Product Review

In this ebook, I delve into East African intellectual achievements. I consider the contributions made to science and technology by the peoples of Ancient Kush, Mediaeval Nubia, Ancient Ethiopia (also called the Empire of Axum or the Empire of Abyssinia), the Swahili Confederation, the Kingdom of Banyoro (in Uganda), the Empire of Munhumutapa (centred on Great Zimbabwe), and the Zulu Empire (further south).

I examine their contributions to the evolution of Architecture, Mining & Metallurgy, Astronomy, Medicine & Surgery, and Shipping & Navigation. As with previous books and ebooks by me, these findings challenge and refute negative stereotypes about Africa.

Did you know
•Evidence of the use of the antibiotic tetracyclene has been discovered in Ancient Sudan
•Tanzanian metallurgists produced the finest steel in the world between 500 and 1850 AD
•Ethiopia has astronomical and chronological tables dating from the fourth century
•Old Ethiopian manuscripts show the use of base 10, base 60 and modulo arithmetic calculations
•Miners in south east Africa extracted 43 1/4 million tonnes of gold ore in mediaeval times
•Mariners from Tanzania sailed as far as Northern Australia in the eleventh century
•Medical practitioners in pre-colonial Uganda routinely carried out autopsies on patients who died of unknown causes
In writing this ebook, I build on the research of Professor Cheikh Anta Diop, Professor Ivan Van Sertima, Professor Charles Finch, Mr Benaebi Benatari, Dr Nnamdi Elleh, Professor Richard Pankhurst and Professor Otto Neugebauer.

This lecture essay is one of four essays that introduce African and African Diasporan contributions to science and technology. The other three in the series concern Ancient Egypt, early West Africa, and African Diasporan contributions to science and technology.

Robin Walker