Martin Bernal

Martin Bernal is a scholar who claims classical civilization in Ancient Greece actually stems from Afroasiatic and Semitic cultures, not just from Europe. He calls this the Revised Ancient Model, based on Classical historians recognition of an Egyptian and Phoenician cultural heritage. This model contrasts with the Aryan Model, which posits Indo-European speakers from the north and indigenous Greeks as the main cultural source of Classical Greece.

Related Topics:
Ancient Greece - Afroasiatic - Semitic

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Revised Ancient Model, he argues, has roots in the classical civilization he studies, while the Aryan Model stems from racism developing in the late 18th and 19th centuries. His theories are not generally accepted amongst classical scholars, including Mary Lefkowitz of Wellesley College, a prominent critic. He has claimed that this resistance supports his position on the historiography of Classics.

Related Topics:
Racism - Mary Lefkowitz - Wellesley College

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Martin Bernal is Professor Emeritus of Ancient Eastern Mediterranean Studies at Cornell University but is said to have retired in 2001. He also taught Government Studies at Cornell. He is author of the three volume series, Black Athena, as well as the book Cadmean Letters, devoted to the origins of the Greek Alphabet. His earlier work focuses on China.

Related Topics:
Cornell University - Black Athena - Greek Alphabet

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He is the son of J. D. Bernal.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~