Greek descriptions of Africans in connection with Greek concepts of historical development
F.F. Fedotov
Ancient Greek texts are distinguished from foreign countries by a tendency to see the influence of philosophical concepts on them. A consistent development of this tendency is evident in declaring the novel completely unrealistic and that it was created to emphasize philosophical concepts. The late appearance of the most fascinating and detailed descriptions of Africa and its first-hand sources increases the likelihood of philosophical influences. However, the sources contain many precise ethnographic data regarding the background of the peoples living in remote countries. This indicates that most of the information is taken from local sources, reflecting personal impressions of ancient travelers or accounts they heard, including ideas about the world that existed in societies long before the emergence of social hierarchy in them. Herodotus seems to have known much less than his more educated contemporaries about the land south of Egypt, who were likely aware of details known to us only from later sources. Ancient concepts of human evolution show similarities with descriptions of African peoples in terms of their emphasis on gathering food, gradually shifting to animal husbandry and agriculture, learning to use fire, wearing clothing, and building a home, in addition to the principles of primitive language. The origin of these concepts, detailed in later sources such as those that talk about Africa and its peoples, is taken from early classical Greek writings and is linked to the names of philosophers believed to have the most knowledge about Africa. Thus, if we accept the idea that Greek philosophers made use of retrospective analogy and historical projection of ethnographic data, this may explain their high level of theoretical knowledge of human evolution. Details are scattered randomly in the descriptions of the different African peoples, who are depicted with an increasing degree of primitiveness the greater the distance from Greece, and these details are inseparable from the geographical and ethnographic content. In philosophical concepts, however, the details arrange themselves logically according to the chronology of development from the simple to the complex. Observation of marginal European and Asian peoples did not objectively provide such diverse information regarding historical restoration. The influence of philosophical concepts on such descriptions was superficial and did not touch on facts and topics.
Ancient Greek Descriptions of the Africans in Connection with the Ancient Greek Concepts of Historicai Development
V.V.Fedotov
Studies of ancient Greek texts on exotic countries are marked by a tendency to see the influence of philosophic concepts on them. A coherent development of this tendency declares plot absolutely unreal and being created to illustrate philosophic concepts. Late emergence of the most spectacular and detailed descriptions of Africa and of their direct sources increases the probability of philosophic influences. However, sources contain many accurate ethnographic data about backward peoples living in remote lands. This suggests that most of information was borrowed from local sources reflecting personal impressions of ancient travellers or stories heard by them, including ideas about the world that had existed in societies long before the class formation started in them. It seems that Herodotus knew less about land south of Egypt than many of his most educated contemporaries, who might have been aware of details only known to us from later sources. The ancient concepts of human evolution show analogies with descriptions of the African peoples in putting emphasis on gathering, gradual emergence of animal husbandry and farming, learning to use fire, wear clothes and build dwelling, as well as the standards of the primitive language. The origins of these concepts, detailed in the sources which are late as those telling about Africa and its peoples, derive from the early classical Greece and are associated with names of philosophers who are believed to be most informed about Africa. Thus, if we accept the idea that Greek philosophers made use of retrospective similation and historical projection of ethnographic data, it would explain a very high level of their theoretical knowledge of human evolution. Details scattered at random in descriptions of various African peoples, who are shown to be increasingly primitive as the distance from Greece increases, are inseparable from geographic and ethnographic context. In the philosophic concepts, however, the same details are logically arranged according to the chronology of development from simple to complex. Observation of the European and Asian peripherial peoples objectively did not give such a diverse information for the historical retrospective. The influence of philosophic concepts on such descriptions was only superficial and did not touch upon facts and subjects.
Egyptian penetration into Nubia (in the Old Kingdom era)
J.A. Belova
The paper represents a research into the titles of the Egyptian officials whose inscriptions were found south of the First Cataract in the border region between Egypt and Nubia in the Old Kingdom era. A study of the tasks assigned to the employees led the author to reach the conclusion that the Egyptian administration was primarily preoccupied with innovating collection methods in the border areas to collect the wealth related to Egypt.
At that time, plans to control the borderlands had not yet been established.
Subsequent research into the titles and functions of Egyptian officials, based on the study of the inscriptions they left behind, is expected to bring to light the details of the process of the emergence of an independent state in Nubia.
Egyptian's Penetration into Nubia (in the Old Kingdom Period)
G.A.Belova
The article presents an investigation of the titles of Egyptian officials whose inscriptions were found southward of the First Cataract in the boundary area between Egypt and Nubia in the Old Kingdom period. The study of charges imposed upon the officials, has brought the author to the conclusion that the Egyptian administration was mainly occupied with devising predatory inroads into the frontier regions for the riches Egyptians hankered after.
No regular plans of mastering the border lands were conceived at the time as yet.
Further examination of the titles and functions of Egyptian officials based on the study of inscriptions they have left, is expected to bring to light the particulars of the process of formation of an independent state in Nubia.