Was Ancient Egypt White?

[Philosopher]

Popular debate among the internet is whether the ancient Egyptians were white or black?

As a student of history, I have examined this issue. I would like your thoughts on this matter and please explain to us why you think the way you think.

I have met quite a few Egyptian women who are natually blonde; and some of these are light skinned; others are more tanned. Almost all Egyptians I have ever met are tanned--not one is black.

Africans allege that Arabs intermixed with them and this explains why today's Egyptians are not black; but I don't think the Arabs really intermixed with the ancient Egyptians all that much, certainly not enough to change their color. In genetic studies I have studied, Egyptians are not close with so called Arabs.

I have been told on many occassions by Egyptians that I look Egyptain. And I'm a European. Natually, some Egyptians are darker than others, like southern Indians are darker than northern Indians. But generally speaking, Egyptians are closer to white than black. They look like a typical southern Mediterannean people.

Natually, blacks would like to claim ancient Egypt as its own. They argue that ancient Egypt proves that blacks were a superior and intellegent race.

It appears that no one wants to be black; it is sign among the people of the world of ignorance and unattractiveness.

You decide...


Here are some videos from youtube.com:YouTube - Ancient Egyptians vs Arabic Modern Egyptians


YouTube - Afrocentric Logic

[Thorvald]

Ancint Egypt was white, there are recorded evidence of red-heared, blond heared Egyptians.

Nowadays Egyptians aren't white.

[Demos]

Egypt was a mixed nation of Semitic and African people. There are plenty of statues which display African characteristics. Not sure what the point of this thread is.

To the fellow who claims that Egyptians were blonde and red headed, that's simply non-sense.

[Thorvald]

Here is an interesting read:

http://www.white-history.com/egypt.htm

And I dont care if you dont take it seriously.

Whites were present in many non-white countries nowadays.

Ever heard about the white mummies of China?

Whites were found in many Northern African countries, like in Morocco, and the original habitants of the Canary Islands (Guanches) were blond too.

[Rogi]

What point of time in ancient Egyptian history are we talking about?

For example, the ancient Nubians / Kush took over at some stage (~700bc) and they were black, hence the beginning of what is known as the Black Pharoah's.

Before that, though, it's generally accepted that the Ancient Egyptians (not the slaves) were basically white and before the time of the Nubians, there was some racism against the blacks.

For example, Pharaoh Sesostris II of 12th Dynasty, (~1845bc), forbade the black Africans from entering Egypt.


An Egyptian wall painting showing Black Nubians bringing gold offerings - showing how the White Egyptians depicted their Black neighbors circa 1850 BC.



After that, circa 700bc when the Nubians came...

[osiris]

given the availability of ancient egyptian dna it would be an easy question fo answer.

[Coolski]

They seem dark skinned, as shown by artwork and even bone structure evident in tutankhamun . Why does it even matter?

[Philosopher]

They seem dark skinned, as shown by artwork and even bone structure evident in tutankhamun . Why does it even matter?

Why does it matter if Alexander the Great was Macedonian and not Greek? To some people, it doesn't. But to you it does.

To Egyptians, blacks, and some historians, the question of whether Egypt was white or black is a matter of fierce debate. So it matters.

In the Old Testament, Egypt is called the land of Ham. Ham, by defention, means "Swarthy," "Dark." His son, Cush, means "black."

There is a clear difference between the two. Egypt was inhabited by dark people, but not black. Ham's other son, Canaan, was not black. Lebanese people claim to be descendants of Canaan.

I question, however, how white ancient Egypt was, even before the nubian era. By its very geographical nature of hot year long sun and mild weather, how white skinned people would live and thrive. Even in Sicily, where the people are white, are not white white. They are olive skinned. To suggest that the Egyptians were anything but dark olived skinned people seems incredulous.

This being said, in the videos I provided, in the second one, the author points to a DNA study in which mummies were tested and were found to be almost identical to modern Egyptians.

Either way, I don't belive the original inhabitiants were black, even though blacks from the south moved northward in time.

[Venom]

I think he meant, why it matters in the context of this forum?

[Coolski]

Why does it matter if Alexander the Great was Macedonian and not Greek? To some people, it doesn't. But to you it does.

To Egyptians, blacks, and some historians, the question of whether Egypt was white or black is a matter of fierce debate. So it matters.

In the Old Testament, Egypt is called the land of Ham. Ham, by defention, means "Swarthy," "Dark." His son, Cush, means "black."

There is a clear difference between the two. Egypt was inhabited by dark people, but not black. Ham's other son, Canaan, was not black. Lebanese people claim to be descendants of Canaan.

I question, however, how white ancient Egypt was, even before the nubian era. By its very geographical nature of hot year long sun and mild weather, how white skinned people would live and thrive. Even in Sicily, where the people are white, are not white white. They are olive skinned. To suggest that the Egyptians were anything but dark olived skinned people seems incredulous.

This being said, in the videos I provided, in the second one, the author points to a DNA study in which mummies were tested and were found to be almost identical to modern Egyptians.

Either way, I don't belive the original inhabitiants were black, even though blacks from the south moved northward in time.

define black.

[Risto the Great]

define black.

Basketball?

[Thorvald]

I think he meant, why it matters in the context of this forum?

Because its history, and one way the other, history is a global thing and has an influence on us all, regardless your ethnicy.

[Philosopher]

define black.

Are you too afraid to define it yourself? I think the videos I furnished gives the difference between dark and black.

What's more, it's common sense. Many people in the world, Indians, for example, are dark; but they are not black.

Most Egyptians have a dark olive complexion, i.e., light brown. Some are white; quite a few Egyptians I have met in my life, at school and work, are white; in fact, they look white.

This "brown" is dark but it is not "black." If you compare the blacks south of north of Africa, outside of Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, etc, they are quite black--tribal looking black.

Look at Zidane from France, whose parents came from Algeria, he looks white and yet his ancestors come from north africa.

[Pelister]

define black.

It's so typical of you Coolski. Going into bat for everyone and everything (for the sake of some abstract ideal), but ready to compromise on just about everything when it comes to the Macedonian. Typical you, typical UMD.

Black is black, its not white, its not brown, its not yellow, and there are millions of blacks in Africa.

[Rogi]

Black is African. At least that's how I see it.

That the Egyptians had black pharoah's, for whom great monuments were built and in whose time great discoveries and inventions took place, is a great thing - particularly in showing the chauvinists in Western Europe that it's not the Anglo's or the ancient Hellenes, who came up with everything and taught it to the world, but that things are much deeper.