Insights on the history of Anthropology: its emergence in the wider Middle East before it existed as a discipline

Abstract

Before anthropology existed as a discipline, important grounding relating to different aspects of the study of humanity were present in many ancient writings of some Islamic Renaissance scholars in the wider Middle East such as Abu Rayhan al- Biruni, a Persian scholar (973-1048) and Ibn Khaldoun, a Tunisian scholar (1332-1406). In this paper I present briefly the scientific and cultural products of these scholars particularly those concerning anthropological subjects. I present also some important anthropological concepts and conclusions presented in their famous studies which represent the foundation of anthropology. Thus, this paper represents a contribution to the universal history of anthropology. The knowledge of this history and that of previous and current problems specific to anthropology would help to develop a real global anthropology.