resembles that of the Negroes** In Egyptian paintings, particularly
in the representations of agricultural scenes at Eleithias
described by Mr. Hamilton, the hair has a very similar appearance.*
From comparing these accounts, some of which were written
by persons who had travelled in Egypt,' and whose testimony
is not likely to have been biassed in any respect, we must
Conclude that the subjects of the Pharaohs had something in
their physical character approximating to that of the Negro.
They were evidently much darker in colour than the Greeks,,
since the same term is applied to their complexion which
usually designated that of African blacks : they must have
had hair frizzled, either by nature or art, thick or projecting
lips, ancT slender limbs. But there are some considerations
which would induce hesitation in ascribing to the Egyptians
the entire Negro character, even if we had no other data
than the accounts left by old writers.In the hist flac|> las
it Kas been remarked by Mr. BroWn, We do not find the difference
of aspect between the Egyptians and other nations
of antiquity so decidedly stated, or that it produced, ■ on
strangers, so strong' an impression as it would have done if
they had resembled the people of Guinea. Even when intermarriages
are mentioned between Egyptians and foreigners,
which happens occasionally in history, we find no comment
such as the great disparity of aspect between white and black
persons might probably suggest. Another circumstance to
which attention has not been given is the fact that, in the
climate of Egypt no real Negroes exist as native inhabitants.
I shall not assume prematurely any opinion respecting the
nature of that relation which appears to subsist between the
physical characters of the Negro and the inter-tropical climate,
but it is a matter of fact, that no part of Africa situated in the
latitude of Egypt is the native country of a genuine Negro
race.
Two or three other testimonies may be found which set
this matter in a clearer light, and seem to prove, independently
of all other data, of which however we shall collect
many, that the Egyptians, though of very dusky or em-
* Legh’s Travels in Egypt, p. 98. f Hamilton’s iEgyptiaca, p. 97>
browned complexion, were not really black; and secondly,
that considerable difference, existed among them, some being
much lighter than others.
Ammianus Marcellinus says. “ iEgyptii plerique, sub-
fusculi sunt et atrati, magisque msestiqres,. gracilenti et
aridi.” By saying that Egyptians f o r th e m o s t p a r t are of
: a. brownish or somewhat brown colour, and of a tanned
©r blackened hue, the writer shows that t,his was not the
case equally, at least, . with all of them ; ^ and . the expression
su b fu s c u li and a tr a ti, are very different, from n ig r i or
a t r i .
j \A curious document has lately come to pgjht;, which cqn-
,firms these remarks. It has been already adverted to hy Processors
Heeren, and K. Ottfried Muller.* Two old Egyptian
commercial contracts are extant: the, facsimile of one is at
Berlin, and the original of the other. at Paris. Of these an
.interpretation has been given by Professor Boeckh and by M.
H. ß. Martin. Both of these, belong to the Ptolepaaic period,
but the names of the persons mentioned indicate fhem ,tp be
native Egyptians. The persons interested in the contracts
are,, described according to their external appearance and
colour. In the Berlin document the seller, who is named
Pamonthes, is termed ^ueXay^pwc, and the buyer,
which may be rendered “ of a black,” or perhaps “ a dark brown
colour,” and “ yellow or honey-coloured.’| The same epithet is
given to the buyer, who is named Osarrerek, in the Parisian
manuscript. The shape of the nose.and features are also
stated, but not in such terms as to give any idea of the Negro
physiognomy.
From these expressions we may infer that considerable
diversity* of figure and complexion existed among the Egyptians.
Some persons were apparently of much darker complexion
than others. Still there is nothing that gives real
support to the opinion, which some writersf have been in-
* Heeren, Ideen, ii. 2. (1826.) Abschn. I. Ansicht des Landes und Volkes, English
Translation, vol. ii, c. 2. K, O. Muller, Handbuch der Archäologie und
Kunst. Breslau, 1830, s. 219. Anhang. Die Ungriechischen Völker.
•j. M. A. de Humboldt speaks of the white race of Egyptians, as if it were well
known that there was such a race distinct from the rest of the community. „