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Keys and clues in the anticedants of ancient Egyptian culture and society:
quote:The programme explores the enigmatic central Saharan society which once spanned the entire north African continent. We unravel their tale through the story of the discovery of the black mummy, Uan Muhuggiag. It soon becomes obvious that these people were responsible for an extraordinary array of innovations which later became famous under the Egyptians. Their presence re-writes the history of Egypt and of the entire continent of Africa.
The background: the lost society of the central Sahara and the rise of ancient Egypt The origins of ancient Egypt are archaeology’s greatest unsolved mystery. What prompted this remarkable culture to develop such distinctive rituals as mummification? Where did they get their ideas? As far as we know, Egypt was only preceded by one great civilisation: Mesopotamia. Although Mesopotamia is a far older culture – there is no evidence to suggest that these people had developed any similar funerary practises. But if Egyptian innovations did not come from earlier known civilisations – where did they come from?
The answer has come from an unlikely quarter – the barren Sahara desert. In the last few decades evidence has been mounting that the Egyptian civilisation was not the first advanced society in Africa. At the same time as Mesopotamia rose in the near east, another culture thrived in Africa. Although few people have heard of it – this central Saharan culture is providing evidence for the invention of ritual activity which had previously been attributed to the Egyptians.
The first clue for archaeologists was the abundant rock art found all over the central Sahara from Libya to Egypt to Mali. The rock art depicts animals like crocodiles and rhinos – which do not live in deserts. It also shows scenes of hunting and rituals involving men wearing animal masks. All of this art was a firm clue that this area was once a hive of activity. It spurred archaeologists to dig and over the past fifty years they’ve uncovered an entire unknown society.
The society was nomadic – groups of animal herders wandered all over the region and eventually spread their uniform culture throughout the continent of north Africa. They lived in huts and had time to make art and invent rituals. By the time the culture reached its pinnacle around 6ooo years ago these people had invented rituals which indicate a fairly complex world view. They were communicating with the heavens and using funerary rituals like mummification to treat their dead.
But all of this evidence indicated an Eden-like place – one with trees, grasses and abundant running waters. And yet nothing could be further from this picture than the Sahara today. Although archaeologists had already assembled the clues, the science of climatology solidly confirmed what all had suspected: this area was once a lush savannah landscape. Changes in the tilt of the earth’s axis had caused drought in the Sahara and brought this thriving society to an end. But with the demise of the central Saharan culture, people wandered all over northern Africa in search of greener pastures. The Nile valley was an obvious destination. Around 6000 years ago central Saharan ideas arrived in the Nile valley – adding mummification and other rituals to the potent mix which was to become the Egyptian civilisation.
CHANNEL 5, FRIDAY MAY 2ND AT 9PM DISCOVERY NETWORK USA, FEB 17 2003
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Since when is Mesopotamia a far older culture?
Mesopotamia is not a civilization or nation it is a geographic region that contained MULTIPLE cultures, nations and civilizations over a period of time. Comparing that to Egypt as a SINGLE nation is ridiculous because you are comparing apples to oranges. A better comparison would be Mesopotamia to the Nile Valley/Saharan complex which is indeed older than Mesopotamia in terms of patterns of development. This would include the Khartoum Mesolitic, Nabta Playa, Arkin 8, Wadi Halfa, Gilf Kebir and many other cultures and civilizations and a time frame that stretches way beyond what is in Mesopotamia.
Posts: 8889 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Lord Sauron: ^ Tiv Civilization predates all other Civilisations.
Tiv civilization?
The Indus Valley civilization predates all others?
An anthropology student at my school did mention something similar to this to me.
Don't remember exact words in teh slightest but.. She said they used to think civilization started more to the West [in South Western Asia] but now keep finding older and older and older advanced societies to the East. In an attempt to glean more information I was trying to listen [kinda] but tha brain was on overload at the mo, and not on anhtropology like it's been the first half of this year.
Posts: 5555 | From: Tha 5th Dimension. | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
LOL Alive, what are you on about? The Tiv people are from Nigeria .
Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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It's Wikipedia, so take with grain of salt:
quote: The Tiv are an ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in West Africa.
They constitute approximately 2.5% of Nigeria's total population, and number over 5.6 million individuals throughout Nigeria and Cameroon. The Tiv's traditional language is spoken by over 6 million people in Nigeria, with a few speakers in Cameroon. Most of the language's Nigerian speakers are found in Benue State of Nigeria. The language is also widely spoken in the Nigerian States of Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa as well as the FCT Abuja. It is part of the Southern Bantoid Tivoid family, a branch of Benue-Congo and ultimately of the Niger-Congo phylum. The Tiv are also known as the Mitshi, Munchi, or Munshi. They depend on agricultural produce for commerce and life.
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from - Exposing Egypt white lie to . . .being an expert on Tiv civilization. BOY you are good!! 7 post and you are up to Black Power, genetics and Tiv civilization. And you never heard that AE was black before now?
quote:Originally posted by Lord Sauron: ^ The Tiv Civilization predates all other Civilisations.
Posts: 12143 | From: When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable | Registered: Jun 2007
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posted
Last time I checked, the Harappan or Indus civilization was no more older than Sumerian at best.
Posts: 26238 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
'Mesopotamia' is not even a civilization or any type of culture but a region. Thus you can't compare an actual nation or civilization such as 'Egypt' to an entire land area such as Mesopotamia which consisted of different civilizations and cultures, which Eurocentrics do all the time. And in any way they're wrong because archaeology shows the cultures of the Nile Valley to be much older than those of Mesopotamia.
Posts: 26238 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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