Book description
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.
Martin Meredith is a journalist, biographer and historian who has
written extensively on Africa and its recent history. He is the author
of many books including The State of Africa: A History of the
Continent Since Independence; Mugabe: Power, Plunder, and the Struggle
for Zimbabwe, and Mandela: A Biography. He lives near Oxford.
