The Archaeological and Linguistic Reconstruction of African History

by Christopher Ehret (Editor)

Pp. vii, (2), 299; 17 maps, other text-figures. Publisher's original reddish-brown cloth, lettered in gilt on the spine, color pictorial dust jacket, lg 8vo. Presents 13 chapters by noted authorities in the field. The volume is divided into four parts, each concerned with a different geographical region of Africa but each focusing on a linguistic and archaeological perspective. No ownership marks and no signs of use.

306 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

A scholar of African history and African historical linguistics specializing in efforts to correlate linguistic taxonomy and reconstruction with the archeological record, Christopher Ehret was Distinguished Research Professor in History at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he taught from 1968 until his retirement in 2011.

Reviews

[Joshua Taylor]

This book is a collection of papers covering a variety of archeological and linguistic techniques utilized in the study of African settlement patterns. While it has been superseded by new discoveries and techniques over the past 40 years or so, it nonetheless presents some fascinating information and gives interesting insights into the practice of archaeolinguistic historiography. I can't say that I understood everything being covered, and it wasn't always the most riveting read, but if you have an interest in African history or linguistics, it's a worthwhile book to spend some time with.