Uncovering the wealth of traditional African knowledge and techniques
has direct implications for the future development of the continent.
This book is written against the background of the tragedy that most
Africans are profoundly ignorant of the achievements of the past, let
alone the traditions that are still upheld today. It is an exploration
and analysis of Africa's historical roots, and the editor is one of
Africa's most distinguished philosophers. Rich in detailed and original
field research, the volume covers a wide variety of topics, from the
probability theory of cowry shell diviners, to hydrology and rainmaking,
and the links between sorcery and psychosomatic medicine. Chapters
include the use of number systems, ingredients used in pharmaceutical
practice, and the mysterious phenomena of foreign objects projected into
human bodies.