The African Presence in Early Asia, Volume 7, Issue 2

Ivan Van Sertima, Runoko Rashidi

Transaction Books, 1985 - History - 165 pages

Contributors to this volume argue that blacks were a formative civilizing influence on Asian societies. Presenting their case with persuasive eloquence and research, the authors examine cultural forms, art motifs, weapons, scripts, and skeletal evidence to link Asian civilizations to Africa's Nile Valley. Articles detail both the physical and cultural presence of Africans in Asia. Topics covered include the black presence and heavy intermittent influence in Sumer, Elam, and Arabia; contributions of Dravidians and Ethiopian blacks to the Indus Valley civilizations; the history of the first Chinese emperor, Fu-Hsi; the origin of martial arts; parallels between Krishna, Guatama Buddha, and Jesus; and the nature of slavery in Arabia and Asia. Five major chapters have been added to this new edition, adding substantially to the range and depth of the original volume.

About the author

Ivan Van Sertima (1935-2009) was professor of African studies at Rutgers University. He was visiting professor at Princeton University and lectured at more than one hundred colleges and universities. He edited the Journal of African Civilizations, which has greatly changed the way in which African history and culture are taught and studied.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The African Presence in Early Asia, Volume 7, Issue 2; Journal of African civilizations, ISSN 0270-2495; The African Presence in Early Asia, Ivan Van Sertima
• Editors: Ivan Van Sertima, Runoko Rashidi
• Edition: 10, revised
• Publisher: Transaction Books, 1985
• ISBN: 0887386377, 9780887386374
• Length: 165 pages
• Subjects: History / Africa / General