Did Ancient Egypt know about the Source of the Nile i.e. Lake Victoria?
Answer 1: I do not have an answer to your question on Egyptian knowledge about the sources of the Nile. But I thought I would share knowledge about the Chinese. A map drawn in 1402 (below), before Prince Henry the Navigator started his explorations. The map clearly shows the rough outline of Africa when geographers still thought S. Africa turned eastwards to join with Asia since Ptolemy. Of interest to you would be the huge lake in the centre of the African continent, the Great Lakes Region. So how did they know? You can get more info under Kangindo map 1402 on the web. Question 2: Why, then, China did not imperialize/colonise the whole of Africa? Answer 2: You raise a very interesting question which cannot be dealt with here. But I am qouting below a short conclusion that I have in my forthcoming book Dhow Cultures of the Indian Ocean which refers to the same issue. You will need to read Needham’s fuller volume, but I do not know if you can find it anywhere in Tanzania – I have only t
Answer 1: I do not have an answer to your question on Egyptian knowledge about the sources of the Nile. But I thought I would share knowledge about the Chinese. A map drawn in 1402 (below), before Prince Henry the Navigator started his explorations. The map clearly shows the rough outline of Africa when geographers still thought S. Africa turned eastwards to join with Asia since Ptolemy. Of interest to you would be the huge lake in the centre of the African continent, the Great Lakes Region. So how did they know? You can get more info under Kangindo map 1402 on the web. Question 2: Why, then, China did not imperialize/colonise the whole of Africa? Answer 2: You raise a very interesting question which cannot be dealt with here. But I am qouting below a short conclusion that I have in my forthcoming book Dhow Cultures of the Indian Ocean which refers to the same issue. You will need to read Needham’s fuller volume, but I do not know if you can find it anywhere in Tanzania – I have only t
