by Cheikh Anta Diop; Jean Leclant; Theophile Obenga; Jean Vercoutter

This book is a concise report of the 1974 Cairo conference and contains the arguments concerning the ethnic, linguistic and cultural composition of the ancient Egyptians as well as the deciphering of the meroitic script. The debates are fierce and extensive on the question of the racial identity of the ancient Egyptians but this volume does show that despite the opposing camps' perspectives, the dispassionate summary leaves no doubt as to the scientific rigor that was at the service of the African contribution. This volume therefore elucidates the oppositional stances delineated by both tendencies and exposes the weaknesses of the unrevised Indo-European model.