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Luxor Temple: Photo by Dr. Wosene Yefru

Summer Field Studies Program in Egypt and Ethiopia (2006)
Objective and Historical Background

College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Africana Studies
Tennessee State University
 

II. Plan Operation:

1. The Objective of the Summer Field Studies Program

This is a curriculum for field studies in Africa; the program is designed to take students to Egypt and Ethiopia during summer session to explore the cultural and historical linkages of these two countries in three areas. First, students will be able to study the institutions, values and traditions of these two ancient nations.  Students will examine the literary texts and cultural documents and investigate the primordial linkages between Egypt and Ethiopia. Second, students will examine one selected community in the region as part of a global cultural study. Third, students will examine the African extended family as part of the ancient historiography of Africa. As it is stated above, student will focus in one of the concentrations and develop the necessary theoretical, methodological and analytical framework within their own discipline, such as, anthropology, classical studies, education, history and other humanities courses. This is a full summer field studies program and student can register for a maximum of nine credits hours (student may choose more than one area of concentrations).

2. Historical Background of the Curriculum:

Ancient Egyptian historiography has been considered to be one of the sources for the civilization of the ancient world. Every culture and institution of the global communities owe its existence to the ancient world, namely the Nile valley civilization. However, one would expect a more cogent analysis of this ancient historiography and clearly establish a link and demonstrate how the ancient world narcissistically identifies itself beyond the descriptive and narratives of contemporary nationalism. Here students will make a brief inquiry and make an outline to help develop a new theory and a discipline of inquiry with regard to methodological framework. First, a typology will be developed to examine the narrative forms of the literary expression of myth, history, legends and tales. Second, a brief analysis of the historical mode of understanding of these societies will be made to help understand the level of consciousness of the community that produced the narrative forms and literary expression. Third, the history, myth, legends and tales will be carefully identified and separated from the historical element which is characterized as historiography. Finally, based on these historical and theoretical backgrounds students in the field studies program will master the principle of writing a historiography, along with field research techniques.

The history of Egypt and Ethiopia are inextricably linked to the Nile. Ever since the earliest known people settled its valley, the Nile River has inspired and controlled the religious, economic, social and political life of the autochthonous inhabitants. It is, however, uncertain exactly when first mankind took the initiative step to settle as agriculturalist. The Paleolithic and Neolithic process has taken many centuries and we can only make an approximation of that period of transition. The Paleolithic period, for the greater Nile Valley, from the Mediterranean to the source of the Nile and the high lands of North East Africa is estimated to be1 million to 500,000 BCE. From 200, 000 BCE (considering the newly discovered oldest human skulls in Ethiopia – 160,000 years old) onwards mankind has made a great strive in improving its tool making technique. This has been characterized as Middle Paleolithic, from 100,000 BCE to 30,000 BCE, a period of improved flint industry of refined stone tools. As Homo sapiens, mankind has reached to a level of advanced food gathering. From about 30,000 BCE to 12,000 BCE, the upper Paleolithic, mankind reached into a highly elaborate period of the hunting-gathering economy. For the people of greater Nile Valley, the momentous step from nomadic life into small scale agricultural and stock-raising communities began at about 12,000 BCE. The Neolithic period (12,000 BCE) was the beginning of the cultural, economic and political development of the region. Archaeological evidence of the Paleolithic man indicates that agriculture was first developed in the Great Nile Valley areas. There are many contending theories as to the origin of agriculture; however, the Neolithic period began independently in the Nile Valley. The Paleolithic flint improvements from Western Thebes that are now in display in various Museums around the world are evidence of a transformation from Stone Age to the age of Neolithic, the greatest of all things in human history. Since agriculture became the means of survival, villages and communities gradually evolved throughout the region, from the highlands of North East Africa to the Nile Delta. The building of homes, the domestication of animals, the production of pottery vessels, the making of rush basket and mats, and polishing of stone implements for grinding and, above all, the weaving of linen cloth followed by the land reclamation and irrigation were gradually developed.

At the beginning of the upper Paleolithic periods, between 20, 000 and 15, 000 BCE, the region has received a sufficient amount of flow of water from the highlands. The Nile, as the life giver to the people of the region, was the single important factor in changing the life style of mankind forever. From the highlands of Ethiopia to the Nile Delta, the inhabitants of the region followed the Nile trail and its tributaries and created what we now call the Nile Valley Civilization. The river, which was in the process of forming the surroundings valley, began allowing abundant water supply and well-watered plains, which produced a variety of wild plants and animals. The array of this phenomena, however, cannot be fully explained without understanding the physiological, botanical, psychological and the biomass of the living organism of both plants and animals. Indeed it was a painstaking examination of phenomena by the autochthonous inhabitants of the Nile Valley that mankind was able to select and adopt certain plants and animals that are edible and nutritious to human physiology. The development of various types of implements took place during the Paleolithic phases around the Nile terraces and gradually, but slowly disseminated throughout the region. In a confluence of circumstances, this was a historic moment of the highest order for mankind to forsake the nomadic life and turned to agriculture. It was a transition to the Neolithic period, the greatest in the epic of human history that changed the life style and brought the ultimate culture and civilization to the majority of mankind.

This historical background will offer an alternative methodological framework to help develop curriculum for the classical study of ancient Africa. By carefully selecting important sources and using archaeological, botanical, etymological and documentary evidences, students will study the historical process of the ancient history of Egypt and Ethiopia.

In these field studies, archaeological, etymological and documentary evidences will be used as primary tools to establish a primordial link among the people in the Nile Valley. Archaeologically, students will examine the obelisks at the Temples at Karnak, the unfinished obelisk in Aswan and the Axum Stella in Ethiopia. The wall inscription at Luxor Temple is the best documentary evidence of the ‘Ark Worship’ of ancient Egypt and Ethiopia. The Opet Festival is depicted in great detail, with the Pharaoh, the nobility and the common people joining the procession of Amun, Mut and Kohns and journey down the Nile to celebrate the annual inundation of the Nile. Students will compare the Ethiopian Tabot (the Ark of the Covenant) procession, like the Opet Festival, to celebrate Timket (Epiphany). Etymologically, students will examine and analyze the morphology and vocabulary of the languages of these two ancient nations.

Finally, students will formulate and construct logical and historical understanding of the past, present and future of the human experiences. After all, understanding the global natural and social phenomena will bring cultural diversity and harmony among different nationalities within the regions and the rest of the global communities.