three Egyptian skulls in his Decades Craniorum. One of
these differs, as he obser^s, widely from the skulls of Negroes
of-Guinea, but has something of the Ethiopian character
and resembles the portrait of Abbas Gregorius.
Another so nearlyresembles the cranium of an Indian from
Bengal that no material difference can be perceived between
them.
I have already cited, when treating on the comparative
density of crania belonging to different races of men, a re-
marknble-passage of Herodotus, which has been thought to
prove that the Skulls* of the ancient Egyptians had in general
a greater density than those- of the Asiatics.* Herodotus
says, that after the battle fought by the army of Caifrbyges
with the Egyptians, the bones of those who had fallen were
separatedrinto two distinct heaps : he observes that the skulls
of the Persians were so Soft as to be easily broken by a pebble:
those of the Egyptians had much greater .firmness, and density.
Nor was this a singular fact. He observed the same circumstance
on examining the bones of those who had fallen at Pa-
premis, under the son of Darius, in fighting against, an Egyptian
army commanded by Inarus. An.opinion was long -ago
expressed by Dr. Shaw that the skulls of the Egyptians are
more dense and massive than those of Europeans.f The fact
is, however, by no means constant. There are great varieties
in the proportional weight of these crania: some are yery
light, and this is also true respecting some of the skulls of
Negroes.
The hair in Egyptian mummies is never woolly like that of
Negroes of Guinea. In several mummies which I have had
an opportunity of examining, it is remarkably fine, and disposed
to be curled and frizzled. In a plate contained in the
“ Description de l’Egypte,” representing a painting found at
Eilithyia, numerous human figures are seen. It is remarked
* Vol. L p. 283.—I beg to refer the reader to the paragraph here cited in the
first volume of this work, where it has been shown that although there is no constant
difference between different races of men in the particular alluded to, yet that
a greater density of the skull is frequent among Negroes. It may be considered as
one of the characters of the African races, subject, like others, to variation.
+ Shaw’s Travels, p. 377« See Blumenbach, Decades Craniorum, i. p. 14.
that their hair is black and frizzled : M les cheveux sont noirs
et frisés* sans, être laineu® comm©; ■eeuR des Nègres.” This
account agïees with the appearance of the hair in mummies.
Sometimes long-flowing ringlets have been found, and even
periwigs, or ornamental head-dresses of hair, artificially plaited
and fixed upon the head.*
S e c t io n IV.—Remains of Painting and Sculpture.
The remains of painting and sculpture afford information on
■the external eharacters, in addition to that which mummies
'present us in regard toHhe crania and the osteology of the
Egyptian race.
If we may form an idea of the complexion of the Egyptians
from the numerous paintings found in their temples and in
splendidly decorated tombs, in some of which thé colours are
known to bé preserved in a very fresh state, we must conclude
that this people were of a red-copper, - or light chocolate
■colour, and that they resembled the reddest of the Fülah and
Kafir tribes now existing in Africa. This colour may fee seen
in the numerous plates in the Description dc l’Egypte, and in
the coloured figures given by Belzoni. A similar complexion
is represented on the heads of the cases made of the sycamore-
wood, which answer the purpose of sarcophagi, and in almost
all Egyptian figures. This red colour is evidently intended to
represent the complexion of the people, •, and is not put on in
the want of a lighter paint, or flesh-colour, for when the limbs
or bodies are represented as seen through a thin veil, the tint
used resembles the complexion of Europeans. The same shade
might have been generally adopted if a darker one had not
been preferred, as more truly representing the national complexion;
of the Egyptian race.f Female figures are sometimes
distinguished by a yellow or tawny colour.
The features of the Egyptians are likewise represented in
* M. Cailliaud (Voyages ^ Meroë et au Fleuve Blanc, tom. i. p. 258) describes
remains found at Syout, to which there were masses of false hair—mèches de cheveux
postiches, enforme de' tours, &c.
j* See ïîelzoni’s Travels, p, 239.