online reproduction on 20060822. In this engaging book, a leading expert on the olmecs tells those stories from his own experiences and those of his predecessors, colleagues, and students.
When they arrived is not known, but a guess of 8,0004000 b. The studies of the olmecs reveals much information about who these people were, what kind of a civilization they had, but more importantly the studies reveal a linkage between the olmecs as a mother culture to later established civilizations including the mayas, teotihuacan and other various citystates of mesoamerica. Anthropological study on the origin of the olmecs the presence of african people at the olmec sites of tlatilco and cerro. Black civilizations of america from prehistoric times to the present era as want to read. The book a history of the africanolmecs, is a complete history of the olmecs as well as a number of ancient black african cultures. Following a progressive development in soconusco, they occupied the tropical lowlands of the modernday mexican states of veracruz and tabasco. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Black civilizations of america from prehistoric times to the present era. Because the olmec did not have much writing beyond a handful of carved glyphssymbolsthat survived, we dont know what name the olmec people gave themselves.