Africa does not give up its secrets easily. Buried there lie answers about the origins of humankind and the dawn of civilisation. Through a century of archaeological investigation, scientists have transformed our understanding of the beginnings of human life, although vital clues still remain hidden.
In Born in Africa, Martin Meredith follows the trail of discoveries about our human origins made by scientists over the last hundred years, as well as describing the history of scholarship in this incredibly exciting field. He relates the intense rivalries, personal feuds and fierce controversies that shaped the study and perception of Africa, and recounts the feats of skill and endurance that have illuminated thousands of years of human evolution.
The results have been momentous. Scientists have identified more than twenty species of extinct humans and firmly established Africa as the birthplace not only of humankind, but also of our own species: homo sapiens, the modern human. Scientific study has revealed how early technology, language ability and artistic endeavour all originated in Africa, and scientists have shown how, in an exodus sixty thousand years ago, small groups of Africans left their birthplace to populate the rest of the world.
We all have an African legacy, and in this fascinating and informative book Martin Meredith leads us back to the place where we have rediscovered our common human heritage.
- 288 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Half-title page
- Also by Martin Meredith
- Title page
- Copyright page
- Epigraph page
- Contents
- Maps
- Preface
- Introduction
- PART ONE
- 1 THE VALLEY OF WILD SISAL
- 2 DART’S CHILD
- 3 BROOM’S TRIUMPH
- 4 WHITE AFRICAN
- 5 DEAR BOY
- 6 HANDY MAN
- 7 KOOBI FORA
- 8 HADAR
- 9 LAETOLI
- 10 BONES OF CONTENTION
- 11 TURKANA BOY
- 12 A DANCE THROUGH TIME
- 13 NEW FRONTIERS
- 14 LITTLE FOOT
- PART TWO
- 15 PROTOTYPES
- 16 PIONEERS
- 17 SAPIENS
- 18 EXODUS
- Glossary
- Notes on Sources
- Selected Bibliography
- Index
- Author biography
- Plates
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Yes, you can access Born in Africa by Martin Meredith in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & World History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.