The Oldest Europeans: Who Are We? Where Do We Come From? What Made European Women Different? [Paperback]

J. F. del Giorgio (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 9806898001 | ISBN-13: 978-9806898004 | Publication Date: May 24, 2006

With twenty chapters, compelling illustrations, and a comprehensive Further Readings section, this twice awarded book gives us a searching and original look of our past ... European travelers all around the world are familiar with the cultural shocks they suffer and produce. They also know what is usually the main difference with other cultures. It is the independent, self-assertive European woman that distinguishes the European culture from most others in the globe. Actually, it is not now that these women are more independent. They have not gained independence during the last millennia, but have almost completely lost it. European women were not merely independent in the past. They seem to have enjoyed a remarkable high status. They were practically in command. Some ten thousand years ago many tribes started to invade Europe from the East. They were the Aryans or Indo-Europeans. They brought with them their farming know-how and their languages originating most of the tongues today spoken in the continent French, German, English, Italian, Greek, Portuguese, Rumanian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and the Scandinavian and the Slavic tongues. The Aryans met a vast array of tribes in Europe the Oldest Europeans. They had been there for many, many thousand years and exhibited a notable cultural diversity. These Oldest Europeans had a most important and distinctive trait. It sharply separated them from the invading Indo-Europeans. It was what distinguished them the only one common cultural mark among all the Oldest Europeans their women. This book describes some of those Oldest European cultures. Also the cultural crash produced when they met the invading Indo-Europeans. All that has forged the European soul. It has deeply influenced the present world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...Interesting history of women and European culture... Author J.F. del Giorgio has written a fascinating book that addresses the origins of the European culture. In great depth, he discusses how women had strong roles early on. Women inherited, men took their mother s names and kings were chosen by whom the daughter of the king married, not the son... del Giorgio discusses the genetics and cultural ties between Basques, Irish, Scots, Welsh, Celts, Scandinavians, Etruscans and Pelasgians... as the Indo-European culture invaded Europe women actually began losing their status... I found this book to be very interesting and informative. It is obvious that a great deal of research went into writing it... After reading The Oldest Europeans, it is good to keep it as a reference book... I recommend this book to people that are interested in their European ancestry, women's issues or students of ancient history. You will find it fascinating... --Paige Lovitt, Reviewer, ReaderViews.com

... contains a wealth of information... a journey through prehistoric Europe... It would be an understatement to say that reading this well-documented study about witchcraft, old religions, women s rights, our own stone roots, ancient European names, language, Greek mythology and history, ancient traditions such as the carnival, Easter, Christmas, hallucinogens, religious rituals, river names, and many more topics is fascinating!... priceless insights into European ancestry... --Norm Goldman, Editor, BookPleasures.com

This book examines who are the oldest people in Europe (who was there first) and how they differed from the later influx of Aryan/Indo- Europeans. It was the Basques and their progeny, the Celtic people and the Scandinavians who were there first... ... an interesting book for not only those interested in anthropology subjects, but for those interested in genealogy and DNA research. --Bob Spear, Publisher and Chief Reviewer, Heartland Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: A.J. Place (May 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9806898001
• ISBN-13: 978-9806898004
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #698,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, and interesting; the best book I've read in a long time., August 9, 2010

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G. Joy Robins "Joy Robins" (Staten Island,, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Oldest Europeans: Who Are We? Where Do We Come From? What Made European Women Different? (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book so much I want to read it through again! Without mentioning Marija Gimbutas, J.F. del Giorgio seems to pick up the trail where she left off. He follows the Cro-Magnon, the first modern humans in Europe, through the Ice Age to modern times. While Indo-Europeans eventually invaded, they never really eradicated the early culture they encountered. Del Giorgio looks to the Basques and their relatives in Northern and Western Europe for clues to what happened to that culture.
Indo-European languages largely displaced the original languages but many words, especially place names, are tied to the earlier inhabitants. These people intermarried and largely remained where they had been for millennia. In the earlier matrilineal tradition, the most powerful individuals were queens, who were actually priestesses of the female centered religion. Kings gained their power by marrying princesses. It was apparently a very temporary power, as they were sacrificed for the good of the community frequently, giving us our concept of heroes. As the Indo-Europeans became more and more powerful, they limited the power of women and installed patrilineal kingship.
Del Giorgio interprets the clash of cultures as a religious war between the followers of the old Mother Goddess in all her forms and the patriarchal pantheon. This war, while it seemed to have been won, continued to break out periodically in such episodes as the frenzy of witch burning. Since the main icon of the Mother Goddess with her Son has been adopted into Christianity along with the concept of the hero's sacrifice, it is clear that it was more of a compromise than a victory.
In language that is vigorous and engaging, never boring; del Giorgio tells his tale and documents it beautifully. I found it charming that in spots he doesn't quite get the idiom and makes it clear that his first language is not English. That never gets in the way of the clarity of his message or its importance. This book puts into perspective much that I have read before. I recommend Jean Clottes `magnificent photos in Cave Art and Brian Fagan's word picture of the lives of the first modern Europeans in Cro-Magnon and of course Marija Gimbutas' The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe and The Living Goddesses.
Cro-Magnon: How the Ice Age Gave Birth to the First Modern HumansThe Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe: Myths and Cult ImagesCave Art

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Oldest Europeans, March 12, 2011

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Jean P Hamilton - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oldest Europeans: Who Are We? Where Do We Come From? What Made European Women Different? (Paperback)

The Oldest Europeans: Who Are We? Where Do We Come From? What Made European Women Different?

I ordered this book since it looked very interesting. I still think that the book and the topic could be interesting, however, it has been written by someone who is clearly not a native English speaker and needs some serious editing assistance. I labored through it, simply because of my interest in the thesis, but found it almost incomprehensible given the mangled grammar and syntax. I would not recommend that anyone spend $$ on this book. The experience will ultimately be very frustrating. The author's thesis is that The Oldest Europeans, today represented by the Basques and other Celtic descendants, had primarily matriarchal societies. This forms the basis of the author's statement that European women are different -- they are more independent and of higher status than women in the rest of the world because their ancestors functioned in matriarchal societies, which pre-dated the Patriarchal societies of the Indo-European/Aryan invaders. The history and culture of The Oldest Europeans, who pre-date the Indo-European invaders, are explored in great detail by the author through examination primarily of legends and myths. This examination meanders wildly throughout the text, ultimately obscuring what seem to be the author's key points. A strong editor and complete rewrite might work to illuminate what could be a fascinating volume.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent source of information, June 27, 2006

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B. Dominguez Mujica (Madrid, Spain) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Oldest Europeans: Who Are We? Where Do We Come From? What Made European Women Different? (Paperback)

This book deals with history and miths in a serious and at the same time, entertaining way. I enjoyed it very much. It makes you want to know more about the theme, and thankfully it has a very ample further readings section.
I hope to read more books from this author.