UNESCO Ancient Civilizations of Africa (Editor G. Mokhtar)

Ancient Civilizations of Africa
of these regions, which frightened contemporaries by their sheer mysteriousness,
are therefore full of fabulous details in which men and animals
often take on the aspect of ludicrous or terrifying monsters.
However, even if they could not always steer away from legends, serious
authors did record valuable information and with time we find the quality
of their work improves, in proportion, doubtless, as the progress of
Graeco-Roman colonization in Africa made people aware of the realities.
As early as the middle of the fifth century before our era, Herodotus
obtained first-rateinformation, in Egypt, as to the existence and the customs
of Saharan populations on the southern borders of Tripolitania and
Cyrenaica. In his writings we find the Garamantes hunting Troglodytes
in four-horse chariots (IV, 183). We find the Nasamonians (IV, 172-5)
pushing beyond the wilderness of sand to discover in a country of men
with black skins, a great river full of crocodiles, like the Nile. ' We further
learn (IV, 43) of the extraordinary exploit of Phoenician sailors who
managed to circumnavigate the entire African continent, east to west, for
Pharaoh in about —600, and then of the Persians' failure to do the same
thing, but in the opposite direction, after venturing into the Atlantic
(IV, 43). Finally, we see the Carthaginians exchanging their trade goods
for precious gold dust, on the West African coast (IV, 196).
At this point in our sources comes a celebrated document which can
be dated from the firsthalf of the fourth century before our era, the Periplus
of Hanno, a narrative of the voyage of a Carthaginian charged with
exploring and colonizing that same coast (Geographici Graeci Minores, I).
Full of picturesque scenery, savages, crocodiles and hippopotamuses, this
short recital nevertheless gives two important landmarks: the Island of
Cerne, known from another source as a depot for ivory and skins of wild
beasts (Scylax Periplus, fourth century before our era, para. 112), and a
great volcano called 'the Chariot of the Gods', the finalstage of Hanno's
voyage along the African coast. The existence of these two points was to
be confirmed in the second century before our era by the voyage of
the Greek historian Polybius, though his narrative is only known at
second hand, through another text (Pliny the Elder, Natural History,
V 9-10).
Such are our main sources of information previous to Roman colonization
in Africa. Paradoxically, it is the most ancient source that is the least
open to criticism. Except for the circumnavigation of Africa, which calls
for some reserve, Herodotus' documentation is solid and for the most
part moderate, and does not lend itself to overinterpretation. 2 By contrast
the Periplus of Hanno, with its lavish topographical detail, has been the
1. On the subject of this expedition, cf. R. Lonis, confirming S. Gsell's theory about
the Nasamonians' routes in the direction of the Saoura valley.
2. J. Leclant, 1950b, pp. 193-253; R. Carpenter, 1965, pp. 231-42.
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